What she does: In her first several iterations, Katya Horner was a paralegal manager, a businesswoman and the head of an educational consulting business. At age 35 (about six years ago) she picked up a camera and although she has three degrees, none of them had much of anything to do with photography. But now, she calls herself a “decorative” photographer and operates her business called Slight Clutter Photography. She’s careful to say what she does isn’t photojournalism. But after she takes pictures of what appeals to her — not uncommonly in fog — she adjusts them on the computer. The word “decorative” came from several of her clients who mentioned that when they’d purchase her prints, she says. She also does editorial work for the downtown district and glamour shots for Discovery Green.
Why she likes it: “I just love having a camera in my hand. It kind of feeds me personally. It’s absolutely relaxing in this crazy world, a tonic and a respite for me. It’s truly just relaxation, kind of like an addiction. I’m not married. I would equate it to a spouse for me.
What inspires her: “My friends call me ‘fog girl.’ They let me know when it’s foggy.” She started photographing in Hermann Park one morning and just became fascinated with what fog did. She says contrary to the popular understanding, fog doesn’t obscure things, it helps her focus. “It really lets me see things. I’m so unobservant normally; put the camera in my hand and it’s totally different.”
As for how she comes up with the art she does, Horner says: “I’m not a planner. I have to go see something to be inspired. And oftentimes it’s just me driving around. Even though I know how to compose a shot, I don’t know how it’s going to be until I sit down in front of a computer and play around with it.”
Otherwise, Horner says she’s inspired whenever she sees someone else’s art or photography work that appeals to her. After one exhibit she saw, she tried using warmer tones in her work.
If Not This, Then What: “I’d probably be a business person somewhere — a manager — or a teacher. I’ve done that a few times in my life.”
If Not Here, Then Where: “Somewhere in New England, outside of Boston,” she says, an area that has the requisite amounts of “fog and nature, deer and moose.” Or the upper California coast with all its fog would work. But, she hurries to say, “I love Texas. I love Houston. I was born in Wisconsin, got here when I was two and am not looking to move.”
What’s Next: “I have no idea.”
More Creatives for 2012 (In order of most recently published; click here for the full page).
Johnathan Felton, artist Nicoletta Maranos, cosplayer Carol Simmons, hair stylist Joseph “JoeP” Palmore, actor, poet Greg Carter, director Kenn McLaughlin, theater director Justin Whitney, musician Antone Pham, tattoo artist Susie Silbert, crafts Lauralee Capelo, hair designer Marisol Monasterio, flamenco dancer Carmina Bell, promoter and DJ ReShonda Tate Billingsley, writer Kiki Lucas, choreographer and director J.J. Johnston, theater director Mary Margaret Hansen, artist Richard Tallent, photographer Viswa Subbaraman, opera director Emily Sloan, sculptor and performance artist Sonja Roesch, gallery owner Enrique Carreón-Robledo, conductor Sandy Ewen, musician Camella Clements, puppeteer Wade Wilson, gallery owner Magid Salmi, photographer Carl Williams, playwright
