Feature photography is a style often attributed to photojournalists, but used by many other types of photographers. The essence of the style is to capture candid shots of real life that provoke an emotional response. When included in a newspaper or magazine, the pictures often stand alone, so they must tell the story with little to no text.

Feature photographs can be part of a photo essay, or just be one picture. Photojournalists focus on stories that are important to communities and need to be told, whether pleasant or not. These photographs often act as a reflection of the communities they reach.

Many feature photographs are about the human aspect and the most important element is to capture emotion. The goal of feature photography is to compel a person to sympathize or empathize with the subject. Subtle emotion is key to catching the viewer’s attention and causing the image to stick in the viewer’s mind. Capturing out-of-control emotion, such as after a natural disaster, is easy to do, but it’s the subtle emotion that really forces the viewer to think about the story in the photograph.

It takes research and patience to capture that “perfect moment,” and oftentimes the simple approach is best. Photographers willing to watch things unfold are able to bring out special qualities in even ordinary objects or events. Sometimes this means waiting three or four hours just to get one shot. While there are instances when photographs “just happen,” if the photographer is prepared for taking pictures, they often come out as planned.

Being closely involved with the subject is important, as well. When the subject is comfortable and less aware of the photographer and the camera, it helps the pictures look more candid. Having knowledge about whom the subject is and what the subject does helps build trust. Also, understanding the subject helps stimulate ideas for interesting and emotional pictures.

What makes a feature photograph work is not only a compelling subject, but a background that viewers can identify with. Viewers correlate backgrounds with places they have been or seen, then emotionally connect to the subject in the photograph. If viewers can find parallels in the image to their own lives, the photograph is more effective. Tapping into the viewer’s feelings maximizes the impact.

Debates have arisen over the place of feature photographs in the news, with some editors and reporters feeling that there is no place for them, and some photojournalists feeling that the photographs are essential because they provide credible, factual information. There is a general consensus that, at the least, the photographs must communicate useful information and not just be pretty pictures. The topics must also be relevant for the audience and little to no editing must be done to the photographs.

Each year there is a Pulitzer Prize awarded to a feature photographer. This year’s prize went to northern California photojournalist Renee C. Byer. Ms. Byer intimately portrays a single mother and her young son as he lost a battle with a rare form of cancer. In 20 black-and-white photographs, she documents the last year of the boy’s life. Incorporating a variety of emotions from happiness to desperation, Ms. Byer takes the viewer on a journey with the single mother as she faces losing her son. The images are thought-provoking and involving, and tell the important story of the difficulties of a parent losing a child. They may be viewed at www.pulitzer.org.

Feature photographs provide inspiration for ways to capture emotion in important life events. For example, when photographing a wedding, the techniques used in feature photography could be applied to capture candid, emotional, and elegant shots instead of forced, obviously posed pictures. They can also get the viewer thinking creatively about how different angles and lighting are important to spur-of-the-moment photographs. While the style is often associated with photojournalists, the style involves important ideas for anyone creating candid images.