Palm Springs Wedding - Kade & James Teaser Pic

photo by Cortney Wilson

Long Lost Honeymoon Photos from the Glorious Summer of '39

The Summer of 1939 is noted in the United Kingdom as one of the most beautiful and warm in modern history. It's called the Glorious '39 and it always seemed especially sweet considering it was the last honey-filled days before Fall would the beginning of devastating war for the next six years. Much of Europe, and England, would be leveled during World War II. 

But before anyone knew the devastation to come, there was a summer of bliss. And this honeymoon of a young British couple through Lincolnshire, Durham, Norfolk and Yorkshire in August. The photos of Denys and Margaret Gardiner were thought to be lost until they were recently discovered by their grandson in an attic when Margaret died. They photos were taken by the couple's cousin, Eldred, who was an accomplished photographer. These color slides are a true rarity, preserving an England that was soon to disappear in many ways. On September 1, Hitler invaded Poland. 

For more info, check out the original article.

Schneider-Studio Photography

Just when I think it's impossible for me to have another talented photographer friend.... way to go, Eric Schneider! He's been building up to Schneider-Studio for a few years now and I'm so happy he's got his own studio now for whisky-fueled late night photo sess-- I mean, his moving, meaningful, professional work. Or both! 

Check him out! I love that he mentions his golden doodles in his bio. I have personally met them and I can assure you, they are both sweet and dumb. And cuddly!

ERIC SCHNEIDER
ERIC {at} SCHNEIDER-STUDIO {dot} COM
+1.323.333.2747
LA|NY

Burberry Shows Us London Via iPhone 5s

If London really looked like the above, there's nothing that could have made me leave. 

But it's just Burberry, giving a small sneak into London Fashion Week via a new iphone 5s. 

Speaking of London, though:

-The London Skyline over time

- If Breaking Bad were set in the UK

- Sienna & Tom for Burberry

- And more. 

For your London daydream, I'm out.

Happy Hump Day. Hope it's dreamy.

Finding Vivian Maier

Here's a film I'd like to see. Uncovering the story behind one of my favorite photographers. The Mary Poppins of photography. A hoarder. A spy. The inventor of street photography. She never even developed many of her photos. They only came to light when someone unknowingly purchased them in an auction. 

Finding Vivian Maier. That's a story if I ever heard one.

Also, today is my dear McC's 30th birthday! If I were rich, I'd buy her a Vivian Maier. But alas, I'll just use my words. Here's how wonderful I think McC is. 

London 1927

I think about place and belonging a lot. I often feel out of place. Or caught, maybe is a better word, between two (or more!) places. Not part of this, not wholly a part of that. And I suppose time and timing is another big component of the idea of "place" especially as it pertains to belonging. 

Perhaps my London near-miss of a life was all to do with timing. I wonder what it would be like if I went back now, or a year from now. And while I think living in London in 1927 might be a bit out of the realm of possibility, it's nice to daydream about-- especially if this footage of the Big Smoke from British film pioneer Claude Friese-Greene is any indication. 

The captions are almost as lovely as the footage. And in case you love the song as much as I do, it's "Parasol" by British indie-rock collective, Jonquil. 

Skyfall & Bond 50

Were you as disappointed with the 50 years of Bond "Tribute" as I was? I mean, I heard they had something better planned... with all the Bonds and more of a music montage... that fell about at the last minute thanks to some butt hurt egotism from Pierce Brosnan or something. But still. 

I wish the video montage below had been in place of that sad one they clearly threw together at the last minute. 

For the record, I think Skyfall is one of the best, if not the best of the modern Bonds. I'm not even just saying that because of the Scotland/Glen Etive/Glencoe connection. (About time they went back to Bond's Scottish roots! Huzzah for Scotland on Film!) Or because of Ben Whishaw as Q. (Though that definitely helps too.) I think Skyfall was robbed of Best Cinematography on Sunday night. I'm all in support of the VFX battle that's going on right now. Which is why I think it's great that Life of Pi won for VFX. But Skyfall should have taken cinematography. 

And I hope that one day, Bond will get a tribute-- at the Oscars or somewhere else-- worthy of its champion status. 

Marcel Christ

I can't get the image of this beautiful photo by Marcel Christ out of my mind. Hope you're having a dreamy Sunday. For more on Marcel click here. 

Following Steve McCurry & The Last Ever Kodachrome Quest

Thirty-six frames and out. I've talked before about Steve McCurry being bequeathed the last ever roll of Kodachrome film.  I've been writing about contemporary art in Istanbul lately for a freelance job and so of course, this melancholy story is coming full circle for me. 

