why photos go viral - transcontinenta · 2019-10-29 · instead, make your composition dynamic and...

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WHY PHOTOS GO VIRAL:PHOTOGRAPHERS SHARE THEIR SECRETS

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Content

THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO IRRESISTIBLY SHAREABLE IMAGES THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO IRRESISTIBLY SHAREABLE IMAGES

Can a Picture Launch a Thousand Tweets?

Common Attributes of Seriously Shareable Photographs

Jasmine StarViral Photo Lesson #1: The Honest Expression of Emotion Steals Hearts

Jake OlsonViral Photo Lesson #2: Nature Makes the Most Epic Backdrop

Adam BouskaViral Photo Lesson #3: Make a Bold Statement

Jimmy ChinViral Photo Lesson #4: Take the Viewer on a Journey

Let’s Ask the Experts

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Trey RatcliffViral Photo Lesson #5: Contrast and Drama Create an Impact

Jerry GhionisViral Photo Lesson #6: Offer a Unique Perspective

Sergey SusViral Photo Lesson #7: Showcase Nature’s Fury

Lindsay AdlerViral Photo Lesson #8: True Beauty Woos us All

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Closing Thoughts 27

Eric KimViral Photo Lesson #9: Leave Room for Interpretation 25

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Can a Picture Launch a Thousand Tweets?

1) 90% of all data received by the brain is visual. Images are processed

60,000X faster than words alone.

2) Social media posts with visuals score an average of 94% more page visits

and overall engagement spikes than those that only have text.

3) Images are much more social-media-friendly, because they are

instantly shareable and accessible.

• 4 •


Of course it can! In fact, images are vastly more successful on social media than text.

Why? Let us count the ways:

As photographers and photo enthusiasts, this is splendid news indeed!

Now what separates the duds from the shining stars?

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Common Attributes of Seriously Shareable Photographs

1) People rule: When compared with photos that have minimal activity or human

essence, pictures with lively people are far more stimulating and shareable.

2) Nature wins big too: Moving landscapes, intense weather shots, or simply

capturing a stunning flower; these all create a serious impact on avid audiences.

3) Emotion is key: Whether you’re communicating joy, sorrow, passion, or rage,

bringing life and feeling into your shot means the masses will elicit a much

greater response.

4) Busy is better: A static selfie rarely goes viral, unless you’re Ellen DeGeneres.

Instead, make your composition dynamic and action-packed.

• 5 •


There is no definitive recipe for hugely viral pics, but one or more of these attributes

are often major factors in popularity and engagement:

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Let’s Ask the Experts


• 6 •

Nobody knows better about viral photographs than the pros that post them daily.We asked a bevy of well-known and accomplished photographers what their secret sauce is in creating a viral photo, and their genius is shared on these pages.Each photographer made Eyefi’s Top 100 Socially Influential Photographers list, so not only does each professional know how to snap a stellar photograph, they’re social mavens too.

Comb through these examples of impactful and viral photographs, then get inspired enough to duplicate these awesome success stories on your social media channels!

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https://twitter.com/jasminestarwww.jasminestarblog.com


• 7•

Viral Photo Lesson #1:The Honest Expression of Emotion Steals Hearts

Jasmine Star is one of the country’s foremost wedding photographers, and her contribution shows the power of a love story. Jasmine attributes the 3k+ Facebook likes and 1,300 Instagram likes to the amazing candid and expressive moment she was able to capture. She shared the following about the special shot:

“This particular photo of the groom seeing his bride before the ceremony for a private moment together was a photo that garnered [a lot] of attention.

I believe it struck a chord because the moment was raw, real, and candid. Every bride wants her groom to lose his breath when he sees her for the first time...and that's precisely what happened when Clark saw Krissi. So real was this connection, online viewers it behind their computer screens.”

