#vintage messy film camera photography

[kiwd]

making love underneath the cherry leaves

[swiftwice]

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 𝅄     ◌ I know you're my one and only    ◌     𝅄 

[saltyjaems]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤৎ ۟ 𓂂 🎞️ ໑

[holocene-sims]

next // previous

august 16, 2021 11:00 p.m. grandma ong's house

there’s a strangeness to a quiet enclave in a bustling metropolis, unexpected in the same manner as grant and henry’s long, unbroken brotherhood. nothing about the baseline rustle of neighbors carrying in paper grocery sacks and kids kicking a soccer ball resembles the eternal merry-go-round of life–max-capacity subway cars, clueless and loud tourists, and locals who drift through their day–just down the road. and yet above this neighborhood–and the entire sprawling city–hangs a common thread, a bluish hazy night sky.

“that was wild,” henry says, suppressed laughter bursting forth from deep in his chest, “all day everyone’s defaulted to speaking english because, well, look at you, and you even had me fooled. i actually forgot you kind of speak basic korean."

“the inner machinations of my mind are an enigma.”

henry rolls his eyes dramatically but in the same split second, throws an arm around grant’s shoulders.

“i was afraid that soup was going to fly out of your mouth.” grant returns the gesture, though it requires him to lean down so as to not smother henry’s face instead. “too close for comfort.”

“well, in my defense, i was not expecting you to reply to my grandma asking me, “daehyun, i haven’t seen your friend since your wedding. how did you meet again?”

grant shrugs. “we met on a playground twenty-four years ago.”

“on my very first weekend as a resident of the semi-good ol’ US of A. in the opposite situation. i remember being so pissed that my parents made me go out to ‘make friends’ that weekend. not moving, mind you, but making friends. i guess they were psychics, though, because apparently, it didn’t bother you that i didn’t speak your language for at least a couple weeks.”

“people say i could talk to a wall.”

henry laughs again. “you could. you’re very chatty.”

“did it bother you that i wrote you some really, really, really shitty letters in korean in the early days based on online translations i found?”

“no, that was sweet.” no question about it–the joy in henry’s eyes is determined. “they were definitely horrendous, but it’s the thought that counted. you could do better now. oh, and i think i still have all those letters. i should. i did box them up when i moved out of my parents’ house.”

they were, all things considered, never very much alike, beyond the fact they both liked cats but weren’t allowed to have any. henry’s mom was allergic, but grant’s parents despised pets. otherwise, they were polar opposites. grant always liked math and science, wanted to work with airplanes, and preferred to spend his free time with others playing tabletop RPGs and computer games; henry always liked art and history, wanted to be a photographer, and preferred to be left alone to his vintage film camera and pottery. grant’s parents raged when he selected aviation over medicine; henry’s parents and grandparents, all artists, were delighted by his dreams of photography. moreover, grant selectively speaks his mind, while henry rarely minces words.

and still–

the shrill honk of a car off in the distance disturbs grant’s thoughts.

“you really could talk to a wall, but hey, why did you approach me on the swing set that day? you were already busy hanging out with your sisters. and your cousins. why me?”

and still, the two have fused into one. the world turned upside down; grant paints these days, henry has long been a willing dungeons and dragons player, and separation from one another is like losing half your body. if henry walked away now–ended this messy half-hug early–grant would turn to ash.

“well,” grant begins, drawing out the suspense with an exaggerated sigh, “first of all...”

[firstdivisiongirl]

Hiiii! How are you??? :) hope you are having a good day<3 may I ask for a romantic Tokyo revengers matchup, please??

My pronouns are she/her and I'm bisexual, but mostly attracted to men. I'm usually very friendly with everyone and willing to help people. I make friends easily and I'm very easygoing, like I could make friends with other random girls on the streets because if I find a girl very pretty or I like her style I usually come up to her and tell her and we start talking and talking like we already knew each other, lol. I'm very very loyal with my friends and family and I'm willing to go confront someone for them if they are having beef with someone else and asking for my help. I talk a lot about things that I like but I am a very good listener. I'm also very very forgetful and very very messy. I'm not good at school, like at all, I just have my head in the clouds most of the time. I'm also a very affectionate and touchy friend, most people find me pretty funny and chill, I tend to swear a lot even in normal conversations, even when I'm not mad, and I fall in love soooo easily, like way too easily😭 I have very very low standards even though I like more older, masculine and tall guys I also really really don't mind nerds, sensitive boys, artists, ykwim?? But I usually gravitate towards people who I think can take care of me and give me a little bit of princess treatment, patient lovers. I'm also kind of the type of girlfriend who is kinda like your best friend. But I just fall very easily and get heartbreaks a lot. I'm a very sensitive person, very empathetic, but sometimes I'm unintentionally rude to my friends or other people, so I can be rude and uncalled sometimes and I'm very ashamed of that after, and sometimes especially with professors I can be easy to put up a fight with since I have a sharp tongue- my hobbies are drawing, photography, watching anime, singing, theater, acting,the history of cinema and animation, makeup and hanging out with my friends :)

I dislike people who are mean just because they think it's fun to be randomly mean to someone, people who look at you weird or snob you when you compliment them, when people touch my stuff without asking, when someone hurt animals and people who just can't stand up for themselves not even a little bit. I really like Italian old love songs, love books from the 50s 60s (they are literally so romantic without being cliche), musicals, disney movies expecially the old ones, animation, flowers (even though im allergic🧍🏻‍♀️), making people laugh, imprevedibile and fun people, dressing feminine, horror and romantic movies, videogames, old rock and romantic music.

I'm 5'0 with long long brown hair with highlights and bangs, amber eyes with long lashes, thin lips, a mole next to my nose and I always try to smile bc I like how I look when I smile :) my skin is pretty taken care of and clear, i love dressing feminine but mostly dress with baggy pants and a crop top or compression shirt, something like that, but sometimes i love putting on very short miniskits and platforms to look taller (I never wear non-platform shoes bc I wanna look taller). Also I love wearing hello kitty stuff😭❤️

I feel like this is way too much I am so so sorry- you can ignore if you don't feel like doing it🙏❤️

Have a great day, love the way you write, keep it up :D

Hi. I am doing pretty good. You didn't write too much at all and I would never ignore it. And thank you for the kind words. I want to let you know that I picked someone who could be considered controversial. If you don't like it, DM me and I will give you another. I hope you like it!

You Got...

Tetta Kisaki!!!!

I know. He's...him. But hear me out!

He's into girls who are friendly and super nice. You also give me Hina vibes.

He seems to be into very into things like history and film. I think you two would talk about film, it's history, how different camera angles are used, etc.

He would get you so many vintage things like books and old records. Anything to see you smile.

He would love that you fall so easily. That means it is easier for him to win you over. Although, he will try very hard to be the perfect partner.

WILL NEVER BREAK YOUR HEART!!!!!!!!!!!!

Will treat you like a princess.

Most people would think he would hate someone who is not great in school. But I believe he would like that because then he could tutor you and spend more time with the person he loves.

Slow dancing to old songs in the living room!

