WHAT'S THE FOCUS?
A few Saturday's ago I did a day long basic photography course. It was good. I learnt a lot - once I got my head around unfamiliar words and phrases such as aperture, shutter speed, readings and bracketing.
More importantly we had a field trip so we could put into practice what we had learnt---hopefully.
It was also interesting to see what the others in our group saw when they took their photographs (there were only four of us- nice and intimate group). We were all at the same place - stood alongside each other for most of the session - yet what we focused on was different.
Some wanted the buildings, some the reflections in the Yarra - and that is what they concentrated on.
It's a lot like writing. One of the writing groups I go to has a topic or 'theme' each meeting. Sometimes a phrase, sometimes only a word, and sometimes it's a style of writing as well as a word -such as " two person dialogue with the word soprano".
You would think impossible. Too restricting. Too narrow a focus. But I'm finding it very liberating and very positive (at the moment :)) This is forcing me to write in styles I've never attempted before - thinking they were too hard, and I've written in differing voices. Surely all of this must be good for the writer in me.
What really intrigues me is the next meeting when we read what we have written. The range of voices and styles and content is amazing - considering we are using such a narrow frame. But it's what the writer focuses on that makes the difference ( and everyone focuses on something different)
At a writing course I was teaching I once brought in my mother's set of tea cups (mismatched). I didn't say a word, placed them in front of my students and said WRITE.
After the initial 'I can't do that,' and 'write what?'- they began. And if was so interesting. Some wrote about the cups and saucers themselves, gave great detail to these inanimate objects, the design, the weight of them in the hand. Some focused on the imaginary owner of the china, created a story using the teacups as the central theme. One wrote a wonderful piece on her own experience when faced with delicate china and the 'test' that ensued.
They all saw the same tea cups and saucers- but they all focused on something different. That's what makes writing unique. We each bring a piece of ourselves to the work (whether we want to admit it or not) - sometimes we reveal more than we intend - sometimes its purely fiction but the emotion is real.
Changing the focus is interesting. At the beginning of the photography session I saw the lights of Melbourne, then I focused on the giant ferris wheel at Birrarung Marr- but then I saw the water and the way it distorted the images above.
This is not the best photo by far- in fact I would have usually deleted it- but there's something I like about it- and that's what counts....
For those interested - this anthology is now available- some good writers (yes I'm in it :) ) but also a good cause ... 100 stories for Queensland
More importantly we had a field trip so we could put into practice what we had learnt---hopefully.
It was also interesting to see what the others in our group saw when they took their photographs (there were only four of us- nice and intimate group). We were all at the same place - stood alongside each other for most of the session - yet what we focused on was different.
Some wanted the buildings, some the reflections in the Yarra - and that is what they concentrated on.
It's a lot like writing. One of the writing groups I go to has a topic or 'theme' each meeting. Sometimes a phrase, sometimes only a word, and sometimes it's a style of writing as well as a word -such as " two person dialogue with the word soprano".
You would think impossible. Too restricting. Too narrow a focus. But I'm finding it very liberating and very positive (at the moment :)) This is forcing me to write in styles I've never attempted before - thinking they were too hard, and I've written in differing voices. Surely all of this must be good for the writer in me.
What really intrigues me is the next meeting when we read what we have written. The range of voices and styles and content is amazing - considering we are using such a narrow frame. But it's what the writer focuses on that makes the difference ( and everyone focuses on something different)
At a writing course I was teaching I once brought in my mother's set of tea cups (mismatched). I didn't say a word, placed them in front of my students and said WRITE.
After the initial 'I can't do that,' and 'write what?'- they began. And if was so interesting. Some wrote about the cups and saucers themselves, gave great detail to these inanimate objects, the design, the weight of them in the hand. Some focused on the imaginary owner of the china, created a story using the teacups as the central theme. One wrote a wonderful piece on her own experience when faced with delicate china and the 'test' that ensued.
They all saw the same tea cups and saucers- but they all focused on something different. That's what makes writing unique. We each bring a piece of ourselves to the work (whether we want to admit it or not) - sometimes we reveal more than we intend - sometimes its purely fiction but the emotion is real.
Changing the focus is interesting. At the beginning of the photography session I saw the lights of Melbourne, then I focused on the giant ferris wheel at Birrarung Marr- but then I saw the water and the way it distorted the images above.
This is not the best photo by far- in fact I would have usually deleted it- but there's something I like about it- and that's what counts....
For those interested - this anthology is now available- some good writers (yes I'm in it :) ) but also a good cause ... 100 stories for Queensland
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