Who is Katie Farren?

 Henry Stindt at the Museum

        When Virginia-based writer-photographer Dan Mouer visited the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts with his wife Robin and lifelong friend Henry Stindt, an artist-photographer who has spent decades teaching painting and photography, he waited for the perfect moment to capture this image.

        "As we sat down for our lunch break in the museum's cafe," writes Mouer, "we began talking about the exhibit we had just come from. The light behind Henry made a halo around his long gray hair. I simply waited for a time when his face relaxed as he was listening to Robin. The light and the intensity of his expression made the shot."  To see more of Mouer's photographic art,  please visit http://picasaweb.google.com/danmouer. To see a larger view of this photo, please click on it.
        Mouer's image invites a myriad of comments that are sure to inspire writing. Students will readily respond to such questions as: (1) What does the expression on the man's face tell you? (2) Who or what is the man looking at? (3) What is his profession or occupation? (4) What is he thinking? (5) Does he have a family? (6) What are his political affiliations.
       Alternatively, you could list several key words related to the photo and use them to trigger responses. A few examples are pensive, intense, surprised, distrustful.
         Finally, you could simply show the photo to your students while you encourage them to use their imaginations to create either expository or creative writing. The possibilities are endless.

 How Some Master Teachers  Use Photographs

             In a review of Write What You See in Voices of Youth Advocate, August, 2009, Joyce Doyle wrote: "Possibly the most helpful feature is a special section in the back of the book where high school and college teachers show how they have helped to inspire creative writing through the use of photos." Here are two examples.

           After having students respond to several photos in terms of the five senses, Lehigh Valley Writing Project Co-Director Kristy M. Weidner-Gonzalez has the students write short poems in which each line reveals one of the senses. Then the students take a walking tour of the school and surrounding neighborhood during which they photograph their favorite places. Using the images they produced, the students revisit the idea of senses as they write about what they had experienced when they created the photos. “The second time around has much more meaning for the students,” writes Weidner-Gonzalez, “because the places they photographed were much more personal and held certain memories for them.”

          As a teacherconsultant for the Illinois State Writing Project and an English teacher at Central Catholic High School in Bloomington, Ann Cox uses photos to teach characterization. After giving her students a magazine photo of a person, she asks them to write a character sketch of the person. Then she provides a scenario and directs the students to describe how their characters would react and why. Finally, students share their writing with the class and discuss their motivation.  

Who Is Katie Farren?

        Katie Farren is a teen volunteer at the Darien Public Library, Darien, Connecticut. Here's what she wrote about Write What You See: 99 Photos To Inspire Writing by Hank Kellner.

        Do you ever have trouble writing stories for your English class or on your own? Well Write What You See is packed with 99 intriguing photos, writing prompts and key-words that will surely motivate you to write stories that will blow people away. The ideas and stories these pictures can help you come up with are endless. You'll never have trouble writing again!

Don't Miss This Chance To Purchase Write What You See at a 34% Discount

           Write What You See: 99 Photos To Inspire Writing sells for $24.95. But through September 1, 2010 you'll pay just $16.47 when you order directly from the publisher at www.cottonwoodpress.com/index.php/writing/write-what-you-see-99-photos-to-inspire-writing/detailed-product-flyer.html/. That'll save you a whopping 34%.

        Here's how to receive your discount. Just enter coupon code HPIXWS when you order online. Your discount will be entered automatically when you check out. The $8.48 discount applies only to orders that include Write What You See.

       You can also phone in your order at 1-800-864-4297 and mention the code HPIXWS to receive the discount. Don't delay. Order today!

Coming Soon

Guest Blog by Molly Anderson-Childres

The Man in the Green Shirt by Michael Shapiro

 Student Photo Contest by Stephanie Susan Smith

Summer Storms by Cynthia Staples 

  

Irises Blooming in the Garden of Dreams

Stories Are Like Irises

         "Irises wait underground for spring," writes Molly Anderson-Childers. "Even if you're impatient for them to bloom, it doesn't matter. Irises will only bloom when they're good and ready--so, too, with stories. It's important to show students the entire process of writing, and to teach them to find joy in every step of the way.