Would love that you can fight for yourself. Makes him worry less about you and your wellbeing. He will still worry, but a little less

And lastly, he will love you no matter what. If you are rude, he will love you. When you are upset, he will love you.

Please do not copy, modify, translate or repost my writing on other platforms. Comments, reblogs and likes are highly appreciated!

[fairyglosses]

types of people: total drama guys edition

gen 1 guys!

to see the girls, check out this post: girls edition

alejandro → well mannered, careful smiles, coffee, tired souls, very persistent, very precise, neat clothing, complicated past, long debates, logical thinking

cody → oversized sweaters, radiating sunshine, bold moves, blushing from smiling too much, the sun rising, soft eyes, loves easily, super dreamy, bit of a pushover

duncan → good taste in music, cigarettes, converse, never sleeps, leather jackets, tangled earphones, tough as hell, dark nail colors, spray paint, notices a lot of detail

dj → very selfless, lifelong friend, thinks every animal is cute, compassion, graceful and gentle, incense, plushies, sidewalk dandelions, pretty hands

geoff → messy hair, night owl, likes parties, long hugs, open blouses, polaroid cameras, vhs tapes, quotes vines, comedy movies, rootbeer floats, sunglasses

ezekiel: intelligent, looking at the clouds, old films, fireplaces, doesn't know their limits, plants on the windowsill, soft blankets, broken handwriting

harold → keeps old love letters, enjoys school, perfectionist, likes vintage stuff, watches anime, thick glasses, pins, nintendo games, wandering through art museums

owen → as sweet as the sugar they eat, does the bare minimum in school, bounce in their step, can't stop fidgeting with their hands or legs, gold sunlight, warm hugs

noah → notices everything, dog person, loves video games, the smell of old books, lofi music, rainy mornings, patterned socks, vanilla, likes storms, mint gum

trent → enjoys deep conversations, doubt, photography, comforting presence, soft flannels, thrift stores, exciting romances, stargazing, indie concerts, fields

tyler → sporty, hand holding, quiet, friends with everyone, fluffy hair, baseball caps, stickers covering everything, ice cream, oversized hoodies, lingering touches

[carolinenicolettes]

MEET CAROLINE ESTELLE NICOLETTE ! 

(IN)CORRECT QUOTE -

“ this is taking too long ! i’m going to miss the farmer’s market ! ” —scary terry or scary caroline? who knows

“ she liked messy beds and movie nights without any lights on. she liked the quiet company of a few good friends. her idea of love was gentle and silent, like a whisper of a touch. some things are magical and magic, contrary to popular opinion, is often found in the most ordinary of places. ”

BASIC

NAME: caroline estelle nicolette NICKNAMES: n o p e it is caroline or NADA  AGE: 21 BIRTHDAY: may 1st SPECIES: starchild  GENDER: cisfemale PRONOUNS: she/her

FAMILY

MOTHER: amelia nicolette — born into money, massive name in the fashion industry, only wears fashionable power suits and celestial themed jewelry, drinks expensive whiskey neat FATHER: unknown PARENTS: raised by her mother, kind of. had a nanny named maggie growing up whom she loved dearly and was very good friends with a doorman named robert as well. it takes a village, you know. FAMILY: direct relation to the nicolette family that you all know and love aka odette. caroline’s mother is odette’s father’s sister. SIBLINGS: not at all.

PHYSIAL ATTRIBUTES

FACE CLAIM: scarlett leithold NATIONALITY: american HEIGHT: 5′7 WEIGHT: 139lbs BUILD: slender, and a bit insecure about that HAIR: long with a subtle wave , nearly down to her waist for now  HAIR COLOR: golden blonde with a few summery platinum highlights EYE COLOR: baby bluuuue DOMINANT HAND: left ANOMALIES: during warmer months, and nearly year round since moving to california, there are little freckles dusted across her nose  SCENT: seasalt, cocounut, sunscreen . . . . and occasionally mon paris by ysl ACCENT: she fought against that new york accent tooth and nail so none ALLERGIES: cats but also bullshit DISORDERS: dbd — dumb bitch disorder FASHION: an odd mix of vintage. corduroy dresses, plaid skirts, ribbed turtlenecks, velvet headbands, doc marten boots. a lil 60s, a lil 70s, a lil 90s. despite having quite a bit of money, she’s always wearing at least one thing that looks hand-me-down and that’s because her mother never threw anything away, so it likely is.  NERVOUS TICS: rocks back and forth from her toes to her heels, death grip on a camera strap, tucking her hair behind her ears QUIRKS: collects enamel pins, always has a camera on her, closes her eyes when trying to focus on listening

LIFESTYLE

RESIDES: east side, victoria BORN: new york city RAISED: new york city VEHICLE:  black 1969 chevy camaro, rarely ever drives it though as she bikes/skates most places PHONE: iphone 11 pro :\ COMPUTER: mac desktop collecting DUST PETS: too busy sneezing bc of odette’s cat

HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION: graduated COLLEGE EDUCATION: senior MAJOR: museum studies, photography MINOR: film studies CAREER: freelance photographer, current waste of space living off of that family $$$ EXPERIENCE: apprenticeships in fashion photography, internships in museum curation  TRAINED IN: photography and classical ballet (reluctantly) OTHER: literally just .... she’s had a camera of some sort in her hand since she was like 12

POLITICAL AFFILIATION: liberal RELIGION: worships the ground stevie nicks, cher, and debbie harry walk on but that’s about it BELIEFS: you have to be really careful when buying sweaters from thrift stores because 80% of them are absolutely haunted MISDEMEANORS: none FELONIES: none  TICKETS AND/OR VIOLATIONS: NONE  DRUGS: once or twice but she’s strung out enough on her own  SMOKES: weed, on occasion. cigarettes are gross. ALCOHOL: leisurely, mostly socially. Queen of Beer Pong™ DIET: fairly healthy, not at all picky, a little bougie.

ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: labels are stupid SEXUAL ORIENTATION: and sexuality is fluid MARTIAL STATUS: never going to happen CHILDREN: *nervous laughter* AVAILABILITY: not at all LOOKING FOR: she’s actually legally blind so

LANGUAGES: english, french

PHOBIAS: fuck spiders SPECIFICALLY. might cry but also doesn’t want you to kill it just... take it out and awaaaay HOBBIES: photography, film — the act of and the watching of, hiking, live shows, bothering odette. literally has/had 3294328049 of them but is really only good at photography/film TRAITS: + adaptable, loyal, charismatic, clever, playful, adventurous ; - flighty, forgetful, cynical, unforgiving, disorganized, impatient SOCIAL MEDIA: the works - snapchat, twitter, instagram

FAVOURITE

LOCATION: photo pit at small venue concerts, anywhere within 10 feet of the pacific SPORTS TEAM: whomst  GAME: playin w people’s HEARTS ...... jk ....... kinda MUSIC: haim, fleetwood mac, the aces... any band with a female lead singer SHOWS: ghost adventures, big little lies MOVIES: frances ha, almost famous, bob dylan: don’t look back RADIO STATION: anything that strictly plays oldies FOOD: loves baked goods BEVERAGE: cold brew coffee, cinnamon spice tea COLOR: a nice dusty rose :\

CHARACTER

MORAL ALIGNMENT: chaotic good MBTI: isfp — the adventurer ENNEAGRAM: type 7, the enthusiast  ZODIAC: taurus HOGWARTS HOUSE: hufflepuff TAROT CARD: the empress TV TROPES: max mayfield, serena van der woodsen, ainsley howard, donna sheridan and honestly? eloise  SONG: summer girl - haim

IDEOLOGIES: shove it down shove all the emotions DOWN do not feel. you can tell a lot about a person based on the music they listen to when they’re sad. three is the luckiest number.

