Kat Eye Studio

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Ignoring the Looks

Do you ever feel self-conscious taking a photo? Most of us do, when we start out in photography. Maybe for a long, long time. That little voice in our says things like…
You probably shouldn’t be photographing here.
What will people think?
They are looking at me!
If we listen to it, that little voice can prevent us from taking photos in many situations. It can prevent us from following our heart, prevent us from capturing the image we were called to take.

Today’s market/wheels photo is no exception. It was taken just off Piazza del Duomo in Florence. This little snack cart also had bicycles for rental. As we walked around the duomo, I spotted it and spent a few minutes studying it with my camera, while the vendor of the stand looked critically on. Did it make me uncomfortable to have him there? Heck yeah. But I had a mission, to get a good market/wheels photo. I was struggling with this scene, but I knew I had a unique image here to capture. So I too a deep breath, ignored him, and moved around for a while, eventually finding this composition that worked. I love the depth of the image, looking down the street past the cart to the chair and the second bicycle.

I must be honest, if I had stopped, it would not have been the first time my resolve had withered under the gaze of a watcher. There have been countless times that I have noticed people watching me photograph, and stopped what I was doing. Why? Was I doing anything wrong? Being on the street, in a public area, absolutely not. There are no people, so neither was I violating anyone’s privacy by taking their photo when they didn’t want me to. And who knows what the vendor was really thinking. Probably, “Yes, a tourist! How much money can I get her to pay for an apple?” (I’ve never felt like I was a walking dollar sign anywhere in Italy more than I did in Florence. That town is tuned to squeeze every dollar it can out of tourists.)

So, how do you get over the gazes? The seemingly critical eye of people around you?

  • First, you have to want the shot. Want it more than you care about anything else. If you’re worried about how you look more than how the photograph looks, you will not overcome your discomfort.
  • Second, you have to be willing to look a little weird to the average person. Non-photographers will not understand what you are doing when you get down on the dirty ground to get that awesome angle. You will get looks. Accept that as a fact.
  • Know your rights, but also be respectful of others wishes. Are you on private property? Is there a sign that says “no photography?” Are you in a store and the owner asks you to stop photographing? On private property, the property owner sets the rules. Respect them. In public places, a little respect also goes a long way, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t photograph.
  • It happens rarely, but if someone asks you to stop photographing, politely apologize and move on. A little humility also goes a long way.
  • Realize that the quizzical looks you get are really just passing glances. People aren’t paying much attention to you. They are off in their own world. If they stop and watch you for a while, you can acknowledge them with a smile and a shrug of your shoulders, and get back to capturing your images.

I could have let the looks of the vendor scare me off here, but I’ve grown a thicker skin. The image I’m working toward is worth more than avoiding the looks I might get. If you get tripped up by this common feeling of worry about what other people are thinking as you take a photo, I encourage you to take a deep breath and continue. Do it once or twice, to push past the discomfort, and see how it goes. What’s the worst that can happen? You apologize and offer to delete the photo if someone asks you to stop. The best that can happen? You get an awesome image, and you have a little more confidence the next time you are photographing out and about.


Don’t miss the giveaway I have going on right now for some Evidence of Love! Visit here to see the details and enter. Today is the last day for entry – I’ll draw tomorrow morning!

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Announcing: Digital Photography Basics On-Demand

Happy New Year! Remember how yesterday I was talking about new things to come in 2012? I’m so excited to start off the New Year with an announcement. The Digital Photography Basics e-course is now available “On-Demand.” Rather than waiting until I offer it, the course is now available at any time throughout the year. If you or someone you know got a new camera for Christmas, this course will be a great first step to learn how to create beautiful images with that new toy!

But I always feel weird talking about my courses, so instead I’ll share what a few past participants have said:

I have taken a photography workshop [before], and I must say, yours blew that one out of the water. I was never frustrated in your course; I gained confidence in my abilities, and I actually learned how to use my camera. I’ve learned so much in this course, and now I’m looking forward to moving beyond the basics to finding the art in my photography. Thank you so much for an awesome 6 weeks! – Sarah

I looked forward to the lessons every week. They were so well written and understandable. I had taken an “in – person” class before, but I learned so much more from this one. The lessons flowed well from one week to the next. The assignments offered great opportunities to practice. – Kathy

[My favorite thing about the course] was the simplicity of the technical information. There was no confusion – just straight forward… here’s the info of how and why, set your camera like this, go play. Perfect!  – Marji

I loved learning about the technical aspects of photography. I’d always found it challenging before but you presented it in an easy, understandable way. I loved that you paired each lesson with photographs. That made everything so easy to grasp.  – Annie

The class was well worth every penny I spent. Every time I pick up my camera, I’ll be using something you’ve taught me! – Cathy

It always makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside to read those quotes! If you want to learn more, you can visit the Digital Photograph Basics page and also listen to this interview about the class. You just might learn a little bit about me too!

