Kat Eye Studio

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Redefining My Art

In my newsletter article over the weekend, I wrote about redefining productivity. How I haven’t been feeling productive recently, but that feeling was based on an old definition. I’m not sure where the old definition came from exactly – my old artistic practices combined with external influences, perhaps. It was a reminder that I seem to gather these definitions and rules up as I go along in life. I think we all do. Sometimes we need to reexamine them and redefine them.

What was more important in that article than redefining productivity, I realize today, is the redefinition of my art. I wrote, “My art is using photos and words to explore the connection between heart and the world around us.” Up to now, I haven’t quite figured out where I “fit” in the photography world. If you look at what I practice and write and teach it’s not standard “photography.” It’s something different. Something that doesn’t have a word for it. I’m an artist that combines photos and words together. For me, they can’t be separated.

Realizing that brings freedom. I can remove the labels from who I am, what I do. I can just be me, as I have been, but without trying to figure out where I fit. I don’t fit any standard mold. I can be the seamless blend, like building and sky in this photograph, if I choose. (And no, the photograph was not edited to look this way.)

It can be uncomfortable, though, being without a title. Being without name that defines me, in the eyes of others. It makes it harder to communicate what I do, what I care about. That makes it all the more important to keep using the “words” part of my art. Maybe someday I’ll come up with one word that communicates my art to others. Until then, I’m going to memorize this phrase:

My art is using photos and words to explore the connection between heart and the world around us.

I have a feeling that this moment may be as important as when I claimed myself an artist a couple of years ago. Time will tell.

PS – If you missed it yesterday, I announced a new class coming in April: A Sense of Place. Visit the link here for more details.

PPS – Only THREE DAYS to the next Photo-Heart Connection link up. I can’t wait!

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Come Visit!

I’m over at Shutter Sisters today, with a guest post sharing the Photo-Heart Connection. I’m excited to have the chance to guest post there, and to share this project with more photographers. I would love to have you come visit.

Have you been thinking about your Photo-Heart Connection more this month, since I announced the project? I have. I’m looking more closely, more critically at each photo. Not to see what is technically right or wrong, but to notice how I feel. That’s a very good thing.

Today’s photo is from our recent snowstorm. I don’t know what it is, but there is always something about a lone tree image that gets me, right in the heart.

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By the Sea

By the Sea, Santorini, GreeceI’m over at Mortal Muses today, musing on “warmth” with a vision of the sea. I thought I would share another image from that same day here. One perfect, sunny, warm day on Santorini Island in Greece last spring.

I’m feeling better today, but I don’t think it will be too long before I’m crawling back to bed for a nap. I’m still not 100%. Thanks for the virtual comfort sent yesterday in the comments. I appreciated them all!

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Texture Heaven

Heaven, I’m in heaven…

Yesterday was a glorious texture day! A couple of weeks ago my friend Julie emailed me, asking if I wanted to go for a photo walk. After coordinating a bit, we settled on yesterday morning. We got out early, just as the morning sun was burning off the fog, and headed to the small town of Philomath. This little town of 5 or 6 thousand is a couple of miles from where I live. We drive through it all the time to head to the Coast and I always say, “I need to come back here and photograph.” So glad I did!

I realized as we were walking around I’ve traded in the stone and stucco of Italy for the brick, wood and corrugated metal of small town USA, but it’s texture all the same. I’m still looking for the “real life still life” scenes that catch my eye. The image above of the bucket is my favorite of the day. The colors and textures are perfect, and that lovely morning light! Heaven.

Julie and I ended our photo walk with a coffee and a chai to warm up, and agreed we need to do this more often. It was so much fun to go out with another photographer! We can’t wait to share the photos and see what we each captured, the differences in our point of view. I loved capturing her in action as well. Oh, the things we photographers do.

But wait! There’s more! I have a bit of other news today, the winner of the set of “Texture” postcards from the Exploring with a Camera: Found Texture link up is… Dina of 4 Lettre Words! Dina is a regular participant in Exploring with a Camera and Ashley Sisk‘s Scavenger Hunt Sunday and I’m excited to send these to her. Thanks to all of you for your participation! Even though our link up on texture is over, I hope you continue to seek texture. You know I will!

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A Textured Finish

Texture of the Sea, Newport, Oregon

Texture of the Sea

We finish up Exploring with a Camera: Found Texture today! There will be a new Exploring with a Camera posted tomorrow – I’m moving the series to Friday starting this week. You can link in your final texture images today, or just spend some time exploring the found texture from other participants. Lots of great texture has been shared!

As we went through this exploration over the last couple of weeks, I started thinking and noticing the difference between tactile texture and color texture. The image above, a side of a boat, is a perfect example. The surface of the boat is fairly smooth, you can see the reflected light that indicates the smoothness at the top, but the color is not even as you move toward the bottom. That variation in color and shine creates the appearance of more texture than there actually was. The bottom part in the image is still fairly smooth, but visually it shows up with more texture. An interesting study of how texture shows up in images. Color and tone can show as much texture as something physically bumpy!

I hope you enjoyed this exploration into Found Texture! I look forward to starting a new topic tomorrow. See you then!

Oh, and don’t forget the giveaway! If you link in you have a chance to win a set of my “Texture” postcards. I’ll draw and announce the winner on the weekend.
Texture Postcard Set



FYI – Links will be moderated. Please use a permalink, ensure that your linked image is on topic, and include a link back to this site in your post through the Exploring with a Camera button (available here) or a text link. Thanks!

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Colors don’t Fade

One of the great things about photography, the colors you capture never fade. You can come back to your images again and again, and the colors remain the same. In the depths of winter, when life can seem monochromatic, this is a joy. Bright color is always to be found in my photo archives!

I hope you’ve enjoyed studying color for the last month, with the Exploring with a Camera themes of The Color Wheel, Part 1 and Part 2. From monochromatic to triadic, you all found some great color! We finish up Part 2 today, with a bit of fall complementary color I found on the Oregon Coast this weekend.

Since I’m in Chicago this week, there will be no new Exploring with a Camera tomorrow. I have a great one brewing to share with you next week, when I am back home. In the meantime enjoy some dynamic color as you visit the links shared in Part 2.

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