Creating Photographic Sequences

“Anybody who has ever tried to arrange a bunch of flowers, to shuffle and shift the colours, to add a little here and take away there, has experienced this strange sensation of balancing forms and colours without being able to tell exactly what kind of harmony it is she is trying to achieve. We just feel– a patch of red here may make all the difference, or this blue is all right by itself but it does not ‘go’ with the others, and suddenly a little stem of green leaves may seem to make it come ‘right’. ‘Don’t touch it any more,’ we exclaim, ‘now it is perfect.’ Not everybody, I admit, is quite so careful over the arrangement of flowers, but nearly everybody has something she wants to get ‘right’.”

Ernest Gombrich’s, The Story of Art.

“Photographs are a fantastically complex visual language all to themselves, but you have to be careful: pairing two pictures you might be sure would work together often don’t; for whatever reason they might cancel each other out. On the other hand two pictures that might not individually be so remarkable can each lift the other to be much better… and suggest a sort of ‘third thing’ floating somewhere between the two.” Mark Power

The way a photographic story comes together really depends on the dynamic between those involved—it’s not a fixed process. As Mark Power puts it, “There isn’t just one correct way of sequencing pictures. There are many, and it’s very subjective.” That openness to interpretation came through strongly during the Lab workshops, where participants despite having very little time instinctively built their own sequences. Some worked by theme, others used the images to shape a narrative they already had in mind. Some followed visual cues like form, texture, colour, or the overall mood. It just shows how many ways there are to approach the same set of images.

Think Cinematically

Approach sequencing like editing a film. Consider rhythm, pacing, atmosphere, and narrative flow.

Look for Visual or Conceptual Links

Connect images through shared colours, forms, gestures, subjects, or underlying ideas—even subtle ones.

Avoid Relying on Chronology

A strict timeline can be limiting. Rearranging images can reveal unexpected relationships or emotional shifts.

Work Iteratively

Sequence, step back, and revisit. Try different orders and combinations. Let the sequence evolve over time.

Treat Editing as Creative Work

Sequencing isn’t just administrative—it’s an artistic process. Use it to construct meaning, mood, and narrative.

Trust Your Intuition

Not every decision has to be rational. Let your instincts guide you when something simply “feels” right.