Making the Perfect Photograph
Document the process of creating a photograph that you consider your best work. Describe everything from the planning stages, the technical settings on your camera, the conditions at the location, and post-processing adjustments. Share insights on what makes this photograph special from both a technical and emotional viewpoint.
Suggested length: An essay or article: 800 to 2,500 words
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Cut every sentence that only repeats the one before it.
- Find one surprising fact and build around it.
- Use one example from your own life.
Writing essays
A mind at work, one subject at a time.
An essay collection gathers short nonfiction pieces: personal, critical, funny or all three. What ties them together is the writer's voice and way of seeing.
What readers expect
- A distinctive voice
- Personal stakes
- Surprising connections
- Pieces that stand alone
A tip before you start
Follow a question, not a thesis. The pleasure of an essay is watching someone think.
More Art, Architecture and Photography prompts
- A Street Through the LensCompose a photographic essay on a day in the life of a street in your town or city. Accompany your photos with captions that capture not just actions…
- The Eiffel Tower RemembersWrite a narrative from the perspective of a building. Choose a well-known architectural structure, such as the Eiffel Tower or the Colosseum, and tell…
- The Art Movement That StayedExplore an art movement that has always captivated you, such as Impressionism, Surrealism, or Abstract Expressionism. Describe its origins, key…
- An Overlooked ArtistCreate an in-depth profile of a lesser-known artist or architect from history. Research their contributions to their field, the challenges they faced…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
Chapterly gives a draft somewhere to grow: chapters, daily word goals, and readers when you're ready.
Plans from $9.99 a month. Cancel any time. Your words are always yours.