The Power of a Photograph
The phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” is a cliché for a reason. We know how compelling a photograph can be and that’s why we often leverage their power to tell stories for our clients. In honour of World Photo Day, we asked our team to submit a photo and tell us what makes it powerful to them.
Brooke Drake
I took this in Chobe National Park in Botswana. We paused on our drive through the park to let a large group of elephants pass around us. This one stood close by keeping an eye on us until everyone was safe and then turned and left. This is a case of objects being larger and closer than they appear in the photo. It was both thrilling and terrifying being this close to such a large and powerful animal.
Don Laurie
I’ve always loved being on or near the water. Incredibly thankful I have close proximity and access to both Lake Ontario (Hamilton Beach Strip) and a family member’s cottage. My love of landscape photography is a great way to be creative and in nature at the same time.
Stacey Hellas
This is from my folk troupe days (I’m the one in the pink) on a photo shoot at U of T. This photo means a lot to me because we were a really close-knit group and it brings back many fond memories of dance. Power? What could be more powerful than the power of joy that comes from dance!
Wesley Gee
This photo comes from a recent trip to Charleston, SC. What was once several Slave markets, this building has since been transformed into a beautiful and incredibly important museum. To me, it represents both the beauty and tragedy that we’ve only recently begun to understand. The richness of local culture and food that came from ambition and individuality, but also as a result of the tragedies of slavery and war.
Ellie Rosen
This is a photo I took of an ant eating sugar crystals off my deck.
It’s powerful to me, because it reminds me to take a breath and recognize that I’m only a small player in a big world. Just like the ant, I’m focused on what’s in front of me, what’s important for my own sustenance, oblivious to the world around me. But if I was to take a step back, I would see that the world is bigger than just me, which lifts some of the pressures I may feel on day-to-day decisions.
Eric Johnson
Most mornings, I take my dog, Drake, over to the off-leash area at Riverdale Park. Leaving one morning, I came across this little scene that somebody, perhaps a student from nearby Montcrest School, had set up. It has a certain cheesy charm in itself, but what I really like is that someone took the time to do this, and the pleasure their effort and imagination gave to other people. The scene remained undisturbed for a few days, and I saw that it was photographed by several people. Then one day it was gone.
Amanda Cook
Wolves are my long-time favourite animal. This photo is from the Haliburton Wolf Centre which has 7 acres of land for a pack of wolves. It was very special to see the whole pack in the viewing area, let alone being able to capture them all in one photo. They are so majestic, and we can all learn from wolves the power of family!
Pearl Maguire
This photo is from a spontaneous trip I took to Arizona with one of my best friends. After we climbed down a steep ladder, we were completely surrounded by smooth, red rock, manipulated over thousands of years by water violently crashing through the canyon. This specific rock formation is often referred to as “The Lady in the Wind” and got its name because it looks like a side profile of a woman with her chin elevated and her hair flowing in the wind. This photo will always leave me in awe of the power of water and how something so violent can create something so beautiful.
Photography is a universal language that can evoke feelings and emotions without any words or sounds. Interested in seeing some of the powerful photos we’ve chosen to tell stories for our clients? Check out some of our work today!
