Paint the Music

Can you imagine a world without music? I can't. As much as I love the visual arts, I love music too. What a fun combination of music + painting I found a couple of months ago, in a window in downtown Corvallis. Bringing colors and sounds together, in one place. I had fun composing this shot with all of the bits and pieces of violins visible.

Music is on my mind today, because we saw Matt Nathanson in concert last night in Portland. Hearing great music live is a favorite thing of mine. Whether a symphony orchestra at La Scala in Milan or Matt in the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, there is a different experience of hearing music live. You feel it in deep in your body, you can't help but move. And when the whole audience loves the music and is singing along? Wow, what an energy! Music is another soul language, it short cuts the brain and connects right to your soul.

Matt is a great musician, and a fantastic entertainer. His live shows do not disappoint. This was Brandon's first concert (that he was awake for - he slept through a Matchbox 20 concert a number of years ago), and he was so excited. As we headed home, he said his favorite song, Faster, was even "catchier" live. I think he's got my live music bug. Maybe some will consider us irresponsible parents for taking a 10 year old to a concert on a school night, but I can't help but believe that learning to love music is an important part of his life education too.

We had another great side benefit, being introduced to Scars on 45, the opening band. They are from England and are definitely worth a listen. I'll leave you with a song from them today.

Heading Home

We are finishing up the blur theme at Mortal Muses today, with Muse Mosaic. For this theme, I had gone out to capture some intentional blur one rainy evening, on the street behind my house. I stood in the rain and played for a while, trying different amounts of out-of-focus-ness as the cars went by. I liked the feeling that these images brought to me. I imagined each of these cars were carrying people home, tired and wet after a long day, to a snug, warm house. Interesting how a dark, chilly, rainy image could evoke a warm feeling for me.

You can join in too! Click the button below to hop over and link in your "blur" image and visit the others. Have a great weekend! I'll be heading home myself, from Chicago.

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! 

The Loner

One lone flower, tossed aside. 

It makes me ask, can an image of a "thing" evoke emotion? As a "thing" photographer, I would answer yes. This image speaks to me through the isolation of the flower, discarded for not being perfect. The flower is not even in the bunch with the other discarded flowers, it is off on its own. Truly alone. But in its isolation, the remaining beauty of the flower can be seen. The gorgeous color and the shape, jump out at me against the concrete in a way that would be lost in the group.

It seems there is a message here, that can be brought into my life. It's ok to be less than perfect. It's ok to be out there, on my own once in a while. Once in a while, being outside the group can help me shine my unique beauty. My unique view on the world.

What do you take away from this image?  Does it speak to you too?

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What's going on around Kat Eye Studio...

• The current Exploring with a Camera theme is The Color Wheel: Part 2. Check out the post and join in the exploration.
• Registration is open for Digital Photography Basics! Class starts October 16. Visit here for the details.
• Want to know what's going on in the studio? You can subscribe to the Kat Eye News to stay up-to-date on all the activities.

Expectations Lost, Happiness Found

What is it about photography, that makes me happy? I've noticed lately, that whenever I go out and photograph, even if it's just for a walk around the block in the rain, that I return in a good mood. I am smiling and there is a spring in my step. I feel buoyant. The sheer act of capturing photographs, whether they end up good or not, makes me grin.

Thinking more on why photography makes me happy this morning, I found that photography is one area of my life where I don't have huge expectations or plans. I've learned to embrace the fun of letting myself be surprised. I follow my intuition and interests, as they pull me along in new directions. I find great joy in discovering what catches my eye on any given day. Amazing things have resulted as I follow those internal nudges - in photography, writing and my study of art in general.

Take Saturday's photowalk visit to the Farmer's Market, for example. Of course I photographed the colorful vegetables, but what really interested me were the flowers on the ground as the vendors sorted and tossed and created beautiful bouquets. Normally I would be attracted to the finished bouquets, but at this moment I was captured by the haphazard nature of the flowers scattered on the concrete and in the buckets. To me, on this specific Saturday morning, these images were the most interesting to explore and compose. These were the images that held a story. Next Saturday, in the same place, it will be completely different.

This gets to the "heart and soul" aspects of photography, or any art. Creating has the power to change how we feel. When we let go of expectations or plans, wonderful things can result. There is an interesting parallel here to the rest of my life I've needed to focus on as well: Letting go of control and expectation. It's something that I am slowly, and surely, learning to do. It's been a long road, but I am lucky to have something like photography to show me the way, with a smile on my face. 

