Kat Eye Studio

by

Lose the Weight (Visual Weight, that is)

When I was visiting San Francisco, I played around with composing images that look “flat.” My goal with these images was to create a collage effect within the frame with elements that are were not in the same plane of view in the camera. As we discussed Exploring with a Camera: Visual Weight this last week, I realized one of the ways I was creating a “flat” image was by not having a dramatic visual weight difference between the elements.

This image of signs in Chinatown is an example. While there are some differences in visual weight of the elements, due to colors and size of the type, they are quite minimized on the whole. To me, the overlapping elements flatten and you don’t perceive the true distance you are looking through in the image at first glance. It looks like a collage of shapes overlaid within the frame. I could have emphasized that effect by converting to monochromatic, as I did with this image I shared last week.

It’s interesting to discover how visual weight in my images can work for me in more than one way. If I want to enhance a subject and create a clear focal point for the eye, I can use the principles of visual weight to make the subject the “weightiest” part of the composition. If I want to create an image without a clear focal point, I can use the principles of visual weight to even out the elements within the frame.

What are you discovering with Visual Weight as we explore? Please share!


by

Balancing on the Diagonal

I thought I’d continue my San Francisco Market/Wheels theme started yesterday and share another recent addition to the series. I love the diagonals in this one. The lines of the awning are in opposition to the lines of the light and shadow, creating nice movement within the frame. It’s fun to see those dynamic diagonals at play!

Since returning home from Arizona last week life has been really busy for me. There is a big issue I’m working on in my corporate job and much of my energy is focused on that. It’s interesting to observe what is going on in light of my quest for a peaceful, joyful balance. While I’m busy with work I don’t have as much time for other things, but I’m not pushing them. I’m going with the flow. It’s working out well so far.

I imagine it as standing on the apex of a seesaw. I am not completely still. I have to be continually moving fluidly to keep my balance. If I were completely still and perfectly balanced there at the peak, I would be in a precarious position. One big gust of wind would knock me off completely. But if I’m moving, adjusting as things come along, I can better respond to what comes my way and keep my balance.

So, right now I might be tilted a bit more than usual but I’m still finding myself in balance. I know I will even things out when this issue is resolved. My peaceful, joyful balance hasn’t disappeared even in the face of changing conditions, and that feels pretty darn good.

by

A True Photo-Heart Connection

Meet Toan Lam. Founder of Go Inspire Go and writer for the Huffington Post and Intent.com, Toan and I first met in an online interview for Tea with Toan several months ago. We felt an instant connection as we chatted, discovering we have very similar philosophies. We both believe individuals have the power to make the world a better place; you only have to recognize your power and tap into it. Find your passion and act on it.

Toan interacting with San Francisco street art

When we discovered I was heading to San Francisco, his town, we made plans to meet up in person. Toan and I, along with his friend Erin, spent a morning together during my visit. We wandered the streets and they showed me their city. They took me on my first visit to Chinatown, where Toan introduced me to Boba Tea.

Colors and Textures of Chinatown

We hunted for interesting street art, and Erin led us to a famous piece by Banksy.

Up close and personal with Banksy street art, protected by plexiglass.

We checked out the view from Toan’s apartment, seeing his incredible view.

Toan and Erin, with Toan's incredible view

We climbed the hill to the Coit Tower, sharing a peaceful moment looking out over the Bay Bridge. They experienced my obsession with scooter sightings, as I stopped to photograph every scooter along the way.

Scooter Sighting: San Francisco

Running through our fun trek around the city was a serious conversation on inspiration, life, and doing what we love to do. For Toan, that love is sharing people’s stories and helping others to use their powers – resources, talents, network – to help others. Toan’s background is TV journalism and through Go Inspire Go he provides a multimedia platform to tell the stories of “regular people” who are making a difference in small or big ways. For me, that love is helping others find a connection to heart and soul through photography. We both feel immense gratitude for having discovered something that we feel called to do. Our lives are better for it.

Words to live by

But we also talked about the difficulty that comes along with following a path that is not mainstream. When you are building something completely new, there is no map. You can only follow your heart. Sometimes there can be a struggle with the idea of making a business out of a passion, because when you love and believe in something so much, you want everyone to have a piece of it. It is so valuable, you want to give it all away. This is the opposite of the business world, which is all about selling, monetizing and commercializing.

End Commercial? I see a mixed message.

We talked of how to find a balance between the two, and the examples we see around us of people doing it every day. The key is simple: Know your heart, follow your heart and trust that it will carry you in the right direction.

We found our heart...

Putting that key to use is not always simple, but it’s easier when you have the inspiration of people like Toan to help you along the way.

My morning with Toan reminded me of my own passion, my own power. His energy, enthusiasm and belief in the connection with the heart to inspire change is contagious. I came away reconnected and inspired to do what I am here to do.

Our morning together was wonderful. We walked. We talked. We photographed.

And found a true photo-heart connection in the streets of San Francisco.

Learn more of Toan’s story and see his post inspired by our morning together on the Go Inspire Go blog today.

by

Abundance

Everywhere you look in Chinatown, the space is filled. There is little open space. Signs fill the streets, people fill the sidewalks, goods fill the shop windows and cram the shelves.

In some ways, it seems there is this amazing sense of abundance. There is so much of everything. I tried to capture it with my camera, filling the frame so that there was no beginning or end.

But in the end, the abundance rings hollow. It is not true abundance, the kind that fills your heart with lasting joy. It is only a lot of stuff, adding a momentary blip of gratification and then quickly forgotten.

Perhaps that’s why I like photographing places so much. I can create a memory of my experience in a place, with no “stuff” attached to fill my space. My photographs bring me lasting joy with a never-ending supply of new images to create. That’s true abundance.

My new class, A Sense of Place, starts this Sunday, April 8. Tomorrow is the last day to register. Visit here to learn more about the class and registration. I’d love to have you join me to discover your own Sense of Place.

by

Crossing Cultures

Where to start on San Francisco? Without a doubt, my favorite part of the city was Chinatown. Wonderful alleys to wander, with infinite interesting details to frame.

The mixture of the common and the unusual was a delight. I loved the cross of the cultures to be found in Chinatown. Seeing the different languages made me feel as if I were traveling abroad, and I found myself surprised when I would enter a store or a restaurant and someone would speak to me in English. In the two years I lived in Italy, I developed some deep-rooted associations between traveling outside my culture and language: If it’s not my culture, they won’t speak my language. It was interesting to see this assumption tested so obviously in a US environment.

The sights, the sounds, the details, and the textures of Chinatown made it my kind of place. We found ourselves wandering here, for at least a little while, on most days of our trip. I just wanted to drink it all in with my camera.

Upcoming Events