Kat Eye Studio

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Share Your View: The Color Wheel, Part 1

chromatic colors in buckets
chromatic colors in buckets by Deborah T
Example of Chromatic Gradation
Color, color everywhere. Are you having fun exploring The Color Wheel? I am! There have already been so many great examples shared. There is still time to link in (below) or share your images in the Flickr pool on monochromatic, analogous and chromatic gradation. Read the original post here if you’re not sure what I’m talking about, and then join in!
A quick note: Today is the last day to register for the fall Find Your Eye: Journey series of classes. The guided journey leaves this Sunday, September 25. I will leave you today with a few words from some of the lovely course participants from the Find Your Eye: Journey of Recognition course that completed last week. Their words speak so much better than mine!

“Photography has become my art form. No longer do I just shoot lots of images at events or family gatherings just because I own a camera. The “why” of taking photos is changed. I do this for me.”
            — Deborah T. Read more about Deborah’s experience in her full post here.

“I’ve learned about my own photography. Through these classes I’ve been able to identify which elements of photography appeal to me. For instance, the shapes and forms of nature intrigue me. I also look for fascinating small details. As a result of the eye exercises in the class I’ve realized how important it is to look for and use light in my photographs. I’ve learned not to be controlled by rules and by other photographer’s opinions and photographs. I’ve learned to follow my instincts and my heart.”
            — Cathy H. Read more about Cathy’s experience in her full post here.

“A loner by nature, the greatest gift of our time together was my connection with my fellow travelers. They constantly challenged me; supported me; commiserated with my frustrations; celebrated my triumphs and “ah-ha” moments. They shared their wisdom, their questions, their yearnings. I learned from their struggles, their insights, their truths. Together we dug deep; we had breakthroughs and realizations. We made each other smile. And think.”
            — Brenda. Read more about Brenda’s experience in her full post here.

“I’m feeling more confident in my photography! Confident to continue to take photos that I’m familiar with… more willing to have a go at shots of things that I find harder (and even consider a bit of editing)… and being more confident to share myself through my photos… Basically, I’m inspired to keep on taking photos!”
            — Leanne. Read more about Leanne’s experience in her full post here.

Outside Hollys
Outside Hollys by Dorian Susan
Example of Monochromatic
zinnias
Zinnias by gina g10
Example of Analogous

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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What were you made for?


Oh, color. Bright and varied color. Deliciously vibrant color. How I love color. It fills me with such happiness to find an image such as this, among the peppers at the Farmer’s Market. I think this beautiful pile of peppers was made for me, or maybe I was made for it.

I was reading a guest post by Megan Eckman on the Scoutie Girl blog this morning, where she says, “I believe that if you truly love doing something, you were definitely designed to do it, and thus you’re as ‘real’ as can be!” She was speaking in the context of whether or not she is a “real” artist, but I love the idea of being designed to do something. I want to play with that concept a bit…

Am I designed to see and capture vibrant color? Yes. I find it everywhere.
Am I designed to be inspired by beautiful details wherever I go? Absolutely, no matter the place, I find the details that make it unique.
Am I designed to bridge the gap? Maybe. Your comments on Friday’s post have me thinking hard.
Am I designed to help others find their own unique vision? I think so.

As we finished up the July-August Find Your Eye series this week, it was a good opportunity for me to take a look at the bigger picture around these classes. I look back and see a wonderful journey the participants and I traveled together in the last six weeks. I discovered I don’t see myself as a “teacher” imparting knowledge from some place on high. I merely share some ideas from my own journey and step back and watch where each participant chooses to go. I learn with them, I grow with them. I see what they were made for, their unique vision of the world as it is revealed to them from somewhere deep inside. Wow. I am part guide, part witness. It has been an absolute honor to be in this position. Even better, to see the connections made between the participants, as we share the journey together.

A year ago, while I was first writing the Find Your Eye course, I was explaining the concept to my sister. She jokingly made the comment, “Trust you to get all cerebral about photography!” You see, she knows through our long history together that I’m an inquisitive thinker. I like to understand the “why” behind things that matter to me. I’m also a goal-setter, a planner and a doer, so if I set my mind to do something, I find a way to get it done. Another key trait I’ve always had, but only recently recognized, is that of enthusiastic sharer. If I love something, it bursts out of me and in my enthusiasm I have to share it with others. I seem to channel that enthusiasm for different interests into teaching in some way. I clearly see all this as I look back on my personal journey.

