A great picture story isn't just defined by the technique and intimacy that is seen in the image sequence. For a picture story to achieve the next level of visual story telling it has to engage the viewer in a compelling way.
I was standing in awe of Thomas Lekfeldt story, A Star In The Sky, at last years Danish Photographer of the Year exhibit when I noticed something strange and familiar. The man and little girl who were also looking at the images appeared in the photographs; it was Vibe's father and twin sister. As hard as I tried, I couldn't look away for long. The emotions that the father experienced in looking at Lekfeldt's work was a wide spectrum. But, the images spoke to him and told a beautiful story about his daughter's life. He felt something.
This story is one of my all time favorite visual stories. I remember the chills I felt when I first saw the sequence and I still get them when I see certain images to this day. That's what I want to push in my images is the emotional connection between three parties: the subject, the photographer and the viewer. I am still impressed with the variety of strong images in this story. Every frame has a purpose and adds something different to the story.
Another strong element in this story is the amount of time he spent with this family. By working with the family for almost a year and a half, he was able to gain access and intimacy, as well as telling a complete story. Often there are parts of photo stories that are missing because the photographer simply didn't have enough time or access, but not in this situation. Lekfeldt was able to photograph every aspect of this story that would likely give other photojournalists road blocks.
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