        "Ask each student to keep a writer's notebook," she continues. "This tool functions as a sort of catch-all for ideas and inspiration, and is designed to help students explore each step in the writing process from brainstorming to character and plot development in an organic way.
        "What's in my writer's notebook? Bits of poems; random scribblings; lists of character and place names; photos; sketches and collages; notes; bios; and character interviews to help with character development.
        "Also, lists of plot twists; resources; inspirational quotations and photos to get my mind moving when I'm stuck in the muck; lists of randomly beautiful words like googoplex, tintinnabulation; blank pages for ideas and brainstorming, and writing prompts."
         Anderson-Childers notes, also, that each student will need a notebook or binder for this project. "Every page should have different activities designed to fuel  young writers' imaginations," she continues. "By using these pages frequently and consistently, they'll develop the habit of recording ideas for future use.
        "Students can add photos or other forms of visual art to their notebooks. You can encourage them to add their own photos, images, and artwork to inspire them in their writing."
        When asked what advice she would give to young writers, she responded with, "Writing will lead you through the darkness, and shine a light on the truth your heart fears to recognize. Writing is a path, a road to follow, a sacred journey of the heart."
        Molly Anderson-Childers is a freelance writer, photographer, artist, and creativity consultant. Her work has appeared in Images, Edible San Juan Mountains, New Witch, Southwest Colorado Arts Perspective, The Durango Telegraph, and The Four Corners Business Journal. You can find her work online at www.creativity-portal.com, www.ediblesanjuanmountains.com, and www.thepaganarts.com. Anderson-Childers also publishes two inspirational blogs, www.addictivefiction.blogspot.com, and www.stealingplums.blogspot.com. To connect with her send an email to stealingplums(at)yahoo(dot)com.

How Joann Garbarini Uses Photos in the Classroom

In a review of  Write What You See in Voices of Youth Advocate, August, 2009, Joyce Doyle wrote: "Possibly the most helpful feature is a special section in the back of the book where high school and college teachers show how they have helped to inspire creative writing through the use of photos." Here's one example.
        At  Irvine High School, Irvine,California, English teacher Joann Garbarini shows her students photographs of different towns and asks them to pick one they would like to write about. She then instructs them to imagine what the town they chose is like.
        "They must include descriptions of ethnicities, social class, jobs, relationships between neighbors, the education system, the town's history, and anything else they can surmise from the photograph," she writes. To conclude the exercise, Garbarini directs the students to write about their own town and compare and contrast it to their imaginary town.
        If you would like to share a favorite photo-writing activity, please contact me at hankpix(at)gmail(dot) com.

Don't Miss This Chance To Purchase Write What You See at a 34% Discount

        Write What You See: 99 Photos To Inspire Writing sells for $24.95. But through September 1, 2010 you'll pay just $16.47 when you order directly from the publisher at www.cottonwoodpress.com/index.php/writing/write-what-you-see-99-photos-to-inspire-writing/detailed-product-flyer.html/. That'll save you a whopping 34%!

        Here's how to receive your discount. just enter the coupon code HPIXWS when you order online. Your discount will be entered automatically when you check out. The $8.48 discount applies only to orders that include Write What You See.

        You can also phone in the order at 1-800-864-4297 and mention the coupon code HPIXWS to receive the discount.

         Don't delay. Order today!

Coming Soon! 

Artist-Photographer Henry Stindt by Dan Mouer

The Man in the Green Shirt by Michael A. Shapiro

Student Photography Contest by Stephanie Smith Ph.D

The Road Not Taken...And More

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood..."

        Although Paul Stubbs' photo doesn't portray the two roads cited in Robert Frost's well-known poem "The Road Not Taken,"  it certainly does trigger similar responses.
        Bordered by a lone tree and a collection of greenery, more than a dozen stone steps wind upward until they seem to end in the darkness. What will a visitor to the scene find at the end of the steps? A cave? A meadow? A forest populated by trees that have grown for many years?
        What is the mood engendered by the contrast between the light and dark areas of the photograph? What would you be thinking as you climb the steps? Would you be fearful? Unconcerned? Would you be eager to discover what you'll discover at the top of the stairs? Or would you decide to turn back rather than to continue into the unknown?
        These are but a few of the questions that can help to stimulate creative writing, whether it be in or out of the classroom. There's no doubt that this photo and others like it can easily inspire writers of all ages to create not only personal responses, but also poems, short stories, or essays.
        Many thanks to Paul Stubbs, a North Carolina based photographer and member of Carolina's Nature Photographers Association. Stubbs' specialty is landscapes, nature, and wildlife. "When I saw the steps," he writes, "I thought they would make an interesting image. I looked at the stone the steps were made of and wondered how old they were. I wondered what it would have been like to be at the steps many years ago."
        To see more of Stubbs' work, visit www.cnpa.org and search for Paul Stubbs at "Member Galleries." You'll also find Stubbs' photographs by searching for Paul Stubbs at www.betterphoto.com. And if you'd like to see a black and white version of the photo shown above, contact me at hankpix (at) gmail (dot) com.