Am I designed to help others find their own unique vision? Hell, yes. I was made for this. 

What were you made for? What is your unique point of view? If you want to find out, we can do it together. There is another guided journey starting shortly, as the fall Find Your Eye series starts September 25. I would love to bear witness to your journey too.  

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What’s going on around The Kat Eye View of the World…

  • Linking in to Creative Exchange today, hosted by the lovely Lisa Gordon. Lisa’s premise with the Creative Exchange is, “Your camera in one hand, your heart in the other.” I love that point of view! 
  • The current Exploring with a Camera theme is Process of Elimination and you only have one day left to share your view! Check out the post and explore with us. 
  • I am musing today on Faces over on Mortal Muses. Come by and say hi!

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A New Day, A New Outlook

A new day has dawned, and my outlook has changed from fearful to ready to take on the world. Thank you all for the support and encouragement provided on yesterday’s post! It’s good to know that I am not alone, when those attacks of fear come along. So much wisdom and encouragement was shared yesterday, and I know it was meant for more than just me. The comments were filled with messages that we can all take to heart.

Here are just a few:

Diana said… I agree that fearlessness has to keep being relearned. (for me, too) Taking small steps takes energy and letting fear take over halts any progress forward.

Cheryl said… Fear does paralyze and then we begin to fade. Fortunately, we can reverse the fading and renew ourselves. New chapters in life mean new challenges and that is a wonderful process.

Gina said… Yep, you hit a chord here….being fearful is something we all have to fight. It does get easier as you age because you realize you want to make the most of the time left. Better to take the risk than live with regret. 

Gilly said… I think we all feel fear a lot of the time and about a lot of things, and we have this idea that there are all these successful, competent people out there who never feel that way. It isn’t true, of course, but often the scariest thing is simply to allow ourselves to be who we really are.

There are so many more too! You can read all of the comments here. I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends online!

Today though, a break from crab pots! Even I, with my current love for them, can’t do three days in a row. I also found inspiration in this view of a fishing boat in Newport, capturing the reflected light, color and lines of the nautical world. While the paint was fresh and clean, the boat couldn’t hide the evidence of the effects of the sea. Textures abound. That’s my eye!

Do you know your eye? Find Your Eye registration is now open for the September-October series, if you want to find out. I think opening registration today has influenced my outlook for the better as well – I’m so excited to do this again! I am having so much fun with the current series going on right now.

Learning for today: Excitement and fun are great ways to overcome fear too.

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How are you Hard-Wired?

Each of us is hard-wired a certain way. And that hard-wiring insinuates itself into our work. That’s not a bad thing. Actually, it’s what the world expects from you. We want our artists to take the mundane materials of our lives, run it through their imaginations, and surprise us. If you are by nature a loner, a crusader, an outsider, a jester, a romantic, a melancholic, or any one of a dozen personalities, that quality will shine through in your work.
— Twyla Tharp in The Creative Habit

I ran across this quote while reading over the weekend and said a huge “YES!” It’s always amazing to me when I read the work of these famous, creative people and it basically restates what I’ve come to believe through my own experiences. This quote from Twyla Tharp in her book The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life so completely expresses the idea behind my Find Your Eye classes: We all have a unique vision to share with the world, and it comes through in our work. We just have to look for it.
In my photography, I find that I typically like the scenes that show both details and context. Not the grand sweeping vistas so much or super close-up details, although you will see those on occasion. This one, a new one in my market/wheels series, is from Milan. A little scene of a market in the Brera district, the same market as my Orange Power shot but a different perspective capturing different details. Kind of typical of my work, don’t you think? Not just in this series, but in the selection of composition, subject, camera settings. How are you hard-wired in your art? Do you know? If you’re a photographer, I can help you find out in the Find Your Eye series of classes, and I’m so excited about that! Registration is open now if you’re interested.
I’m barely into reading The Creative Habit and it’s fantastic so far. It’s been great to get my back into my own creative habits of journaling, reading and blogging in the mornings since the move. Together, these habits are my personal recipe to keeping me grounded, aware and creatively charged. I look forward to reading more of Twyla’s wisdom in the coming days. You can expect me to share the bits and pieces I find interesting here! 

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I’ve Found my Eye, how about you?

Here it is, a quintessentially Kat image. It’s got color, texture and is a scene that shares the spirit of place. It’s the beauty that exists in the everyday world around us with no intervention. This image is from the port of Fira, on Santorini island in Greece. It’s at the bottom of the long path that the donkeys and their handlers take, carrying people up and down the steep hillside between the town and the port. It’s where the handlers sit and chat, but they were elsewhere at this moment. Perfect for me.

