Using Photography to Inspire Writing 4

By Hank Kellner

Most students probably don’t realize that they exercise the mental process of contrast every day. For example, each morning they may contrast two choices of clothing. Or they may contrast two kinds of breakfast cereals. Or they may even contrast you to other people who influence their lives.

But when it comes to using contrast in their writing, students don’t seem to make the connections as easily as they do at other times. Fortunately, photographs can easily help students develop compositions using this pattern of organization.

Contrasting Two Women

Using photographs similar to those shown here, students could develop papers that are organized in terms of the differences between the two women.

In their compositions, the students could discuss the differences in clothing, hairstyles, facial expressions, lighting, and even the jewelry the women are wearing. They could also speculate as to the period of time during which the photos were taken.

Contrasting Two Men

The two photographs of the men looking at the camera with what appears to be hostility offer many opportunities for students to write papers in which they point out the differences between not only the men, but also their environments.

And that’s not all. Students could also use their imaginations to write about the men themselves: their backgrounds, the work they do, their hopes, aspirations and dreams.

Of course, it’s possible to use photographs to inspire writing that isn’t based on a specific pattern of organization. Photographs can be used to stimulate compositions based on example, process analysis, comparison, definition, classification, analysis, cause and effect, or any combination of these techniques. The following two photos support this idea.

Writing About a Lonely Man

Is the man shown in this photograph frustrated? Is he disappointed? Is he waiting for someone to arrive? Unsure of the future? Recalling an unhappy event? Neglected by his friends and family? Wishing that he were somewhere else? Wishing that he had done something differently?

Those are just a few of the many questions that can help even the most hesitant students overcome their reluctance to write. What’s more, some students may choose to ignore the questions and create biographies of the man based on their imaginations. Others may write poems or stories from the point of view of the subject.

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