Sunday, March 4, 2018

Washed Ashore


I am a great collector of photography challenge lists on Pinterest, and every time I discover a new writing prompt book I have to buy it and add it to my ever growing collection. What I have yet to find is a book or list that combines both a prompt for words to write and photographs to compose in one neat package.


Last week I bought this book after looking through a few pages and liking the prompts that were listed in it. I can tell that I haven't been writing much lately, because I am overusing words like beautiful, wonderful, fabulous, and joyful. As a creative who enjoys writing, I can do better than that. So I bought the book with the intention of getting back to a daily practice of fifteen minutes of wild writing. If you are wondering what wild writing is, you can read my post about it here. I am not good at too many long term sustained practices, but I am good at returning to practices such as wild writing, photograph class lessons and such.


The prompt I chose to write about on Tuesday was this one: Washed Ashore - Write down five objects that might be found washed up on the seashore lakeshore. I have spent enough time photographing at my local state park where a plethora of items wash up on the shore in any given season, to have a pretty good idea of five things I could write about. But...I am someone who would rather be out adventuring than sitting at my wintertime desk and thinking up found items to write about. I wanted to go out and find those five objects.


Since the tile guy was coming on Wednesday to put up my new kitchen backsplash, I figured that Wednesday would be a good morning to go to the beach and photograph washed ashore treasures. Once a level of trust has been established with your tradespeople, being in the house while they work is about as uncomfortable as sitting in your underwear watching paint dry. You don't want to talk to them, and they don't want to talk to you. That level of trust has been reached with my kitchen people, so I left Dave to cut and apply tile, while I went to the beach.


Tuesday, after I had written for fifteen minutes on Washed Ashore, and decided that I wanted to go to the beach and photograph the five items, I remembered David duChemin's photography class The Compelling Frame. The last time I worked on a lesson was December 10, 2017. This knowledge is easily obtained when you date your homework.


I had left off on Lesson Six - Perspective and Exploring POV. It wasn't that I didn't want to do the lesson. What I wanted to do was the lesson outside. In December, January and February it has been too snowy and cold to be outside for any period of time long enough to photograph objects from at least six different angles. Wednesday's forecast was partly cloudy and mid-40's. With the proper clothing and gear, I could easily spend an hour or more at the beach laying on the ground, shooting from above, from a distance and up close.


I have also learned to throw my expectations to the wind. What I want to find and what wants to find me are often two very different things. I am always blessed when I let things find me.


With some clever creative thinking I have been able to make my own exercise combining words and photographs in a refreshing new way.


15 comments:

Andy said...

Your photographic skills are so good that you can a simple scene and turn it into something majestic. Keep on clicking.

Karen Lakis said...

I like the idea of combining writing prompts with photo prompts! Letting things find you can definitely be rewarding. This series of photos is a story in itself.

Rachel Weishaar said...

It must be something in the air. My inkwell has dried up lately, too. I always enjoy your wonderful, beautiful, fabulous :) photos though.

Lynne said...

Reading you . . being stirred by your thoughts . . . words. . . .
Viewing your paisley rain boots site . . .
Always “gifts me” with a word, thought, memory . . .
Today was fifth grade, Mrs. McDonald . . . and piano . . .
MMD started each school day, pounding out a song on the piano.
Sometimes a song we could sing, sometimes a quiet listening piece but most usually . . .
she would be pounding out some vibrant, jazzy, rocking tune that left me,
(and my classmates) feeling happy, energized for the day.
We all felt it . . . favorite learning atmosphere of my elementary + school years . . .
So ‘music’ is sitting with me right now in my memory bank . . .
Washed Ashore, Snowy Owl and other pics . . . stirred me as well . . . although still sitting with ‘music’ . . .

Barbara Marincel said...

Wonderful, beautiful, fabulous post! (Gulp...I think I need your writing prompt book...) I collect writing prompt books too, but haven’t been using them, obviously; I am going to copy your wonderful etc., idea of combining a photography lesson, of which I have many, which a writing prompt. Your post was a glorious breath of fresh spring air!

Anonymous said...

Whenever I do a photography prompt challenge, I always feel the need and desire to write about the photo, why I chose it to fulfill a given prompt, what it means to me, and so on. I love the way you've not only combined writing with photography for your prompt, but challenged yourself with your photo class assignment as well. Well done all around!

Cathy H. said...

Your trip to the beach was very productive! I like the idea of a book combining writing and photography prompts. I think you'd be a great person to write one!!! Hint!! Hint!!

Beverly said...

This was such a delightful read Sarah! The things that we find or that find us to make a picture are very interesting. I go out with an intention, but most of the time the things find me, never what I set out to shoot. And that is the part of photography I really enjoy. The snowy owl photo is stunning!

Michelle B said...

It sounds like you need to write the book you have been searching for... :)
Learning to 'throw expectations to the wind' is a lesson I have learned, but don't always remember, about my photography too. I try not to worry about how my photos will turn out, or what I will come across, and just enjoy what I see while taking pictures. Because it really is all about exploring our world and we never know what we will come across. I love all your images and what you found 'washed ashore'. The owl is beautiful with the blue background. Got a love it when that happens. :)

Katie said...

I love that snowy owl image!
I didn't get to go on my adventure the other day because my parents paid me an impromptu visit, which was fun. : )

Unknown said...

What a blessing to be so close to the ocean you can run there for your photo adventures. Looks like you found a variety of objects this trip...love the owl....

Unknown said...

Given how very much I love the water (ocean in particular), I absolutely LOVE this prompt, and what you did with it, Sarah.
So nicely done!

Sandra said...

I love that first image so much and how wonderful to live near the water, especially the sea. The prompt you used is perfect!

Suburban Girl said...

That owl! I love owls!

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