So many good things have come out of my time in Italy, and one of the absolute best has been finding my “eye” or photographic style. I was never so empowered as when I finally cried, “Yes, this is me!” I realized I am an artist, I have a voice and a vision to share with the world through my photographs.

I believe we all have a voice and unique vision to share with the world in our photography, and I want to help you find yours. I’ve developed the Find Your Eye class series to do just that! Registration for the next class series will start in early July and the first course will start late July. Today I’m giving you the details on the first two classes below, and the same information is available here. If you want to be notified when registration opens, I’ll announce it here on the blog or you can sign up for my newsletter to have it direct to your inbox. I hope you’ll join me in taking the next step in your photography, to Find Your Eye. (And if you’re not interested, no worries! My blog, Exploring with a Camera and all of my normal stuff will continue on as usual. The Kat Eye View of the World will not become a forum for incessant advertising for my classes. I have too much other good stuff to share!)

The Journey to Find Your Eye
Maybe you’ve been photographing for a while and you love it, but you wonder if you have a “style” to your photography. Maybe you see glimpses of your “eye” in your images, but find it elusive. You read interviews with photographers saying you have to find your own style. But how? The Find Your Eye: Journey is here to help! Instead of teaching you the technical basics of your camera or photo processing, this course series enhances the personal expression and creative connection you find in your artistic practice with photography.
We start the series off with the two week Starting the Journey foundation class where I’ll introduce you to the basic tools and exercises used throughout the course series. You’ll set up the tools of photojournal and inspiration file, then use them for the photojournal prompts and eye development exercises which help you look within as well as explore the world around you. By the end of this short course, you’ll have a good start on recognizing your eye and you’ll have the foundation you need to take any of the other courses in the series. Starting the Journey is a low time and money commitment, why not try it out and see if you want to continue the journey to Find Your Eye?
Find Your Eye: Starting the Journey
Duration: 2 weeks
Dates: July 24 – August 6, 2011
Lesson Frequency: 2 per week
Cost: $29
Registration will open in early July. See FAQ for logistics information.

Once you’ve started the journey, you are ready to explore new horizons and deepen the understanding of your style. The four week Find Your Eye: Journey of Recognition class continues with photojournal prompts and eye development exercises, all designed to help you dive more deeply into experiencing the environment around you as well as understanding what calls to you. By the end of the four weeks you will have developed a much greater sense of your own unique photographic style. Along the way you’ll have a fun, nurturing community of classmates from around the world to help you learn, share and grow your creative expression. 
Find Your Eye: Journey of Recognition
Duration: 4 weeks
Dates: August 14 – September 10, 2011
Lesson Frequency: 2 per week
Prerequisite: Starting the Journey
Cost: $69
Registration will open in early July. See FAQ for logistics information.
You will be able to register for both Starting the Journey and Journey of Recognition together for $83. That’s a 15% savings over registering for each course individually.
Your registration gives back! 10% of all registration fees will be donated to a great cause. I’m excited to once again support Nest, which has the wonderful mission of helping women in countries around the world make a living wage through traditional arts and crafts. Not only do you get to learn something new, you get to support others. How great is that!

Have questions? Drop me a note kat [at] kateyestudio.com and I’ll answer them for you.

Here’s what past students, just like you, have said about the Find Your Eye course:
I really enjoyed this course so much! There was a convivial, friendly tone that made it easy to feel a part of the group and to share photos, knowing there would be no negative judgment. Instead, there was such kind, positive support. In addition to your photographic expertise, […] what stands out for me in this course is your accessibility and personal interest in each of your students.– Christianna Pierce
I felt like I was face-to-face even though we were all miles apart. Your course was of high quality and you engaged with your participants so we were encouraged to participate and could learn from each other. It was a like a real classroom not online material we had to muddle through on our own. — Terrill Welch  
It’s a fantastic, amazing, beautiful, enlightening process… [The photojournal prompts] gave me a lot to think about in regards to my work. I loved the eye development exercises. They really broadened my view of what I see through the lens and life in general. — Annie Kelleher
I loved the photojournal prompt section. It was enjoyable looking at everyone’s different perspectives and styles and made me think more about why I take photos and what I look for when I aim my camera. The eye development exercises were a great opportunity to consider the way I see the world through my lens. I liked that I could work through exercises at my own pace and alter them however I want to.– Stephanie Sadler
[The photojournal prompts are] not something I would have done on my own, but now it’s something I look forward to doing. I think journaling and writing is an important part of learning about ourselves as artists. I liked how [the eye development exercises] got us looking at different things and trying new subjects. I can tell a lot of effort went into this on your end. It was well thought out and well structured. — Marji T.
My favorite thing about the course was seeing the photos and reading the words of teacher and participants. It was helpful to see different styles, interests, perspectives… and to know a bit about the photographer (at this time in her life/photo journey). I felt encouraged… never ignored… even though my experience was limited and my equipment less advanced than others. — Sharon B.
See more student comments here.
Sign up for the blog newsletter (on the sidebar) to be the first notified when registration opens! 

