Inspiration, using photos, pictures and images to inspire Words, Poetry and Creative and descriptive writing.
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Sources of inspiration for Creative Writing such as poetry and short stories...
Inspiration for poetry can come from many sources and experiences of many kinds can provide ideas for poetry.
Firstly to define what most people perceive the word inspiration to mean, this is probably that inspiration is a new idea that assists you to do or create something new.
Someone or something can inspire you with an idea and the feeling of enthusiasm to follow the idea through to create something from the 'spark' of inspiration that you feel.
Photography can be a source of inspiration and provide subject matter for poems.
I often find that having a photograph for reference reminds me of how I felt at a certain point in time about something it strengths the memory of what I was witnessing when i took the photograph.
Having an image in front of you as you write also allows you to explore the subject in different ways.
Memories can be triggered by photos of places and people, and if we look through an old photo album it takes our thoughts back to the time when the photo was taken and often helps to reminds us of how we felt at that time.
Sometimes photos of when we were children are particularly poignant an image from the past can rekindle how we viewed the world differently when we had less experience of it.
Looking at photos of people especially the older photos we can sometimes notice nuances that were captured by the camera which at the time we might have been unaware. The body language and smiles that are forced rather than freely given are easily spotted in the 'frozen image' of the moment when the button of a camera was pressed and the shutter opened to take a photograph.
All of these things can be a source of inspiration for creative ideas for art as well as for creative writing such as poetry and short stories.
Sometimes poetry begins when a writer looks at something in a new way and photography can be a useful starting point.
When one takes a photograph finding a subject is not usually difficult. The next steps the photographer takes before capturing the final image on the camera is so subtle we often do not think about it as it is almost instinctive. This stage can be taken for granted and done almost automatically. However what the photographer does before pushing the button that will take the photo is really a process of selection; the photographer is deciding what to include and what to leave out in the photo.
When a person has a camera in their hands they look at things in a different way; a skill that poets often use to capture the imagination of their reader. In a photographer's mind, just as an artist selects the scene they will paint, so a photographer will form their version of the image they wish to capture. When a camera is pointed at the subject that is about to be captured the photographer is already selecting what they will include and frame in the picture and what they will leave out. As they press the button they are framing and forming a focus on an edited version of the' wider picture' that is in front of them. The photo that they will shoot is to portray the scene or person as they wish to show it. In the same way as a poet finishes writing and editing their work they to are preparing a view of how they wish to present an idea to the reader. This process is almost identical to the one an artist goes through when deciding what to paint, it is about the composition and focal points. Except that an artist has a limited number of attempts to portray the picture they wish to represent to the viewer, where as with modern cameras the photographer has the option of 'multiple bites at the cherry' and the opportunity to further edit the work and enhance it. This process is similar to something writers' have always done and will probably continue to do so to write, re-write,edit and embellish. I believe that not only to photographs sometimes inspire poetry but that taking photographer's and poets writing share some of the same skills when producing their ideas.
Therefore I believe that not only can a photograph be a source of inspiration to poets and creative writers but it is a tool that enhances the creative process. Plus it works so well when the photographs and poems can be displayed together.
More writing and poetry inspired by photographs that I have taken...
- Poetry. The Walled Garden. A Descriptive Poem.
The Walled Garden, open the gate, remove your wrist-watch, put it into your pocket, you have no need for - Trees in Autumn. Pictures of Autumn Tree Colors. Photos of Autumn Trees.
Autumn tree colours... I was fortunate to visit this park in Italy on an afternoon when the autumn leaves were drifting down on a gentle breeze to form a golden carpet. I had to capture the colours with my camera... - Winter Wonderland... pictures of a snowy landscape
above fields of snow and black silhouettes of trees
Copyright notice.
This article is my own work and neither it nor the photos here may be used without my permission. Thank you.
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Photos to recapture the beauty of a garden in summer time
- Pictures From an English Country Garden. Beautiful photos of flowers.
A collection of flower photographs taken in a English country/cottage style garden in summer time, some growing well in partial shade...
A link to a page with photos and writing about seal pups on a beach
- Baby Seal Photos, pictures of seal pups on a beach.
Here are photos of seals on a beach, including pictures of baby seal pups and a description of going to see them on the beach,
A page with writing and photos about visiting the English Countryside...
