Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
new rules
Listen to your body.
Listen to your feelings.
Trust yourself.
Accept yourself.
Love yourself.
Enjoy life.
Friday, February 25, 2011
this is why I love my best friend
"I just had a thought... maybe the life of adventure as a general category of lifestyle can itself become sort of repetitive... Maybe that's total bogus, but I mean maybe you can reach a point where the generalized experience of newness is old. I dunno. Tangent.
But I do love you and respect you and whatever you do and wherever you go, YOU make it better. That's not your job, but it's a byproduct of who you are. So you definitely don't have to worry about trying to be meaningful or have purpose, because that's intrinsic to Brynn. What you do have to worry about is yourself, not in the sense of pity, but like you are now: planning and knowing that you're worth enough to be intentional with how you spend your life. And all I know is it's going to come in small doses until you find yourself in a puddle of happiness and contentment after you've been through the rough stuff."
"You're worth enough
to be intentional
with how you spend your life."
and such is the paradox of living
"There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is most alive, and it comes as a complete forgetfulness that one is alive." -Jack London
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Fashion Bad Ass #2 /// Tank. Girl.
This is my tattoo, but it has a little color:
Lasagna is for Lovers
YOU WILL NEED:Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Do Yourself a Favor /// 9
Allegra Villella's editorial style fashion photography will visually itch that spot that your eyes have been praying for. Each of her photos rest easy in an accomplished, satisfying way - the kind that makes you sigh out loud because they look so complete. Although it's obvious that her work is well thought out, Allegra has a way of making things look absolutely effortless. Her eye for design is inarguable and her unique color schemes are positively groundbreaking. They're the kind of photographs you look for in a magazine when you're trying to cut things out for a collage. Let's be honest though, when you'd go to cut that photo out of the magazine, your hands would shake because you'd be scared of messing it up. In that moment, you'd realize that your collage would have nothing without that photo. Really.
Allegra's style is soft and gentle, which makes it clear that she handles her photography with care. She has a new way of casting a glow on things to make them seem a little distant. However, this does not stop her from bringing the wow-factor. Actually, 'wow-factor' doesn't do her photos enough justice. It's more like a razzle dazzle pizzaz factor. Allegra's images consistently pop in a bright and spunky way, which make her photos unlike that of any other fashion photographer. Somehow she is able to create dynamic and in-your-face show stoppers and still retain those glamorous and illusory qualities. Her photos pack a punch in a dainty way, and with grace. If Allegra Villella's photography was a super hero, they'd kick your ass, but they'd clean up all of the blood right after and not leave a speck behind them, and probably leave a sweet note, too.
Something that Allegra seems to do consistently is to bring out the best in her models, her settings and herself. She is able to pose her models in a way that is eye catching and dramatic. A true master of what I'd call body language arts, she can make any pose look graceful. In the same sense, she can find something good about any shooting location, exploit those good traits and turn them into the subject of the photograph. It must be an honor to model for Allegra - who wouldn't want to be painted in their best light?
Like a loud whisper, Allegra Villella's playing with light and use of space convey a powerful simplicity. This is what ties her photographs together and give her series coherency. I've been following Allegra's photos for about five years now and I can say that while her style is consistent and unwavering, it is also ever evolving. It's clear that she is open minded and it has been fun to watch her grow into her art. One of many things to love about her is that her photos are so classic. Classic what? Classic Allegra. I've always been and always will be excited to see what she comes up with next.
Brynn Bear: Where do you call home?Allegra Villella: Portland, Oregon.
BB: How is the weather there today?
AV: The weather has been rather odd, actually. A little bit of sunshine, and a little bit of hail.
BB: How did you first get started with fashion photography?
AV: I got my first camera when I was thirteen and was immediately drawn to taking photos of people. My friends and I would dress up, do funky makeup, and call it a fashion shoot - I guess it just evolved from there.
BB: How do you get connected with artists or designers to shoot their stuff?
AV: It’s all about networking. You have to be extremely careful meeting people from online, but once you meet a few artists you see how many connections everyone has. The makeup artists know the best models, and the models know the best designers, etc. I’d cautiously recommend “Model Mayhem,” to connect with people, but beware of creepers.
BB: You're specifically good at catching your subject in dramatic poses, what taught you to have that eye?
AV: Thank you, I think looking at great photographers’ work (Richard Avedon, Annie Lebovitz, etc.) or any other art is a huge inspiration. You can recreate poses and moments but make them your own. Looking at professional work helped me figure out what was over-the-top, and what was just the right amount of drama for fashion. It’s usually more about the feeling behind the photograph than it is about the subject or the wardrobe anyway – so it’s important to be able to find that balance.
BB: Nikon vs Canon, do you care?
AV: I’m a Nikon girl, but I don’t think it matters much. They’re both excellent brands - I think it’s what you create with them that determines the quality.
BB: What sets you apart from other young photographers?
