Ladakh Himalayan Scouting Mission

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Tibetan Buddhism dominates the spiritual lives of the inhabitants of this region. Monasteries, some over a thousand years old, are found throughout the mountains.

My latest workshop is a little different…it's what I call a 'scouting mission', meaning it's the trip I make to work out all the details for a future workshop. Normally, I do these trips alone, but this time I'm looking for 2 or 3 adventurous souls to join me in Ladakh, India June 28 - July 11, 2018.  The highest mountains in the world, the Himalaya, run right through this remote region of northern India…this is the land of the snow leopard and home to indigenous cultures that have existed in isolation for millennia. This trip is not for everyone, however. We’ll be working long hours and covering a lot of ground with our feet. There are no guarantees...we may very well arrive at just the right place at just the wrong time. That's what I mean by scouting mission. But if you have a taste for adventure, can live with some uncertainty, and welcome the idea of traveling with a very small group, we should talk. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to know how I and other workshop leaders create their events…well, here’s your chance to see how the sausage is made :). 

If you are interested, please read the workshop description carefully before registering. Contact me if you have any questions. Hope to see you in the mountains!

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Elaborate headdresses are worn by the Drokpa of the Dha Hanu valley

Is India on Your Bucket List?

The Colors of India 2018 Photography Workshop & Tour

“This is India; the land of dreams and romance, of fabulous wealth and fabulous poverty, of splendor and rags, of palaces and hovels, of famine and pestilence, of genii and giants and Aladdin lamps, of tigers and elephants, the cobra and the jungle, the country of a thousand nations and a hundred tongues, of a thousand religions and two million gods, cradle of the human race, birthplace of human speech, mother of history, grandmother of legend, great-grandmother of tradition...” - Mark Twain, Following the Equator, 1897

You'll be amazed at how well Twain's perceptive observations still hold up nearly a century and a half after they were penned. Our task is to capture  bits of the India of yesterday and today with our cameras.  India’s ancient monuments, including its most famous, the Taj Mahal, are just beginning of what this land of colors and contrasts offers the avid photographer. I’m very excited to announce the Art of Seeing Photography Adventure’s latest workshop, The Colors of India, Feb 22 –Mar 18, 2018. Join us for an immersive, photo-centric exploration of a culture carved by deep rivers of spirituality and history. Our itinerary covers the best of the must-see monuments but we’ll veer off the beaten path early and often in search of more authentic visions of Indian life.

          Experience Highlights

·      With its riotous colors, the Holi Festival is arguably the most photogenic cultural celebration on the planet.

·      The holy city of Varanasi lies at the center of the Hindu universe and attracts millions of devout pilgrims seeking spiritual rejuvenation in the sacred waters of the Ganges river.  

·      Jodhpur, the Blue City, exudes such a relaxing vibe that you will be tempted to do nothing but park yourself on a rooftop terrace with a cool beverage and stare up at massive Mehrangarh Fort. 

·      Wake up for sunrise over Gadissar lake in the desert outpost of Jaisalmer Fort and then ride into the Thar desert atop a camel for sunset and a star filled night in the sand dunes.

The opportunities to make unforgettable memories and photographs on this carefully curated journey are literally endless. Join us and See for yourself.

15days/14 nights all inclusive $5595*

*See workshop page for complete details: www.artofseeing.com/india-2018

That's What I'm Talking About

That's What I'm Talking About
 

There’s more to photography than f-stops and photoshop. Don’t get me wrong, when I want to bust a new move in photoshop, YouTube is my friend. And I scour the web constantly searching for a cure for my G.A.S. (gear acquisition syndrome). But there’s something missing. Something big. I'm talking about the creative vision piece, what I call The Art of Seeing. But it's a little lonely out there. The mighty internet feels like a ghost town when it comes to practical ways for photographers to sharpen their creative vision. Why? No one denies the importance of creativity in photography, but most people figure there’s only so much you can say about it. That's the best reason I can come up with. It’s a, "you have it or you don’t” kind of thing, right? Or at best, your creativity and personal style will just develop over (a long) time. That’s just wrong in my experience. Creativity is a muscle, I can teach anyone the Photographer’s Eye. 

