How is your writing going? Have you been feeling inspired?
This week I’ve been inspired by images on the blog I Reblogged yesterday by sethsnaps (http://sethsnap.com/author/sethsnap/). Each day he posts a series of images from, sometimes with a caption or story, sometimes without, or as in yesterday’s post he invites readers to make up the story behind the image themselves. Acting on my inspiration I took myself to the beach with my camera and snapped a few images. I’ve chosen the following photos not so much because they tell a story but more because something about the image itself appeals to me – the lines, the colours, the shapes and textures.
Stairs to the Beach
Ripples of Rock
Gifts from the Sea
Rock and Sea and Sky
Relics of Barnacles
Another Path
It struck me once again as I was uploading these photos how important images are to our creativity. Even though these shots are random and chosen for purely aesthetic reasons, if you gaze long enough at each image questions start to spring to mind: Who is walking down the steps? Is she at the beach alone? How do the rocks feel beneath her feet? What is she thinking as she gazes at the ocean? What significance does the shell hold for her? Will she follow the path? Or is somebody following her? Photographs and images are a great way into a story.
You can start with nothing and end up with a whole array of new ideas and possibilities. One of my resolutions for the year is to do some thing creative each day. One option I’ll be exploring is picking up my camera and heading outside to take shots of whatever seems to call to me, and to see what I can do with those images when I sit down to write.
Do you use images to create a story? What other creative techniques do you use to get yourself writing?
I love this idea, Pam! Thanks so much. And I love your beautiful images too. Does a writer’s eye carry through to her camera trigger finger? I suspect it might, looking at these.
My writing life is vibrant, thanks in part to your January challenge. Morning pages, blog posts, and some longer poems emerging.
I’m increasingly grateful for the stroke that forced me into ‘retirement’ – or is that, forced me into focusing on writing?
Great to hear your writing is going so well Desney. And thanks for your feedback on the images. I’m certainly no expert photographer, I just snap what grabs me in the moment.
I usually find that I write the story (or poem, or essay) first and then search for a picture to accompany it. I may just try it the other way around, as you suggest. Great idea!
It is worth a try indytony. I have never done it before either and only thought of the questions as I posted the images but it’s a different way of coming up with story ideas.
A great idea, and once you started to talk about your character at the beach and what she may be doing there, I started to picture her straight away! Her long dark hair kept blowing across her face, so not too sure what she looks like just yet! lol 😉
Thanks Janet. I hope you continue with her story. Would love to hear what it is!
Photographs have often inspired my writing. Following your month of making time to write, jot down ideas and even explore new ways to expand one’s senses I took time to simply be a people watcher and found characteristics in those strolling by that I had never considered before. Thanks
Love your idea of people watching lulu550. Great way to develop new characters and insights and also helps you with describing body language in your writing. Glad to hear you are getting some inspiration.