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What's going on around Kat Eye Studio... 

• Linking in to the Creative Every Day today. Hello everyone!
• The current Exploring with a Camera theme is The Color Wheel: Part 2. Check out the post and join in the exploration.
• Registration is open for Digital Photography Basics! Class starts October 16. Visit here for the details.
• Want to know what's going on in the studio? You can subscribe to the biweekly Kat Eye News to stay up-to-date on all the activities and have more great information, delivered right to your email inbox.

In the Interest of Color

This morning I participated in the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk, through with 1117 photo walks were planned in local communities today and tomorrow. The Corvallis photo walk was organized by one of my local photography friends, Jones Oliver. It was great to get out and meet other photographers! We had local folks from Corvallis and a few from other towns in Oregon, as well as my brother from out of state. 

I captured this image of the purple chinese eggplant and the orange peppers specifically with our current exploration of the color wheel. It's a triadic scheme, purple, orange and green, in approximately the recommended proportions. Do you think it works?

More images of the photo walk to come later! Hope you are having a great weekend.

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What's going on around Kat Eye Studio...

• The current Exploring with a Camera theme is The Color Wheel: Part 2. Check out the post and join in the exploration.
• Registration is open for Digital Photography Basics! Class starts October 16. Visit here for the details.
• Want to know what's going on in the studio? You can subscribe to the Kat Eye News to stay up-to-date on all the happenings.

The Fruits of our Creative Labor

All life moves in cycles. Whether we notice the cycle of the seasons, where the earth transitions from growth to dormancy across the months, or the cycle within a day, as the sun rises and sets. Our lives are bound by cycles.

It is easy to forget this, as we look at the results of a cycle. In harvest time, we may see the results of the farmer's efforts in the piles of fruits and vegetables in the market, but we don't see all of the time and energy spent to get there. Preparing the soil, sowing the seeds, tending the growth, picking the fruit - all happen outside of our realm of vision. We only see the end result, the tomatoes sitting on the table, ready to eat.

Creativity is like this too. I am revisiting my concept of the Spiral of Creativity lately. I have had to remind myself that creativity is a cycle. I remind myself that creating something new and launching it into the world is not as easy as the end result would suggest. Shiny, delicious tomatoes don't just end up on tables without a lot of someone's time, spent in the dirt. That time in the dirt is when you "go dark" to the outside world. The time of the spiral where you are acting on and finishing an idea, doing something to make it real. No one else can see the effort you are putting in, to get things launched. They will only see the final result. It may look like nothing is going on for a while, as you create something new, even to you.

It is so much easier to be in the starting phases of the spiral, absorbing, processing and practicing. It's fun, and takes less time and energy to keep things moving. You can have multiple things going at once. My recent experience suggests it takes a lot less energy to jot down a few ideas about what you would like in a website, than to clearly articulate the details to a web designer. It takes less energy to sketch out layouts and envision them in your mind than it does to populate something real.

When a project is in the "finishing" phase of the spiral, there may not be much energy for anything else. All focus narrows to that one item that needs to be launched into the world. I was reminded of this fact on Tuesday, when I had no words to write here. I had images, lovely images, but no words would come. The creative energy I use for writing on my blog was being used in other ways.

For a short while I thought something was wrong, until I remembered how all things cycle, including creativity. Until I remembered the spiral and how I'm nearing the launching edge with my new website and new classes. At least this time in the spiral, I've been through the process before. The first time, as I was creating Find Your Eye, the final parts of the spiral were hard because I hadn't completed a full cycle before. Now I know how wonderful it is to launch something new and real into the world. All of the time and energy is worth it.

Whether it's vegetables or classes or websites or art, I'm reminded the Spiral of Creativity applies. You can't bring something new into the world without an expenditure of time and energy. You don't get those delicious tomatoes without some digging in the dirt.


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What's going on around Kat Eye Studio...

• This weekend is the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk. Are you participating? I am!
• Don't miss out on this great, free source of inspiration: World's Biggest Summit. It starts tomorrow, and I'm a sponsor - yay!
• The current Exploring with a Camera theme is The Color Wheel: Part 2. Check out the post and join in the exploration.
• Registration is open for Digital Photography Basics! Class starts October 16. Visit here for the details.
• Want to know what's going on in the studio? You can subscribe to the Kat Eye News to stay up-to-date on all the happenings.

Change is in the Air

The seasons are changing, can you feel it? We have a crispness in the air some mornings. The apples are arriving at the market. The leaves are still on the trees and the days feel like summer, but change is in the air. I can feel it.

