Kat Eye Studio

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Share Your View: Breaking the Rule of Thirds

What have you discovered in the last week since the Exploring with a Camera: Breaking the Rule of Thirds post? Do you follow or break the rule of thirds most often? Link in below and let’s take a look! I saved this image from Via dell’Amore for today because it was a perfect illustration of the rule of thirds along with the love-lock tradition I talked about in yesterday’s post.

When you link in your examples of following and breaking the rule of thirds in the link below, and you have two chances to win. I’m giving away the “C is for Camera” notebook below and Tammy Lee Bradley of Bliss and Folly has joined in to giveaway a Vintage Camera trio – head over to her blog here to see how to enter for her fabulous giveaway. Thanks so much Tammy for sharing the love with us!

So, without further ado, please share your view! Link in below or click the thumbnails to see the other great examples shared so far. Thanks so much for participating! You can find the code for the Exploring with a Camera button here, if you want to share the love on your blog too.

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Via dell’Amore

Via dell’Amore is a nice little walk along the Mediterranean Sea from the towns of Riomaggiore and Manarola in the Cinque Terre. The story goes that the trail was built between the two towns as the railway was being built in the region, and it became a place for young lovers to meet to get away from the watching eyes of the townspeople. Now it is an enjoyable walkway along the sea, with benches to sit and enjoy the view.

The pathway is lined with love graffiti and covered with locks on every possible surface, including this little nook celebrating the famous walkway. The locks seem to be a tradition in Italy – near any body of water you will find locks hooked to bridge railings with little messages symbolizing the love of a couple. We first noticed this in Florence and have seen it many places in our travels, but no where are there more locks than along Via dell’Amore. They even sell locks if you want to participate in the tradition.

I was tempted to buy a lock for a keepsake but managed to resist and just capture a few images instead. I’m curious though – is the lock tradition something that is only found in Italy or does it happen in other parts of Europe? What are the traditions to celebrate young love in your country?

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Ti Amo

Ti amo means “I love you” in Italian. Where there is graffiti in Italy, you often find this phrase mixed in. What is it about love that makes people want to declare it to the world in this fashion? It’s as if it somehow makes it more permanent, less subject to the whims of life and human nature, if it is written down. Not just written down on a piece of paper either, but on a permanent structure, something that will be around a while.

I have to admit that my personal suspicion is that many of the romances with declarations of love in graffiti don’t last. Call me unromantic, but grand declarations of love in spray paint are not what makes a relationship. To me, love is trust and honesty and acceptance, not words on a wall. It is support day in and day out, not flowers or candy on a specific day that calls for it.

While I love to capture these little message of love I find left about, I also wonder about the stories behind them. What brought someone to this point, and what happens after the ink dries and fades away? I hope the couples have found something more lasting than ink on a wall. I truly do.

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Sharing the Love

This week is “Sharing the Love” week on Mortal Muses, have you caught it yet? Each muse has selected a guest to take her place and share the love – it’s been great fun! Come by and see all of our guests musing on the theme “Evidence of Love.” My special guest is Jennifée, a wonderful photographer from Norway. I love her images! You can find her post here.

My wonderful muse friend, Tammy Lee Bradley of Bliss and Folly, is also sharing the love with me and with you too! She is offering a giveaway of a vintage camera trio on her blog when you link in to Exploring with a Camera: Breaking the Rule of Thirds. So there are two giveaways if you link in this time! Visit Tammy’s blog to see the details of the giveaway, and then come link in here. Thanks so much to Tammy for sharing the love with us all!

In the last week, I’ve had three wonderful bloggers give the Stylish Blogger Award to me. I would like to thank them so much for sharing the love with The Kat Eye View of the World and Exploring with a Camera. Please stop by and leave them some love in the form of comments too!
Christine at Blue Elephant Photography
Beth at Rainbows’n’Frogs Photography
Karen at Out in the Fields

Today’s “evidence of love” is from Via dell’Amore in Cinque Terre. If you ever wanted to find love-themed graffiti, this is the place. Enjoy your weekend!

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The Final Fog, and a Winner!

I’m sure this won’t be the last fog photo to ever grace my blog, but it might just be one of the final fog photos of this year. Our days have turned sunny and warmer and the fog has been mist more often than not on my morning walks. Spring is coming! Enjoy this last little bit of the fog, knowing that the change of season is coming soon.

Who won the postcards, from the Exploring with a Camera: Fog link in? My dear friend Mosey of mosey along. Mosey, these will be in the mail to you soon!

Thank you ALL so much for linking in with your wonderful fog photos. I loved seeing them. Join me tomorrow for a brand new Exploring with a Camera topic, I’ve got a fun one planned and I can’t wait to share it with you. See you then!

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Waiting

The night is so quiet and still, you almost have to hold your breath for fear of making a ripple in the water and ruining the scene. The lone gondolier on duty rests silently in his craft. He has nothing to do, other than wait for customers to appear for a midnight gondola ride. His daydreams and night dreams drift off into infinity like the reflections in the water. Just waiting. Someone will come.

Guess what? The creative space I was feeling yesterday was perfect. A friend asked me for some design help, and I happen to have this creative time free. I love how things work out. Now I have a fun new project, something completely different to do for a little while. I can help her out before getting back to my own ideas, and will be refreshed for the change of activity.

I was just waiting, like the gondolier, and the right thing appeared…

Do you find yourself waiting? Do you take the time to pause and breathe, and see what comes along?