Interviews
Katelyn King at a Go-go outside The Eaton Hotel in D.C.: Summer 2021
Photograph taken by Diane Smith
Meet Katelyn King - Canvas Rebel
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
Art is not a competition, there is room for all of it. Early on in my journey as a creative, I’d see other people excelling in their craft and it sometimes made me angry – jealous. It’s embarrassing to say, but I couldn’t help but feel like I deserved it more. Like I was entitled to success because of x, y, z. All of that is irrelevant and the more you focus on what you don’t have the less time you have to focus on your personal growth. Arrogance is assuming your struggle is greater than others, it’s self-centered and creates the effect of having blinders on. You can’t see the full scope. No one’s journey is the same and no one’s journey is immune to struggle and that’s why art is so diverse and ever-changing. Your journey is what makes you great, and if you had the same experience as someone else, well, you’d just be a clone. Comparison is the death of creativity.
(To read the full interview, click the heading to be redirected to the Canvas Rebel Website)
Interview for World Eye Magazine:
What sparked your interest in photography?
When I discovered photography it activated something in me - like it was the last tick in the combination to unlocking my creative mind. Every time I have a camera in my hand my anxieties melt away. I have a tendency to over-explain things. As if I want to articulate something so perfectly, whoever my audience is will know EXACTLY how I feel and understand my perspective to a T... but the more I grow the more I realize that's impossible. No one perspective is truly the same. Photography taught me to capture emotions - and more importantly, feel them more deeply via the preservation that is photography. The reason I take photographs is to communicate what I feel needs to be seen, understood, and/or respected. Words are words, but a picture - when taken with the right combination of intention and skill - is worth a thousand ya know.
What year did you start taking photos?
2008. It was summer break, I was 13 years old at the beach with my family. I'd gotten into an argument with a family member and needed to go on a walk to calm myself down. At the time, everyone was in the house because there was a massive storm on the beach that had JUST cleared as I stepped outside. There wasn't a soul on the beach, it was gloomy but the sun was peaking out and you could see a rainbow arching over the massive rocks - still being abused by the crashing waves from the storm. Every lifeguard chair was knocked over, every umbrella upside down, and some rolled down the beach. Without a second thought, I started taking photos with my phone (EnV 3) laying on the wet sand, and crawling on the rocks to get the right angle. I then realized I was fully and entirely happy in that moment, and I wasn't a very happy child generally speaking. Every bit of negative emotion melted away and I felt cleansed. That was the moment I knew I needed to be a photographer.
If you could change 3 things about the world what would they be?
Yikes. That's tough yet simple. More music, more empathy, less hate.
What are your goals for the years to come?
I've learned not to plan things out too meticulously because if it doesn't go your way, it's that much more disappointing and sometimes difficult to recover from. There is a delicate balance between structure and spontaneity as a creative professional and I'm still finding it. My goal is to allow myself the space and grace to pursue my creativity in many forms. Throughout the years I've always considered myself just a photographer, but I do a lot more than that and it's time to say it with my chest so to speak. I intend on branching out more as a creative director, event planner, craftswoman, etc.
What advice would you give to a beginner Photographer?
Always make things make sense for everyone. Don’t be a dick, but also don’t be a pushover.
Community is everything, build your network, and don't charge for shoots until you have a representative portfolio that you're proud of and represents the type of work you want to do.
Most of your clients will hire you 70% based on how you make them feel/who you know and 30% based on your skill. Skill isn’t the only thing that matters.
Anyone can take a picture, but not everyone can make a photograph - make sure you always align with the work you create and you'll attract the network and fulfillment you desire.
Stay true to yourself, and don’t become a slave to trends, gimmicks, or what everyone else is doing for the sake of the algorithm or what you think ‘works’. What works for someone else probably won’t work for you because that’s their thing. Do your thing.