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• 8 •

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https://twitter.com/JAKEOLSONSTUDIOhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0993770657/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?ref_=cm_sw_r_fa_awdm_jvblub1NA3PPDhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0993770657/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?ref_=cm_sw_r_fa_awdm_jvblub1NA3PPDhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0993770657/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?ref_=cm_sw_r_fa_awdm_jvblub1NA3PPD

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0993770657/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?ref_=cm_sw_r_fa_awdm_jvblub1NA3PPD


• 9 •

A highly talented and successful portrait photographer from Nebraska, Jake Olson is a master at capturing the essence of individuality. This photograph, which he calls “Aging Storm Redux”, combines the epic merger of a dynamic scene in nature juxtaposed with the most fascinating human subject. As Jakes states, “I believe that everything in the world is beautiful, as long as we take the time to look at it. [This] allows me to take normal, everyday subjects, and transform them into enchanting images by focusing on breathtaking light and color.”

To get this shot, it was indeed the perfect storm. Here’s how it all went down, in the words of the photographer:“This image is of James Spain of Omaha, Nebraska. It was captured spontaneously during a family shoot in which James rode down with portrait clients from Omaha, Nebraska as a guest.

Viral Photo Lesson #2:Nature Makes the Most Epic Backdrop

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• 10 •

There was no set up to the shot. I captured this by shooting at six frames per second as James was waiting for the family he rode to Blair with to exit the car behind me. While waiting for the family to prepare, I just decided I would capture a few images of James.

The wind was starting to pick up. The light was low because of the storm clouds. No reflectors or flash were used, but I decided to lower my exposure compensation to make sure I could capture the cloud detail behind James. Using a faster shutter speed, I could get the blowing hair very sharp at F2.8. The final image you see in Aging Storm was the only one where James hair was floating straight up. In the rest of the images, his hair all went to the side and didn’t have quite the dreamy surreal feel as seen in the image I finally chose. Once I saw James’ hair blowing, I knew I had something special.”

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https://twitter.com/bouskahttp://www.bouska.net/


• 12 •

Photographer Adam Bouska is not shy when it comes to expressing his views through a visual medium. His heralded NOH8 campaign is nervy, eye-catching, provocative, and hard to forget. He shared the story of this particular shot from the campaign:

“This NOH8 photo is of Cindy McCain, and it’s one of my most viral images. [My goal was to] symbolically show that human rights shouldn’t be a party politics issue. Everyone has a voice and has the potential to use that influence to make a difference. This image was ranked as one AOL's top 10 most downloaded images of the day after its release.”

Make a statement loud and proud, especially with photographic flair, and the world might just take notice. Adam is living proof.

Viral Photo Lesson #3:Make a Bold Statement

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https://twitter.com/jimkchinhttp://www.jimmychin.com

• 11 •


• 14 •

Professional image capturer Jimmy Chin is an adventure junkie, and his photos reflect this zest for living on the edge. One of his most viral images from his long and illustrious career is a mesmerizing action shot of a surfer.

He states:

“Here is a recent image that did quite well in my social space. It's of a surfer getting "barreled" at a break called Bingin in Uluwatu, Indonesia.

Viral Photo Lesson #4:Take the Viewer on a Journey

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I think the buttery golden light in the sky and the reflected light in the water gives a nice vibe to the image. It feels serene yet upon further inspection, you're seeing the perfect moment of a surfer pulling into the barrel of a wave. He's obviously a seasoned surfer and his stance is steady and calm within the chaos of the crashing wave. I think images that people tend to appreciate are the ones that bring them somewhere….almost instantly. If it's a good image, the viewer should for a moment glimpse or even briefly experience the moment in the photography. I think this image did well on my social because it almost brings you into a dream. I love it when someone's photo can do that to me.”

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https://twitter.com/TreyRatcliffwww.stuckincustoms.com


• 17 •

Prominent photographer and blogger Trey Ratcliff is one of the most viral professionals in the business, and this photo illustrates why he’s had such huge successes. The boldness of color and drama of the landscape has an immediate draw, eliciting strong reactions from anyone who views it. Trey, however, takes a more humble approach. When asked why this particular photo was so popular, here’s how he responded:

“There's a theory from Malcolm Gladwell in one of his books that all you have to do is have a ‘thing’ that is ‘good enough’ and then it has a fairly random chance of becoming popular or great. I put out thousands and thousands of photos per year, so I think I just take so many swings that some become hits! I have no idea... I don't think it's me; I just channel the universe.”

