Does Your Art Tell the Right Story?

As artists—whether we’re photographers, painters, or anything in between—we all have a reason for creating what we do. Something draws us in. Something makes us stop, look closer, and capture it.

But most of the time, we’re so focused on creating that we don’t stop to share why we created it.

Over the last year, that’s been a real shift for me—learning to explain not just what I created, but the story behind it. Because every photo I’ve taken had a reason. And just as important, there are plenty I’ve walked past because they didn’t move me in the same way.

I don’t think storytelling is just about selling art. I think it matters for us—for remembering where we were, what we felt, what made us pause. And honestly, it matters for the future too. These moments don’t always last.

Maybe you photograph a tree in a cemetery because it’s about to be cut down.

Or maybe you photograph it simply because of the way it makes you feel.

Either way… that story matters.

And it’s worth sharing.

@Patrick Shanahan