AV: I guess since photography has been a passion for so long, I have a bit of an advantage. I made mistakes, found a style I love, and have been building my portfolio ever since. Having a certain “look” to my photos has helped build a client base. I think that look just has to do with how I see things – I love telling stories and emotions in my work, whether that be with the colors, the set up, the lighting, or the makeup.
BB: Your brother is also an amazing photographer, have you learned a lot from him?
AV: He is definitely amazing! He was the first to encourage me to get into photography, so I owe a lot to him. He showed me how to use my camera, and how to start connecting with other photographers – I’m so grateful for that. But I think the best thing I’ve learned from him is to always keep exploring and creating.
BB: What makes the hard work worth it?
AV: Having someone tell me I’ve made them see something beautiful in what they thought was ordinary, makes everything worth it.
BB: What are the top five most played (or just favorite) songs on your ipod?
AV: Homesick by Kings of Convenience, Awake My Soul by Mumford & Sons, Flightless Bird, American Mouth by Iron & Wine (not because of Twilight!), Wallet by Regina Spektor and Mushaboom by Feist.
BB: If you had the whole day to yourself, what would a perfect afternoon look like to you?
AV: I think a trip to Alberta Street (an art district in Portland) to look at galleries, thrift shop, and enjoy tea and vegan desserts, would be just wonderful.
BB: What are your favorite flavors of Jelly Bellies?
AV: Mmm, it’s been so long since I’ve had Jelly Bellies! I think I like those pink ones with all the speckles on them – tutti fruity or something? Those are good.
BB: Did you discover fashion through photography, or photography through fashion?
AV: I’d say my passion for photography and telling stories through images came first. Fashion photography just came naturally after that.
BB: I noticed you're pretty stylish yourself, do you have any personal style influences?
AV: Growing up in Portland definitely helped influence my style. There are so many quirky people and styles, and it’s almost a cultural thing to express your creativity through your fashion. Living here helped me not be afraid of standing out or trying new things with my wardrobe.
BB: Is there an up-and-coming trend train you think we should jump on?
AV: Feather necklaces and earrings are definitely in. The more natural looking, the better.
BB: How do you hope to influence the fashion world with your work?
AV: I hope my work will show that there is no cookie-cutter beauty. No one is perfect, and it’s the flaws that make us all unique. The quirks, and the imperfections are much more beautiful to me than our society’s ideals of an airbrushed beauty.
BB: In your world, what's next?
AV: Once school’s out for the semester, I’m hoping to build up a bigger client base, maybe invest in a small studio space, and just keep pursuing what I love to do. I’ve also been thinking about doing a series of photographs of strangers on the streets. I love meeting new people and sharing their stories through my art.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Some Days
I often wonder what my relationship with my Grams would be like now if she was still alive. I was in 6th grade when she died, and, well, I'm a little different now. She would HATE my tattoos and piercings. I bet she would have strongly disapproved of me going to art school, and maybe even more so of me dropping out. She would have been so psyched about me doing so many charity and service-oriented things, and about the non profits I've worked for, fund raised for or given to. I know she would be proud of me pursuing the things that were heavy on my heart, even if she disagreed with them.Sunday, February 20, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Do Yourself a Favor /// 8
Friday, February 18, 2011
pick your poison
"So we shall let the reader answer this question for himself: who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed?"
— Hunter S. Thompson
Dare I remind you
Do Yourself a Favor /// 7
The young, urban and skate-inspired photographer - let's face it, it's been done before. It hasn't, however been done the way Shaun Oppedisano rolls (pun intended). Skating culture is more than just the skate park. It's about the sound of wheels on pavement, it's about the girlfriends watching from park benches, it's about knowing where the security cameras are, it's often about braving the cold just to skate and it's always about going through the drive-through on the way home. Shaun Oppedisano captures just that.
I was taught in Journalism 101 that a good writer is able to tell the story without an apparent bias and that sticking to the fly-on-the-wall mindset and not getting too involved is usually in your best interest to document something accurately. I feel that the same, to some extent, goes for photo journalism. Somehow, Oppedisano is able to maintain an outsider's perspective feeling throughout his series while still creating a unique intimacy in his candid portraits.
Clearly born in the wrong era, there is a dominant sense of timelessness through Oppedisano's entire collection. All of his photographs look as if they could be stills from a documentary about skate culture. It's hard to make pavement look elegant, but Shaun Oppedisano does. He does it with powerful images full of detail, grace and personality.
Brynn Bear: I know you're a pretty busy person, what were you doing before this interview?
Shaun Oppedisano: I just got finished eating after my long commute home from work. It was a pretty nice train ride though, and I'm glad to be sitting down now.
BB: Does being an artist work into your lifestyle or do have to set aside time for it?
SO: That's a funny question, actually. I don't really consider myself an "artist," in the sense of actively creating works of art at any regular intervals. Sometimes I get this jolt of energy and am motivated to do something creative, whether it be shoot a roll of film or put together a video. I bet a lot of people I consider actual "artists" would give a response like this though. But to answer your question, it definitely has to work into my lifestyle. I'm not very good at setting aside specific time to plan out anything art-related.