If we’ve met, you already know that I’ll blab to anyone who will listen about The Art of Seeing. But it’s really inefficient spreading the gospel of Seeing to one person at a time. That’s why I’m taking my show on the road. It’s called Seeing 101 and in it I talk about how I learned that there are literally two ways of seeing, My ‘Aha’ Moment; which way is ‘right' for photography (or any other artistic/creative task) and techniques to trick your brain into shifting into C-mode (creative mode).  It runs about 90 minutes and I’m giving this presentation to anyone who’ll have me, I mean various photography groups. And just so we're clear, I never once mention your inner child or how the big bad world is crushing your dreams. 

There are 4 events scheduled so far, all of which are open to the public. If you are in So. Cal or Seattle, I'm personally inviting you to attend. Details are below and this list will grow (hopefully a lot) in the coming months. Please subscribe to be notified when these new events are announced. 

Finally, if you’re part of a photography group and you would like to host a Seeing 101 presentation, contact me and I’ll do my best to make it happen. 

Hope to see you in the audience,

Ken

Upcoming Seeing 101 presentations:

• Monday, April 10 at 7:30 pm, Sierra Club Camera Committee, Santa Monica, CA: Felicia Mahood Center. Full Event details here.

• Monday, May 1 at 7pm, Redlands Camera Club, Redlands, CA: First Presbyterian Church. Full Event details here.

• Monday, July 10 at 7pm, Canon Digital Learning Center, Costa Mesa, CA. Full Event details here.

• Tuesday, October 17 at 7:30pm, Seattle Photographic Society, Seattle, WA: Crown Hill United Methodist Church. Full Events detail here.

Note: some groups' calendars may not be updated yet, please check back

New Meetup Event: Seeing 101

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We all instantly recognize good pictures when we see them. Then why is it so hard to capture one with our cameras? Come find out the answer in Ken Lee’s presentation, Seeing 101, at the Santa Monica Public Library, Oct 15 at 1:30 pm. Admission is free, but space is limited, so please sign up if you’re coming and try to show up a little early. 

You’ve heard of the photographer's eye. It’s the thing that lets some people find amazing photographs in scenes where others see nothing. And as much as technology can dress up mundane pictures, it’s creative vision that’s ultimately at the core of making images with impact. The question is whether you have to be born with this special talent or is it something you can acquire? Ken Lee knows from experience that the ability to fluently speak the visual language that we all innately understand is one that anyone can learn, practice, and develop. Ken calls it the Art of Seeing and he has dedicated himself to helping others learn to see artfully. Ken will share his own ‘aha moment’ story when he suddenly understood the key to making good photographs, the principles behind his Whole Brain approach to learning photography, and plenty of practical tips to help you expand your creative vision. The presentation will run about 45 - 60 mins and there will be a Q&A session afterward. We look forward to seeing you there.

New Website, New Work, New Workshops!

Welcome to my new site! I'm very happy to announce the launch of www.artofseeing.com, the new home of my blog, contests, events and workshops. It took a while longer than I planned and there's still a bit of cleanup going on in the corners but I think it turned out nicely. There's a lot going on around here and more to come so I hope you will have a look around. If you want to skip to the good stuff, here are a few highlights: 

• My newest workshops: Immersive India, Wild Mustangs of the Adobe Valley, and High Sierra on Horseback. More workshop announcements coming soon so check back often or sign up for advance notification
• Name This Image contests. Who doesn't like free stuff? Well, if you can come up with the perfect title for one of my images, I'll send you a beautiful signed print! Nothing come to mind this time around? Don't worry, there will be many more contests and opportunities to win
• We just launched a new  MeetUp group in Los Angeles, Art of Seeing Adventures. We're all about learning more about photography and expanding our creative vision. Our first event, in conjunction with Worldwide Photowalk Day  is the Venice Beach Photowalk on Oct 1. We're planning lot's more photowalks, presentations, gallery tours and even some weekend excursions. So if you're in the LA area and passionate about photography, join us or sign up for my newsletter to be kept in the loop.

 Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you out there!

New Workshop! The Art of Seeing: India 2017

Looking for an immersive photography adventure? Join me on our India photography tour as we capture the colors of the Holi Festival. Learn more today.

Win This Print!

It's baaack! Calling all creative minds...I'm holding another Name This Image Contest!  It's easy and you could win a signed print and have your entry immortalized as this photograph's official title! Enter as many times as you want before the deadline, September 30. And be sure to share with your friends.

Join Us!

The Art of Seeing Photography Adventures is the latest (and greatest, we think) photography MeetUp Group in Los Angeles! We're all about becoming better image makers by practicing and learning more about our common passion. Join us as we explore the greater LA area and beyond through photowalks, gallery tours, group photoshoots, guest speakers and more.   

