BY DEVIN DUMOND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN HUVER AND KARA MURPHY
ARTIST PROFILE: KARA MURPHY PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN HUVER
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uch of how we experience the world is through sight. It’s how we navigate where we are going and know who and what is around us. It can dictate many of our interactions, such as deciding whether or not we want to eat something or if we enjoy being in a new environment. Each of us has our own distinct cone of vision, the ability to process certain colors, details, and even our tolerance of brightness and darkness. Our experiences are limited by our physicality, which is one of the reasons why the work of Kara Murphy is so fascinating. There are no limits to what she can see. Her mastery of discovering unique spaces, textures and patterns from an aerial view is truly a gift. It allows us, the viewer, to experience the world in a whole new way. Murphy is a drone photographer. She has a unique ability to look at a space, visualize its potential, and then capture images of it using a camera-mounted drone. The resulting images are breathtaking; from unusual color shifts and textures found in the natural landscape to intricate patterns created by human-made objects. “This is what I was meant to be doing” Murphy said. “You are no longer searching for meaning — no longer thinking, what am I doing with my life— I don’t think that way.” While many artists are right-brain dominant, Murphy is a balanced blend of the two sides. “[I always] thought of myself as a techy person but it felt like there was a piece of me missing,” she said. “Now I feel more whole.” This is reflected in the type of art she does. There is a real scientific process to working with a drone, mapping out locations ahead of time, and understanding all of the nuances of the technology. Yet, looking at the photos she produces, there is undeniable artistry. Murphy got her start with photography as a fun hobby at music festivals. She attended Coachella, in her home state of California, with had a point-and-shoot camera on hand. She loved taking photos of artists performing on stage and being able to capture a specific moment in time.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARA MURPHY
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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • April 2020
