Let's assume you do have a fair amount of reasonable photographs. What sort of article could you write around these subjects? Well of course this will depend very much on what is actually in photographs, but let's go back to our neighbourhood Romeo. A few ideas you could pursue are problems of stray dogs and irresponsible dog owners, owners that resemble their dogs, (or other pets), where to responsibly exercise town dog, dogs at work, get idea?

The chimney photographs may suggest a feature on ornate chimney pots,Victorian potters, (many were often made locally), local chimney sweep, history of a particular house or row and characters associated with them, Santa and problem chimney stacks, (or lack of them!).

The photographs themselves will spark ideas, but you don't have to stop at newspaper or magazine features. Good animal, nature and landscape shots may also find a market with greeting card manufacturers and if you can write sentiments to accompany them so much better.

In fact, once you build up a collection of quality photographs your options increase all time, not only in providing illustrations for your own articles, but as stand alone sales to newspapers which for new comer, is one of easiest markets to break into.

Our canine Romeo for instance could just make an editor's day as an alternative and humorous slant on Valentine's day. Now there's an idea! How about a feature on love in animal kingdom? Just thing for next year's Valentine's day!

Finally, a word of caution. Do be careful when taking photographs. Many people consider it a breach of privacy having their photographs taken without asking and may not relish being splashed across front page of local rag.

You need to be even more cautious when photographing children. They of course make excellent subjects but sadly your motives can easily be misconstrued. If you want to cover a local sports day, school fair or play always obtain permission from school first.

When you arrive at event, make a point of letting head teacher know that you are there. Sending copies of snaps to school and children concerned will help to establish trust and credibility.

So, going back to hanged man, all you need to make sales is an alternative view point. Thankfully you don't have to suspend yourself upside down from a tree, just reach for light box and light lamp of creativity!

Poetry for Profit contains a lot of information on greeting card market which is an ideal place to target words and pictures while READ ALL ABOUT IT! The WriteLink to Newspaper Writing has a detailed chapter on taking photographs for local and regional press.

Sue Kendrick is a freelance writer and graphic designer living in the English Midlands.

She has written many special interest articles for magazines and contributed extensively to her regional newspaper.

She edits and publishes www.writelink.co.uk a UK writers resource website and monthly newsletter and www.writelinkpro.co.uk a content providing service for Writelink and other publications.

Pointless modifiers. Adverbs (words that modify verbs) and adjectives (words that modify nouns) are a little like salt and pepper - useful in very small doses, very bad in big ones. They're often used by lazy writers in an attempt to convince generic nouns ("the beautiful, voluptuous woman") and verbs ("he ran very quickly") to do more interesting jobs. The English language is full of precision nouns and verbs; whenever possible, use right words rather than trying to modify wrong ones.

Needless qualifiers and hedging. Phrases like "and yet, on balance" and "it could be considered" destroy more confidence than they create. Be direct and write with strength: boldly write what you know, and leave out what you don't.

Pretentious language. Occasionally, we all have a crisis of confidence that leads us to think that we need large words and cumbersome sentences in order to be taken seriously. This is when it is time to take a nap and let feeling pass; "extraneous solutions that minimally impact positive budget modifications" is never going to sound better than "it won't work because it costs more than it'll make back".