Photo based writing

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Photo-Based Writing

By: Michelle JohnsonNational Writing Project Summer 2012Florida Gulf Coast University

A picture is worth a thousand words

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What is Photo-Based Writing?Photo-Based writing is a teaching strategy that uses photographs as writing prompts to generate thoughtful pieces of work from writers of all ages. Pictures are a great tool to use to inspire writing. All students have the capacity to write when they are given a starting point. Photos are a fantastic starting point for writers. Photos can generate ideas, trigger questions, and tell a story. The writer finds inspiration from the photo. This strategy provides students with an opportunity to take a photo and create their own story.


Picture This!Photo-based writing can be achieved in different ways. The first step is finding a photo. An educator can instruct students to take their own photos that will inspire writing or the educator can provide the students with images. Guidelines should be established in order to ensure effective writing.


Research IndicatesImages often allow us to explain,

simplify, or expand concepts in ways that are very difficult to do with text—or even with spoken words(Levie,1982).

Photos can be used as an effective guided writing tool to facilitate students' writing process and to improve their writing proficiency( Lee, 1994).


“An image contains a story, a narrative, a life of its own, and what we see is influenced by our individual perceptions and perspectives at a given point in time. The photograph spurs thoughts and stimulates ideas. The photograph motivates and inspires writing and it is through writing that students can learn more about a subject, reflect upon their lives, and express themselves”.

-Sharon J. Washington, executive director of the National Writing Project


What makes a good photo?

Not any photo will work. The photo should draw the student into the picture. If there's a ‘’world” in the photo, then there's something to write about. Does the photo make you ask a question? Do you wonder what happened before/after the photo? Does the photo tell a story?Does the photo make you wonder why the photographer took the photo? Is the picture clear? Do you wonder what's happening outside the frame?

Powerpoint Templates Reflect/Share


The girl has just received some bad news. Write that story.The girl has a secret. She tells it to the dog. Write that story.The girl has to make a decision. Write that story.The girl hates fishing. Why is she doing it? Write that story.It's the last day of summer. The girl in this photo is worried about going to a new school. Write that story.

Writing Prompts


Location PromptsUse photos to prompt students to think specifically about different locations.Where is this location? What time of year is it? Is something usual or unusual happening? What are your thoughts on the location? What character would be comfortable in this location? Describe them. What character would be uncomfortable? Describe them. Write a conversation between those two characters.


Scene Prompts

Write a scene between two characters in the photo before , during ,or after the event in the photo takes place.

Write a scene between two characters in the photo during the event. What is the conversation? Write a scene between two characters who are watching this event. Write the scene that takes place once this event is over. Where do the characters go next?


Character Prompts

Students often miss connecting character development as part of the writing process and yet, characters play such a huge part in a story. Characters are the backbone of all great stories .Students can use photos to practice writing character profiles.

What is the emotional state of the person in the photograph? Why?What will they do next?What details can be created simply by looking at a photo?


Look at the above photograph. Write out the conversation between the bird and the dog. What would they say to each other if they suddenly could speak English?

Photo based writing

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