Details Tell the Story

As a storyteller, I create a mood that helps my listeners use their imaginations to fill in the unspoken details. Though I'm careful to include the characters, plot and setting, I hope that by use of voice and gesture, the listeners can enjoy the full story.

Aren't we trying to do the same thing when we create our layouts? We make certain to include the "who, what, where, and when." Often though, it is the small descriptive details that add voice and gesture to the story and create that tapestry of memories in years to come.

I've found that including photos of what I call "telling details" can add volumes to certain layouts. Telling-detail photos are similar to the photos you find in your favorite home décor magazine--the close-up photos of a small and meaningful aspect of a place.

Finding the Details in Each Event
Events can be anything from washing the car to college graduation. Here are just a few ideas to help you spot those telling details:

• the piles of wrapping paper after a birthday party or holiday celebration
• school supplies stacked neatly in anticipation of the first day of school
• candles burning in the window during winter holidays
• close-ups of favorite Christmas decorations on the tree
• table settings for a dinner celebration
• race number from a marathon

Recently, my closest friends moved 2000 miles away. I wanted to entertain them one last time before the rush of moving took over. As I was getting ready for them to arrive, I looked at all those little touches: the fancy napkin folds, the artfully arranged flowers; the bottle of wine. I took detail photos and included them in the layout, shown here.

Evoking a Sense of Place
You can also use these telling details to evoke a sense of place. My husband's family has an old log cabin, pre-WWI, which we've visited for years. You probably have places like this in your life, too. Look for those details that evoke that place for you and then get the camera out next time you visit. Here are some ideas to consider:

• fishing poles leaning on the dock
• sporting gear heaped at a doorstep
• peeling paint on a window frame
• curtains fluttering out the windows
• potted geraniums on the doorstep

Taking the Detail Shots
In taking these photos, keep in mind how they might be used on your layout. If you want to use it as a tiny element or accent, it is easier to stand some distance back, so that the photo can easily be cropped to the size desired.

Hopefully, these examples will help spark your own imagination. The next time you notice the way the sun hits the floor at a certain time, or the funny way a photo never sits right in its frame, take a photo. It may be just the one you need to finish the story you want your layout to tell.