Home

“Point and shoot” is the Enemy

I’m trying to find something meaningful to write, without having the benefit of ever coming across a homepage that I really like and could use as an example.  Think about it: homepages are generally used as  generic landing pages with pictures or something of that sort, and then there are homepages with extensive information and blaah blaah blaah.  Usually “home” is just a navigation page, overlooked while searching for something else.  I’m not in a band, I’m not any sort of professional anything, I don’t need to post important information…what am I?  Where do I begin?

Hold on a second, I know what I can write!  This is a website for my photography, random thoughts and projects… so how about a nice story about “the origins” of my obsession?  (This also gives a key to my whole world-view.)

My art is my obsession.  (In a totally healthy way)  Better yet, is my passion; it’s much more than just a way to pass the time. I live it and breathe it.  Everything I encounter I eventually try to imitate or modify.  Decorating things, doodling all over notebooks, re-coloring things, attempting to invent things… (Note…”attempting.”)  Art makes an appearance a constant morphing of, in, and through my life.  As long as I can remember I liked art, but I never got any formal training.  Ever.  Even now the most “training” I’ve ever received was doing a Draw Today video-series-tutorial back in grade school.  We had plenty of drawing sessions when I was a kid, as collaborating cousins who would sit and draw at the big house, the pip’s house, and my old house.  I distinctly remember quitting one time, when I was around 10 because I thought my cousin Danielle was better than I was…and so I stopped drawing completely…for a long time.  That is, a long time for a 10-year old.  Eventually I got back into it and …here I am.  J

If I had to say that any particular medium was my favorite, I would have to say that Photography is my absolutely favorite in the entire world/universe/existence-of-life.  I actually have researched and learned a LOT about photography, and have the most experience with it.  AKA: I actually know what I’m doing and I’m not completely horrible at it.

When I first got started, it was all because I borrowed a super amazing Nikon DSLR from my uncle and I LOVED it. After that my fascination grew until I was getting books out of the library, looking stuff up online, and taking a million pictures of whatever I could.  From there I quickly found out what my strengths were, where I obviously needed improvement, and basically started that I just can’t – and don’t want to – stop!  It’s too amazing!! Everything I see is too beautiful, and I learn way too much to ever quit.  Pursuing photography shows you just how much you have to appreciate in the human eye when you try to capture what you see through the lens of a camera.   Some of the earliest stages of learning instill a great appreciation for the complexity of our eyes, and foster a growing astonishment at what we’re able to see …but take for granted.

To get back to the point, photography is my way of glorifying God and trying to see everything, and see things in new ways. I want to open my eyes and truly soak in all of His creation – whether that is nature, His created beings, or even creations that come from our own minds with His help.

Anyone can pick up a camera, point and shoot. But it takes patience, skill, and effort to create a photograph that is truly an invention – something new which cannot be easily recreated. A piece of art.  I want my art to show a new perspective, and a new character.

Just think – would you rather have 3 photographs of the same bridge given to you, taken from the same angle, with the same ideas behind them, or 3 different photographs which make you wonder if they are even all of the same bridge?

Personally, I would like what is behind door #2.

My name is Katie Stolarski and this is my footprint on the world-wide-web.  If nothing more it serves as a random journal of my experiences in life, through living art.