- The Tor at Glastonbury, places to visit in England, with photos.
A page with photos and text about walking up the Tor at Glastonbury... a famous place set in the English countryside
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Nice as always Dear 2uesday!
I love that first photo - A tree lined path! Great! :)
Hi Pearldiver I understand your comment and it is good to read it. I have not until recently had the opportunity to watch other people working on creative projects, it was a bit of a surprise when I did, to discover how the same object or image sparked of such a wide range of responses in different people. I think I may have been travelling in the comfort zone with what I do and it maybe that I need to lift the lid of the box as well as looking outside it sometimes. If that makes sense. Thank you for reading and leaving a comment here.
hello Micky - hope the weather is treating you kindly, you always have photos,images that go well with your poetry on your hubs. Thank you.
Thanks Don, it is a simple image but I find it intriguing, the garden this was photographed in has many wonderful images waiting to be explored in photos and words. Thank you.
Excellent hub, very informative.
I, too, use images not always in photographic form - sometimes the image is in my head, a memory or a scene I have come across while out walking and if I don't have my camera with me I store the image in my head and write about it in my notebook. This will then develop either as poetry, prose, monologue, etc.
Thank you leni sands for your comment and for reading this page. I too can 'tune' into memories or scenes that I remember to help me to write which is a useful starting point some days.
Other things that bring thoughts and memories to mind (apart from the images mentioned here ) are things such as the smell of something such as lavender always reminds me of visiting an aunt's house as a child. How lucky that our minds can store such things for when we need them. I will visit your writing soon, thank you.
....alot of my poetic inspiration comes from a deep deep deep well otherwise known as my mind - lol lol lol - but I really love this hub and have bookmarked it as an inspiration in itself - because you have a lot of references here that I need to study and refer to - so thank you so much for what you have done in terms of your homework and research ...... I really got a lot out of this hub .....
Epigramman/ Colin thank you that is good news, that this is of use to you and possibly others too. The doorway is on a Greek island I visited and the park in an Italian city.
The play of colors and light are often the reason I take a photo as well as the subject. I have at last started to produce creative visual work as well as words which makes me happy. thanks again.
Hi transcriptoven, goodness the names are getting longer here :) thank you I am pleased you liked this page and the photos I have put here. I like winding paths, rather than a long straight road, often the path way is just as interesting as the destination. By coincidence, I think that may be a vague reference to the journey to Ithaka. Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment here too.
Very inspirational and well written. Beautiful photos. I will be reading more of your hubs.
Thank you very much! ! I learned a lot! ! ! Thank you! ! ! Looking forward to your visit, there may be what you want! ! !
Hi just like you I enjoy writing combined with photography, or other forms of art. But maybe we are different in the area the images comes before me imspiration to write, hehehe I am bit mixed up lately but, so far I am consistent with writing my article and then I suppor it with my photos I personally shot or I draw using MS paint.... I really admire writers with fertile imagination like yours
Thank you Maria, me too all of my hubs here have my own photos on them and I do not use any other photos. i have a programme that I use to alter and manipulate my own photos or paintings in and I enjoy working on them. For me the words in my poetry and stories are just a different 'version' of creating images. Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment here it is nice to meet like minded people.
Thank you luoye pleasd you liked this page.
Thank you Sher it is kind of you to leave a comment, and nice to meet you here.
Hi,
Loved the hub - what an inspiration this is in itself. I write articles rather than poetry or short stories. But I have often had ideas sparked off by looking through photographs to supplement my articles. These ideas are sometimes complementary to the present article but often photographs will inspire an idea for a completely new subject.
Thank you Seeker I think that the two things encourage you to notice details that could be overlooked, as I look for things to take photos of I notice more about my surroundings. Photos are also good for recalling details too. Thanks for reading and leaving an interesting comment.
It's so true, you can tell you've put a lot of thought and experience into it. I feel I have learned a few new things. Good Work
Hi Davorunner thank you for visiting this page and for taking the time to leave a comment. My photo collection has grown so much in the last two or three years that now looking for images to use on my pages is a bit hit and miss as I search for the one I want to write about. I remember things better once I have taken an image of them even if I do not have the picture in front of me. My task for this year is to get my photos into folders and catalogued so that I know how to access them easily when I want to write about a place or an image from them. Just looking through them as I sort them is a useful starting point for ideas.