THE RUNDOWN 

amelia nicolette never intended to be a mother. she was freshly 21, inches from a moment that could launch her career in the fashion industry, and she hadn’t been in love or even interested in the idea since she was seventeen. so when a one night stand with a wealthy older man, left her with morning sickness and an odd appetite for two, she was less than thrilled. 

he was even less thrilled, insisting that she terminate the pregnancy. i’ll drive you, he’d said in a hushed tone. only then did she see the tan line wrapped around his ring finger. a married man. a one night stand. and a complete bastard . amelia decided, then and there, to carry to term and then put the baby up for adoption.

until may 1st at 3AM on the dot when the most obnoxious scream split through the air. a baby, just slightly too small, kicking and screaming relentlessly was born in manhattan. a baby who wouldn’t shut up until she was placed in the arms of her mother, where she fell quiet and calm and she slept. 

amelia nicolette never intended to fall in love, but holding her tiny baby girl, she knew then and there that she was a goner. caroline, as a song that sounded like joy played from a radio at the nurse’s station. estelle, for the stars. nicolette, the only family name she’d ever need. 

for three years, it was just the two of them in a new york penthouse, and amelia learned quickly that she was good at being a mother. but that didn’t change her free-spirited nature or the way her heart had a tendency to yearn for more. she had the resources, and caroline was old enough — . . . and she’d been sketching for years, sitting on top of a portfolio that piled a mile high.

along comes nanny, maggie, and thus began the life she’d lead for the rest of her childhood. mom spent a lot of time at work, building a fashion brand that went international by the time caroline was 6. because of this, she was gone more often than not, leaving caroline to grow up under the watchful eye of a nanny.

but she called every night. made it home for every big holiday, every recital, every birthday. in the summers, caroline would spend her time split between visiting her mother, visiting odette, and visiting a beach house in victoria. there was a certain lack of permanence that caused her to be adaptable, allowed her to be comfortable with change and give into the whims of a free spirit like her mother’s.

but people filtered in and out, came and went, and on the flip side of the same coin, there was a sense of detachment , a fear of getting too close to people who would move out or move on.

despite this, caroline never found herself to be lonely. she was a friendly little thing with bright eyes and a sparkling curiosity, picking up hobbies instead of toys, but never quite being exceptional at any of them. she made friends with doormen and caused problems for the people behind the desk. she became good, early on, at keeping herself busy, making her own fun – . . . all things that have very much carried into adulthood.

she was lucky, and she’s fully aware of it which is why, from a young age, she always did her best to find ways to give that luck to people who seemed to need it. 

things had a tendency to be tumultuous, what with her mother coming and going and her very best friend being in and out of the hospital, but she tried to go with the flow as best as she could. things were good but never truly exceptional.

until she met jude. he’d been in the same children’s wing as odette, and they’d known each other for a little bit before caroline met him. the three of them were inseparable, at first, simply best friends. but as they got older, feelings shifted and two friends became more than that.

our girl was in love for the very first time. and it was sweet and gentle and everything a first love is supposed to be. over time, that love grew, just as they did, and it was visible to anyone with eyes that they were in love. for two years, it was good, he was good. 

and then he wasn’t. despite two years of remission and a healthy life, he fell ill again. there was nothing to do but stand by and watch as six months passed by, far too quickly, and he slipped away into nothing. ultimately passing away just a week before his 20th birthday. 

caroline didn’t allow herself to feel it, for a while, lingering in the denial stage of grief for far too long. new york felt empty without him, without odette, without her mother, and it didn’t take much for her to pack her things and join her mother overseas, taking a gap year from school and focusing on herself, on her photography.

she spent a lot of time with a press pass around her neck. fashion shows and fashion shoots. major events and sports games. concerts and festivals. but there was one thing she loved more than anything else, and that was capturing the off-guard joy of life in candids of strangers on the street or in the crowds of bars and concerts. she found her own style, her own way of storytelling through a lens, and slowly but surely she began to heal.

still, there was no way around the way her heart felt a little heavier, a little darker, and how smiles from strangers at the other end of the bar made her stomach churn. she developed an aversion to new relationships of any sort, anything deeper than surface level becoming a bit too close for comfort. 

and while life traveling was fun, she missed having a sense of home, so she went to where the only other person who felt like home was, finding herself moving into a house with odette in victoria.

she’s been around for a couple of months, coming out of a gap year and looking to finish her degree in the spring. victoria, for now, is home.

these days she’s a little bit more cynical. a little bit less likely to let people too close. a little bit lost but also who isn’t when they’re 21

[thisisnotawonderland-blog1]

Tag yourself

I was tagged by (i kind of decided to do it myself tho lol) @studynostalgic

Tag your aesthetic in bold and then add your own.

-

side a - the city, glittering lights, yawning, skyscrapers, broken glass shards, street gangs, hip hop music, late night strolls, blinking stars, sleek cars, flickering neon signs, glittery earrings, small tattoos, empty subways, dark eyeshadow, snapping cameras, cozy apartments, fried churros, silver necklaces, dyed hair, ripped jeans, bright lipstick, dazzling smiles

side b - the book nerd, large glasses, steaming hot chocolate, thick books, lofi music, hot pastries, soft smiles, large sweaters, quiet libraries, small flowers, melting candles, sweetened coffee, messy hair buns, soft pillows, fairy lights, vanilla scents

side c - the stereotypical girl, soft pinks, mini skirts, crop tops, romantic fantasies, love songs, strawberry milkshakes, lipgloss, high ponytails, candy hearts, nail polish, starbucks coffee, clear skies, hoop earrings, excited ramblings, stuttering heartbeats, rose bouquets, soft blushes

side d - the stereotypical boy, arcade games, graphic t-shirts, baseball caps, chocolate milkshakes, messy rooms, acoustic guitars, chocolate chip cookies, multi-colored bruises, rap music, nightly escapades, stolen glances, pencil-drumming, chocolate milk boxes, low hums

side e - the nature hippie, mini plants, cloud-watching, star gazing, damp forests, sandy beaches, ocean waves, wildflowers, hiking, iced lemon tea, gardening, hippie music, buttered toast, birds chirping, multi-colored leaves, evening sunlight, fruit cups, sundresses

side f - the rebel, cherry lollipops, devil hand signs, grape flavored bubble gum, rock music, killer boots, dark make-up, horror movies, denim jackets, switchblades, handguns, stargazing on rooftops, glowing cigarettes, large headphones, skull rings, converse shoes, graffiti murals, glowing moonlight, rose thorns, fishnet stockings

