Hello Spring

in

Why I'm giving up running for Lent this year.

Happy Friday, friends. 

Day 3 of Lent is almost finished, and I am already wondering why I chose to give up running this year. (Cue: Dear Nashville friends, if any of you are into yoga, kick boxing or P90x, give me a call.)

Maybe to most people (at least the one's who've asked what I was giving up this year) giving up something that is healthy, such as running, doesn't make much sense, but for me it makes perfect sense.

Running has long been my escape from dealing with things. When I am frustrated, I go for a run. When I am sad, I go for a run. Instead of dealing with conflict with others, I usually go run. I have lived by the idea that when I am upset with someone, rather than telling him or her that I am upset, I go run until those feelings taper off. If I am stressed with work or feeling overwhelmed, rather than finding ways to work through stress, I go run. 

The problem with that approach is that it doesn't last. It would be like taking Tylenol for a broken bone but never getting a cast or swapping coffee for rest when really all you need is a good night of sleep. The temporary fix never turns into a lasting solution. 

So for the the next 40 days, I'll be doing a lot of plyometrics and yoga to stay fit but skipping out on my morning jogs and my late night tempo runs. I'll also be learning a lot about how to deal with things without running from them. (Yes, that was meant to be a slightly punny play on words. I hope you're chuckling at my dad-joke-esque sense of humor.)

I have also decided for at least the next 40 days, I won't be checking my social media platforms. I will still be sharing photographs and new work, but I won't be checking to see how many likes the posts get. Something that I have been wrestling with for a while now is feeling like I need to publish content that is fitting for whatever is trending in the moment, instead of images I want to share. I want my images to communicate the ideas I can't put into words. I want to make images that tell my subject's story, not the story of my attempt to look cool to a set of followers. Instagram is an incredible outlet for me to share my work, but lately, I am struggling to see my work in some of the images I have posted. As an artist, feeling like my work isn't mine, is a scary realization, so I am taking a small step back.

At first I thought about giving up social media for Lent this year. 

But then I realized that would be far too easy. Social media isn't the problem - my motivation for my using it is. Giving up Instagram, Facebook, blogging etc., is just another type of running . Posting images without worrying about likes and followers is what takes courage for me. 

For the next 40 days, I will be sharing work and scheduling posts, but won't be online reading comments or seeing how many double-tapped hearts my pictures get. I am doing this as an attempt to start actually living authentic instead of pretending that I #liveauthentic. 

If you would like to chat or collaborate with me over the next little bit, please feel free to contact me through the contact page. I would love to hear form you. 

Love you guys,

- Kate 

Ps: Here are some images from a rad location scouting venture yesterday. 

083A0530.jpg
083A0553.jpg

First trip to California + A last minute New Year's Resolution

in

 

Hattiesburg -> Nashville -> Hattiesburg -> New Orleans -> Los Angeles -> New Orleans -> Hattiesburg -> Nashville

After a long couple of weeks of traveling. I have enjoyed having 24 hours to sit and process before heading back to Nashville first thing in the morning. 

On my flight from Los Angeles to New Orleans, I jotted down thoughts from the week.

  1. California is a completely different world.
  2. Running in an environment sans humidity is pretty incredible.
  3. A good night's sleep fixes a wealth of problems.
  4. I probably should be sleeping a lot more than I do.
  5. It’s really perplexing to have so many things you want to photograph, but really nice to have friends who put up with you wanting to stop every 5 minutes to take a picture of something.
  6. I admire people who can easily pay attention in a meeting without doodling. You guys are magicians. 
  7. Gas is really cheap where I live, and I shouldn't take that for granted.
  8. Most people have more in common with others than they may think at a first glance.
  9. Earth, Wind and Fire is the glue that holds all differing music preferences in harmony.
  10. It does get cold in Los Angeles.
  11. Insane traffic provides a beautiful space to get to know the people in the car with you. 
  12. Hearing two devout Arkansas fans say, “Roll Tide” after my sweet Alabama took the National Championship in football was way more gratifying than I thought it would be.
  13. Disney park soundtracks are incredible.

These are all on my list of thoughts about the week, but the biggest take away from the trip is this:

Talking to strangers is my favorite pass time when I travel. Talking to strangers in massive airports is especially fun.

When you meet someone you’ll likely never see again, you can be anyone you want. 

As ironic as it sounds, I am most comfortable being completely myself when I meet a person I probably won’t ever see again.

For someone like me who struggles with caring way too much about what other people think, meeting a stranger is synonymous with freedom.

Last week in LA, I finally put my finger on why it takes me so long to warm up to certain people - fear of losing them. 

Another ironic thing - putting on a front out of fear that I won’t be good enough for someone has often been the very thing that turns him or her away. 

For some reason, I really like playing it tough when I meet people that I fear won’t accept my real personality - the fearer of clowns, faker of British accents, full-blown LOTR lover and all. 

Something that proves true time and time again is being someone I’m not doesn't work out well.

I suppose now is a better time than ever to try out something new, such as treating everyone I meet like a stranger in an airport - aka: being myself. 

When we give ourselves the backhanded compliment of pretending to be someone else, we hurt more than ourselves. We hinder other people from being themselves too.

How can I expect people to be genuine if I am not returning the favor?

Realizing hiding my true self, hurts more than just me is really sobering. Realizing the times I am hardest on myself more often than not corollate to when I’m most critical of others is even more sobering. 

When we love ourselves as the person we were created to be, we are capable of loving others as they were created to be.

I say this to people all the time. I should probably start living like I believe it. 

A friend of mine once said, “Normal people are cowards. Everyone is weird. Some people are just more comfortable with being ‘weird’ than others.”

I want to live with that phrase in mind this year. 

Cheers to being weird, friends. I look forward to treating you like a stranger in LAX in 2016.

I'll stop rambling now. Goodnight.

Love you guys,

- Kate 

 

Ps: Here are some photos of some cool humans and cool views in a cool place called California. (Get it? It's a play on words.. because it actually is pretty chilly in California right now.)

083A2778.jpg
083A3062.jpg
083A3085.jpg
083A3135.jpg
083A3140.jpg

Looking back at 2015 through pictures

I have grown more in 2015 than any other year by far. I cannot believe how quickly time has flown. As this chapter comes to a close, I will never forget the memories made and the beautiful people that have come into my life.

I said goodbye to the halls that have shaped the last 4.5 years just a few weeks ago and will be leaving my hometown to move to Nashville, TN, in just a little more than a week. 

Even though this chapter is closing, Hattiesburg will forever hold a place in my heart, and 2015 will always be remembered as one of the most shaping years of my life.

To everyone who walked with me this year, thank you.

I love you.



Olivia + Joe

I knew we were going to have a good day when Olivia informed me that she would be wearing a tutu for our photo shoot.

169 days till these lovebirds head to Vegas to get married!

083A7719.jpg

Courtland Wells

I've been trying to take a little downtime from technology to give myself time to focus and finish up my schoolwork. Now that I am officially graduating, (WOHOO!!!! All finals and projects have been completed and graded!) I am going to begin posting some of the stuff I've been up to lately. 

These portraits are from a while back. Courtland Wells is one of my favorite humans, and for some reason, he never complains when I pester him to give me an hour or two for some portraits.

083A2599.jpg


Erin + Paul - Hattiesburg Engagement

I am so happy for these two incredible humans and so thankful for the opportunity to capture this moment. Paul, your future wife is one of the most incredible women that has ever been brought into my life. Thank you for being a blessing and light through your relationship. I love you both so much. 

PS: I have to brag just a little here.. I called this before these two even met long long ago. :)

​