#wedding photography solo

[crazyfanofmasskpopculture]

[ctweddingdj]

The Stress-free Wedding Planning Podcast #82: Solo Photographer vs Photography Team

The Stress-free Wedding Planning Podcast #82: Solo Photographer vs Photography Team Solo photographer or multiple photography team. Which one is right for you? Continue reading The Stress-free Wedding Planning Podcast #82: Solo Photographer vs Photography Team

[jameslesterphotography]

Wedding Photographer - James Lester Photography

Searching for a wedding photographer shouldn’t leave you feeling unwanted. Since my business’s beginnings, inclusive open-hearted service has remained priority number one - to document the love shared between people of all backgrounds, identities, you name it. It’s not only my mission to simply capture love, but to spread love too! As such, I work diligently to create a safe space for authentic expression with a whole lot of fun mixed in. I do this by simply being open to everyone I serve on a human level. If this resonates with you, you've come to the right place and I can't wait to connect with you! https://jameslesterphoto.com/

[daily--sims]

My Pinterest Pins

Sims 4 Accessories Sims 4 Animations Sims 4 Art CC/Lots Sims 4 Baby Shower Sims 4 Ballet/Dancer Sims 4 Barbie CC/Poses Sims 4 Bathroom CC Sims 4 Bedroom CC Sims 4 Bridgerton CC Sims 4 CAS BG Sims 4 CAS Poses Sims 4 Children Poses Sims 4 Christmas CC/Poses Sims 4 Clothing Sims 4 Cottage CC/Lots Sims 4 Couple Poses Sims 4 Dining Room CC Sims 4 Disney CC Sims 4 Dresses Sims 4 Eyebrows Sims 4 Facial Hair Sims 4 Family Poses Sims 4 Fantasy CC Sims 4 French CC Sims 4 Friend Poses Sims 4 Furniture Sims 4 Girly Girl CC Sims 4 GOT/HOTD CC Sims 4 Gothic CC Sims 4 Gym CC/Lots Sims 4 Hair Sims 4 Halloween CC/Poses Sims 4 High School Sims 4 Horse Ranch CC Sims 4 Hospital CC Sims 4 Infant CC Sims 4 Island Living CC Sims 4 Kitchen CC Sims 4 Laundry CC Sims 4 Lights CC Sims 4 Living Room CC Sims 4 Lookbooks Sims 4 Lots Sims 4 Makeup Sims 4 Marvel CC Sims 4 Mods Sims 4 Music CC Sims 4 Nursery CC Sims 4 Pets Sims 4 Photography Sims 4 Plants CC Sims 4 Pool CC Sims 4 Pregnancy Poses Sims 4 Presets Sims 4 Rent CC/Lots Sims 4 Royal CC Sims 4 Sad Poses Sims 4 Selfie Poses Sims 4 Shoes Sims 4 Sim Dumps Sims 4 Skin Details Sims 4 Solo Poses Sims 4 Sport CC/Poses Sims 4 Storytelling Poses Sims 4 Swimwear Sims 4 Toddler Poses Sims 4 Wall Designs Sims 4 Wedding CC Sims 4 Yoga/Tennis

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Autumn Sunrise Painterly Clouds, Oxbow Bend

After a couple of solo trips, I finally took my husband to the Tetons for his first time on our 5th wedding anniversary. I’m not one to kick back and sleep in- I wanted to make the most of our short visit here, so naturally, I dragged him out of bed for a sunrise shoot. Beautiful painterly clouds briefly caught some pre-sunrise color reflected in the calm water of the Snake River.

By Optimal Focus Photography

[rainkays]

UNTIL DAWN HC’S WE’RE SO BACK

JESS is everyone’s go to for parties, school dances, weddings. any big event, you name it, she’s helping you get ready. her house is packed with the group every weekend on their way to a house party, glitter and solo cups covering the kitchen during their pregames. and she of course curates a playlist for every event, very charli xcx sky ferreira heavy. she has an unlimited supply of outfits for every event, so don’t be surprised if you see her and emily in the same outfit different weekends (my bffs ever)

CHRIS & JOSH are in photography club at school so you’ll catch them on the sidelines for every football game on fridays. which in turn, means that jess and mike may or may not get prime real estate in the yearbook. you’ll never catch jess off guard, despite the boys persistent efforts, with her on the front page of the friday night lights section of the yearbook. they also tote their cameras around to unsanctioned parties, in addition to homecoming and prom night.