When you channel the universe with a visionary eye that can capture nature in all her glory, the results can take your breath away.

Viral Photo Lesson #5:Contrast and Drama Create an Impact

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https://twitter.com/jerryghionishttp://www.jerryghionis.com

• 11 •


• 19 •

For talented portrait and wedding photographer Jerry Ghionis, the secret to a popular photo in the social-sphere lay in his own unique view on the world. He took an enormously common item in the UK, the lowly telephone booth, and transformed it into an eye-catching and voyeuristic photograph. Jerry describes the appeal of the photo this way:

“This image was created at a workshop in London. My students were disappointed that I was photographing my couple with the iconic red telephone boxes. These boxes are clichéd to most Londoners but it was new and exciting to me. So I ended up creating a very different look to give them a different perspective on a typical prop. I created a voyeuristic view which has a different perspective than perhaps most people would normally use in this situation. I posted it on social media and its vibrancy and different perspective made it one of my most popular images in recent times.”

Viral Photo Lesson #6:Offer a Unique Perspective

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https://twitter.com/sergeysushttp://www.sergeys.us


• 21 •

Sergey Sus is a portrait photographer who knows how to tell a story through pictures. On or his most popular social shares is this striking piece that captures a dramatic essence of a popular California destination. He describes the photo this way:“For one reason or another my most viral photo has been of a rainstorm in Santa Monica taken in 2011. I went to the Santa Monica Aquarium with my son’s class. We had some heavy rain and just after the kids had lunch one of the teachers wanted everyone to walk over to the sand. Great idea! The kids ran like crazy and I only had a moment to get my camera out and I got the 2 frames.

The picture is of the pier with storm clouds over it and sunshine just peeking through which has been very popular in my portfolio and I have printed this image over 100 times.”The movement and action is this photo is part of what is so alluring; from the flight of the birds to the curves of the amusement park rides, it grabs your attention and doesn’t let go. The stunning contrast of black, white, and gray was the perfect choice to highlight the clouds and drama too.

Viral Photo Lesson #7:Showcase Nature’s Fury

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https://twitter.com/lindsayadlerwww.lindsayadlerphotography.com


• 23 •

Portrait and fashion photographer Lindsay Adler scores a home run with her social fans when she posted this captivating portrait. The uniqueness of her subject contrasted with the undeniable and natural beauty resonated with viewers from all walks of life. In the words of the woman who captured the photo:

"This image resonated with my audience because it shows true natural beauty, retouched in a natural way. We constantly see a great deal of hyper-retouched beauty images, but this one showed unique beauty in her freckles and the natural look of the image. While I think there is a place for all styles of photography, my audience was drawn to the simple and clean beauty that this subject offered."

Take that, Photoshop – and score one for natural beauty!

Viral Photo Lesson #8:True Beauty Woos us All

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• 24 •

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https://twitter.com/erickimphotohttp://erickimphotography.com


• 25 •

Street photographer and creator of truly compelling images Eric Kim knows how to capture a visual cliff hanger. Images like the one featured here often become highly viral because there's so much left unexplained. Letting the viewer interpret what's transpiring leaves an air of mystery and intrigue, and can be immensely impactful. In Eric's words:

"I took in the south of France in Marseille, and a lot of people love the image because it is open to interpretation (was he shipwrecked, is he still alive?) Furthermore I found out afterwards it bears very similar reference to Max Dupain's "Sunbaker" photo that was shot in 1937. Funny how history repeats itself!"

Viral Photo Lesson #9:Leave Room for Interpretation

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• 26 •

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Closing Thoughts


• 27 •

Like any art form, photography is any many ways mysterious, subjective, and dictated

by the talent of the being behind the lens. But the world of social media is a science

that can be perfected. If viral photographs are on your agenda, utilizing one or more of

these tips in your captured images can be the secret sauce you're looking for. Many

thanks to the amazing pros that shared their creations and insights!

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www.evolvesinc.com

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why photos go viral - transcontinenta · 2019-10-29 · instead, make your composition dynamic and...

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