beauty in simplicity

Here in the last several months, and especially here in the last few weeks, I have really been thinking a lot about who I am as a photographer.  What is my style?  What is it that I want to do with my craft?  Where do I want to be in five years, or even five months?  What am I struggling with and how can I overcome it?  In a market overflowing with photographers, and especially living in a small town full of talented ones, how does one not bleed into the crowd?  Staying true to yourself and your own vision.  I recall Tim Walker mentioning somewhere that one of the best pieces of advice he received while working as an assistant for Richard Avedon was "to shoot what you love."  And that's exactly what I want to do.  I want to go out and seek the beauty in the simple things.  Write beautiful lyrics with light! Meet new people and make wonderful music together!  Easier said than done sometimes, especially when you're also trying to find ways to earn a living with your craft.  But that being said, I've come to realize that making photographs that I love will work to my benefit because it will clearly show people who and what I am as a photographer.  

My copy of Elizabeth Messina's new book, The Luminous Portrait, finally arrived a few days ago.  I love her style and the fact that she considers herself a "natural-light photographer".  The way she approaches her subjects and her craft are similar to my own. Seek out the best light and capture beauty in authenticity, even if it's a stylized shoot.  After reading it this weekend, I felt rejuvenated and empowered, anxious to get back out with my camera and make some beautiful imagery.  My goal is to come up with ideas for conceptual photo shoots and putting together the plans to make them happen.  I think after having put together our mock vintage wedding, this should be a piece of cake!

Before I let you go (and thank you for reading my ramblings this morning by the way) I want to direct you to my good friend Zila Longenecker's new blog, Thistle & Fern.  Zee's work always whispers beauty and simplicity.  I hope to feature Zee and her new blog here soon, but until then walk on over to her serene and beautiful space.  Until next time friends!

Happy 4th Blogiversary!

Wow, four years.  A lot can happen in four years.  A lot HAS happened in four years.  There have been many times where I have thought that maybe keeping up with this blog was too much and that really I should let it go.  Despite the fact that I have been horrible at posting, I am at the point where my blog has a lot of sentimental meaning to me.  I can look back over the years and see both growth in myself, in my family, and in my photography.  Because of this blog, I have been able to make friends from places far away, some where I have yet to step foot in.  Sitting here, I can tell you that I am so thankful for this little corner of the internet world where I have been able to just "talk".  I am even more grateful for those of you who have been following me on my journey to . . . somewhere.  Ha ha!  You all have helped to make this adventure so much more fun and meaningful.  Thank you.

So where do I see myself and this blog going in the year ahead?  Well, I finally opened up my photography business here in Wilmington under the name The Reverie Tree, so that's going to be a big directional pull and hopefully a great motivator to create and make photographs.  There are projects that have been floating in my head for years that really need to come to fruition and I hope we'll start to see that happen this year.  I'd like to get published somewhere.  I've got my eye on a few places I plan to submit to and hope to one day grace the pages of.  Probably the biggest thing I want to see happen this year is a way that I can give back to my community.  Locally.  Nationally.  Globally.  Not because it's what everyone else is doing, but because I have a lot to be thankful for and I feel a great need to see that any talent that I may possess be given back in some way.  So much of the time I think we get caught up in the hype of giving that too often we lose sight of what's really important:  a genuinely deep experience where one's heart is not just moved, but changed.  I need this to happen, not just for myself, but also as an example for my daughter.  I want her to grow up knowing the importance of making positive changes in the world around her, and especially in the life of another because I truly believe this is what God intended us to be here for.

Thank you again for coming to sit down to a cup of tea with me, and letting me share my reveries.  :)

xo.kat

Be the change that you wish to see in the world.  - Mahatma Gandhi

a sweetheart ceremony

Several months ago, my good friend Blaire Johnson and I came up with an idea.  With both of us wanting to reintroduce ourselves into the wedding business, we thought that it might be a good thing to revamp our portfolios.  Our idea was to photograph, or in Blaire's case film, a fun, eco-friendly, vintage wedding.  How does one accomplish this?  Throw one yourself apparently.  Which was exactly what we did.  With the help of several local vendors, an awesome band, the sweetest couple, and many of our friends, yes, YES, a wedding came together.  Due to time constraints and the high probability of getting pelted by hail stones and rain, we didn't get to throw the wedding we had originally planned for.  But despite all that, we pulled it off.  We got to meet and work with talented individuals who we wouldn't have met otherwise.  We were able to dust off our wedding caps and kick our creativity gears up to a whole new level.  As worn out as I am, it was worth it.  We had a great time and I hope these photos reflect that.  There are a few more photos on my new Facebook page.  And to watch this wedding unfold, simply watch the video created by Green Hope Productions below.  Long live slide whistles and kazoos!!