Side g - the winter, busy cafes, oversized hoodies, drizzling rain, small snowflakes, marshmallows in hot chocolate, loose hair, sad music, reading a book, blanket forts, frozen lakes, crackling fireplaces, old movies

side h - the summer, tank tops, lemonade, sunny days, dripping popsicles, short haircuts, tinted sunglasses, cotton candy, amusement parks, traveling, blasting music on the car radio, wagging dog tails, large sunflowers, snow cones

side i - the autumn, pumpkin lattes, warm bakeries, warm colors, hair braids, soft sweaters, colorful leaves, purring cats, dark chocolate bars, romance movies, soft music, zentangling, vintage cameras

side j - the spring, floral scents, peach tea, mint shampoo, tinkling laughter, video cassettes, colorful paintings, excited smiles, lollipop sticks, blooming flowers, melting snow, action movies, singing in the shower

side k - the edda , lofi music, lots of jewelry, flushed cheeks, journaling, soft hugs, holding hands, coconut scent, white tees, graphic design, film photography, fresh fruit

side l (my own aesthetic) - untied shoelaces, black eyeliner, chipped paint, embarrassed smiles, loud laughter, late nights, coming of age films, music festivals, theatre productions, long diary entries, farmers markets, text abbreviations

I tag anyonewjo wants to do it bc it was fun! Tag me if u do.

[kiwd]

El Alma Que Te Trajo 222

[tylerdown13rw]

T.D 4.1 : Summer Nights

requested: yes!

Hello! I really like your Tyler Down X reader stories. I was wondering if you can do Summer Love between Tyler and the reader?

Hello! Thank you so much! I hope you like it, I wasn’t totally sure about this, but I hope you have fun with reading! Also, my headcanon is that Tyler absolutely loves Grease and other vintage things! If you wanted this to be gender-neutral, please send me another message and I will change it asap! (also made him a tøp fan, considering devin is too!) ALSO!! I will make this into multiple parts ^^

GIF: vanessacarlysle

Summer vacations are a special thing. You finally are done with school, you have enough time to do fun stuff and it’s the best weather to go swimming or eat ice cream. But that is not the only thing. Summer friends, summer love, visiting new places and making new memories. Summer love was a new thing for Tyler. He had been talking to someone he met online, the both of them sharing their love for movies and photography. But this year, the summer would be different for Tyler. The two had been talking for such a long time and still didn’t meet in real life. They asked their parents and boom, they were allowed to meet up. It was hard to see eachother considering you didn’t even live close to eachother, but it was finally time to pick you up.

Tyler was getting ready, pulling a t-shirt out of his closet and putting it on. Staring into the mirror, he just shakes his head and sighs, he needs this to be perfect. Everything has to be perfect. It’s his best friend coming over, for goodness sakes. You would be sleeping over too for this week and her parents would be in a hotel only ten minutes away. He takes out his favorite shirts, nodding and quickly puts it on. The sweet boy even bought gifts for his best friend visiting him, a matching shirt and one of his own vintage camera’s from his collection that you love. ‘‘Tyler, honey? It’s time to pick up Y/N!’‘

Tyler pretty much runs out of his room, excited to find the person he has been talking to for months. He might even think that he loves you, a person that he has never met before. Getting onto the car, he grips his camera tightly and places his backpack on his feet. ‘‘So, you know how to record, right mom? You just press this button and-’‘ He gets interrupted by the giggling of his mother. ‘‘Tyler, sweetie, you have told me a thousands of times. I am pretty sure that she will have her parents film it too. You’ll be fine!’‘

Once they reached their destination, the airport, Tyler pretty much jumps out of the car. The excitement is definitely there, making his mom chuckle. He pretty much runs into the airport and to the place to pick up his best friend. He was just on time, the first people are already walking through the doors and greeting their families. Not even 3 minutes later, he sees the familiar face, smiling and looking around for him.

Then, finally your eyes catch Tyler’s. ‘‘TYLER!’‘ You drop your bags, running towards the curly haired boy who was waiting for you with open arms. You jump straight into his arms, tightly wrapping your arms around him as he does the same to you. Camera clicking, flashes, loud voices and footsteps were in the background, but the two of you could only focus on eachother. The two of you pull back and both start laughing. ‘‘This is crazy!’‘

The two of you keep talking, even when you both are getting into the car. Your guys’ parents are also talking, mostly about the two teenagers who finally met eachother. It was adorable, really. You also got gifts for Tyler, but the both of you agreed on presenting them to eachother when you arrived at the house. Before you reached it though, your head ended up on Tyler’s shoulder, being asleep from the long trip.

Let me tell you, the boy was turning red. A girl, a very pretty one, was asleep, and on his shoulder. The moment ended soon though, as the car stopped in front of the Down’s house. That was what made him insecure. Did he clean well enough and would you like the gifts? What would you think about his house? What if people from school saw you with him? ‘‘Tyler, honey, wake up Y/N. We arrived at the house. I think that your dad has finished the F/F (your favorite food). That is what she likes, right?’‘ Your parents nod and smile, joining Tyler’s mom and walk into the house.

‘‘Y/N? Y/N, wake up. We are here.’‘ You slowly wake up, stretching your arms and letting out a yawn. “Oh.. okay,” you mumble and get out of the car, taking your bag and stretching out your legs from the car trip. “Here, let me take this,” Tyler says, taking your duffel bag and F/C backpack. You just nod, linking your arms together and walking into the house.

“Ah, it smells so good,” you say, making Tyler smile. “We made your favorite dinner. F/F, right? We can give eachother the presents after.” He glanced at her parents, who were in a conversation with his parents, all laughing and drinking wine. The friendship between the two teenagers made the adults start a friendship too. Their children were very alike, and the couples were happy to see the two so happy. Tyler never had a lot of friends, so having someone that sees him as a best friend, perhaps more, was amazing to him. The group of people sat down at the round dinner table, having the great-smelling food in front of them. “Enjoy your dinner!”

—

The parents joined eachother in the livingroom, sipping wine and talking about ‘adult stuff’. You and Tyler sat down on his bed, with bags and packages right in the middle. “You open them first,” you smile, pushing the gifts towards Tyler. You had bought him a new camera bag after you heard that his got broken, also with a tripod and a Twenty One Pilots shirt that he wanted for a while. His face while opening the gifts might have been the cutest thing that you have ever seen.

“Thank you so much!” He pulls the t-shirt over his head and chuckles. “Now you open yours.” You nod, taking the presents out of his hand and smiling. “Well, thank you kind sir,” you chuckle and start unwrapping the packages. The first one was a shirt that says ‘my best friend’ with an arrow to the left, you chuckle and pull it over your head, and sit to Tyler’s right side. “Tada!” Both laughing, he gives you the second gift.

“This is so heavy,” you mumble, taking off the wrapping paper and gasping when opening the box. “Tyler! This is like.. the most beautiful piece from your collection!” You exclaim, shocked by how he gifted you his vintage camera which meant a lot to him. Everytime the two of you would have a Skypecall, you would notice it in the background. He just chuckles and nods, fiddling with the hem of his new shirt. You squeel and place the camera on the bed before pretty much throwing yourself at Tyler, making the two of you fall back on the bed while your arms are tightly around the boy.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” He laughs and places his arms around you too, getting comfortable om his bed with his best friend, and possible crush, in his arms. After some conversations about photography, their real life and random conspiracy theories, the two teens fall asleep on the soft, comfortable bed.

