Why Pictures Are Important to Media Storytelling

Journalists need photos. Why?

It may sound cheesy, but a picture is worth a thousand words. You can describe a scene in so much detail, but it will never be as powerful as the picture.

Hurricane Irma is a great example of this. Many news stations described what was happening in the Carribean and around Florida, but it doesn't always mean much to others not directly hit.

However, looking at pictures like this really show the devastation. I took these at my home in Cocoa Beach (because I didn't stay in Gainesville). After I posted these of Facebook, people freaked out. What they thought about the Hurricane was changed, not through words, but pictures.

Here is an article that I really really love is called "Importance of Photography in Storytelling and Building a Brand." The author, Michael Walton, talks about how at his PR firm MHW uses photography to show who they are and really tell their story.