   How Other Teachers Use Photos To Inspire Writing

          In a review of  Write What You See in Voices of Youth Advocate, August, 2009, Joyce Doyle wrote: "Possibly the most helpful feature is a special section in the back of the book where high school and college teachers show how they have helped to inspire creative writing through the use of photos."
         Here's an example from the book. Justin Van Kleeck's very successful writing activity with students he tutors involves showing them a photo of a baby macaque and a pigeon who had "adopted" each other as friends.
       "I ask my students to freewrite after showing them the photo and giving them information about the background story  of how the animals came together, "he writes. A former adjunct assistant professor of English at Piedmont Virginia Community College, Van Kleeck  then allows his students to write about "...anything in the picture that interests them, from how different species can get along so easily while humans cannot, to the human behaviors that stress animals, such as poaching."
        He also shows his students a video of a seagull that steals a bag of Doritos from a store in Scotland every day. In the first part of the assignment, he directs the students to write a process paper in which they instruct their fellow students how to steal, open and eat the Doritos. 
        In the second part of the assignment, he tells the students to write from the point of view of a shopkeeper who is telling other shopkeepers how to prevent the seagull from stealing Doritos in a creative, nonviolent way. "The key to the exercise," concludes Van Kleeck, " is for students to utilize the process approach while also employing their imaginations. They should be encouraged to create easy to follow, step-by-step instructions without skimping on style."
        For more interesting ways to use photos to inspire writing, read my series of ten articles on photo writing at www.creativity-portal.com/prompts/kellner. And to discover what Gavin Tachibana wrote about using photos to inspire writing, visit the National Writing Project at www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/3125.

Don't Miss This Chance To Purchase Write What You See at a 34% Discount

        Write What You See: 99 Photos To Inspire Writing sells for $24.95. But through September 1, 2010 you'll pay just $16.47 when you order directly from the publisher at www.cottonwoodpress.com/index.php/writing/write-what-you-see-99-photos-to-inspire-writing/detailed-product-flyer.html/. That'll save you a whopping 34%.

        Here's how to receive your discount. Just enter coupon code HPIXWS when you order online. Your discount will be entered automatically when you check out. The $8.48 discount applies only to orders that include Write What You See.

       You can also phone in your order at 1-800-864-4297 and mention the code HPIXWS to receive the discount. Don't delay. Order today!

Use These Photos in Your Classroom

        To discover a sampling of color and black and white photos you can  use in your classroom, visit photobucket.com/hankpix. Click on "All Albums" to see the photos. Right click on any photo to download it.

  Coming Soon

Irises in a Garden of Dreams by Molly Anderson-Childers

Student Photo Contest by Stephanie Smith Ph.D

The Bucket and the Flag

And much, much more!

Babies, Teen Authors, and More

  Lullaby and Good Night

        Some people believe that junior and senior high school boys wouldn't be interested in writing about babies. But that's not true. In fact, there's nothing like a baby to turn even the most macho member of a high school or junior high school football team into a bowl of pudding.
       What's more, girls won't fail to respond enthusiastically to these two little cuties from Cynthia Staples' blog, wordsandimagesbycynthia.wordpress.com.
         The possibilities for using these two photos and others like them to inspire writing at any level are limitless. If, for example, babies could speak, what would these two infants say to each other if they were to meet? How would they respond to people, places, and things? How would their environments affect their lives? What will their lives be like as they mature?
           After viewing the photos, some students may want  to comment on and write about the problems one or both of these babies will encounter as they grow up. Others will be inspired to reflect on the problems of teenage pregnancy. Still others will want to write about the birth of a sibling and how that birth affected them.
            If you or any of your students follow up on this topic--or any other for that matter--I'd love to hear from you. I'd be very interested in publishing samples of photo-inspired writing on this electronic page.
         

Here's More About Publishing Student Writing

          I was delighted when Cynthia Staples (above) alerted me to a teen magazine that publishes writing by teenagers. Teen Voices covers a multitude of topics including  bullying, sex trafficking, online do's and dont's, writing college essays, and more. This magazine even  invites teenagers to serve as editors!

           Best of all, Teen Voices provides opportunities for teenagers to see their writing in print while reaching a nationwide audience. "If you're a girl between the ages of 13 and 19," writes editor Jessica Moore, "you can submit your writing and artwork for publication in Teen Voices! If you are changing the world in some way, we also want to hear your story for our Girls in Action feature."