Change is coming to this space too. I have a new website under development at the moment. Yay! I love this blogger space so much, it's been the site of my journey, but it's become too small for what I want to do. I realized a few months ago that I had no room to grow. Things have been getting crowded around here. As I added the Liberate Your Art postcard swap and Find Your Eye classes, I've maxed out the available space.

So in a short period of time, I'll be packing up the virtual boxes and moving to a new space where The Kat Eye View of the World and Kat Eye Studio will both reside. It is interesting how my virtual life is mirroring my physical life, with a big move. Just as it was time to move home from Italy, it's time to move from here. I can feel it. At least with this move, I won't have a garage full of stuff to deal with!

It is exciting to see my new site develop. It's seeing a vision coming to life. There will be space, and room to grow. Lots of light and color and beautiful images. I can't wait to share it with you!



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What's going on around The Kat Eye View of the World...

• The current Exploring with a Camera theme is The Color Wheel: Part 1. Check out the post and join in the exploration.
• Digital Photography Basics registration opens soon! You can subscribe to the Kat Eye News to be the first to hear when registration opens.

A Postal Mystery

Here we have a row of one of my recent fascinations, newspaper boxes. Some empty and abandoned, others and in use. All in a neat row outside of our town's post office. I loved the light coming along the wall, pointing to the row of these colorful boxes.

An appropriate photo to go along with the news of today's postal mystery.  Let me set the stage...

The Liberate your Art postcard swap had just finished up, and I was contacted by my online friend Elizabeth, from Puerto Rico.

"Kat, I never received any postcards. Did you get mine?"

"I've sent out everything I received! I don't remember if I got yours or not. If you didn't get anything, I probably didn't receive your cards. I'm so sorry!"

An unsatisfying ending. Until...

Yesterday. The postcards she sent to me in July for the swap arrived in the mail yesterday. Over two months after she had sent them.

So I have 5 cheerful postcards that Elizabeth liberated into the world two months ago, now looking for a home! I would like to get some postcards back to Elizabeth too, so if you would like to send Elizabeth one of your postcards, I will send you one of hers. You don't have to have been a participant in the Liberate your Art postcard swap to do this. Email me kat [at] kateyestudio [dot] com with your interest and I will send you the details. The first five to respond are in!

One last participant. A postal mystery that will never be resolved. All I need is a few generous readers to help make Elizabeth's swap happen! Can you help?



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What's going on around The Kat Eye View of the World...

• The current Exploring with a Camera theme is The Color Wheel: Part 1. Check out the post and join in the exploration.
• Are you ready to find your own unique vision through photography? This is the last week to register for the fall series of the Find Your Eye e-course. Class starts Sunday, September 25! Visit here for more info.
• You can subscribe to the Kat Eye News to stay up-to-date on all the happenings around here.

Exploring with a Camera: The Color Wheel, Part 1

**Please Note: Due to a technical difficulty the Exploring with a Camera button is no longer linking to the correct page. Please get the new button code at the bottom of this post, and replace your old button.**

I love color in photography. I love the energy and emotion you can convey through color. There is a peaceful beauty in black and white, but there is so much richness and depth in color! For the next month in Exploring with a Camera we are going to look at color. Using the color wheel as a guide, I'm going to take a look at how colors work together and how you can use that to create photographs with beauty and impact.

I was browsing a used bookstore with this topic in mind and came across the Color Workbook by Becky Koenig. What a great find! In the preface she writes:

Color is both a physical and an emotional human phenomenon. We respond to color because of its associations. We each have our personal preferences for particular color combinations. Our experience of the world is in some ways characterized by our observation of color: a green apple, a red sports car, the pink sky of a sunset, the blue of a robin's egg. These colors evoke not only an outward experience but also form colors in our memory, our inner eye. Color is not simply a decorative element in art, but a part of our inner consciousness. Color is life enhancing.

Yes! Color is life enhancing. How you see, use and portray color in your photographs is part of your eye. We may not understand why certain color combinations work to create the feel they do in our images, but there is a science and study of color that can help explain it. Let's start with the basic color wheel.*

The idea behind the color wheel is that color is a continuum. You start with the primary colors, Yellow, Red and Blue. These mix to form the secondary colors, Green, Orange and Violet (Purple). There is an intermediate color that comes from mixing a primary and secondary, noted by two letters such as "RV" for Red-Violet. These twelve colors, 3 primary, 3 secondary and 6 tertiary, form the basic color wheel. The remainder of the colors come from mixing these 12 in various ways or with neutral colors - black, white, brown. Using this as a base, we can explore the different color combinations.

