“Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still…”
~ Dorothea Lange
When I was writing my first novel, I kept pictures of the Philippines nearby, pinned to a bulletin board. Not only pictures of landscapes, but also of people. Do you use pictures you’ve taken — or discovered — in your work? How?
Dorothea Lange was an amazing woman who documented the hard economic times of early years. Here’s a site that shows her work and life (and there’s also a direct link in my blogroll) http://www.myhero.com/myhero/hero.asp?hero=d_lange
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I always have pictures of the places I’m writing about. For example, my book is set in Maine, then Nova Scotia. I have friends who have visited both places, and have generously shared their pictures with me. And, I even know one person in Nova Scotia that gave me more pictures as well as the skinny on those important details – weather, temperature, slang, etc.
I do have pictures nearby. I also sometimes play music that puts me in the mood (without distracting me or causing me to sing along).