The prints from Steve McCurry's Kodachrome finale were recently on display at the Istanbul Modern. (Also on McCurry's website.) DeNiro, New York, India!

But most especially, NOW there is a new documentary about the experience, from National Geographic-- the organization that helped to make Steve McCurry famous when they put his Afghan Girl on the cover. Check it out, ya'll. Kodachrome may be dead, but the stories aren't.

London Night - 1934

Like with Denim London, something just feels right about a London cast in shades of eerie blue. 

This series is actually a photo series from the 1930's that feels both otherworldly and also very immediate. I feel sucked into these haunting images, but also slightly scared someone might jump out from behind one of those columns and mugs me. 

These photos-- of a London that would soon disappear with the coming of the second world war -- were curated by two photographers John Morrison and Harold Burdekin into a book called London Night. It's out of print, but thanks to Vintage enthusiasts, The Library Time Machine,  many of the photos have been made available for viewing online.  All the photos in the series are prime examples the advances that were made in night photography at the time. The word that gets thrown around to describe them is "atmospheric" and I couldn't agree more. 

For more on London Night, check out here (sorry, its the Daily Mail.) and here. Thanks to the lovely Caroline for sending these my way!

Kinetic Edinburgh

Heavens, I miss this beautiful city! From the initial success of professor Walid Salhab's first Kinetic Edinburgh video, featured on BBC, to his latest effort-- a new time-lapse video of Edinburgh in winter-- Salhab shows why Edinburgh is hands down one of the most beautiful cities in the world. He calls the newest video a "Christmas present to Edinburgh's residents and those around the world that love Scotland's capital."

I'm not sure about his music choices, but oh, those views! And under the snow! For more click here and here. 

Photo is by my friend, George Ferns. 

ShootMePeter Headshot Special

You've heard me talk about my friend Pete before. Not only is he my super talented musician friend, my friend I made in the subway, and my friend whose wedding to my other awesome friend Suz in May in LA is going to be gorrrrrrgeous, he's also an utter fabulous photographer of people, places and events. 

He did a session with Steven and me back in September where he got just a few of me alone. I posted one, and immediately felt the love. Thanks. Your facebook comments on this photo have made me smile, so thanks! And thanks to Pete! He's a delight to work with and very creative on the shoot. 

The amazing news is that Pete is running a headshot special! All you actor/entertainment people in New York AND Los Angeles. He's in both. Here's your chance.  Here are the deets:

2-hour unlimited shot session

4-fully edited full resolution photos

all pics on DVD

$175 (normally $350)

Just tell him I sent you!

Peter Roessler Photography - shootMEpeter

661.904.2552

shootmepeter@gmail.com

Cloud Chaos & Sky Smearing with Matt Molloy

It's such a beautiful day outside today, it seemed like the perfect time to post these romantic and soulful  time lapse photos from Matt Molloy. 

I learned about him via My Modern Met and have been scrolling through his flickr ever since. The Ontario based artist uses hundreds of stacked photos to achieve the affect. I'd say it's working. SO dreamy. I want to hang that cloud and birds one in my house, man. Hope you're having a beautiful Saturday! 

If you're craving more, here's an interview with the artist. And you can buy his work here. 

Citizenship - While My Favorite City is Underwater

It's strange to see your favorite city dark and underwater. I'm not sorry I'm missing this business, but I do miss the collective way New Yorkers behave when the chips are down. It goes back to that word I like so much, "Citizenship." 

I remember very vividly the spirit of camaraderie during the MTA strike of 2005. Everyone got so scrappy. While harboring McC as a fugitive from Queens, we super bonded in my 4th & B womb room. That's probably when we subconsciously became friends forever. I'm wondering what 4th and B looks like today. 

Thinking about citizenship, and what we all do for each other, I have to say I'm terribly sorry so many people have such a Darwinian attitude about what happens to America's cities after natural disasters. That the country would pull together to help another city in time of need seems like the opposite of immoral to me, Mitt. 

Sorry that people don't think climate crisis is any way involved in the increase of storms like this. The most sorry that there seem to always be insane extremists who'd--rather than look to science-- look to bigotry and blame this on gays and Muslims. There's no sigh in the world big enough to express my feelings. 

Mostly, I am terribly sorry it's caused so much damage to my favorite place. I like the optimist who said that maybe all the severe subway flooding would wash away the smell of pee. I hope they're right. But aside from that, I hope nothing else has been irreparably washed away from New York. 

