yet, another movie

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first, i want to share this clip...for those who are easily distracted. and...ummm...that is so me!!

while the video clip is a bit long and a bit dramatic, i think i might just try this.  i want to make sundays 'no tech sundays' and why not trap my phone and keyboard [my computer is too big to trap] and everything else that i'm so easily distracted by.

anyways, here's the clip...

...which is actually an outtake from miranda july's latest film, the future. i had never heard of the future or even miranda july, until i was on bluebird vintage's blog yesterday.  goodness, the future seems wonderful [official site].  another movie, i can't wait to see.

The Future Trailer From Trailerpulse

to have a dream

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my friend, peta, told me about this awesome documentary. to have a dream wish that you could stick with your dream and focus on what makes you happy take risks and do something bigger than yourself... something that is true and good and meaningful.

that's what he did...

and i so can't wait to see this award-winning documentary.

i also just saw the bill cunningham new york documentary on 'on demand'.  a simple, yet great documentary and what a fascinating, joyful, intriguing man. mr. cunningham is an 82-year-old street fashion photographer in NY, simply [and completely] doing what he loves and is so passionate about. as i watched the documentary, all i kept thinking about was how could anyone not be happy being around this man; i found myself smiling at the TV more than once.

and here's mr. cunninghan's 'on the street' feature on the NY times.

i wish i could remember more of the great words shared by mr. cunningham throughout the film, but here's a few...

money is the cheapest thing. freedom is the most expensive. a lot of people have taste, but a few are daring enough to be creative. most of the time i miss, but i try.

lastly, i so love this quote shared with me the other day by my friend, lissa...

when you find you are lost or running into closed doors, be yourself...only more. - author unknown

so funny

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i came across this video this morning.  such a great way to start off my morning!  i love the video for so many reasons and i'm pretty certain you will too.  just keep watching.  there's little golden nuggets throughout the whole thing. such an awesome older couple, who seem to have the most incredible relationship.  they inspire me.

and here's a video of the couple being interviewed [via skype] on the morning show.  and wow...he's 86.

remembering

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kiele's dad's grandma sadly passed away last week at age 92. great-grammy was such an amazing, amazing woman -- one of the kindest people i have ever met. but i don't think i could ever share more beautifully about great-grammy as kiele did in this letter (below), a letter that was to be read at great-grammy's service this past weekend. Dear Great Grammy,

Time goes by without you realizing it until there are no more seconds left and the clock stops ticking. Many years have passed by and I’ve always cherished those few special moments when we could be together. Other times I let the days slip off my fingers just glad you're there, but not paying too much attention. I remember when you would come from your house and we’d walk down the road heading towards big rock. You asking me about school and would find nice little raspberries for the two of us to munch on. I was happy then and I’m still glad to have the memory. Even when I left the camps in Maine and was at my house we still maintained a little connection throughout the years. You would write me letters that I struggled to read, but still figured out what you meant. I’d write you back disappointed my handwriting couldn’t match yours and put your letters in a special place. The letters are still here -- old, wrinkled from time, and a treasure to keep always. When Great Grampy died, I felt for you and while shedding tears I began making a little story about how happy he was and about his life. I drew pictures of the events in a my little kitty notebook, waiting happily to send it to you as a birthday present. Not getting the ending finished, I never sent it. Something I will always regret. Those times from when I was little, to last year sculpting a butterfly for your birthday, and just about to write a letter to you before you passed away are some things I’m glad I was able to do for you. I really hope you had a great life. I think you did because when Brooke and I got persuaded by Dad to do an interview about your life, you sounded content about what happened. Even when you were little at a picnic with your family at a lake and swimming to the middle of the lake unconisously before realizing what was going on. Drowning, your dad rescued you and since then you’ve had a fear of water. To driving into Canada with your dad and sibilings to a little store to purchase root beer and enjoy the summer evenings. Explaining these, you were happy and satisfied with the results. You will remain in my heart and memory forever. Someone like you is not meant to be forgotten and blown away with the whispers of the wind. No, you shall stay with me...a spirit watching over all of us. Thank you for the adventures and sharing the story of your life with us. The words in your story will never be forgotten, from the beginning word to the ending chapter.

I love you and will miss you always Great Grammy.

Love you, Kiele

kiele also wrote this poem, in remembering great-grammy...

