Diptych Storytelling

BEGINNER TIPS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC DIPTYCH STORYTELLING

We all start at the beginning. And learning new things means starting at the beginning again. Recently, I came across some photographic diptychs that really piqued my attention. I had randomly attempted diptychs once or twice before. But these were so inspiring, they reignited my desire to explore diptych storytelling. I did a little bit of reading and a lot more looking at other artists’ works and then got right to it.

I started out quite basic with no fancy transitions from one image to the next and no creative compositions, so to speak. Just 2 of my “normal” photographs, paired together, to tell a greater story. As a beginner myself, I wanted to share 3 relatively simple types of pairings you might consider if you, too, would like to explore diptych photography. These are things that my own brain naturally gravitates towards as ways for two images to be paired together in a visually pleasing way that “makes sense.”

The bigger picture and its details:

This one is probably easier than some other concepts. Pair a pull-back with a detail from the scene. You could use a full-length portrait of your child on a swing with the detail of their fingers curled around the chain. Perhaps you have an image of your pet curled up to sleep along with a close-up of the little pads on his toes or a field of flowers you can pair with a macro of some petals.

Color matching:

This concept can be as simple or as complicated as you’d like it to be. Think about the colors of fall or flowers in the springtime. You might have a wonderful image of your child in their yellow raincoat you could pair with perfectly matching daffodils, for example. Maybe you’ll even choose one image that is more abstract. You can try intentional camera movement (ICM) or something out of focus to capture color(s)  (think bokeh) and partner that with a perfectly sharp subject.

Inversion or opposites:

This type of diptych can be a little more challenging. Think of a silhouette paired with a lighter subject on a black background. Or perhaps an image of some white flowers in the green grass together with one looking up to the green leaves of a tree against the white clouded sky. Consider light, color, or anything else in the images that might be of contrast to one another. In my second image below, the amount of leaves on the trees are my opposites… one tree is full, whereas the other is sparse.

I, personally, think it is easier to create a diptych in my mind, as I shoot. So, for example, if I am on a nature walk, the big picture and its details are all around me and easy to imagine partnering together. Other times, though, it can be an enjoyable challenge to go back into my archives and pair up older images.

Check out these amazing Creative Courses:
The Creative Collab
Diary of a Creative Storyteller
Mastering Lensbaby
Embracing Your Vision

These images were made in late January, earlier this year. They were not captured on the same day, nor with the thought of pairing them together to tell a new story. WHY DID I CHOOSE THEM? The first thing that caught my attention here was color. That pretty pinkish-purple echoed between the two seemed a wonderful match. When I looked further, I loved that the moisture on the window was in direct relation to the snowflake. The image on the right was originally horizontal, but I chose to rotate it because I liked the vertical lines of the curtains matching the pattern in the scarf and, ultimately, the color placement looked best to my eye.

For a bigger challenge, I recently joined a collaborative diptych loop on Instagram. I was partnered with Janie of @janebergerphotography in the first round and she sent me 3 images to choose from. The image on the left, some out-of-focus fireworks, had me stumped and I almost skipped it entirely. But then, I had one of those “ah-ha” moments.

WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS? I wanted to invert color, but use the same shape. My “ah-ha” moment came in the form of a container of marbles I knew we had stashed away in a closet. Because the fireworks were white, I chose to place them on a simple piece of printer paper on the table. The sun streamed into the window and formed shadows that I found quite interesting. In all honesty, I was half-joking as I made this. I would have otherwise never considered marbles as a subject for a photograph of mine. I loved it once it was put together!

Whether designing your stories on the spot, looking to pair archived images, or collaborating with friends, photographic diptychs can be a great way to challenge yourself and get your creative juices flowing. Considering the big picture and details, colors, and inversions can lead to perfectly partnered images.

NOT SURE HOW TO PUT THEM TOGETHER? If you’re a Photoshop user like I am, I’ve created 4 templates to make the process simple! They are included as a Hello Storyteller member perk this month. So, if you’re not a member, now’s the time to join. Let’s get creative together!

For more inspiration, follow Shelly on Instagram!