          For more information, visit http://www.teenvoices.com/.

What If...?

     What if the sky suddenly turned black during the daytime? Would the people inside this building respond calmly, or would they panic? What if aliens were directing a powerful death ray at the structure? Could enemy forces have released a gas that poisons the air and threatens to kill everyone?
       In the photo shown at the right we see a negative image of a girl wearing glasses in which something is reflected. Students will want to speculate as to what the reflected images are.What's more, they'll be eager comment on the expression on the girl's face, and they'll want to explain what she might look like as a positive image. What color is her hair? Is she screaming or laughing? Does the negative image lead to a discussion of dreams?
       For greater impact, click on the images to enlarge them. And to see more images you can use in your classroom for free, visit photobucket.com/hankpix
       By the way, you'll find  more photographs and ideas in my ten-part series on using photos to inspire writing when you visit creativity-portal.com/prompts/kellner/.

       Finally, if you have photo-related writing activities you'd like to share, please contact me at hankpix(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Coming Soon 

Guest Blog by Molly Childers

Enigmatic Photo by Paul Stubbs

Student Photo Contest by Stephanie Smith, PhD

A Study in Contrasts...And More

Thunderheads Over Haviland Lake

         Molly Anderson-Childers' photograph of clouds, earth, and water is a study in contrasts. Overhead, the clouds dominate the scene. In the middle distance, a darkened land mass appears. In the foreground, a body of water completes the scene.

        What can we write about the differences between the clouds, the earth, and the water? What could these elements of the photo symbolize? Does the land mass appear to be menacing? What is the relationship between the clouds and the water? What might we find beyond the horizon? What feelings and emotions does the photograph inspire?

        "For a year," writes Molly, "Haviland Lake was my closest neighbor. We slowly got to know each other, shyly unfolding little bits of ourselves, and eventually we became friends. The lake is beautiful in every season, and it's one of my favorite places to create photos which then become inspiration for writing."

        As a writer, artist, and photographer in Durango, Colorado, Molly Anderson-Childers is surrounded by the awe-inspiring beauty of the San Juan Mountains. You can find more of her inspiring work at www.stealingplums.blogspot.com and www.addictivefiction.com. 

What Do You See in a Glass Block?

     Here's a black and white version of a glass block that was shown in color at stealingplums (above).  Click on the photo to enlarge it. If you missed the color version and would like to see it, please contact me. I          captured this image with a Voightlander 35 mm lens mounted on a Leica M9. Except for cropping the image and transforming it from color to black and white to color, I didn't alter it in Photoshop.                                    

         To see more of my black and white and color images, please visit photobucket.com/hankpix and click on ALL ALBUMS. There you'll discover photos you can download for free  and use in your classroom as supplements to those you'll find in Write What You See: 99 Photos To Inspire Writing http://www.amazon.com/Write-What-You-See-Inspire/dp/1877673838/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236107340&sr=1-1. 

       What do you see in a glass block? Most students would probably scratch their heads and give you the all-too-familiar "look" that communicates boredom. But if you encourage them to look more closely at an enlarged version of the photo, they'll probably respond with some interesting comments.

       Are the images shown in the photo pleasant to look at? How do they make you feel? If you didn't know that the subject of the photo is a glass block, what would you say it is? Can you imagine and describe a person or an object when you study the photo closely? What is the significance of the curved lines? What do they remind you of?

       These are just a few of the many questions you can ask students during class discussion before you turn them loose to write their masterpieces.

       Finally, to read an interesting article about using photographs to inspire writing, go to the National Writing Project at www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/3125.  And to read my ten-part series on photo-writing prompts, please visit www.creativity-portal.com/prompts/kellner/.

A Surprise from National Geographic

        In two previous installments of this blog I discussed the use of black and white photos as opposed to color photos. That's why I was delighted to read the following information in National Geographic (July 2010, page 12. "Color is great, but don't forget black and white. Nearly any kind of image--whether it's an unusual street street scene or wave-lashed rocks in a violent storm--can gain subtlety and depth in monochrome." You can see samples at ngm.com/yourshot.

Coming Soon   

Sweet Little Babies by Cynthia Staples    wordsandimagesbycynthia.wordpress.com

Guest Blog by Molly Anderson-Childers    stealingplums.blogspot.com 

Enigmatic Photo by Paul Stubbs    www.betterphoto.com

Student Photo Contest by Stephanie Susan Smith, Ph.D   http://photos.stephaniesuesansmith.com