One day I did happen to see A trail of red ribbon like the sea Astonished, I stepped towards it The world became dark and moonlit I stared up into the light A voice of mind began a fight Should I stay? Should I run? Wide-eyed, I turned ashen With a panic and dropped down To watch myself begin to drown The ashes floated away in the breeze And soon I felt at ease When the kind angel appeared And up to Heaven I was steered One day I did happen to see A trail of red ribbon that set me free

as i re-read what kiele wrote, tears well.  so proud of kiele, in writing such a heartfelt, poignant letter.  remembering what an incredible woman great-grammy was.  hoping that i can grow old as beautifully and gracefully as she did and that i, too, can pass on such wonderful memories to my great grandchildren.

note: i asked both kiele and mike if it was okay for me to share this photo and kiele's writings, before posting today.

what ____ looks like

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"your kids must have the most amazing pictures." i get that comment A LOT.  and while my kids do have some pretty fabulous photos from the past five years that i've been doing photography, somehow along the way, i seem to have lost my ability to capture the every day lives of my family.  you know, those photos that document the simple joys and everyday moments.  it bums me out.  and i have complained about it for years, yet i haven't done a whole lot, in an effort to remedy the situation.

so when i was recently approached by a photographer about participating in a project entitled "what _______ looks like", i jumped at the opportunity.  i will be working on this project along side a group of eleven other incredible photographers. the goal of the project is to capture our families in a real, everyday kind of way -- to capture moments that document the reality, the beauty, the mess, the truth, the everyday of our family life.

each month we will each choose to fill in the blank with a word of our choice.  some of us may choose to use the same word all year. others may choose to change it up every month or every couple months.  at the end of every month, we will all be sharing some of our photos on our blogs. we will each link to another photographer until our circle of 12 is complete.

i'm excited about this.  i needed this.  but more-so, i feel that my children deserve this. along the way, i also hope this project will inspire you to take more everyday pictures of your own famiy!!

so here we go.  this is what a bit of our everyday august looks like...

all the cousins together, at oma and opa's, in NV.

standard toy mess. watching TV.

sweaty.

steve jumping.

first day of school.

in the pool. almost every single day in august.

not-so-pretty toenails, courtesy of the pool.

how he always sits.  his favorite toy. and the littles' handmade cardboard box chair.

on our way to gymnastics.

new friends at the horse farm.

play time.

their fort.

computer games.

girl time.

before school. forgot to brush.

so what have i learned in the first month, with this project?  i learned that i have a long way to go in documenting my family's everyday. and that i need to try and carry my camera around with me more. but honestly, even in this short bit, i already feel like i'm noticing and capturing more of the beauty and magic of our everyday.  and that makes my heart so very happy.

can't help but think of this quote... enjoy [and capture] the little things, for one day you will look back and realize they were the big things. - robert brault

i hope you'll now head on over to stephanie moore's blog to see what she had to share about her project this month -- stephanie moore | tucson family photographer.

p.s. i used more than one word for my blank...hope that's okay.

being a gypsy

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i just discovered this photographer, iain mckell, via a friend's pinterest board.  and his the new gypsies series takes my breath away. i connect so deeply with this photograph...

copyright iain mckell

what is it?  the fact that i feel the image is so soulful?  or maybe that i i think, this could have been a photo of me...IF i grew up as a gypsy.  and i wonder, is it as fabulous as i think it might be...growing up as a gypsy?  living the gypsy life? there's a part of me that so longs to throw all our shit away and just be gypsies.  just be free.  to be.

i'm in a bit of a funk right now.  it happens from time to time.  and with that said and the busy craziness of fall approaching, i thought it was a perfect time to get this powerful and motivational video recirculating.

the story of a charming girl

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this is the story of a charming girlshe laughs out loud, sings off key and believes in taking chances she is quick and curious and playful and strong she lets her imagination run away with her she has never been one to stick to convention she is fond of daydreams that taker her places she can order a cocktail in six different languages she feels that understated is overrated

i love this video. i love the song in this video.

thanks for the share rosie.

steve, i will never love you more.** and i know... you love me more than everything.

** because i already love you more than everything too.

p.s. i really long for a (working) vintage typewriter. preferably orange or turquoise.

spreading goodwill

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Traditionally, prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers to gods, a common misconception; rather, the Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all pervading space. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all.