“Are they doing okay?” Tyler’s mom stands up, wiping her hands on her shirt. “I’ll check up on them!” She softly knocks on Tyler’s bedroom door before walking in. The sight surprised her. Her little boy was asleep, with a girl he had been talkin to and about for ages. Wrappingpaper and various gifts surrounded the two of them, making the bed look messy. Tyler’s mom chuckles, grabbing your F/C polaroid camera that she saw in your bag, snapping two pictures of the two of you.

“Tyler might think that polaroid camera’s are for hipsters, but I think he’ll appreciate this.”

[erinthomsonphotohnd2]

Research: White Shirts

Back in Victorian times, the white shirt was considered to be representative of wealth on a count of the fact they required frequent washing. Also the term “white collar’ in the working industry with a white shirt being tied to a man in charge, rather than a man who worked day and night. Overtime, the style of the white shirt chawed, both in fabric and design and soon it simply became an everyday item. Additionally in the days of black and white film, the white shirt would add a good contrast against the often very dark suit.

https://theconversation.com/the-story-of-the-mens-white-shirt-26312

The white shirt can be seen throughout the history of fashion photography as one of the classic styling choices in addition to being hailed by the industry fashion for it’s versatility and flattering qualities. In portraiture we can see how the piece of clothing creates sharper lines and accentuates the shoulders. 

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/fashion/a32904745/history-white-shirt/

Photography:

Richard Avedon-

Richard Avedon is among the list of famous photographers best known for their works in portraiture which often included self portraits.  As his journey progressed, he spent time refining his work, paying close attention to staying details, hence the significance of his mentioning when discussing white shirts and their role in photography. It can also be noted his appreciation for the power within an image to bring put life and personality within a subject. 

“Throughout, Avedon ran a successful commercial studio, and is widely credited with erasing the line between “art” and “commercial” photography. His brand-defining work and long associations with Calvin Klein, Revlon, Versace, and dozens of other companies resulted in some of the best-known advertising campaigns in American history. These campaigns gave Avedon the freedom to pursue major projects in which he explored his cultural, political, and personal passions. He is known for his extended portraiture of the American Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam war and a celebrated cycle of photographs of his father, Jacob Israel Avedon.” 

https://www.avedonfoundation.org

I feel this image above is a strong example of portraiture as well as illustrating the classic feel of photographing a white shirt. The messy hair contrasts with the clean cut, sharp detailing and lines of the clothing while the relaxed, happy expression 

Irving Penn:

Irving Penn is another notable photographer, whose work in Portraiture expanded it’s boundaries and pushed past the belief that photographs were simply means of communication and illustrated that there could be an abundance of creativity within them too. It was the subtle details within his portraits was one of the main things that stood out, from slight alterations in hand positioning, to simple adjustments of the head.

“Sensitive people faced with the prospect of a camera portrait put on a face they think is one they would like to show the world very often what lies behind the facade is rare and more wonderful than the subject knows or dares to believe.”

https://irvingpenn.org

I feel this portrait is another strong example of the power of a white shirt because again the scruffy hair and beard juxtapose the smart collard clothing while the off centre composition allows for a more contrasted background. Also, despite a darker appearance to the shirt, 

Deborah Finegold: 

Deborah Feingold is known for her work photographing musicians and famous people after moving to New York in 1976. With a deal for “Musician Magazine” her career took off and began appearing on album covers. Throughout her work, you can see the attitude and personality of her subjects with bold styling choices and an element of vulnerability. 

“Feingold's unique ability to put her subjects almost immediately at ease engendered the kind of rare moments of honesty, intimacy and connection that became the hallmark of her work”

https://shorefire.com/releases/entry/deborah-feingold-captures-superstars-and-outliers-in-new-photography-anthol

https://classicrockphotography.jp/photographer-slug/Deborah-Feingold/

In her work, a number of her models wear the white shirt and in this example above, it is a more relaxed article while the styling adds a time stamp to the portrait and vintage feel. The close up framing brings more focus to the subject’s arm which leads the viewers’ eye to her face at the very centre of the image. 

[angiegrayson]

Basics:

Name: Angela “Angie” Marie Grayson

Birthday: May 6, 2002

Age: 17

Sexuality: Bisexual

Pronouns/gender: She/her, female

Nationality/where they were born: Tennessee, USA

Job/occupation: Student

Level of education: 11th grade (currently)

Background/bio: Angie spent the majority of her life in a small town in Tennessee where her mother worked for a large marketing company and her father worked as a photographer. Her brother Apollo started working on music at a young age, his band starting to gain popularity when he was in his junior year of high school. Angie, however, fell in love with photography at the age of 5 and her father immediately took her under his wing and taught her how to use the different settings on both film and digital cameras.

Things were good for several years. Angie followed her brother around with a camera, even joining his band on short tours as their photographer. Her parents were happy and working to make sure their children had a better life. However, the year Angie turned 13, her father was in a fatal car accident. Her mother shut down then and decided to move the family across the country for a fresh start. The move was positive for Apollo, allowing his music career to take off even more since they were now closer to LA. Angie, however, shut down for about a year and stopped taking pictures.

As she settled into her new reality, Angie eventually picked up her camera again, using photography as a way to remember her father and carry on his work. She prefers concert and nature photography as opposed to the portrait photography her father did, and she plans to continue building her skills as a photographer.

Physical Aspects:

Tattoos: Several, primarily on arms

Body Type: Thin

Piercings (do they have them/want them?): Ears, nipples (soon-ish)

Birthmarks: None

Scars: None

Height: 5’0

Eye colour: Brown

Hair colour: Dark brown

Ever dyed their hair/would they want to?: Yes and will again

Makeup?: Minimal on a daily basis, but occasionally goes for full glam

Do they paint their nails? What colour?: Yes, color varies depending on her mood when she paints them

Accent/specific ways they speak: Mild southern accent, says “y’all” way too much tbh

Mannerisms: Talks with her hands, tends to find the weirdest ways to sit in chairs

Nervous habits: Chewing on lip or nails, trying to curl in on self

Jewelry?: Earrings, rings, occasional bracelet

Personal Style? How do they dress? Do they care about how they come across/look?: Varies between kinda girly, usually more “grunge”. She cares about how she looks but also likes to try new styles that may not always look good on her

Natural expression (do they look sad, do they have resting bitch face, etc.)?: A bit of a resting bitch face, usually looks bored or tired if she has a blank expression

 Personality:

MBTI: INFJ

Enneagram: Type 2

Moral Alignment: Chaotic good

Favourite season: Fall

Biggest fear: Not being good enough for anyone (both in a personal relationship sense and a career sense)

Biggest dream: To be able to photograph tours worldwide for major performers

Favourite person: Mason

Are they tidy or messy?: A mix. Her space is organized chaos

Introvert, ambivert, or extravert?: Introvert

Are they intelligent? In what way? (Book smart, street smart, emotional intelligence, etc.): Yes, primarily book smart with some sense of street smarts and emotional intelligence