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Are you ready to Find Your Eye?

(For info on how I processed this photo, see end of post.)

I am so, so excited to tell you that registration for my Find Your Eye: A photo course with heart and soul is up on wishstudio.com!  You can read the description of the course and get the registration details here. Instead of repeating the course description, today I want to share with you the story of what’s behind this course, where it came from, and why I’m doing it now.

For those of you who have read my blog for a while, you know what an amazing creative journey I have had during my time in Italy. (If you’re new here, you can get a sense of it from my About Me page.) I have come in to my creative, artistic self through my photography and experiences, and I’ve chronicled each little step and realization along with way here. Being able to say my mantra has taken a lot of personal work: I am an artist, my medium is photography, and I have a unique vision to show the world.


Along the way of realizing this truth for myself, I’ve realized that this is true for everyone. We all have a  unique vision to show the world. Every one of us, whether we realize it or not. Whether we are able to see it and own it, or not. With that realization, came the growing feeling that I might have a way to help others interested in photography learn to see their unique vision, by tapping in to my experiences. I could help others to gain the confidence and freedom that has come for me, as I have found my eye.

This feeling started to grow on me, and I would jot down notes here and there. Ideas would come randomly during my walks or the shower – you know how creative ideas happen when you least expect them. I started to carry notebooks every where with me to capture these ideas so that they would leave me alone. After a while those ideas started to build themselves into a framework for the class. But not now, I would say to myself, I’ll wait until I move back home, to Oregon. 


The ideas didn’t leave me alone. I call it my “creative nag.” All of the excuses I would come up with for not doing this now, my creative nag would slowly dispel them. Until finally, I relented. Six months ago, I sent an email to Mindy at wishstudio with this crazy idea of doing a photo course that was not like most photo courses out there, from a completely unknown quantity (me), and donating the proceeds to charity. Surprise of all surprises, Mindy was interested and even excited to see the proposal. You can see the result, it’s all coming together now…

I have been given a gift, with this experience of mine in Italy. I have been given a gift, by seeing how I can help others find their eye too. It is time to give that gift back to the world, and that is what the course is about. It’s not the usual digital photography course. Yes, there will be some on aperture and shutter speed and things like that – more to ensure that everyone has a foundation than to teach these in depth. That’s not what I really want to share with you.  The core of the course is giving you tools and exercises that help you learn to develop, recognize and find your eye. Gain confidence in your unique vision of the world, the way you express your heart and soul in photography.

Are you ready to Find Your Eye? I hope so, because the world needs your unique vision too.

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Many thanks to Liv Lane of Choosing Beauty for featuring me as one of her Monday Mavens today with the announcement of my e-course! Stop by and say hi to Liv for me, and look around her wonderful, inspiring site.
Today is the last day to enter the giveaway I have going on for the Burano Color postcard set! All you have to do is leave a comment on last Thursday’s post to enter. I will randomly draw the winner and announce here tomorrow morning.
And on today’s photo… it is from one of my favorite places – Burano of course!  You’ve seen a lot of this tiny, colorful island recently. I wanted to share a bit about the processing on this photo, since it’s not a straight color photo with minimal editing like mine usually are. I really wanted that blue to pop amidst the colors of the other buildings so I started by using a “color bleach” action in Photoshop Elements to desaturate the colors. I didn’t want to go completely black and white with the image, I wanted the pink hues to come through on the other buildings. Then, I carefully erased the effects of the action over the blue of the building using a layer mask, so the original bright blue color would show through. It’s a fun effect, and makes for a unique image. 
There are many, many different ways to do selective processing like this. Search “layer masks” or “selective processing” for your photo editing software to find some tutorials on the web.
Oh, and Happy Monday to you all! 🙂

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