It's an amazing time to be a photographer with technology both facilitating and driving artistic vision. Some of our events will be centered specific equipment or techniques but we will also devote much of our time to understanding the creative process and developing the photographer's eye, or as we like to call it, The Art of Seeing. So whether your focus is nature, street life, fashion, travel,  architecture, fine art or something else, we think you'll have a great time sharing your interests and learning new things with others that have been bitten by the photo bug!

What our members have to say!

Wild Horses of the Adobe Valley Photography Workshop

Track and photograph wild mustangs on foot and horseback!

I am very excited announce that I will be the photography instructor for a unique adventure offered by Rock Creek Pack Station (Bishop, CA). For four days this spring, we will hike and ride through the remote and seldom visited Adobe Valley area of the Inyo National Forest seeking opportunities to observe and photograph the wild mustangs that call this rugged territory home. RCPS' expert tracker/guides will educate us in the natural history and behavior of these icons of the American west. Photography instruction will be a combination of lecture/demonstrations, image critiques and in the field coaching. With any luck our cameras will capture galloping mustangs, battling stallions and mares with their newborn foals!

Nestled between two major mountain ranges, the Sierra Nevada and the White Mountains, the Adobe Valley is a unique haven for these magnificent creatures.  With such stunning backdrops it's hard to imagine a more picturesque locale for this exciting experience.

May 13-16, 2016

Cost $875 per person including meals, tent lodging, pack/riding stock, guides and photography instruction.

For more information or to register for this event, please visit the RCPS  Mustang Trips page or call 760-872-8331

Wild Stallions Fighting

A wild mare and her foal

December 2011 Name This Image Contest

Spike, Midnight & Rocky

It's contest time again... with a twist this time. Click here for the entry form and all of the details.

I'm doing something a little different this month to wrap up the year. This image may be less 'serious' (whatever that means) than some of my other work but you can't deny that it's in keeping with the season! I hope it brings a little smile your face. As an added bonus, the winner of this month's contest will receive their choice of any one of my limited edition prints.

The 3 amigos from left to right are Spike, Rocky & Midnight. I took this a couple years back at our house in Steamboat Springs, CO. We got tired of tossing out a dead tree after every Christmas so we decided to decorate this spruce in our yard instead. I think it worked out quite nicely!

And the Winner Is....

Water Colors

Jim Kerr of Steamboat Springs, CO is the winner of November's Name This Image contest. I think Jim's entry, "Water Colors", is the perfect title for this photograph. Simple, elegant, artful...I love it! Congratualtions, Jim - you win a signed limited edition print of Water Colors.

Many thanks to everyone who particpated, there were so many great entries! Honorable mentions go out to:

"Rainboats" - Phil Regas

"Rowboat Reflections" - Susan Kienzle

"Dock of the Bay" - Haissel Neira

To those who didn't win, don't worry - you will have many more chances. I've decided to hold this contest monthly. Keep an eye on your Inbox or this website for the December contest announcement.

Cheers,

Ken

Win This Print - New Image Naming Contest

O.K. it's time for another Image Naming Contest. Help me come up with the perfect title for this image and if your entry is chosen, you a win signed limited edition print of this photograph. Contest details and entry form are on my Facebook Page (don't forget to "Like" while you're there:) ). The deadline for entries is Nov 15 and the winner will be announced by Dec 1. This is the fourth time I've done this contest and it's always been a great success. Below are the images and winning titles from the previous contests for inspiration. I'm looking forward to seeing your entry. Good Luck!

Forever Together

Steamboat Blues

Aspen Cathedral

New Website, New Work

Cachuma Sunrise

Ch-ch-ch-changes. David Bowie's classic tune feels like the theme song to my life lately.  No more gallery (for now). Lot's more photo workshops and traveling. And writing. Something I've been meaning to do more of for a long time. Oh, did I mention that I've relocated to Santa Barbara? Steamboat Springs was an incredible chapter in my life and I will miss so many things about it, most of all the friends I leave behind. But sunny SB seems to be calling my name now and I'm heeding the siren's song. Steamboat to Santa Barbara. I know. Don't cry for me, Argentina.

