The Other Side of Storytelling: Why Fantasy and Creative Photography Need a Story Too
Okay so... I just wrote about storytelling in real moments, right? Capturing who you actually are, your real life, all that good stuff.
But here's what I want to talk about now. Because there's this whole other side to storytelling photography that I am absolutely obsessed with, and it's the creative fantasy side. Where we BUILD the story instead of capturing it as it happens.
And honestly? This type of photography might reveal even MORE about who you are.
Let me explain.
When the Story is About YOU (But Not Your Daily Life)
Remember how I said traditional storytelling photography lets you be yourself? Well, creative shoots about you? They let you peel back even MORE layers.
Think about it. In your everyday life, there are parts of yourself you keep tucked away. Maybe you're a mom who feels powerful and fierce but spends most of your time being gentle and patient. Maybe you're someone who feels ethereal and otherworldly but your job requires you to be practical and grounded. Maybe there's a darker, moodier side of you that doesn't fit into your regular life.
A creative fantasy shoot lets you pull those hidden parts into the light. You get to explore sides of yourself you might keep hidden until now. You get to dig deeper into who you are beyond what people see every day.
And here's where the story becomes SO important...
Why You Need a Story (Not Just a Cool Outfit)
I've seen people try to do creative shoots with just... vibes. Like "I want to wear a pretty dress in the woods" or "I want to look mysterious." And that's a start! But without a story? You end up looking kind of lost. Posing awkwardly. Not knowing what to do with your hands or your face.
But when you have a STORY? Everything clicks into place.
You Know How to Act
If your story is that you're a forest witch protecting her land... you know how to stand. How to look at the camera (or not look at it). Whether you're powerful or secretive or dangerous or wise. You're not just wearing a costume. You're playing a role.
And that role tells you:
Facial expressions - Are you confident? Haunted? Playful? Fierce?
Body language - Do you take up space or move carefully? Are you grounded or floating?
Hand placement - Are you reaching for something? Holding power? Protecting yourself?
Reactions - What are you reacting to in this scene? What just happened? What's about to happen?
It's like acting, right? Actors don't just put on a costume and hope for the best. They know their character's story. They know what their character wants, what they're afraid of, what they're fighting for.
That's what we're doing in creative photography. You're acting out a scene. And the better you understand the story, the more authentic your performance feels.
Props Tell the Story Too
This is where I get really excited (okay I'm already excited but MORE excited). Props aren't just... decorations. They're part of the story.
A book in your hands? That tells us something. Are you reading it peacefully or clutching it protectively? Is it a spell book or a diary or an ancient text?
Flowers? Are you picking them gently or are they wilting in your grasp? Are they a crown or a weapon or a gift?
A mirror? Are you seeing yourself or something else? Are you trapped or escaping?
Every single element in the frame should serve the story. And when you know the story, you know how to interact with those props naturally. You're not just holding a thing. You're USING it in the scene.
When You Play Someone Else Entirely
Now here's the really interesting part. Sometimes the creative shoot isn't about revealing hidden parts of YOU. It's about stepping away from yourself completely and becoming someone else.
Maybe you want to embody a historical figure. Or a fictional character. Or just... a mood, a concept, a fantasy version of a person who never existed.
And surprise! Even when you're playing someone else, it still kinda comes back to you.
Because here's what happens... when you step into someone else's story, you get to:
Pull Back THEIR Layers
If you're photographing yourself as Persephone or Cleopatra or a 1920s flapper or whoever... you have to think about who they were. What they wanted. What they felt. You're creatively interpreting what you think they were like. You're telling THEIR story through your body, your face, your energy.
And that interpretation? That's all you, friend. The way you see that character, the elements you choose to emphasize, the emotion you bring to it... that's your creativity, your perspective, your understanding of the human experience.
Escape Yourself (Which Teaches You About Yourself)
Sometimes you just need to NOT be you for a minute, you know?
Maybe you're exhausted from being the responsible one, the caretaker, the professional. And you want to be wild. Reckless. Free. Untamed.
Or maybe you're always the life of the party and you want to explore stillness. Quiet. Melancholy. Solitude.
Playing someone else gives you permission to access emotions and behaviors you might not let yourself feel in real life. And honestly? That's powerful. That's therapeutic. That's ART.
So... Who Do You Want to Be?
I want to ask you some questions. And I really want you to think about them, because your answers might surprise you:
If you could embody any emotion in a photograph, what would it be?
Not happiness (we get enough of that in regular photos). I mean... rage? Grief? Ecstasy? Power? Vulnerability? What emotion do you carry that you never get to fully express?
If you could step into any time period, where would you go?
Victorian gothic? 1960s mod? Medieval? Future dystopia? And more importantly... WHY that era? What about it calls to you?
If you were a mythological creature or character, who would you be?
A siren? A warrior? A ghost? A goddess? Something dark? Something ethereal? What story do you want to tell?
What side of yourself do you keep hidden?
The fierce part? The soft part? The weird part? The powerful part? What if we pulled that into the light and celebrated it?
Or maybe... you want to completely escape yourself?
Who would you be if you could be anyone else? Not just their appearance, but their STORY. Their struggles. Their victories. Their whole vibe.
Bringing It All Together
Here's what I've learned after years of doing both documentary storytelling AND creative fantasy work...
Story is everything. Whether I'm capturing your real life or helping you create a fantasy, the story is what makes the images MEAN something.
In traditional storytelling, you get to be yourself. We capture your real moments, your authentic interactions, your actual life.
In creative storytelling, you get to be MORE than yourself. Or DEEPER into yourself. Or completely OUTSIDE yourself. But either way, you're exploring human experience in a way that matters. In a way that feels true even when it's not "real."
And all those technical things... the facial expressions, the hand placement, the props, the body language, the reactions... they all fall into place when you know the story. When you understand the scene. When you're not just posing, but PERFORMING.
You're not a product being photographed. You're a character in a story. You're an actor in a scene. You're a creator bringing something to life.
And I get to capture it. Holy crap, I love my job.
Let's Create Something
So here's what I'm wondering... what story do you want to tell?
Is there a fantasy version of yourself that's been living in your head? A character you've always wanted to embody? An emotion you need to express? A side of yourself that deserves to be seen?
Or maybe you don't know yet. Maybe you just know you want to create something meaningful. Something beautiful. Something that feels TRUE even if it's not realistic.
That's enough. We can figure out the story together. That's actually my favorite part... sitting with someone and asking questions until we discover what they really want to express. What's hiding under the surface. What story is begging to be told.
Because here's what I believe... everyone has stories inside them. Real ones AND imaginary ones. And both kinds matter. Both kinds reveal who we are. Both kinds deserve to be captured in a way that honors their importance.
So tell me. What story are we gonna tell together?
Ready to create something extraordinary? Let's talk about your creative vision. Whether you know exactly what you want or you're just feeling pulled toward something different, I'm here for it. Message me and let's start planning.
