I don’t talk a lot about my personal “real” life stuff on my blog, mainly because I think you’d be pretty bored, but also because it isn’t really relevant to my writing.But one thing that helps me with writing is photography, and I thought today I’d discuss a little about that.

I believe that sometimes (at least for me) it helps to SEE what you are trying to write. A good way to do that is to go out and snap a photo of it and really examine what part you are trying to write. Or if you need inspiration for something, a photo can fix whatever is blocking your mind from getting it out on the page.

For example, I love still-life shots. How can you describe an apple if you don’t look at one?

or a beach path if you haven’t seen one?

or write about a bride’s elation as she waits to meet her groom unless you have been there?

So- as you can see, photography and writing do go hand-in-hand. I have to say, if I had my camera handy on the occasions when I really needed one, I would have a whole lot of great images to select for inspiration. Alas, I seem to always need it and never have it, so instead use my camera phone. (these images were NOT shot with a camera phone)

Regardless, if you take a shot with a camera of any kind when you need a picture to paint those words, you will be glad you did.