- wikipedia

when i was in wisconsin, i stayed at my dear friend, julie's house.  shortly after arriving, we had gone outside to look at julie's incredible garden and i noticed the prayer flags hanging from her front port.  later in the day, i mentioned how awesome it would be to have prayer flags at the fischer family's session (thinking maybe we could pick some up before the shoot).  the next thing i know...the prayer flags are down and ready to go with us to the shoot.

i absolutely love that we were able to have prayer flags with us at the fischer family's session.  i love it even more that they were worn from their days of dancing in the wind at julie's house.

i now long for prayer flags, to grace the front porch of my own house... prayer flags to flutter in the wind... prayer flags to bring good energy, luck and happiness... prayer flags to spread blessings and goodwill to those around.

i've been asking friends what they know about prayer flags and looking around.  while i'd love to make my own flags, i just know that that's not happening anytime soon.  so far, i've found...

these tibetan prayer flags, sold on amazon and here. or these prayer flags on etsy.  i'm a bit partial to the happiness-themed flags.

if you know a great place to purchase prayer flags or have any additional insight, i'd love to hear about it.

also, i just came across this PDF article on prayer flags, which i plan on reading later tonight.  seems like a great read.

ETA:  for anyone that might be offended because the prayer flags touched the ground, please know that at the time of these photos, i had no idea that prayer flags are not to touch the ground.  i had the absolute best of intentions in bringing them to the session and photographing them, with the fischer family.  i will never let that happen again, now that i am aware.

also, my friend, wendy, just shared this with me:

i do prayer flags with mighty girl...their flags fly to encourage the girls that come after them. i ripped an old white bed sheet into squares and give them fabric markers. http://mightygirlart.blogs​pot.com/2010/05/wind-horse​s-arriving.html

and after seeing this flag, created by nina beana, on the mighty girl art site... i'm feeling the strong need to make my own flags. a family project. designing, dreaming, gathering, creating, sewing...together as a family. my new (year old) sewing machine has been waiting for something like this, to finally make it's presence, from out of the box.  YES, our august pre-school project -- prayer flags.

unapologetically me

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last night, i watched this documentary...

i've loved sally mann, from pretty much day one, of photography. i love her even more, since seeing her documentary. she's truly such an amazing artist. she makes no excuses. she photographs what she loves. what she is deeply connected to. what she is passionate about. her children. her husband. her animals. her land. and yes, death.

there was a time when i worried about what others thought about my work. but more and more every day, i feel that the work that i produce is unapologetically me. you can take it or leave it. but i'm passionate and proud of what i do and the photographs that i produce.

i almost ditched the above images.  i'm beyond thankful i didn't!!

i woke up to foggy windows.  couldn't stop thinking about them.  hours went by.  i looked and still foggy.  the moment was not only there, it remained. so i asked sky if she'd do just a couple photos with me --

it will be fast.  i promise.  you can stay inside.  you just have to look out the window.

so i shot a few photos.  maybe a minute.  five frames at the max.  and thought, oh well...i guess my creative spirit wasn't with me today. i was so frustrated that i almost deleted the photos right then and there.  but i didn't; i put my camera back in my bag.  a few days went by and i thought about formatting my card (deleting the above images) but didn't.  i uploaded them today and well...i LOVE the above photos of sky.  they are...unapologetically me.

p.s. i wonder if sally mann would allow me photograph her family? maybe one day, i could knock on her door and ask her. not sure how i'd find her house. who knows...maybe someday, somehow.

goodness, i love sally mann. always have. always will.

folly beach * smile *

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two weeks ago, i met my friend, em, and her daughter, at folly beach, SC. a mini-vacation, of sorts. we went for the break. to have fun with our kids. but it was also so much more. it was a magical weekend of sharing, challenging, reflection and growth -- as friends.  as photographers. part of our time together was my photographing em. challenging her. challenging myself.

it's not often that i have the opportunity to photograph adults.  it's not often that em is in front of the camera.  last time i tried to photograph emily (when i did her family's photos about a year ago), all she could do was stand there and giggle.  of course, we did still end up with a few giggles because laughter is so much of who em is.  but we also ended up with so much more.

i hope that i never stop challenging myself. learning and growing and...exploring what's possible.  i hope that i can always say and truly believe that my journey in photography has only just begun!

my dream is to one day hook up with a model or two, makeup artist and stylist and see what happens.  i know it will happen...some day!!

thanks em for trusting me and allowing me to capture all the beauty that you are -- inside and out.  can't wait until the next time.  xo.

do what you love

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holy crap, this is so good!!

do what you love. do what you're about. and you will kill it. you will win. - gary vaynerchuk

thanks david duchemin for the awesome share.

p.s. i did see someone comment about the fact that sure this guy walked away from his wine business, but he probably did so as a millionaire.  regardless, he has a great message and is dynamic as hell.

strong and paranoid

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vivian maier. the pre-production trailer is out -- a teaser of what is to come. and i so fricken can't wait till this documentary.