Sunday So Dreamy

What is it about Scandanavians and that dark fairy tale tone? They just tap into that like nobody else. Hans Christian Andersen, anyone? I came across these fabulous pieces by Norwegian artist, Rune Guneriussen, via Honestly WTF and haven't been able to get them out of my head, so I'm passing them on to you. Haunting. Lovely. Woodsy. And as CS Lewis once said, "It begins, as a good story should, with a young man [or woman!] lost in a forest."

Hope you're having a dreamy Sunday!

More. 

The Impossible Project

If many more old school/new school combos come out, my head might explode. My latest love is The Impossible Project, which, among other things, takes your instagrams and turns them into instant polaroids. The minds behind The Impossible Project, based in the Netherlands, funded their idea on kickstarter and ended up with over a half a million dollars to support the prototype. 

In the US, you can go to their NYC shop on Broadway and Canal. I wish I'd had a chance to get down there while I was still in the City. Open one in LA, guys! Angelinos love instagram too. At least you can buy their awesomeness online. It's the film that really gets ya.

I love how they put up user photos in their gallery. I've been browsing that for days now. They even do a promotion with SNAP! Magazine each month with a theme and entries can win prizes. This month's theme is near and dear to my heart: road trips. 

More. 

The Impossible becomes Possible from Impossible Project on Vimeo.

Happy 20th Anniversary, Barack & Michelle

Whether you like Barry politically or not, I have a hard time imagining anyone not respecting the Obamas as a couple. There's not a lot of inspiring couples these days I'd consider role models. Ones that seem balanced (ie: where the woman is equally valued, etc etc) and ones that just by looking at them, you can see how in love they still are. 

In almost every photo of Barack and Michelle, how in love they are is just palpable. I'd like to look like they do after being married for twenty years.

Too bad Barry won't be taking Michelle out for any fancy anniversary dinners tonight. He's got the first presidential debate. Are you planning on watching? Spellman and I are having a viewing party here at his house in Hollywood. Spellman, naturally, as an American male, has a huge TV and we've invited some folks over. I look forward to whatever new insults Mitt will have for me and people like me almost as much as I look forward to casting my vote in the swing state of Nevada. Maybe he'll succeed in convincing me I'm as much of a mooch on the system as he thinks I am and I'll actually vote for him. 

Are you registered? Deadline is October 7th. 

One Day in El Lay

Mary Poppins of Photography - Vivian Maier

Thanks to my friend Caroline, I've been scrolling through Vivian Maier photos for days now. As far as photographer stories go, hers is pretty up there. Often called the Mary Poppins of photography, she was a nanny and caretaker both before and after she picked up photography in just two years. But never made a real career of it. Many of her negatives were found after death in an old storage unit, where she had stockpiled found items through her years in New York in the 50s and later in Chicago. 

In her older years, she was completely broke and was taken care of until her death my three of her former child charges who pooled together. Who you let take care of you in your life and in your death is a fascinating subject for me. And so are all Vivian Maier's photos. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do. And thanks to the Maloof Collection for bringing them to the light of day and putting together this amazing book of Vivian's work. I'm all about it. 

All photos by Vivian Maier, Property of the Maloof Collection. 

Moving Pictures - The Falling Soldier

Since reading Susan Sontag's Regarding the Pain of Others, which is all about visual representations of pain and suffering and the way we experience the suffering of others via the medium of photography, I've wanted to do a series on some of the career-making photographs mentioned. 

Robert Capa's "The Falling Soldier"  believed to be taken in Cerro Muriano, Spain on September 5, 1936 was first on my list, as I find it absolutely gut wrenching. A soldier, in the exact moment of death from multiple gun shot wounds during the Spanish Civil War. I've massively interested in that period in history and locale (even writing a musical about it) and this really just captures so much emotion to me. 

Not only did this photo make Capa's career (he went on to become one of the most celebrated war photographers of all time) but it has since become one of the most controversial photos in history. In 1975, accusations came that photo was in fact staged. These accusations were often politically charged and leveled by Franco supporting Falangists. Critics pointed to landscape points far in the distance and matched them up with other places, proving it couldn't be what Capa claimed. It went back and forth. The man photographed was finally identified. His brother confirmed his death at Cerro Muriano, but in 2009 further evidence in a journal refuted that testimony. People still don't agree. 

Fake or not, you can't say the photo isn't striking and moving. The way certain dance can move or haunt because you didn't expect the body to move that way. In its own way, it's utterly authentic. What do you think? You can check out the negatives at the International Center of Photography here in NYC.