Kate Flora: In the world of talented photographers, I wouldn’t even try to compete. Their brilliance is everywhere, including on my walls. But as regular readers of this blog know, one piece of advice I routinely offer to aspiring writers is to observe. To be tuned in to the world that surrounds us–listening to the sounds, watching the people, smelling the scents, feeling the surfaces. Because we don’t always remember what we’ve collected through our senses, our cameras or our phones can help us remember. Snap that reflection. Subtly collect those crazy shoes or that amusing store window. The weirdly rough bark on that tree.
You can also use this technique to try and see the world through your character’s eyes. How do your fictional creations see the world differently from the way you see it? What does their background bring to the table?
A few years back, I realized that something that pleased me and lifted my spirits was whimsy, and I began to collect that in my photographs as well. I’m not often enough attuned–I think few of us are despite our best intentions–but I am trying. In today’s post, I share some of the odd, amusing, surprising, and “whatever you want to call it” photos from my perambulations.
In my blueberry field, where I should be in August
After the farmer’s market
Pothole in Camden, Maine shaped like the state of Maine. Is there a message here?
Death and Desserts at the Liberty Library
An odd thing to find deep in the forest?
Stray lobsterman’s glove tangled on a rope
Succulents at Coastal Maine Botanical Garden
And of course, I could fill dozens of pages with our summer sunsets.
Sunset over Mackerel Cove
Kait Carson
Charlene D’Avanzo 
Must be genetic. Most of the photos I take are of the unseen/unobserved kind. I was reading on the bck deck yesterday and realized the clouds were begging to be photographed. I took a number of pictures and it wasn’t until I edited them when I saw some of the subtilities.
This has been an excellent summer for cloud watching. Now if they’d only drop a little rain??
Such interesting photos, Kate!
Says the woman whose beach and sunset photos make us all want to be where you are!
Thanks for the photos. And your books! Love the male Monarch (black spot on rear wing). It’s a banner year for monarchs!
It is indeed a good year for Monarchs. And, it seems, hummingbirds, if the ones in my planters are any indication.
Loved all these, so delightful. I’m still pondering the baseball in the tree.
Enjoyed, especially the pothole.