BB: What kind of projects are you working on currently?
SO: I've currently got a few music videos in the works. The one I'm actively working on is a song called "And Nothing Happened" by the Philadelphia-based musician Cough Cool. My friend Tayla (who did the music for my most recent audio/visual collaboration) showed me his music and I almost immediately knew I wanted to do a video for one of his songs. I got in touch with him and he was pretty psyched on the idea, so I'm hoping I'm able to create something that he likes. It's going to be more abstract, with a lot of layers and visual effects going on. I'm planning a video for the spring for my friend Brock's band that would be a lot more literal--using actors and a storyline. It's important to me to constantly be doing drastically different things, so as to not get bored easily.
BB: Video vs. photo. Go.
SO: Video for sure. I started really getting into video when I was about 12, if you don't count all of the cheesy home movies starting when I was about 6. I wasn't as good at skateboarding as my friends, so I got into filming them and making videos of it. Music is a really important part of my life, so I really like being able to interact with songs in the editing process. Post-production is what I'm most comfortable with, and is what makes creating videos the most fun to me. Honestly, it's the only work I'm actually proud of. I guess if I look at it, I've had more than half my life's worth of experience setting images to music. I like taking photos too, but sometimes I have such a hard time dealing with the idea of how static a single image is. I don't think much when I piece snippets of video to music, and that's the most fun part to me.
BB: Where do you call home?
SO: Malden, MA.
BB: How is the weather there right now?
SO: This winter we got hit hard with a LOT of snow, but the past week or so has been beautiful. It was about 55 degrees today and sunny. It's amazing how great weather like this feels after a long, cold winter. The big piles of snow are starting to melt and the vibes in the city are a lot friendlier.
BB: You travel a lot, is your town somewhere you're always happy to come back to?
SO: Yes and no. In the past it's always been a really great feeling to come back home and see friends and family. But not a whole lot ever changes, except for the fact that the big group of friends I used to hang out with have all started to drift as everyone's gotten older. People are just really busy too, myself included. I'm going back to school in September, so I'll be moving away from here for a second time. I'm pretty over Boston as a city--I only ever really go there to work anymore--but I'm sure it'll always be nice to come back to Malden and see familiar faces.
BB: Do you feel like your surroundings or hometown have influenced you as an artist?
SO: Yeah, of course. I almost exclusively use people as a subject matter, and I strongly feel that people are influenced by their environments on a daily basis. Of course, the subject's physical surroundings play a key role in any photographs or videos. I tend to prefer working with nature, or in more rural settings. But you might not see that in my photos or videos, which is a direct result of the amount of time I spend in or around major cities.
BB: Are you a photographer because of the skating scene or are you in the skate scene because you're a photographer?
SO: Definitely the first, but maybe not for the reason you'd expect. I only tried shooting skate photos for a very short period of time. I realized it just wasn't for me--it was a nightmare, really. But the more important thing is that over the years skateboarding has introduced me to all sorts of new things and creative outlets that I may have never come across otherwise. If it wasn't for The Coliseum (a skate shop) and the countless hours spent watching skateboarding videos, I might not like the same music or even have a similar personality. The culture surrounding it is still a big part of my life. I remember Cass McCombs saying to me, "Skateboarders are the most brilliant people in the world." Maybe he's right.
BB: How do you feel skate scene/cultures differ from city to city, or coast to coast?
SO: They're like night and day, right down to the way people even do tricks. I think it has a lot to do with the terrain. The East Coast is a lot more raw, with all kinds of shitty imperfections that get in your way. I think people out here are a lot more creative with their skating overall. Out in places like LA, the weather is almost always perfect and the ground is so smooth. There are kids out there that haven't even hit puberty yet and are pro-level... it's so crazy.
BB: What every day things inspire you?
SO: I hope this response isn't too creepy. I like watching people and finding the little moments or expressions that most others wouldn't even notice. I probably look really strange on the train, just taking mental notes of the people all around me. It's almost as if I'm shopping around for characters to use in a story. The more and more I think about it, I probably wouldn't sit next to me on the train.
BB: You're drunk at a gas station with $10, how do you spend it?
SO: What can you buy with $10 anymore? I'd probably buy 10 Arizona iced teas. No, I guess I'd need to leave enough to get gummy frogs...
Leave us with a good mix! What were the ten last played songs on your iTunes?
1. Okay - Hungry
2. Panda Bear - Alsatian Darn
3. Spacemen 3 - Rollercoaster
4. Lightning Seeds - Pure
5. Neutral Milk Hotel - Gardenhead / Leave Me Alone
6. Pulp - Sunrise
7. Small Black - Kings of Animals
8. Sonic Boom - Help Me Please
9. Suicide - Keep Your Dreams
10. Lightning Bolt - Funny Farm
some things to share...
Annnnd, I'll leave you with two quotes that found me this week...