To continue with the photo post series on setting inspiration, I want to share this photo which I took right outside my front door last week.
This photo isn’t necessarily tied to any of my own horror stories, but the beautiful yet eerie tone of the sky caught my eye that morning. And the backlit trees stretching like spiderwebs into the sky made it a must-have shot. I just wish I’d taken it behind the house instead where there are denser woods.
To put the setting in better perspective, my house is on a cul-de-sac (fairly quiet and very little traffic) on a wooded lot. What you’re seeing above is maybe the top 2/3 of the trees. They’re enormous here. When the wind pounds through them, it sounds as if they could snap like twigs. Wildlife crunch the leaves that perpetually lie below, but you rarely see where the noise comes from. Sitting out in the wee morning hours or after dark in the evening can be either intoxicating or somewhat terrifying, and you never know which ahead of time.
So if you’re looking for a new story idea, try to put yourself here among the towering trees. It’s lonely with neighbors unlikely to hear what’s going on. The police can take over an hour to get to you. Imagine the worst and run with it. I know I have.