Now, I don't anticipate that in our photography we are going to go around with a color wheel looking for color combinations before we take a photograph most of the time. Looking at the color wheel relative to our photographs or those of others can help us understand how and why certain color combinations works. It can help us identify what we use most often and respond to in our images. That study will inform our images at the time of capture in the future. We may be more in tune with color and how to use it the next time we go to shoot.

To start us off in Part 1 of this study today, we are a going to look at the simpler color schemes or "harmonies" as the Color Workbook calls them.

Monochromatic

The first color harmony is the simplest, monochromatic or one color. You may need to reset your definition of "monochromatic" a bit, because in photography "monochromatic" often refers to black and white or images with a single tone, like sepia. This type of image is certainly monochromatic, but let's look at monochromatic color.

I use the monochromatic color harmony a lot. It creates a unified and cohesive image. My favorite pink shutter and wall in Burano is a good example of a monochromatic color scheme. All shades of Red-Violet, with accents that are neutral in the shutter holder and the board behind the peeling paint.

Another favorite monochromatic image is this door handle and lock from Greece. You can see in both of these images how framing a small portion of a larger scene can lead to a monochromatic image.

Framing a small portion is not the only way to get a monochromatic image, however. Another favorite from Greece shows an image that is primarily monochromatic, with the blue door, sink and gas can. There is a tiny pop of red in the faucet, but the rest is neutral and the overall color impression you have in this image is "blue."

This monochromatic image, from Burano, is green. Again, it's not all green, but the image is primarily shades of green and the remainder is neutral.

Monochromatic color schemes are great in our photographs because they can unify multiple diverse elements, as in the example of the door and the chair above. Monochromatic schemes can also help to convey a third element, like texture, as seen in the shutter and door handle. Just remember - monochromatic doesn't mean only black and white. There is so much energy and emotion to be added to an image with color!

Analogous

Moving into a slightly more complex color harmony from the color wheel, when you take two or three neighboring colors on the wheel you have an analogous color scheme. Analogous color schemes always have at least one color in common. In the diagram below, the common color is orange.

I see analogous color schemes in my images a lot, mainly in the red-orange-yellow part of the color wheel. This window in Switzerland is a great example. The grey and green serve the purpose of neutral and we see mostly the yellow and orange of the pots and window frame.

Nature is the best at creating analogous color schemes! These flowers, found in the Nice flower market, are a good example. The flowers themselves, highlighted in that beautiful light, create a lovely analogous image.

Designers use color schemes in advertising all the time to catch our eye! The analogous red-orange found in this window display is a good example. The bright, unified color along with the shiny baubles really caught my eye.

You can see how much I use the yellow-orange-red part of the wheel! That just reflects my personal color preferences. The analogous schemes you find might be in a completely different part of the wheel. Here is another analogous image, this time with blue and green. The green you see is more toward blue than yellow, which leads to a harmonious color image.

Chromatic Gradation

 Expanding to include more colors on the color wheel leads to a chromatic gradation. This is where you move through a range of several colors in sequence along the color wheel. The diagram below shows a gradation from blue to red on the wheel, encompassing violet.

These flowers from Barcelona use a chromatic gradation. From red to yellow on the color wheel, also covering oranges and pinks. It is still a unified color scheme, but a bit more dynamic than a monochromatic or analogous.

The lead-in image of the post, from the Corvallis Saturday Market, uses a progression from red to yellow as well. Another market scene, from Padua below, has a color progression from red all the way to yellow-green on the the color wheel.

Do you see how much I like the yellow-orange-red part of the color wheel? It shows up again and again in my images! I will have to look for some other examples this week to see what I can find.

The Color Wheel, Part 1 Summary

The color schemes we're looking at for this exploration are harmonious and peaceful. They are easy on the eye, because of the way they relate to the other colors on the color wheel. Just a quick recap:

• Monochromatic - Images have one dominant color from the color wheel. You may see variations in the shades of that color, have neutrals or even small amounts of other colors, but the overall impression is of one color in the image.
• Analogous - Images have two to three colors adjacent colors on the color wheel. There is one color in common, and the other colors used have some small amount of that color.
• Chromatic Gradation - Images have a number of colors that can be found in sequence on the color wheel. 

