Day Three

What Am I Trying to Make Someone Feel?

The Heart of Storytelling (Without Forcing Anything)**

Today’s question is the center of everything:

“What am I trying to make someone feel?”

This isn’t heavy.
It isn’t dramatic.
It isn’t about manufacturing emotion.

It’s simply noticing the feeling that’s already inside the moment —
and choosing to honor it.

When you understand the feeling,
your storytelling becomes clear,
your composition becomes intentional,
and your images start to have a voice.

Your voice.

Why This Matters

A technically good photo can still feel empty.
A perfectly composed photo can still feel forgettable.

Emotion is what makes people stop.
Emotion is what invites them inside the image.
Emotion is what makes your work feel like yours.

When you know the feeling you want to express,
every choice becomes easier:

• where to stand
• what to include
• what to leave out
• whether to shoot close or far
• whether the mood is light or shadowy
• whether you freeze or blur movement
• how you edit later (warm, cool, soft, contrasty)

Feeling is the compass.

You’re Not Creating Emotion — You’re Noticing It

This part is important:

You’re not forcing anything.
You’re not trying to “make” a moment emotional.
You’re simply tuning into the emotion that’s already there.

It might be:

• calm
• nostalgia
• intimacy
• softness
• longing
• warmth
• solitude
• curiosity
• uncertainty
• peace
• a sense of home
• something shifting
• something settling
• something opening

Emotion doesn’t need to be loud.
Quiet emotion is often the most powerful kind.

How to Ask the Feeling Question (Soft + Simple)

Before you take the photo, pause and ask:

“What does this moment feel like?”

And then:

“How do I want someone else to feel when they look at this?”

You’re not looking for big answers.
Just the smallest hint.

Does the moment feel:

• warm?
• quiet?
• still?
• moving?
• tender?
• moody?
• bright?
• peaceful?
• lonely?
• alive?
• gentle?
• honest?
• familiar?

Let that guide your choices.

How Feeling Shapes the Photo

Once you know the emotion, everything becomes clearer.

If the moment feels calm:

Shoot wide.
Use negative space.
Soft light.
Simple composition.

If the moment feels intimate:

Move closer.
Crop in.
Focus on the detail.

If it feels nostalgic:

Look for softness.
Shadow.
Warm tones.
Gentle blur.

If it feels alive or energetic:

Movement.
Diagonal lines.
Contrast.
Color.

This is how your style emerges —
from the inside out.

Today’s Practice: The Feeling Filter

Choose two moments today —
one indoors, one outdoors.

Before you lift your camera, ask:

What does this feel like?

Not what it is.
What it feels like.

What part of the moment carries that feeling?

Light?
Texture?
Color?
A gesture?
A detail?

Photograph only THAT.

Not the whole room.
Not the entire scene.
Just the part that holds the feeling.

This is how you avoid random snapshots
and move into intentional storytelling.

What You’ll Notice

Your photos start to feel more like:

• poems
• memories
• moments you can step into
• your voice

The image becomes more than “pretty.”
It becomes felt.

Tomorrow, you learn choosing the story instead of shooting everything — the moment your style becomes even clearer.