The Vendors: 

Photography | The Reverie Tree

Cinematography | Green Hope Productions

Wedding Gown and Maid-of-Honor Gown | Camille's Closet

Bride and Maid-of-Honor floral hairpieces | Joanne Miranda Designs

Floral | Marshall Gardens

Wedding Cake | Creative Cake Designs by Tammy Hodge

Bride's Hair & Makeup | NSalo Salon

Music | Mike Blair & the Stonewalls

Jewelry | Rachel Andrews of Jewel Kade

Officiant | Shannon Mackay 

A big BIG thank you to Sarah Elizabeth and Jason, and to all of our friends who came out, dressed up and helped out.  You all are so absolutely wonderful.  Blaire, Alex and I cannot thank you enough.  We are truly, and eternally grateful!  

working my way into march

Good . . . morning . . . a very early morning friends!  I hope all is well in everyone's little spot in the world.  I have been working my not-too-little tooshie off preparing for some major projects that will be taking place next month.  For fear of jinxing myself, I am going to hold off on some details, but the above images should give you a clue.  A week or so ago, Alex managed to salvage some old discs that we had had from the first wedding we ever photographed.  The box that contained all the original negatives and photos were destroyed in the flood.  Many of the discs we managed to save, but going through them now, the scan quality was really poor.  Just another lesson we had to learn the hard way.     But it's all good!  I was still able to pull up one of my favorite photos from that day.  This one of the bride standing beside her window.  She had just finished putting her veil on when I saw the light quickly wrap this beautiful woman within its gentle glow.  Despite the usual chaos, I kinda miss photographing people on their happiest day.  So, we'll see what happens next.

One project I will tell you about is my Character / The Artist's Voice / I'm-not-really-sure-what-to-call-it Project.  Going with the theme I gave myself for 2012, connect, I am working on a list of interviews I hope to get going in March, and possibly even at the end of this month.  All of them are artists in their own right, some working with paint, one with salvaged scraps, another in fashion, and even one with food.  I'm trying to connect alright and I'll have to admit, I'm terrified!  BUT, it'll be good for me, and YOU I hope as I plan to share our connections right here.  

Folks, it's way pass my bedtime, but before I go, here are a few things that have inspired me as of late:

• These guys are just amazing!  
• I love this song.
• I want to see this magazine in my mailbox.  
• In the meantime, I will get lost in one of their videos.
• I still refuse to join Twitter (one can only do so much social networking) but I did cave in to the wonderful thing that is Pinterest.  I'm a newbie so my profile is lacking some lustre but that'll change.
• In a quest to find a flat top straw hat, I came across this website and loved it!  I am not sure how the hubster would take it if I got him their book, but it seems rather insightful.  :) 
• Oh wow, yeah, my brain's done for the evening. . . er. . . I mean morning.  

Have a beautiful rest of the day folks!  

popping in

My good friend, actor Langley McArol.

Friends, there is much going on in my neck of the woods at the moment.  With that being, I am working on some things that I hope will bring this blog back to life!  The above photos are of my good friend, Langley, an actor and all-around nice (occasionally grumpy) guy.  Ha!  

Have a beautiful week ahead!  And for those of you watching the Super Bowl at the moment, I hope your team wins.  ;D

celebrating a new year & new possibilities

Happy New Year friends!  I hope many of you were able to enjoy the ringing in of the new year surrounded by friends and family!  My own little familia had a simple, quiet celebration.  We decided to "camp out" on an air mattress set in the middle of the living room floor, with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin chatting on the tube as entertainment.  At some point we all passed out. . . well before midnight.  I woke up at what I thought was 11:30PM only to find out that I had missed the ball dropping in Times Square by two and a half hours.  Go figure.  But hey, cupcakes with sprinkles for everyone!!

So it's a new year and already there are some awesome projects in the works.  I'll be collaborating with my good friend Blaire Johnson of Green Hope Productions, on some fun & exciting ideas.  I love her down-to-earth personality and "go get'em" attitude.  She's like my own little groovy pirate cheerleader and I love her for it!  Our minds are working overtime and it feels great!  Currently, Blaire is filming a documentary called Bringing It Home, alongside another talented lady, Linda Booker.  The mission of their film is to help educate the public, and to raise support for the approval of industrial hemp production here in the United States.  Learn more about their crusade thus far, and the benefits of industrial hemp by visiting the Bringing it Home website.

Alright friends, here's to a fantastic, productive, and greener New Year!! 

Merry Christmas friends!

Wishing all of you beautiful folk out there a wonderful and merriest of Christmases!  I hope Santa brings what you asked for!