Writing is definitely one of the most difficult things for me at times. There are days when I can sit down and write away as I just carry on a conversation with myself. Then, there are other days why my mind is dry and I've got nothing to say. That's part of the reason I disappear from online at times. I just have nothing to say.
I hear you, my friend. But in a different way. I spent a career writing and editing at a daily newspaper. Jumping onto substack was a process of unlearning a craft I had spent more than 30 years practicing. For me, writing news was creating a story from a set of external facts, most of the time someone else's thoughts or about events I had witnessed. Writing about my photography turned that practice on its head. As a photographer, I wanted to take a more personal approach: what did the experience making the photo feel like, what drew me to the composition, what was I trying to say? The change was tough. Honestly, it still is in many ways. But satisfying at an entirely different level. My advice to you... stay at it, be true to yourself and let the chips fall where they may!
I have the opposite challenge: a writer trying to make good images to illustrate my walks! But I think as long as you are yourself, you can’t really go wrong.
I am starting to feel like I’m repeating myself because I go back to the same spots, but find different images. I don’t want to describe the place, because that will get repetitive. And I don’t want to literally describe the image. I’m struggling to find what is left, but I think finding it may be a good learning experience for both the photographer and the writer in me.
Have you tried recording yourself talking about the image, the place, the light, what it means to you emotionally, immediately after taking it: like you would to, say, your best friend? Try and bring in some wider context, if possible: linking it to something maybe not immediately obvious.
Don’t set too high standards for yourself, though: you are a photographer first and foremost. Only write a few words, or none, if that’s what the image calls for. Perhaps even show a series of images taken at the same place, explaining the motivation for each one; how they differ, etc..
I apologize if this isn’t useful: so please feel free to tell me to shut up. One last thing I will say, though is that most of the best writers read like crazy…. (And I do hope this helps.)
This is very useful, thank you. I recently bought an Insta 360 camera to capture BTS video and images while I'm shooting. Doing a running commentary may be useful for me. I mainly got that camera to get some wide shots of the whole scene, establishing shots, so to speak. But either using that or just my voice memos on the phone can give me some thoughts to build from later.
I just started writing stories with my photography, so I haven't hit that wall yet. I'm struggling to find an audience and what type of things to say about the photos. There is learning about the subject, the location, the emotion, the play by play, and the technical side and I don't know which of these I want to share.
That is what I’ve struggled with. i think my biggest problem is when i just make an image I like, and then later would like to share it in a post. And I find I really didn’t think… I just searched and found it in my viewfinder. And I look at it and try to decide what I can say besides I went here and I found this….
Writing is definitely one of the most difficult things for me at times. There are days when I can sit down and write away as I just carry on a conversation with myself. Then, there are other days why my mind is dry and I've got nothing to say. That's part of the reason I disappear from online at times. I just have nothing to say.
Thanks George. If all else fails, I always enjoy seeing your photos and a little context about where you took them.
The articulation can become a conflagration.
Sometimes I think, "It's there, all in the image. That's the conversation."
I hear you, my friend. But in a different way. I spent a career writing and editing at a daily newspaper. Jumping onto substack was a process of unlearning a craft I had spent more than 30 years practicing. For me, writing news was creating a story from a set of external facts, most of the time someone else's thoughts or about events I had witnessed. Writing about my photography turned that practice on its head. As a photographer, I wanted to take a more personal approach: what did the experience making the photo feel like, what drew me to the composition, what was I trying to say? The change was tough. Honestly, it still is in many ways. But satisfying at an entirely different level. My advice to you... stay at it, be true to yourself and let the chips fall where they may!
Thank you! Great advice.
I have the opposite challenge: a writer trying to make good images to illustrate my walks! But I think as long as you are yourself, you can’t really go wrong.
I am starting to feel like I’m repeating myself because I go back to the same spots, but find different images. I don’t want to describe the place, because that will get repetitive. And I don’t want to literally describe the image. I’m struggling to find what is left, but I think finding it may be a good learning experience for both the photographer and the writer in me.
Have you tried recording yourself talking about the image, the place, the light, what it means to you emotionally, immediately after taking it: like you would to, say, your best friend? Try and bring in some wider context, if possible: linking it to something maybe not immediately obvious.
Don’t set too high standards for yourself, though: you are a photographer first and foremost. Only write a few words, or none, if that’s what the image calls for. Perhaps even show a series of images taken at the same place, explaining the motivation for each one; how they differ, etc..
I apologize if this isn’t useful: so please feel free to tell me to shut up. One last thing I will say, though is that most of the best writers read like crazy…. (And I do hope this helps.)
This is very useful, thank you. I recently bought an Insta 360 camera to capture BTS video and images while I'm shooting. Doing a running commentary may be useful for me. I mainly got that camera to get some wide shots of the whole scene, establishing shots, so to speak. But either using that or just my voice memos on the phone can give me some thoughts to build from later.
I just started writing stories with my photography, so I haven't hit that wall yet. I'm struggling to find an audience and what type of things to say about the photos. There is learning about the subject, the location, the emotion, the play by play, and the technical side and I don't know which of these I want to share.
That is what I’ve struggled with. i think my biggest problem is when i just make an image I like, and then later would like to share it in a post. And I find I really didn’t think… I just searched and found it in my viewfinder. And I look at it and try to decide what I can say besides I went here and I found this….