The Word Cloud

once I tried to do the 365 project (a photo a day for a year)- it was very patchy! but you can use a photo for writing exercise too- 100 words a day on one of your photos. Either a complete short piece or an opening, a couple of paragraphs, experimenting with genre. I found it a very good way of getting associations going, imagination working.

This sounds like a really good idea. A bit like being made to do an exercise at school but surprising what you can come up with - ie I walked in the dim, grey, rain ridden alley this morning but took camera and found a white bleached branch with fungus. Took picture - then went to the local for a ginger beer ;) and was talking to a friend who is a tree surgeon who likes photography. I told him what I had seen and asked him what he thought it might be. He asked me to describe it which I did to the best of my ability even drawing on the bar, with my finger in the beer, lots of others were drawn into the conversation. Bill is tall, shock of white hair, hands like a bunch of bananas, ruddy cheeks, navy sweater, looks as if he's lost his boat. He then asked which tree it was on, 'no idea' says I. 'well, where was it?' 'Down the alley.' 'Left or right?' 'Left.' 'There's alder down there.' 'wasn't an alder.' 'There's sycamore.' 'Might have been. Why do you need to know?' 'Well different fungus grows on different trees,' he says nodding knowingly. 'It's on the old oak I think.' 'Right.' 'So what is it then?' 'Describe it again. Pink you say?' 'Yes.' 'Hmmm.' 'You going to tell me what it is then?' 'Dunno, haven't a clue.' But it cheered up a grey day. Now I can go and write my 100 words describing the fungus and look it up online. Far more fun asking Bill though.

mm, yes, I found it made me look at a detail for a long time, and also saw things in a scene I wouldn't have without a picture. Nice how it led to a good conversation with your tree doctor- he's an interesting person to write about too.

Iv been dabbling in the 'photo' as a starting point thing every now and then and completely agree that it really does lead down unusual and interesting avenues...although i do have a penchant for 'doctored' signs and have a growing collection, one including a stop sign that I spotted on my way to work which had the words 'Hammer Time' printed underneath - made me chuckle all day!

yes, and that's another good example because by noticing what you like to shoot and keep, what recurring subjects or bizarre fragments ordinary life throws up around you, it really can be a boost to imagination (and good humour!) Whatever can it mean? and who put it up? and why????