One of my themes for 2012 is empowerment, and having participants leave my courses feeling empowered is an underlying goal of all of the courses I create. While I love the artistic and creative aspects of photography, it has to be built on a strong foundation of technical knowledge. Digital Photograph Basics is a great first step to build that foundation. I hope you’ll share this course with anyone who might be interested in learning more about digital photography.

Tune in tomorrow, for another announcement on my 2012 theme of connection. I can’t wait to share!

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An Afternoon with Ashley

Imagine my surprise and excitement last week when my online friend and fellow muse Ashley Sisk wrote me and said, “Yo Kat – how far are you from southern Oregon? I’m flying in on Sunday for a client – no car.” Yay! I looked it up, it was 3.5 to 4 hour drive. I had nothing going on Sunday, and she was coming in at noon. Totally doable!

I cajoled the family into coming along for the ride, and we all headed down on Sunday morning to meet Ashley and the coworker she was traveling with. It is always so much fun to meet online friends in person! Adding that third dimension to the equation – real time interaction, laughter, hugs and photos – is fantastic.

We met Ashley and her coworker at the hotel, just as they arrived. After a yummy lunch of Mexican food, we went in search of a good place to visit the Rogue River. The guys immediately went down by the bank to throw rocks in the river, while Ashley and I explored with our cameras. The light was beautiful! We ran around with our cameras and timers trying to find a good bench shot. We laughed as no one could figure out what we were doing, standing on the picnic tables. (Ashley has our results posted here.)

As we walked along a riverfront trail, Brandon got into the mix, playing around with Ashley. She teased him and laughed with him and captured him with her camera. She connected with him and he loved it. When she showed me a few of the pictures she captured in camera, they took my breath away. I’ve struggled to take portraits of Brandon for the last several years, he wants none of it. But he was so happy to ham it up for Ashley, and she easily captured his personality. Ashley has an amazing talent for working with kids. I can’t wait to see the edited pictures!

While we walked along the trail, Brandon said to me, “Driving four hours to come here? Totally worth it!” This was a kid we had to drag out of bed a few hours before. Ashley had won him over completely, the ultimate compliment from a 10-year-old boy.

He got a chance to turn the tables on her, when we asked him to take a few pictures of us jumping off of a bench. After a few false starts where we jumped and he didn’t catch us, he got some fun images of us. (A jumping bench shot with flare, do you sense any influences from our fellow muse Kirstin?)

But he wouldn’t give the camera back! It was his turn, capturing Ashley and the rest of us from the none-too-flattering “looking up” perspective. Ashley played right back with him, making silly faces and encouraging him on. I loved how he captured her here. So full of fun and laughter!

The sun was low in the sky as we wrapped up our walk and got ready to head home. They were tired from a very long day of travel, and we had a few hours in the car to drive home.

Brandon captured a few last shots of us, taking Ashley’s advice for a more flattering perspective using the bed of the truck to get above us. It was odd to be on the other side of the lens, and funny to see Brandon focus and recompose. He wanted us off center, in a more artistic composition. That’s my boy.

It was so wonderful to meet Ashley! I’ll tell you, she is every bit the sweet and fun person you see online. It is always amaing to connect with online friends in the real world. These connections we make here are real. It was like meeting an old friend, yet for the first time. We all live so far away, scattered across the globe, we have to take advantage of the little slices of time circumstances give us.

I have to agree with Brandon. Driving four hours to meet Ashley? Totally worth it.

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You’re Invited to see “The Nature of Oregon”

Kat Sloma Self-portrait with Nature of Oregon prints You’re invited to see an exhibit called “The Nature of Oregon” put on by the Willamette Valley PhotoArts Guild. The show runs November 2 – 30, 2011 at the Giustina Gallery in OSU LaSells Stewart Center (26th and Western, Corvallis). The artist’s reception is on Tuesday, November 8 from 6:30 to 8:30pm.