Maybe the most obvious outward sign of my new direction is this new website. What do you think? "Blog-centric" is the term I like best. That's right, from now on I'm going to be a blogging, twittering, facebooking, flickring fool. I can't believe I just said that. But seriously, folks...  Almost as much as photography itself, I've been fascinated with the whole artistic creative process. How does it work? Can we work it? And after twenty-some years of chasing the Muse, I feel like I have some things to say about her wily ways. Hence the blog-centric  website. I want to share my insights but I also hope to start a discussion about the nature of art and creativity particularly as it applies to photography. I think we all stand to benefit and I hope you will join me.

And last but not least, the purpose of all this nonsense, new photos! I hiked the Tahoe Rim Trail last summer with a group from the Tahoe Rim Trail Association as part of their Annual Thru Hike. Backpacking 165 miles in 15 days . Baby steps in the thru hiking world but  plenty of challenge for me. I can describe it in two words. Gruelling. Rewarding. Here are a few of my favorite images from the trip.

I made another trip to Cambodia in preparation for a photo workshop that I am leading there next year.

Revisiting Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples was no less mind blowing than the first time, but I also got to explore quite a bit more of the country including the tranquil coastline. Click here to see the photos.

The mountains and valleys surrounding Santa Barbara are always gorgeous in Spring but this year was especially vibrant as a result of this Winter's epic rainfalls. I spent quite a bit of time in the Santa Ynez valley just north of Santa Barbara. Here are a few of my favorite images.

I've been quiet, but I've been busy.

Angkor Wat & Beyond - Photography Workshop & Tour

Faces of Bayon

 A thousand years ago the god-kings of the ancient Khmer empire organized stupendous feats of architectural engineering. Enormous reservoirs measured in miles and equally impressive monuments in stone honoring themselves and the mythical deities they worshipped. We know these structures  today as the Temples of Angkor in the country of Cambodia and they remain simply mind blowing in their immensity and complexity. Many are amazingly well preserved, others only partially reclaimed from centuries of jungle growth. This UNESCO World Heritage site is the centerpiece of an 8 day photography workshop I will be leading in January 2012 entitled Angkor Wat & Beyond. As the title suggests, temple ruins are but one of the highlights of this amazing adventure. Cambodia is a photographer's paradise from lush jungles, abundant wildlife and unique people Interested? Get more details in the Workshops section of this site or you can find additional images in my Cambodia photo gallery

The Art of Seeing Weekend Workshop

Winter Fenceline

2010 Aug 28 - 29  - The Art of Seeing Weekend Workshop- How can I improve my photography is a question I often hear.  The short answer is practice, practice, practice. But practice what exactly and how? What is "The Art of Seeing"? Can I develop my photographic eye or is it a talent you are just born with (or without)? These are the questions we will tackle in this intensive two day workshop. Through a combination of lectures and field sessions, I will demonstrate that everyone can learn to see 'correctly' and practicing the art of seeing is the surest path to improving your photography. Cost $350. Click here for more details and registration form

New Image Naming Contest

Untitled Aspen

Okay, we're doing it again. Come up with the winning name for this untitled new release and win a matted 12X18 print of this image. You can see the winning entries for previous contests in the posts below. Click the photo to see a larger version on my website or go to www.kenleephoto.com and select Galleries>Nature/FineArt>New Releases. Select the thumbnail and click Zoom to see an enlarged version. To enter, click here or go to my website and select Name This Image Contest. Deadline is March 10. Good luck!

Best of Nature

Humphrey's Basin at Dusk

Winter Fenceline

Two of my images, "Winter Fenceline" and "Humphrey's Basin at Dusk" were chosen to be included in theBest of Nature exhibition at the San Diego Natural History Museum. A total of 72 images were selected from over 2300 entries for this exhibit. The exhibit will be on display at the museum from June 27th thru Sept 13 this year. Click here for more information.

New Image Naming Contest

New Release

Our last contest was so successful, we are doing it again. Simply come up with a title for this new release and if your entry is selected you will win a matted limited edition print of this image. Click the photo to see a larger version on my website or go to www.kenleephoto.com and select Galleries>Nature/FineArt>New Releases. Select the thumbnail and click Zoom to see an enlarged version. Use the form on the Contact page to send in your entry or just send us an email with your title. Deadline is May 15. Good luck!

1st Image Naming Contest winner selected

Forever Together

Congratulations to Jim Lawler of Worthington, OH for submitting the winning entry in our first Image Naming Contest. Jim's title, "Forever Together", really made me see this image in a new light. -Ken