Are they sociable?: For the most part. She won’t always go out of her way to talk to new people though

Hobbies: Hiking, photography, song writing, singing, cosplay (occasionally)

Things they look for in friends/partners: Someone caring, kind, with a good sense of humor. She likes being around people who don’t judge her and who make her happy

Home Life:

Relationship with their family: Pretty decent, not super close with her mom because of her work, but all around a good relationship with her family

How many siblings do they have (if any)?: One older brother, Apollo

Face claims for/pictures of the family (Keep in mind these are subject to change and don’t count as claimed face claims)?:

Apollo - Dylan O’Brien:

Mom - Hayley Attwell

Dad - James Roday

What are their parents like?: Mom is a workaholic, but still does her best to be around for Angie and Apollo. Dad doted on Angie when she was young

Do they get along with their mother?: When her mom is around, Angie gets along with her well enough, but they do butt heads on occasion

Do they get along with their father?: Angie and her father were inseparable when he was alive. He was her idol and mentor

What was their childhood like?: Her childhood was peaceful, nothing of any major note happened prior to her father’s car accident

Pets (do they have/want them)?: She has her dog Ollie and would be open to more pets in the future

Do they still speak to their parents/family?: Yes

Where do they live?: Angie and her mom live in a house about a block from the beach, most of the houses on the street are vacation homes

Do they live alone?: Seems like she does since her mom is usually off on a business trip, but she lives with her mom and dog

Lifestyle/what lifestyle are they used to?: Relatively modest lifestyle, not used to extravagant things and can be overwhelmed when people give her nice things

What class are they in (upper, middle, lower)?: Comfortably middle class

 Sexuality/Romance:

How do they identify?: Bisexual

Out or closeted?: Out

Turn offs: Dishonest, rude, bad breath/ poor hygiene, milk before cereal

Turn ons: Kindness, humor, nice eyes

Romantic preferences: She’s a hopeless romantic, so anything cliché, but make it personal without it just being a cliche

Kinks: Bondage, choking, spanking, dominance

 Likes/Dislikes:

Favourite singer/band/musician and why: Julia Michaels, the music is relaxing to listen to and she loves the meaning behind the songs

Favourite song: clementine by Halsey

Music they can’t stand: She doesn’t really dislike any music, but she just doesn’t listen to certain types as much

Favourite outfit:

Most prized possession: The vintage film camera her dad gave her. She doesn’t use it to take pictures very often

Favourite place to be: The beach or the woods

One place they hate: Hospitals

Someone they can’t stand: Apollo (because annoying older brother)

Favourite food and why: Grilled cheese and tomato soup, best comfort food

Least favourite food and why: Beer, it’s just gross tbh

Favourite smells: Petrichor, pancakes and bacon in the morning, that crisp smell that only happens in fall

Least favourite smells: Bleach, most cleaners actually

[reimaginebykteodesigns]

Hello everyone I wanted to create a post about something I noticed recently. Now Im a pretty big nerd for sci-fi so it was natural of me to stumble upon Netflix’s “Stranger Things”. As I was watching I found this concept of there writers choice for the story to be set in the early 80’s therefore I thought it would just be an modern attempt to dress up the kids in 80’s clothes but NO I was pleasantly surprised as the titles appeared and it left the audience with a cinematic nostalgia.

Click to view the opening.

The Directors and graphics team really put a lot of effort in making his title not only is it simply red and black to emphasise something scary it approaching but for me personally it felt like I was watching an old video tape I had inserted into my VCR due to the graininess of the titles like the image was cracking. Automatically I became very invested in the visual execution of this series.

Throughout season one I was very sceptical as to when this series was set looking into the surrounding characters style and environment I could only assume the 70’s as for some reason they had this “citrus” colour pallet consisting of brown, orange , white , yellow , beige, red, white and black.

So since the interiors were like this and the camera which was used seemed grainy as well to mimic this era I had no choice but to think it must be set in the late 70’s. There was even a punk scene going on in another town which looked very 70’s which backed this theory up however the punk era also continued to thrive from the 70’s to early 80’s.

7

But this could of also been reflective of lost boys which came out in 1987 which I began to get this type of vibe off of.

As I was continuing to watch this series in the beginning I noticed chopper bikes particularly rally bikes now this may be hand downs as some of the boys bikes are defiantly not new since theres gaffer tape/electrical tape on some of the handle bars but these bikes were developed and sold during the 70’s so it could be second hand ones from the late 70s that the kids were given towards the early 80s but again the level of detail I found was so interesting.

Not to mention the Marty Mcfly jacket that Will wears^^^

Speaking of Marty Mcfly film posters back in the day seemed like they were illustrated  as it has this vintage look of what appears to be a painting which is recreated in every single stranger things poster campaign but each poster you can visually tell the different the eras in each season which I find gives the viewers a good atmosphere and mindset to base the show from.

The graphics team did a good job of this type of nostalgic poster which could also be inspired from the infamous star wars poster New Hope.

So not only have I noticed the change of style progressing each year through interiors and fashion hair seems to change and progress into the 80’s we know and love. With through backs to mullets, bowl cuts and perms; these overgrown cuts seemed to be a fashion statement and even more so towards todays hair style with messy bed hair and loose curls and waves… maybe not as extreme as the big hair but we do see the occasional back comb look on cheeky night outs!

As the show progressed the style progressed not only in fashion but also vibe and cinematography and lighting. From the ironic colours of red, brown/beige,  black white and yellow that was seen during the beginning of the film as the character and years progress so does the style, lighting and tone.

For some reason a lot of pink is used in the lighting and even in clothes that the characters wear; it is very reminiscent to save by the bell a very iconic “cult show”.not to mention a lot of strange geometric shapes in the background. Not sure what thats about but it was pretty rad a the time. But I find the 80’s style coming back now with the hipster pattern shirts and bright coloured scrunches.

STRANGER THINGS

  Lastly what makes the series of stranger things isn’t just the scary monsters and the storyline for me what ties it together is the cinamatography  and lighting is a very powerful thing. This is something that inspires me in my own photography as those intense colours that reflect on the characters creates a very retro vibe and defiantly creates an intense emotional atmosphere. Again neon is a very stereo typical 80’s glam rock image similarly creating a some what Las Vegas vibe. Truly stunning.

Overall the cinematography is so inspiring to use even using such things like gel lighting or having coloured agitate would give this effect to the simplest of photographs but I feel we need this nostalgia even thug it is at times overlooked. I understand that perhaps an over use of pink was used but since this tv show was based loosely around the Cold War and Soviet Union and using pink to either calm or scare the Russians I feel this pink was used purposely. It seemed like a fun, creative free era were people could wear funky patterns, big hair and be utterly saturated in neon but why can’t we be nostalgic. We are constant on our phones a lot and back then there was the brick phone (how far we have come). Over the weekend I went to the Linda McCartney photography exhibit and was sp amazed by her manual and Polaroid work and how low tech can become the highest of quality and capturing this vintage style and memory. If we can capture this “vintage” memories to create an atmosphere using design and not just for the purpose of “fad” having more definition and meaning then perhaps this could be a way to bring everyone into normal conversation even if it is a little outrageous.