I have two images in the show, Delicious Color and Weathered by Work, shown in this self-portrait to give you an idea of the scale. Both are printed as 20x30in (51x76cm) canvas gallery wraps, and they came out great. This is the largest I’ve ever seen my work and I find I like it! One of my goals upon returning to the US was to figure out printing and presentation of my photographic work, so the timing of this exhibit was perfect. It will be fun to see them hanging on the wall! They are definitely some of the biggest and boldest images that will be in the show. I guess that’s just my style…

If you live nearby, I would love to meet you at the artist’s reception next Tuesday!

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Moving off Auto

There is so much information on digital photography on the web, it is fantastic. It can also be overwhelming, when you are a beginner. Where do you start?
I thought I would take a moment today to talk about Digital Photography Basics, an online course I’m teaching starting October 16. I’ve mentioned registration is open but I haven’t talked much about the “why” behind this course on the blog. 
It is no secret that I love the creative aspects of photography. I love to study composition, and why a photograph works visually. I love exploring how to express myself through my images, and helping others do the same. Underlying all of that, there is a technical foundation that I build on. I couldn’t express myself in the way that I do without having a good understanding of how to use my equipment. Exposure and post-processing are just as critical as composition for that expression, look at today’s photo as an example. The technical and creative aspects all work together.
That’s where Digital Photography Basics comes in. The technical foundation you need for expression is not as complicated as you might think. There are some basics you need to understand about how a digital camera works, and how you can use that basic information to create better images. It doesn’t take expensive cameras or complicated software to create great images, it takes your unique vision and an understanding of the camera and software YOU have. This course helps you learn to use what you have better, whether it’s a point-and-shoot or a dSLR. It takes you off “auto” so that you can express yourself in new ways in your photography.
Here’s what past participants in this class have said:

“[My favorite thing about the course] was the simplicity of the technical information. There was no confusion – just straight forward… here’s the info of how and why, set your camera like this, go play. Perfect!”  

“I loved learning about the technical aspects of photography. I’d always found it challenging before but you presented it in an easy, understandable way. I loved that you paired each lesson with photographs. That made everything so easy to grasp.”  

“You really do have an artist’s eye and a visual way of presenting the information, yet with the thoroughness of a scientist… both of which I appreciate.” 

I especially like that last one… I think this course may be where my artistic side and my technical side truly do come together. As an engineer for my “day job,” Digital Photography Basics is the place I bring that “techiness” to my classes. For me, the technical aspects of photography are secondary to the artistic aspects, but only because I understand the technical part enough I don’t have to consciously think about it. It takes a little bit of time and study to get to that point. You can get there too!
If you are looking to get to “move off auto” and get a better understanding of the technical side of photography, Digital Photography Basics is a great step for you to take. I’d love to have you join me! 

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    The Gender Gap in Photography

    A few months ago I realized there is a gap in photography. A gender gap. What started this realization was reading this article on the top 20 most influential photography blogs. I noticed that they were, 19 out 20, men. The one woman was a wedding photographer, a type of photography I did not have much interest in. I was shocked. Where were all the women?


    I mean, here in my corner of the internet, I see mostly women. Most of my blog followers and online friends are women. Most of the blogs I read and photographers I look up to are women. I learned most of my photography skills from women teachers. I came to photography from scrapbooking, an overwhelmingly female-dominated craft. In my world-view, photography is dominated by women.

    I looked around a little bit after reading that article and realized for the first time, that yes, in fact, photography is dominated by men. I was surprised at first, until I realized that so much of what is written out there about photography doesn’t appeal to me, and isn’t about what I value. If I visited those blogs before, they didn’t capture my interest enough to come back, no matter how well-known they were. Either I don’t connect with their writing or their topics. I’m happy that many of these blogs exist, because when I go looking for information on a subject, I can find it. As far as ongoing reading goes, I’m interested in the art of photography. The expression of heart and soul. The connection to other creative people.

    I bring this up because I met a new photographer friend for coffee today, and he suggested I look into proposing an article to a magazine he reads. Since I love photography and writing, it’s a perfect combination, don’t you think? Funnily enough, I found myself quickly rejecting the idea. I immediately thought I would not have something to share with a wider photography audience. I joked with him about how the average guy photographer would react to my Find Your Eye classes. “You mean you want me to journal about photography? You’re looking for a connection to my heart? You’ve got to be kidding.” We both chuckled.

    Now, there may be some truth to that statement, when speaking about the stereotype. The gender gap, to me, appears real. But I was already rejecting myself before giving the idea serious thought. Why? I have gotten comfortable in this little corner of the internet, and with people who have a similar approach to photography. I’m realizing my view encompasses a very small space in a much, much bigger place.

    It seems like a wide chasm out there. I’m wondering how to bridge the gap.

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