A Visual Way To Think About “Show, Don’t Tell”

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Abbey Road, George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Show Don't Tell, The Beatles, writers, writing

“Show, don’t tell.” You’ve heard it a million times.

You strive for it, sometimes achieve it, and if you are like me, most of the time wonder what all this showing-not-telling means.

This picture of the Beatles immediately before the photo shoot for the Abbey Road album cover is poignant. It “shows” the bond between two members of the band. Maybe Paul is teasing Ringo, or maybe he is adjusting his collar, but the photo captures an intimate moment.

An article accompanying the photo could read, “The Beatles were a tight-knit band.” Or, a writer could say, “Paul sensed Ringo’s anxiety and whispered a joke to lighten the moment.” The first sentence “tells” about the band’s relationship and the second “shows” us they cared about each other.

Another thing I love about this photo is that Paul is wearing sandals. Did he kick them off just before crossing Abbey Road? Also, what do you suppose the lady was saying to them? Get a haircut? I have all your albums? Don’t even THINK about breaking up?

P.S. Some feel the word “iconic” is overused and therefore diluted its meaning. I don’t believe that is the case when using it to describe the Abbey Road photo.