Trailer: Finding Vivian Maier from John Maloof on Vimeo.

she's a riddle. you don't know what is really behind everything. - maren baylaender

i love that. i can't wait to hear and learn more about her.  gives me chills to think about what she would think about all of this, if she was still alive.

have you seen...

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courtney courtney? if you follow my facebook, you've probably noticed some courtney courtney posts recently.  that's because i love and support her product.  i have basically told her that i'll help her any way i can.

i've been wanting to blog about her for a while now and decided that it would be fun if i asked her some questions and let her speak for herself.  so here we go.  introducing the fabulous owner and designer of courtney courtney...

name: Courtney Anne Chu location: Chicago, IL age: 28

have you always loved to design and sew? No, but I have always loved making things.  Especially jewelry when I was little up until high school, then I began experimenting with textiles and silkscreens one summer in high school.  My only experience with sewing was home economics (is it still called that?) in 7th grade.  I got my first sewing machine after my first year of college.  Slowly I began experimenting with knits and got my serger which changed everything!

do you work alone or do you have a staff that assists you? No staff!  My mom and friend help me cut fabric sometimes (but they don’t live here) and my dad also enjoys hitting up the thrift stores :D I guess I’m just fast.  And I guess I’m a quick decision maker.

did you formally study fashion design?  if not, what did you study and where? Another no here, I studied Industrial Design at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.  I did a summer pre-college program at Rhode Island School of Design, for textile design, so I think most of my interest in dyeing fabrics and silkscreening came from that.

how did you get started in designing upscaled children's clothing? It was more of a reaction to my full-time job.  As a designer you rarely get to see your designs 100% through to production.  My sewing allowed me to do that.  As my friends might know about me, I don’t really like to plan or set goals.  So the sewing at first was just a feeling of, I want to make this and I want to see a complete little dress.  Every little dress I try new things.  With my full-time job also in children’s fashion, I know what else is out there and what I like.  I am able to make what I do not see.

what is your inspiration, in designing your dresses?  what inspires you in general? Everything can be inspiration.  It’s kind of funny to think that when I see boring dresses I am inspired.  I do look at range of fashion, so that surely inspires me.  The fabrics of course play a huge part.  Knits have a little bit of wiggle room but you have to know how they behave.

I like a challenge, it seems lately that I like to see how I can pair fabrics and patterns that no one expects to see together.

I like to think the person who is buying the dress, the child who will wear the dress, will have something no one else will have.  Of course they will be comfortable cause it’s knit and it’s like wearing a tshirt, but they have on a special dress that no one else has, which is ready for any adventure.

have you thought of expanding into a physical or online store? I used to want a physical store, but then when would I sew!

I did the online store thing, but I spent so much time listing items only to be bought up immediately.

have you ever considered doing boy's or adult clothing? The issue here seems to be that I save my ‘boy’ fabrics for the girls.

And women are so picky about their bodies!

what does courtney courtney look like in five years?  in 10 years? Ha!  Someone asked me this before, and my response is the same. Ask me in 5 years, ask me in 10.

how can someone go about purchasing one of your dresses? Right now I offer my dresses through email.  So every other day or so, an email will go out to the sizes offered that day. http://eepurl.com/cgS2P Sign up here and make sure to select your size(s).

please share one thing you want everyone to know about you or you or your work. I never want my work to be anything but one-of-a-kind.

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i've tried to convince courtney that i'm not picky about my body, but she's not buying it and still not making adult clothing.  DARN!!

seriously though, i can't say enough about courtney and the clothing she designs and sews.  sky owns a number of dresses now and i've seriously considered dumping all of sky's clothes and just stocking up on nothing but courtney courtney.

and here are all the links for courtney courtney... mailing list, to view and purchase her dresses: http://eepurl.com/cgS2P blog: http://courtneychu.blogspot.com facebook: https://www.facebook.com/courtneycourtney.designs

shouting how i feel

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it all started when i posted this image a few weeks ago.

and now...... henri cartier-bresson keeps popping into my life. i can't help but think that the universe is sending me a message. and i'm listening!!!

HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON - Decisive Moment, The from bt465 on Vimeo.

