All content © K. Miller Photographs.

I’ve been taking a break from the blog the last week or so, but not for a lack of photos. I’m burning through rolls of film by the day, but with that, there’s always the waiting game.

Mostly, though, I’ve been running around making plans for 2012 and trying to relax a bit before things start getting crazy again! So far I’ve been good about reviving my Flickr, so be sure to check out my stream for your fix of cats and food, in case my mini-break turns into a mega-break. :)

In the meantime, here are some links to awesome things I’ve been enjoying on my mini-break:

• Vanessa has been rocking my socks off with her (Mostly) Film 365 project.
• Allyson uploaded some film photos to her Flickr, including a few frames from our recent photo walk to the Burnside Skate Park.
• Need a good laugh? Check out this series of charts comparing fast food advertisements with the delivered product.
• When my brother first showed me Yo, Is This Racist? I stayed up until 3am reading every. single. entry. (Warning for language and also, the most depressing site on the internet.)
• Ever wonder what Skyrim would be like in the year 2012? Wonder no longer. (Hail Sithis!)
• I know this is old as snot, but LOST characters explain how to make a PB&J.

All content © K. Miller Photographs.

Boy, it’s been a long time since I talked about my Photoshop actions on here, hasn’t it? I do apologize for that. If you’ve been following along, I had both a new set of Photoshop actions and my first ever set of Lightroom Presets slated for release way back in the Fall. But after I quit my day job I became unexpectedly busy with sessions (not complaining!). And then the holidays happened. And then my normally stellar immune system came under an on-and-off attack since Christmas eve. What!

Needless to say, 2011 has left me pooped.

The good news is that I’m jumping back in the saddle in a big way. The storefront for my Photoshop actions has received a major overhaul and I’ve begun blogging over there about the more technical aspect of photography and processing. There’re only a couple posts now, but it’s a project I look forward to building up over time.

Don’t worry — the motivational posts will still keep coming. :) Which reminds me, I want to extend a huge thank-you to everyone who left a comment on my last post. I wouldn’t write posts like these if I didn’t need the talking-to myself, so I’m happy to hear that it’s been helpful to all of you, as well!

I’m still trudging along like everyone else, but if you have any thoughts or ideas for future posts — technical or motivational — drop me a line in the comments below or via email and I’ll see what I can do.

Happy Almost Weekend!

All content © K. Miller Photographs.

Slumps are nothing new to me. In fact, just yesterday morning it was snowing here in Portland and my husband stood in shock as I passively watched the fluffy flakes fall, not even glancing towards my camera. Sometimes it’s nice to take a break and not be the constant photographer — to just sit back and enjoy the moment — but if it ever turns into a slump I know I’m in the danger zone.

Whether you’re just coming out of a short break or fell face-first into a slump, I put together this list of photography tips for anyone who needs a little help getting back into the saddle. That means me, too. And because I know all too well the pitfalls of lofty goals, the following list is of things you could do today. Like, right after reading this post.

So let’s get to it!

1. Take your camera everywhere! — And I really do mean everywhere. Even to the bathroom. Often times when I leave mine at home I’ll find myself wishing I hadn’t, especially when I think to myself, “Oh, it’s just a walk to the market.”

2. Change Your POV — Shoot from the ground, the hip, the tabletop or above. Look up in the sky (No, literally!), look down at your feet. Get a step-ladder and look down on your subjects. If you’re feeling blah about photography, the worst thing you can do is just hold your camera to your eye and click.

3. Go Monochrome — One thing I love most about shooting in black-and-white is how it forces me to really hone my composition; I start looking at light and shapes a lot differently when I know there will be no colors to carry my photograph.

4. Grab a Friend — I’m 99% more likely to get out of the house and capture great images if I have someone to go out with. Even when I just get together for lunch and talk shop with very little actual shooting, I always come home feeling refreshed and not just ready, but eager to pick my camera back up.

5. Be Bold — I know a lot of photographers are shy about shooting in public, which is exactly why you need to go out this week and do that, exactly. It’ll only stop feeling awkward when you start doing it regularly. Once you conquer the fear of shooting in public you’ll literally have a whole world of photographic possibilities opened up to you.