In the immediate future I do intend to use this style in my practise as I begin to slowly introduced this concept of coloured lighting in my photography. During my time doing my masters course I did a project experimenting with coloured light in arcades. To view this click bellow:

coloured light photography portfolio.

Defiantly an inspiring time so save this space for more content on the 80’s style.

How we can use Stranger things as an example to create inspiring design. Hello everyone I wanted to create a post about something I noticed recently. Now Im a pretty big nerd for sci-fi so it was natural of me to stumble upon Netflix's "Stranger Things".

[sonicenvy]

so i was tagged by the lovely @tinyconfusion​ for the five things meme! And shockingly im filling out a meme in a timely fashion????? 

so here we go

five things you’d find in my bag:

(1) chapstick, probably some kind of peppermint one, and definitely labelless; one of my anxiety habits is peeling labels off of everything I own.

(1) package of some variety of mint gum. Currently I have a package of fancy, organic, $6, mint gum from whole foods that my aunt (who I work for) bought me.

(1) very old, orange, 8gb iPod shuffle that I purchased from an estate sale we did abt five weeks ago for $5

(1) labelless prescription medication jar with (1) pair of earbuds in it, I have loads of those jars and I store all of my earbuds and charge cords and such in them – it makes it way easier to just throw them in a bag when im on the go, or to store them all in bin together. Added bonus, they’re waterproof and watertight.

(1) external cellphone battery, purchased at five below for $5 (which if you have never been is a super great us chain of stores where everything is $5 or less)

five things in my bedroom:

(1) vintage, brass kaleidoscope. I think those things are super cool, and this one is one that I nicked off my parents.

(1) super fun rolling storage cart from ikea that I have stuffed with all of my crafting supplies

(1) collection of cameras: (1) Polaroid Automatic Land Camera 210, (1) Canon AE-1, (1) Olympus E-volt E500, (1) Holga 120s.

(1) Vintage, dark wood drafting desk. It’s a desk I got from my dad who used to be a draftsman like a million years ago. The thing is super solid and probably weighs like a million pounds.

(1) blown glass coaster my mom made in an art class that she took with my dad.

five things i want to do in life:

Get my nice shiny BFA. I am paying way too much money for it anyways lol

Find a nice apartment to live in

Learn to drive (finally)

Own a cat or dog on my own

Travel on my own, (or with friends) – basically travelling without my family would undoubtedly be super fun.

 five things i am currently into:

computer/cellphone repair, disassembly etc. i have bs learned how to fix laptops and iphones bcs mine both broke last term and i am very poor.... (student loans are a bitch, and my university workstudy job only pays $7.25 / hr)

Origami. I’ve been into origami since highschool, but ive been picking it up a little more recently since ive been back at my parents’ place for the summer.

photography. i took my first darkroom course this past term, and had a blast with it. upon returning to the city for the summer i promptly (and totally, irresponsibly) spent $50 on some film developing supplies (i can’t afford to make prints ++ i don’t have the space, but i can totally develop my rolls from this summer before the term...)

cycling. after two terms my bike and i have finally been reunited and ive been riding it everywhere within, like a 20 mile radius to avoid taking the bus places bcs i hate the bus, and it costs money. in the last week i biked like 90 miles or smthng.

cooking. im living with my parents over the summer and they have a kickass kitchen and awesome implements and supplies. i made a pretty awesome chicken marsala for my parents the other day.

five things on my to-do list:

finish a few more pairs of earrings for my etsy shop, photography them and post them.

write that essay on frankenstein for professor moriarty (after long last as i am messy ++ disorgansied, and time is unreal inside my adhd brain)

actually put away that hamper of clean clothes that’s just been sitting in my room for almost two weeks now. (im so spacey that i accidently washed it again on friday, which lol

actually take my bicycle into the shop and get the back brake rewired

finally get up the nerve ++ money to attend a con of some kind

tagging @stagnesandtheburningtrain, @polybandsexual, @dimensionhoppingrose , @kaynibbler16 and @fantastic-nonsense

(if ur interested...)

[becksleeepy]

Assignment #2

Selena Gomez released a music video for her 2017 single “Fetish” in partnership with Petra F. Collins, who is known for her dreamy, ethereal, feminine photography and took on the position of being the director. The music video starts off with the camera capturing a bee flying around a flower tree with the sun’s ray peeking through the branches in a worm’s eye view. The camera then descends slowly down the tree, when a millisecond shot suddenly appears of what looks to be like skin. Then the scene brings the viewers back to the trees, the camera still slowly descending. Now another scene is abruptly cut to a longer shot of someone’s hands caressing their own wet legs. And we’re brought back to the trees, the camera still going down; and another image is unexpectedly shown of Selena’s face looking up at the ceiling in an unfamiliar room, her whole body wet and dripping. All of the episodes of the abrupt images during the panning of the trees are tinted orange and the camera is unstable and shaky. The trees slowly lead the camera, which is now eye-level, to a quiet, desolate suburban neighborhood. And a second into the screening of the neighborhood, we’re brought to a different scene of seeing Selena eye-to-eye, the camera is at a very personal distance away from her face-- we can clearly see her eyes and nose and dripping wet hair. And then the camera brings the viewer back to the neighborhood; Selena is walking down the street while holding grocery bags on both hands, and she’s wearing a pastel yellow maxi dress and white sneakers. The camera is showing an establishing shot of the neighborhood while she’s walking: all the houses look identical, there are kid toys in the front lawns, sprinklers are going off, there’s a broken car with smoking coming out of it in the distance, and at the very end of the street it seems to be very foggy.

In the scene after, the camera is shooting from a worm’s eye view of Selena’s hand reaching for something in the sky, her fingers moving in slow and graceful manner. Following that, the camera is looking down at her from a bird’s eye view of her actually covering her eyes from the bright sun with her long, stretched-out fingers. Her fingers continue to move in an elegant manner and if not noticed carefully-- we can see her hand and arm is dripping with something the audience doesn’t know about. Droplets are falling down her arms and her eyes are sparkling whenever the sun rays hit it.

A brand new scene of a rustic and pastel-y kitchen is introduced and Selena is picking up the remains of a broken wine glass that spilled red liquid all over the counter. It goes on like that for awhile, and the camera is showing the audience a direct look into her eyes, and we’re back outside in the neighborhood. The hand-reaching-the-sky scene is back and it switches over to the kitchen scene and the camera captures Selena putting the broken wine glass in her mouth in a close-up shot. The scene cuts away, once again, to her covering her eyes from the sun and then another section is shown of her walking barefoot on grass, presumably in her neighborhood, holding her groceries in a drunk-like, swaying motion. A different clip rolls around next to Selena walking in an unstable sense of balance toward the dark, gloomy kitchen with the grocery bags and the camera is shaky while it’s following her inside. Then a very quick scene appears of her tying a thin rope around her tongue and tightening it. Following that, she’s trying to balance herself in the middle of the kitchen while still holding the groceries and her head is moving in a contorted matter. The kitchen is messy with cupboards strewn open, the microwave is running, the counter is dirty, and the food is scattered all over the floor. Succeeding that, Selena is picking out peaches in a peach garden and next she’s wearing a yellow mesh dress with yellow polka dots and she’s sitting at one end of an elaborately decorated long kitchen table with the utensils and plates all nicely set up. A close-up shot rolls next of what appears to be her sucking her fingers, but she actually pulls out the broken glass she ate previously in the video. Abruptly after, Selena is smashing her groceries on the wall and wreaking havoc. Afterwards, she’s ripping her tights on a vintage couch, but her face seems blank and empty. The tilted camera then takes the viewer to seeing Selena’s back in a bathroom clamping her tongue with an eyelash curler. She then proceeds to mess the kitchen up even more aggressively and then she’s on the floor scrunching her wet and dirty dress and pulling her hair and the food from the grocery bags is squashed all over the room. The viewers are back in the beautifully decorated kitchen, but this time it’s raining and the candles are lit despite it raining and Selena is crawling on the table and the camera slowly backs away and starts to blur to transition into the next scene.