For the next two weeks, take a look through your archives or keep an eye out as you photograph for these three color schemes. You can link your images below or share in the Flickr pool for a chance to be featured on the blog. Visit the links shared by your fellow participants to see more color schemes. Since we all have different color preferences, it will be interesting and fun to see how we all view the world in color! 

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!

*The basic color wheel image is by Eyoungsmc and is used here by creative commons license. All notations added to the color wheel image are mine.

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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!

Fascinations

There are a few surprising things that I have found interesting to capture since returning back to the USA. Newspaper boxes, mailboxes and parking meters. Lovely parking meters, like this set, all by themselves. Or parking meters with something else, like my scooter. I didn't see these beauties in Italy, there was usually a box where you would pay down the street and print a receipt. That was boring. These are interesting.

The real voyage of discovery consists of not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. 

-- Marcel Proust

Linking in to Texture Tuesday today. Here's the recipe I used:

- First, adjusted levels and converted to sepia tone.

- Next, added Kim Klassen's crackerjack texture, blended with soft light at 88%.

- Erased this layer over the parking meters.

- Finally, added the crackerjack texture again, rotating 180 degrees. Blended with soft light at 48%.




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What's going on around The Kat Eye View of the World...

• The current Exploring with a Camera theme is Process of Elimination. Check out the post and explore with us.
• Do you want to deepen the connection between your heart and soul and your photography? Registration for the fall series of the Find Your Eye e-course is open! Visit here for more info.
• You can subscribe to the Kat Eye News to stay up-to-date on all the happenings.

Heart Message, Acknowledged

On Friday, I wrote a Message from your Heart. Turns out, that was a message from my heart. After two months of living in a whirlwind, the time to pause had come. I needed to listen to my heart this weekend, slow down and do what I love. Some photography, some painting, some time with friends and some organizing. (Maybe the organizing wasn't something I love to do, but my heart thanked me just the same.) I had some general, wide open ideas of what to do with my time, and a lot of flexibility within my days. My whole being seemed to give a big sigh of relief.

I have realized, once again, I can only go at warp speed for so long. It's time to focus back in on the basics, listen to my heart and not try to do everything under the sun. If I could do it over again, I wouldn't plan so much for right after our move home from Italy. The great news, though, is the whirlwind is past and I can set my pace going forward. That pace includes photography excursions, like yesterday's, which yielded this lovely photo from downtown Corvallis. My heart sings with all the yellow! The pace includes time to paint, and to hang out with family and friends. Time to write and create new classes.

This message really hit home as I was preparing my guest post for Ashley Sisk today, on The Care and Feeding of Inspiration. You have to listen to your heart, in order to find and keep inspiration. You can't expect it will always be there for you, if you are charging ahead, ignoring your heart.

Message from my heart, acknowledged.

Linking in to Creative Every Day and the Creative Exchange today.





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What's going on around The Kat Eye View of the World...

• The current Exploring with a Camera theme is Process of Elimination. Check out the post and explore with us.
• Do you want to deepen the connection between your heart and soul and your photography? Registration for the fall series of the Find Your Eye e-course is open! Visit here for more info.
• You can subscribe to the Kat Eye News to stay up-to-date on all the happenings.

Meet the Scooter

I would like to introduce you to my scooter. I know, you've heard about it more than once (here and here), but it hasn't had a proper photographic debut on my blog until now. Ta-da!!

This morning I rode it downtown on a photographic excursion, so I had both the scooter and my camera together for the first time. They were instant friends, can you tell? The scooter and camera will be having more play dates in the future. Watch this space.

I don't know why I seem to be using seventies processing on all of my scooter pics lately, but that is how I see them. Maybe it's the retro styling of the scooter, but who really knows. I'm having fun, and that's all that matters, isn't it?

I hope you are having fun on this lovely Sunday too!


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What's going on around The Kat Eye View of the World...

• The current Exploring with a Camera theme is Process of Elimination. Check out the post and explore with us.
• Do you want to deepen the connection between your heart and soul and your photography? Registration for the fall series of the Find Your Eye e-course is open! Visit here for more info.
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Snow, A Year Ago

It's a bit snowy here in Vedano this morning, so I'm inspired to post one of my favorite snow pictures. This is from Corvallis, last December, right before Christmas break. It was the last day of work before the Christmas shutdown and it was a glorious morning of snow and light, quite unusual to have so much snow in Corvallis. I took a fun hike through the untouched snow outside of work and took some of my favorite snow pictures.

I will go through my pics from last night in Milano and this morning sometime this next week and post some new winter pics from Italy. We're going to Torino tonight - it's supposed to have fabulous lights!