Photography to Writing

Image by Brian Auer via Flickr

When I was in high school I used to be the yearbook photographer and go to games and all other events to take pictures, so I was really good at people watching. So here I sit now with this wonderful passion to write. Today the thought struck me how much writing is like photography. Well, not today’s digital photography, but before digital. 

First there is the picture: You look around to see what captivates you and gets your heart fluttering to make you think, I want to capture that moment.

The same is for your story idea. You find something you are passionate enough to write about. 

Both of them need focus and great detail. They also can be determined by speed. The slower or faster the speed can determine the impact your photo or story makes.

You will be able to throw all kinds of options at this point: filters, angles, exposure.

The most important step is that they both need developed. (First draft)

Then you will get your negatives (bones of your story) and need to make some prints. From there you will want to put it into your enlarger (start editing). You will crop, angle, contrast, resize, dodging, burning in, use toner, angle and choose your paper. (colored pens, beta readers, cutting/adding scenes, favorite candies/snacks and all the other ways we edit!)

Now you have your photo (rough MS). Now that you have worked it to how you want it to look it is time to develop it. You will first soak it in the developer. (Go through and fix all the things that you corrected during your edit). Then it is time to put it in thestop bath. Which stops the developing solution. (Let the new changes sit for a little bit). Now it is time to run it through the fix. Once is in the fix, it is set and you will really see what is there. (Finished manuscript).

Now the great thing about pictures is that you can process as many as you want until you get them just the way you want. (Re-write your MS as many times as you need to until you like it).

So that is how I relate something that I used to do to something that I do now.

How about you? Is there anything that you used to do that you can relate to your writing now? I want to know.

What's your muse boost?

So...so....so...sorry that I have been gone for so long if any of you wonderful people missed me. I have been working really hard on a couple of projects and Murphy has me busy every night when I come home. One night we will be splitting wood. Yes, catching up from all the wood that we cut in the past season and crafting the logs to fit into our wood burner. Or if I come home I get to help spread mulch. Murphy has already put down 16 truck loads. Our yard is looking amazing. Next we have to finish painting the upstairs to put in the water baseboard heaters to prepare for next year. So there are still so many things that need to be done.

I was also interviewed on the lovely and wonderfully talented Michelle Merrill's blog Perfecting the Craft Friday. Yeah, you know, the one with the AMAZING EYES! Totally jealous. She made me sound oh so glamorous.

Anyway, if you are in the mood to check me out then please feel free to head over there and shoot me a comment. Michelle is wonderful.

Short note. Today I took an adventure my back yard and walked through the woods for some inspiration and found a little more than I was looking for. I found this little grey sponge.

Here is some of the mystic inspiration that I found in my back woods as well. I have read so many post about faeries and nymphs that it just made me think of all of them running around in my woods. Also my Murphy bought me a voice recorder. I was very happy to have it because I have some of my best ideas when I am moving.

So tell me...where does some of your inspiration come from? Where do you go for a muse boost?


Also I set up a Facebook Fan Page and of course you have to have 25 likes to keep your name. So if any of you are feeling generous, then please click on the black Facebook link to the right and Like my page. If  you don't want to...no worries. Thank you!