Kat Eye Studio

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Found the Words

I found the words! I’ve been thinking about where I’ve lost my words since Monday’s post, and it turns out they weren’t gone after all. They’ve only been channeled to a specific purpose.

You see, I have this great ability to focus. It drives my family nuts. I can focus so hard on one thing that I tune the rest of the world out around me. It makes me incredibly productive when I set my mind to something, but it also makes for some unwanted side effects.

Like losing my words, for anything other than what’s in focus.

Lately, around my photography, I’ve got a laser focus on A Sense of Place. I’ve been writing and re-writing and tying it all up in a bow. I’m on a mission to put together the best class possible. That’s where my focus is, my energy is flowing, and yes the words too.

So when I talk about the class here on the blog lately, it’s not because I’m trying to advertise. It’s just what I have words for right now. I don’t have a lot of space for anything else in my brain. I’m on a deadline, now. (A self-imposed deadline for sure, but a deadline nonetheless.)

My words are found where my focus is. Whether that’s buying a new car over the weekend or working on A Sense of Place this week. It makes it a bit hard for me to blog about other random and interesting topics, and for that I apologize. The focus will lift soon, since the class is almost ready.

And the words for other things will come back. Whew.

Does this ever happen to you? Is a great strength you have ever a great disability too?

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Wishing you…

Beauty, peace and interesting things to photograph from the heart today!

My Tea with Toan interview has been featured on The Huffington Post and Intent.com this week. Wow! I’m excited to get the word out about the Photo-Heart Connection, and hope that more people will find this as a wonderful tool for personal growth and connection. I’d love for you to come visit if you haven’t seen the interview yet.

Keep connecting! Good things always happen when you are connected with your heart.

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Happy Endings

You cannot have a happy ending to an unhappy journey.
–Abraham-Hicks

Wow. Those words are so simple and profound. I read them in one of those daily inspirational emails this morning, and they struck me to stillness.

We are all on a different journey in our lives. Each journey is unique in its challenges and our responses. But there is a universal truth in the quote above: How we approach our journey affects the outcome. Do we approach it openly, with a willingness to learn? Do we feel gratitude for what comes our way? Or do we rail against the unfairness of the universe, wishing things were different and trying to shape things to our liking?

There is a different energy that comes when we force or control than when we accept and learn, don’t you think? Whether a journey is unhappy or happy depends mostly on us, on our attitude, regardless of the circumstance.

Happiness is a choice. Gratitude is a choice. As we head into the holiday season, with all of the potential stresses and joys, I’m going to remember this. I’m going for the happy ending by choosing to be happy on the journey. I hope you will too!

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Light Fantastic

Fall LightAt Mortal Muses we are finishing up our “Light Fantastic” theme with a blog hop, and I thought I would share a story…

On my photo walk with Julie last week, we were nearing the end of our walk, photographing the gorgeous autumn trees in a park. The sun was starting to go behind the clouds and she said, “Oh no, we’re losing the light.”

I laughed and said, “Oh yes, we’re getting the light!”

I confessed to Julie that there is something she needed to know about me… I love indirect light. I love the soft, diffused light of alleyways and cloudy days that gently highlights form and makes color pop. I took this image after we lost found the light. I find the colors incredible! This is my kind of light.

Now you know my light fantastic. What’s your favorite light?

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Curving Around: Opposing Lines

As participants share their Opposing Lines in Exploring with a Camera, I’ve come across a question: Do curves count as opposing lines?

My answer: Absolutely!

Consider today’s photo, the lines of the metal siding lead you up to the sign, but the curve of the lines in the sign leads you right back down again through the photo. Helen also shared a wonderful photo in the link up with lots of curves as opposing lines.

So many great examples of opposing lines shared so far! Galina’s bridge shot captures the principle perfectly, and I enjoyed this one below by roses4donna, shared in the Flickr pool.

Boardwalk

How is your search for Opposing Lines going? It’s not too late to link in, we have another whole week in this exploration!



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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The City’s Forest

Architectural Salvage, Philomath, Oregon

Architectural Salvage

Perhaps it’s just because I enjoy framing street scenes, or perhaps it’s because the latest Find Your Eye lesson is on starting a series, but I stumbled on a new series topic in my photography last week: The city’s forest.

I first noticed an interest in capturing these trees planted along the street when we visited Hood River, Oregon a couple of months ago. I was attracted to the light and shadow. The shape of the tree contrasted with the shapes of the architecture. The interaction of these bits of nature brought into our hard, urban world. It’s as if we know we need the trees at some deeper visceral level, so we mark out spaces in regular intervals along our streets to make room for them. They shelter our path from the sun in the summer and the rain in the fall. They provide color and beauty. They are silent witnesses to the lives bustling under and around them. They survive and thrive, even where we neglect them.

Sheltering the Abandoned

Sheltering the Abandoned

Can you imagine our neighborhoods and towns without these trees? I can’t. Or maybe I can, but I don’t want to. I am always sad when a tree lining a street dies or has to be cut down. The trees we plant are physical extensions of the heart of a place, and something changes when a tree is lost.

I’m on the hunt now, to capture the city’s forest. To celebrate the life of these trees in manmade places.

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