6. Makes Friends with a Beginner — The thing we lack most when we’re in a slump is exactly what a beginner is brimming with: Passion. Their excitement is infectious and you’re more likely to have your heart set ablaze again if you take a beginner under your wing. It’s a 2-in-1 deal because they make for great models, too! If you don’t know anyone who’s just starting out, you can use my preferred method of just shoving a close friend down the photography rabbit hole yourself. :)

7. Look For Themes — My theme is pretty obvious: I love cats. I also love graffiti, light and shadow. Organized collections are great fun, too. Whatever interests you, try to center a theme around it, even if it’s as simple as shooting your feet or what you eat for breakfast every morning. That way, the question of what to shoot is already answered and the problem now becomes where, which is much easier to solve.

8. Start a Project — There are loads of projects photographers take part in every year, each ranging in commitment from year-long photo-a-day challenges to weekly scavenger hunts. The first I ever took part in was a 365 self-portrait project and while it was tough, it taught me a lot about photography and kept me going even when I wanted nothing to do with taking pictures.

9. Get out of the House — I’m naturally inclined to stay inside, so most of my slumps occur in the winter time when I’m extra likely to not leave the house. Sometimes all it takes is a walk through a neighborhood I’ve never been through to reignite my enthusiasm.

10. Get off the Internet — Google Reader and Flickr can do you just as much harm as good. For me, it can get to a point where I’m too busy fawning over other people’s work to make my own. You guys rock, but sometimes you just need to shut the world out and do your thang.

11. Start a Photoblog — You don’t have to post every day, but having somewhere to collect your thoughts and see your ducks lined up a row will help motivate you to keep going! This could even be something as simple as a Flickr, if you don’t already have one.

12. Open Up the Vault — Dig deep into your archives, to a time when you weren’t in a slump. What was different back then? Did something physical change (like your location)? Emotional? Granted, the latter will be much harder to tackle, but looking back to a time when you were happy with your work will help you figure out what the problem is.

13. No Pressure — Sometimes the only thing that makes a creative rut worse is the constant stress of trying to get back in the game. Just relax, and realize you’re not alone in this. Take a big, deep breath and erase the word ‘failure’ from your vocabulary. The more you worry about being creative, the harder it’ll be to get your groove back.

14. Shoot For You — And nobody else. Be brazenly unapologetic about what excites you, even if it excites no one else or everybody else.

15. Shoot, Shoot, Shoot! — Go hog wild! You will probably be unsatisfied at first but the goal is to work through those feelings and keep going. If you need an extra kick in the pants, watch this animated speech by Ira Glass. I pull it up on my browser at least once a month and it almost brings me to tears every time because it’s just so raw and so true.

That’s all I got for today. If you have any other tips to share, drop it in the comment box below — I’d love for this list to grow.

All content © K. Miller Photographs.

Happy Caturday!

All content © K. Miller Photographs.

A few of these were shot on Kodak Portra 400, but most are from a roll of Fuji Pro 400H that I accidentally overexposed by 2 stops. I was expecting the whole roll to be completely washed out, but I didn’t have a single blown out frame. Good to know that 400H has that much latitude!

Since I’ve been shooting so much I’m trying to be more selective about what I put on the blog. Be sure to check out my Flickr stream from time to time to see extra photos — or as one of my favorite Portland photographers calls them, “B-Sides.”

Happy Friday!

All content © K. Miller Photographs.

First, we lunched at Montage, a place that’s becoming near and dear to my heart with each visit. Lots of photo geekery ensued, as you can imagine.

Afterwards we meandered towards the Eastbank Esplanade and walked off our biscuit sandwiches. As we scooted down the Burnside Bridge we overheard skateboarders below and had to check it out. I felt like the biggest loser there — especially when we were so stuck in our viewfinders that we were startled by the clank! of skateboards hitting the concrete inches from our faces.

Still, the vibe was awesome and the light was awesome-er. Even though we knew we were being total photo dorks everywhere we went, no one went out of their way to remind us.

What a good day. Thanks, Allyson!

All content © K. Miller Photographs.

It’s a hard life being a cat, didn’t you know? Happy Caturday!

All content © K. Miller Photographs.

All content © K. Miller Photographs.

I really love it when we get to photograph small affairs like this. Generally speaking, the nerves and stress are toned down and more emphasis is put on having a good time and being with family — you’d have to be the Grinch himself to not feel the love. I’ll drink to that!

I can’t think of a better way to kick off the new year than to marry the love of your life.

Congrats, you two!

Photo 19 shot by Chris

All content © K. Miller Photographs.