Creating compelling photography work often means thinking beyond the single image. When you approach your craft as a series of connected photographs rather than isolated shots, you unlock storytelling potential that individual images simply cannot achieve on their own.
Coming to you from Toma Bonciu, this insightful video breaks down the essential elements that transform random photographs into cohesive projects. Bonciu explains that successful photography series require an obvious common element that viewers can immediately identify. This goes far beyond just shooting the same subject repeatedly. You need consistent visual presentation across every aspect of your work: the same orientation throughout, identical editing approaches, matching color treatments, and often the same focal length choices. These technical consistencies create the visual thread that binds individual images into something greater than their parts.
The video emphasizes starting small when planning your first series, which runs counter to many ambitious photographers' instincts. Instead of documenting subjects spread across continents or attempting access to restricted locations, Bonciu suggests beginning in your own neighborhood with easily accessible subjects. Building facades, local pet owners, or familiar community elements provide rich material without the logistical nightmares that derail larger projects. This approach lets you focus on developing your series-building skills rather than wrestling with complex access issues or travel complications. You can always expand your scope once you've mastered the fundamentals of creating cohesive bodies of work.
Bonciu shares details about his most successful project, "Stories of the Forest," which emerged from childhood memories of his grandmother's fairy tale books. The series captures forests shrouded in fog, creating the mystical atmosphere he remembered from those old stories. What makes this project particularly interesting is how he's developed multiple sub-series within the larger work: panoramas, wide angle shots, telephoto compositions, vertical and horizontal orientations, both color and black-and-white treatments. This approach prevents creative stagnation during long-term projects that might span months or years. When working on extended series, you need strategies to maintain both consistency and your own creative engagement. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Bonciu.
And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out our latest tutorial, "Photographing the World: Japan II - Discovering Hidden Gems with Elia Locardi!”