Selena is walking in a new set-up, this time a white and icy freezer. Gucci Mane, the rapper featured in the song, shows up in hip-hop fashion and is rapping. The camera moves away to Selena touching the carts that are holding the peaches, however, the camera is very foggy. The camera zooms back into Gucci Mane and in the next scene, she’s on the floor holding onto the carts like her life depended on it. Her hair is wet and frost is seen all over her. She slides her body down against the freezer wall and looks at the camera which is looking at her in a bird's eye view. She then drops the peaches onto the floor and is seen squirming on the snowy ground. Then there’s a close-up shot of Selena looking demonically at the camera and the camera is crystal clear unlike how it was in the other freezer scenes. The camera is at a slight worm's eye view which makes her seem more devilish. A different close-up shot shows Selena eating bright pink lipstick. And then the viewers are brought back in the freezer and Selena is walking like a zombie in the middle of it. A short scene shows off her back in the kitchen washing dishes, and as she reaches for the dish soap bar she seems to be looking at it with much thought and proceeds to put it in her mouth and bite a huge chunk out of it. A different close-up shot shows Selena clamping her tongue with the eyelash curler and she’s back in the freezer for the last time moving in a contorted manner with her feet bare.

Unlike the complexity of the imagery portrayed in the music video, the sound effects are very simple and kept to a minimum so it isn’t overpowering the song which is the main part and whole purpose of the video. From the beginning when the bee was flying around the tree to when Selena is looking up the sky, the only detectable sounds are birds singing, insects buzzing, and crickets chirping. When the scene of the suburban neighbor shows up, all the noise is canceled out except the sprinklers. Then the sprinklers are cut away and the only thing making sounds are the crickets. Right after that, the song plays in the background for a good portion of the video. After the song ends, Selena laughs and the short film is over.

After visually analyzing and hearing the music video, I feel like Selena is trying to convey more than one message here. To begin with, the song title “Fetish” should already say enough about what she’s going to portray in the short film. One way to look at her behavior is that she’s dealing with a fetish of putting items into her mouth. She tries to push it out by trying to cut her tongue with the eyelash curler, but it didn’t work because the behavior comes back. She tries to get rid of the obsession, but it doesn’t work so she’s angry and frustrated which explains her morbid response in the kitchen. The romanticizing of some of the gory moments like her eating the glass, lipstick, and bar of soap reflect one of the messages of the song, which is about how fetishizing a partner isn’t necessarily healthy. The video might be mimicking this push and pull relationship between a couple, where one fetishizes the other, as she keeps putting inedible objects in her mouth and spitting them out. As the water starts to rain down, it seems like she’s fighting her environment or fetish. Another message Selena is trying to convey along with the other one is her commentary on society’s standards for women and how it encourages self-harm, which explains her eating the inedible objects and her clamping her tongue with the eyelash curler. When she eats the makeup, spits out the items, and snaps her tongue, it represents society’s standards and how that ends up to women resulting in self-harm.

[nofomoartworld]

Hyperallergic: In a New Documentary, Errol Morris Turns His Camera on a Polaroid Portraitist

Still from The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography (2016) (all images courtesy NEON)

Elsa Dorfman is an endearing holdout. In a world where commissioning artists to make formal portraits of one’s family seems like a nostalgic indulgence, the Boston-based photographer has made a name for herself with a bright aesthetic and a unique choice of medium: large-format Polaroid film. The 80-year-old portraitist is the subject of documentarian Errol Morris’s latest feature, The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography, a sweet film that, like an unshaken Polaroid, feels slightly underdeveloped.

The film follows a chronological, biographic format, with Dorfman recounting her life and career, plentifully illustrated by her extensive archive and sprinkled with excerpts of vintage interviews. After growing up in Boston, she moved to New York, armed herself with a camera, and shot candid, black-and-white images of many Beat Generation figures, including Peter Orlovsky, Gary Snyder, Gregory Corso, and Allen Ginsberg, the latter of whom became a lifelong friend and the subject of some of her best-known photos. But it was only when Dorfman moved back to Boston that she found the format and aesthetic that would sustain her for decades.

Still from The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography (2016)

Working with Cambridge-based photo giant Polaroid, she started using one of its 20×24 cameras and never looked back. Ever since, she has been shooting her full-color, large-format portraits, making two images of every client and holding onto the rejected one. Musing on the differences between her sitters’ choices and the photos she gets to keep — where someone might be blinking or bursting into laughter, seemingly disrupting a more formal pose — Dorfman expresses her own preference for the reject or “B-side” image in every instance, hence Morris’s title. The ritual peeling back of every photo’s protective paper, with its anticipation and reveal, and the traces of chemicals that frame each portrait, are wonderfully tactile details that conjure the magic of photography. Even Polaroid’s “instant pictures” seem charmingly arcane compared to today’s effortless image machines.

Dorfman’s portrait photos, brightly lit and taken against a white backdrop in her Cambridge studio, appear cheerfully matter-of-fact and unpretentious, much like the artist herself. “In my life I’ve worked really hard not to be down,” she says. “I don’t like to take pictures of people who are sad.”

Indeed, the saddest passages in the film are those devoted to Ginsberg’s death and Polaroid’s bankruptcy. At such times, The B-Side starts to feel like a parable about the cycles of life and obsolescence, the speeding up of time, and the dematerialization of memory. But unlike some of Morris’s best-known films, there’s no moment — at least there wasn’t for me — where this portrait of a wonderful misfit either transcends its confines to achieve universal resonance or plunges into total weirdness (or does both). In some ways this is refreshing; not every documentary needs to culminate in a life-affirming takeaway or dramatic twist. Perhaps what’s slightly disappointing about The B-Side is that it comes very close to taking up weighty existential questions about how we choose to represent and memorialize ourselves, and how images mediate our relationships to our loved ones, but it stops short. Maybe Morris’s portrait of Dorfman is simply the more manicured and posed official one, rather than the messy and unguarded B-side.

Still from The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography (2016)

The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography is playing in theaters nationwide, including the Angelika Film Center and Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York City.

The post In a New Documentary, Errol Morris Turns His Camera on a Polaroid Portraitist appeared first on Hyperallergic.

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