Photo Fiction is a new series combining a single photograph and a narrative based on both fact and fiction. This is not intended to be perfect. This is simply an exercise in fabricating a story to accompany a photograph. There is a self-imposed, one-hour time limit, but if you choose to copy this idea, and you should, you can impose whatever restrictions make sense to you.
The beauty of Photo Fiction is that it can be done anywhere at any time, and the only requirement is a single image that sparks the idea of the narrative. The series is created in motion form but forces the viewer to remain focused on a single image, something that will most likely prove torturous to many. There is no right and wrong way to accomplish this exercise, but at some point, this would be a wonderful way to collaborate with others who choose to create their own fictional worlds.
Comments 26
Hello there. Love this idea. I sometimes write on single images made by myself. But it really sounds different in this way, specially what you mentionned by remaining focus for a certain time. Where could we gather others creations ?
Author
Other creators? Just send out a note on your email newsletter…………………………………..Imagine pulling twenty friends, creating a book and then repeat…
DM, not only is this a brilliant idea, but this particular episode is brilliant. Thank you for sharing.
P.s., one question “John Bender,” a reference to Judd Nelson’s character in “The Breakfast Club”? If so, do the Benders look live in Shermer, IL?
Author
Will MILK be made available to us?
Always a provocateur of the creative sort. Visual Narrative fiction. Amen Professor
Author
Gracias. Fun stuff.
Great stuff Dan!
Author
Gracias…
Love this idea, but my writing skills are poor. Hence the reason I only write in my journal. But that ,might be a good place to try out this exercise.
Thanks for the inspiration Sir!
Author
Practice. And remember, no right and wrong. use your imagination.
This was brilliant, Dan, I loved it! You should write stories, you’d be a terrific author.I do the same thing with my street photos. Last Saturday on my site I published “But I Guess It Doesn’t Matter Anymore,” which is a fiction story conjured from the photo I took of a guy in a brewery, and another photo of a young woman on the Vegas strip. The story fetched over 50 blog comments. I like the idea of narrating the story in video…gives me inspiration.
Author
Do it! And good to know others are doing this. Anything with “Vegas” has to be good.
Interesting… And a damn good story. I found myself rooting for Shane, hoping he would something, anything to step out of the rut.
Author
You know the “lives of quiet desperation.” That’s Shane.
also a great kick starter for songwriting!
Author
Very true! I think it’s the freedom to let your mind wander. And NOT do anything else until the “episode” is over.
I like the concept and the story, awesome!
Author
Glad you like it as there will be more…..
Nice story.
This reminds me of Ron Jude’s assignment in the Photographer’s Playbook, The Convincing Lie: “Fabricate a convincing fiction story in five straightforward images. All five images can work together to tell a single lie, or they can tell five individual lies.”
https://aperture.org/books/educational/the-photographers-playbook/
Author
Hey Mei, thanks for sending. Seems like a great assignment. This is one of the ten assignments we will be using for the Japan class…..should be interesting.
This strikes me as similar to the vignettes that Stephen King uses in his uncut version of The Stand. Emulating SK, this sort of thing filled many bored hours on public transport by looking at some rando and developing a fully fictitious backstory all in my head. My question: what do we do with this? Its brilliant, its fun…..but….
Author
I love his book about writing. He’s no BS. No excuses. If you want write you must do two things every single day. Read and write. So many people say “Oh, I don’t have time,” as they flip through social for several hours. No excuses….and you get to use your imagination!
Danielsan, Can’t wait to see if A “Japan” image moves your perception and imagination to present in this format…Have a good trip.
Author
Should be crazy and fun.
Gregory S.- A wise art teacher told me to make some of the things in my sketchbook. I told him that I didn’t think they would be any good. He said until you make them, you don’t know what they will be. You will learn something, and you will be surprised, and I did, and I was surprised. Things take on a life of their own that you can’t foresee, and others will see different things in what you make. Also, making things is fun, if nothing else.
Author
That is spot on. How do you know until you try? And there is a big difference between trying for yourself and trying for an audience. So much of the junk I see being made today is made with the singular purpose of trying to impress someone else. Mostly strangers. It’s why so much work is so….well, bad.