Very inspiring 2uesday, your images put words into my mind...very useful comments to help me to create more:)...thank you
I love your poetry. I like taking photos but I'm not much of a poet. However, a breath-taking scenery inspires me to take a shot. Maybe it can inspire me as well to create a beautiful poem.
Thank you Beata Stasak sorry I missed your comment earlier, thanks for reading this.
Thank you TajSingh, I do think pictures and words work well together and that photos and paintings can often spark some good ideas for creative writing, poetry and short stories.
Thank you for sharing this great hub.
Take care
Eiddwen.
Thank you Eiddwen, I am happy that you liked this page.
This Hub is worth a thousand words..!
Beautiful. Pictures and words are an excellent combination. Loved your hub.
Thank you BYChanceTV for your comment.
Thank you Lynn, I find photos a useful way to write poetry and sometimes stories too.
Hi 2uesday I hope you have been well. I love your photographs as always especially the "Snow Scene." This reminds me of the "ekphrastic poetry," genre. My poetry tends to be inspired by my art pieces but I think I am going to try writing a few from photographs. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Moyra yes I remember reading your hub on ekphrastic poetry and I found it inspiring, I had never heard of the term before. I have started to paint again, after a workshop I attended went well for me. You were the first person to encourage me to share my short stories and poetry here and I will always feel grateful to you for that encouragement. I took the plunge and have started my own web-page for short stories but it is still early days yet. Your art is wonderful,and I hope that it is going well for you. So nice to 'hear' from you, thank you Moyra.
I'm a writer and musician myself, so this helps out a ton! Thank YOU!
hi joekreydt thank you I am pleased you enjoyed reading this and found it useful too, thnaks for the comment here.
The Italian park reminds me of the movie, "When Harry met Sally" ...
I have done my best writing on location, usually by a lake of some sort.
I've gotten into a habit where I can't get my story to flow unless I can see what the character is wearing, so I paste clipped images from magazines to go along with movements of the story -- mostly fashion, but sometimes food or very visual ads. Sort of a combination of writing and scrapbooking I guess.
Hi trusouldj the idea of pasting cut out images onto a board is a good one to use as a writing prompt.
When designers use this type of visual image board they call it a 'mood board' it can be about colour, style or a theme and it is used to develop ideas and to communicate them to others.
I think this idea would be useful not only to start the writing process but also to keep track of the details as the story evolves. Thank you for visiting this page and for your helpful comment too.
2uesday
I really enjoyed your article. I have been a write and amateur photographer for a long time. Can't imagine some of my writing without accompanying pictures. : )
Wow. That's great idea. Thanks for the suggestions.
Thank you ChristinCordle, sometimes just taking the photo helps to lock the image and the way I feel about a place or scene in my mind. However having a photo is a useful prompt for times when the details are not so clearly remembered.
wonderfull pict.. yes you right, photo can tell and give huge inspiration, you can check my phone on japanese garden pictures too on my hub
I was looking for advice on photography and found this interesting hub. Thank you, I would have never expected to find so much poetry in photos.
Thank you Rismayanti pleased you liked this, sorry I only just responded to your comment.
Thank you borneo it is nice to know that you found this page interesting.My photos prompt memories for when I write - of how I feel about a scene, the landscape,seascape or scene that I wanted to capture in my photo.
hi 2uesday, i too, find that photography inspires me to write poetry. oftentimes i will take a phote and will "feel" a poem call to me. thanks for this post. www.picture-speak.com
I really enyoy this page. I'm very much interested in creative writing through visuals. Please send me too some other writings. thanks . It's wonderful.
Hello and thank you. You can read more of my writing about my photos by following any of the links above at the bottom of the article. The links are in written in blue coloured text and they have a dot in front of them. or you can follow the links where the green arrows are to more articles written by me.
Pearldiver 18 months ago
Hi 2uesday.. I could not comprehend writing without an image burnt into my mind. If you have read my work, the first thing that you will notice is the balance between photos and words. As an artist, I believe that some scenes need to be recorded. As a writer, I believe that some photos need to have words attached to them... often just to nudge some readers into looking outside the box as well.