ETA:  oh dear, it's so sad that this video is gone.  i'm so sorry if you missed it.  but i'm so happy i wrote his words that most impacted me.

his work. his thoughts. his words. they take my breath away.

and because i am so in love with his words, i've typed some of them out and posted them to my inspiration board that sits right next to my desk... life is once. forever. good vs mediocre is a question of millimeters...but essential. it's very small moves. sometimes there's no picture and that's alright. a photograph is a story. there's a whole world in it. a photograph that you can look at over and over again...there's not many. the most difficult thing is a portrait. who is it? what is it? you have to be like a cat. and not disturb. a person doesn't react the same way when he's not studied. you see them stripped naked in a photograph. it's an interesting thing having wrinkles. after a certain age, you get the face that you deserve. there's no rule to how many pictures you take. there's lots of great anxiety in this profession. what's going to happen...what, what, what?? you shouldn't over-shoot. it's like over-eating. over-drinking. it's an instinct. you have to be quick, quick, quick, quick. like an animal and it's prey. a question of awareness. photography is a physical pleasure. it doesn't take much brains. it takes sensitivity, a finger and two legs. i never think. i act quick. you have to forget yourself. and be yourself at the same time. an image becomes much stronger -- what you want. what you see. it's about not thinking. don't try to push a point...explain something or prove something. you don't prove anything. it comes by itself. first impression is essential -- the intillectual experiences...fully enriching. photography is the essence of everything -- the spark between two elements. you can't look for it. it's like looking for inspiration. it comes by enriching yourself and living. it comes naturally. it's seldom you make a great picture. there's no new ideas in the world. there's only new arrangement of things. it means re-examining. you can't just photograph everything you see. there's some places where the pulse beats more. anyone can do 10 great photographs. keep on, on, on. what is interesting is consistency. it's always re-examining things, trying to be more lucid and free-er and go deeper and deeper the camera is a weapon. you can't prove anything but at the same time it is a weapon. photography is a way of shouting the way you feel. it can be a machine gun. a warm kiss. a sketch book. ...the camera. i enjoy shooting a picture. being present. photography is like that...yes, yes, yes. there's no maybes. the maybes should go in the trash. it's an enjoyment. an affirmation.

SYTYCD

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so you think you can dancedo you watch it?

if not, i highly recommend giving it a chance. this summer's season is just getting started. i absolutely love the show!!

it's about passion, dedication, determination, hard work, inspiration. it's the dancers. and the choreographers. that makes the show so awesome.

i get chills. i get inspired. i'm sometimes brought to tears.

they are artists doing what they love and are so passionate about. and it inspires me in so many ways.

this routine is probably my absolute favorite...

but i pretty much love every routine mia michaels choreographs...

being content

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katelyn had contacted me a while back about doing photos of she and her husband. and then she saw i was coming to utah.  so she packed up for the weekend, did the six-hour drive, from colorado to utah, and met me there. katelyn's husband couldn't get away but i was able to photograph the beautiful katelyn. my hope was that i could show her in photographs the beauty, strength and peace that we all see in her in person.

and today, i received this beautiful note from katelyn...

I am writing you with tears of happiness and hope streaming down my face. I find myself sneaking looks at my computer throughout the day just to look at the incredible images you captured of me in Utah. It almost feels as if I am looking at someone who is not me- ALMOST. The person in these images looks so at peace... and strong. Two words I never thought could describe be.

For a large chunk of my life I was so concerned with what other people thought about me that I didn't think of myself and the actions I took were based on what I thought others would approve of. I felt I needed to look/dress/act/think a certain way in order to be liked. In trying to be like everyone else and fit this societal mold- I lost myself.

I've always had this idea of who I was but I was too afraid to let it show. It has only been within this last year that I have begun to figure out who I really am. In the past few months I have done so many of the things I've always wanted to do and I'm finally becoming Katelyn. I am on this beautiful journey toward being comfortable in my own skin and knowing that I am enough.

This is such a momentous time in my life and I'm so excited to have “proof” that I am content with being me.

I feel like there is no expression of gratitude that could even come close to letting you know how truly grateful I am for these images. Thank you for helping me to let go of fear and thank you, a thousand times over, for making me beautiful in my own eyes.

my wish is that every woman can make this peace with themselves. to see their own beauty and strength. to be content in their own skin...with who they are and all they have to offer. and always remember that each one of us is absolutely... beautiful and special and unique!

the entire weekend in utah was incredible. and powerful.  the land is absolutely majestic. the company was oh-so-inspiring. and hilarious (i haven't laughed as hard as i did that weekend, in a really long time). thank you girls for a magical weekend!! can't wait till the next time.

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also, please don't forget that my mini-workshop registration opens tomorrow at 9 AM CST on the bloom forum. you must be a bloom forum member to participate in the workshop. to register for the bloom forum or for additional information, please click the bloom logo below...

The Bloom Forum