SAM & ASHLEY found themselves working at the movie theatre downtown, a minute or 2 walk from school. they curate a selection of 2000’s romcoms during february, by jess’s request of course. they also host drive in nights during october and play their favorites, sleepaway camp, friday the 13th, and halloween: jess works right across the street at an ice cream shop during summers and sneaks over on her breaks to steal popcorn and candy when their manager isn’t looking <3

[freddiemercurylegendabovelegends]

Today, on 13th January, 2017

Lord Snowdon, former husband to Princess Margaret and photographer,died at the age of 86

Brian May remembers

Sad to hear of the passing of Lord Snowdon. I can’t say I was his friend, though perhaps I would like to have been. We did spend a couple of days together as Queen (the rock group) and portrait photographer, and it was very memorable. I knew of Lord Snowdon from when I was quite small. As Anthony Armstrong Jones he had married the very glamorous Princess Margaret, in Westminster Abbey, in top level splendour, televised in colour (!) and celebrated throughout the land. Somehow it caught my imagination, gave me a thrill, to the point where I pasted a picture of the handsome couple in my personal photo album. It was a fairy-tale. Shy handsome commoner weds beautiful royal princess. Much later I realised that Tony Armstrong Jones, now Lord Snowdon, was a dedicated artist, a gentleman photographer in true Victorian style, and that his world had stayed quite separate from the Royal Family he had married into. I believe he had a Victorian sensibility in more than one way. A Gentleman, certainly, and a man of independent means, he did not need to take photographs to earn a living. It was his art. And in the details of his practice, too, he adhered to early traditions of photography. He believed that the essence of a sitter for a portrait was to be revealed only in natural light.

Well, this is what he told us, when the four of us found ourselves at his house, our mission being to find the elusive ‘Group Shot’ - a four-fold portrait of a Rock Band, for the cover of an album. Now this was around 1981, about 35 years ago. So the portrait of this session in my mind is a little faded. But Snowdon was a delightful, thoughtful, modest and gentle man, given to pausing to ponder, in his walking around the room, with a slight limp, a relic from a childhood illness, as he looked at us, planning his shoot.

I’m sure Roger has better recollections than I, but I seem to remember us sitting around a little awkwardly, sipping coffee, discussing what we were trying to achieve. I don’t believe we had any preconceptions at all … the four of us hadn’t had the chance to confer beforehand, and I think on this occasion we didn’t have a plan. We assumed that this accomplished photographer would bring a fresh approach. We’d done a lot of this kind of session, of course, over the years, notably with George Hurrell, iconic Hollywood portraitist, and Mick Rock, who had pulled off a very memorable diamond format four-shot on a black background, which not only graced the cover of our early album Queen II, but, brought to life, became the shot that everyone remembers from the Bohemian Rhapsody video some years later.

Snowdon told us that he didn’t want an overriding theme - he didn’t think we need to ‘try so hard’. He said he wanted us naturally filling the space, and he was absolutely insistent that the lighting would be natural too … only the daylight which pervaded his studio, again, Victorian style - more or less a glass-house. He would not use any artificial light. Now I may be wrong about this, but I seem to remember we talked so much and drank so much coffee, that time passed and the light started to fade. Anthony took some test shots on his large-format camera (no 35mm for him) and wasn’t happy. So he said something like … "I know what to do now, but we missed our slot. I’m not going to use studio lights - I want the quality of daylight in this shot. Can you come back tomorrow?” Strangely enough we could. And then it was all very quick. He took a few solo shots of us singly (I wonder where they are ?) And then went for the cover shot of the four of us. I think he only took a couple of dozen shots, very much like we’d seen Hurrell do. He knew exactly what he wanted, and he knew when it was in the bag - even though he couldn't verify that on the spot. The developing of the negative had to be done, and prints made, before anyone could see the result.

So we said our goodbyes and left - and … that was it. The picture we wanted arrived a couple of days later, and it was perfect for what we needed - nicely balanced in composition, with all of us looking quite decent; understated, a little formal, yet not stiff, and beautifully lit by Nature herself, with a little help from Lord Snowdon.

The album ? It was to become the biggest selling British album in History - Queen’s Greatest Hits.

We decided to mount the picture in an unusual way. Inspired by the first Superman Film, we skewed the photograph as if it were mounted flat on a piece of glass spinning through space. So our faces are distorted by perspective. Years later, for the re-issue for Universal Records, we decided to ‘undo’ that distortion, and on this cover you see Snowdon’s picture exactly as it was taken. Pure ! I like that version best. As Snowdon himself might have said … it wasn’t trying too hard.

You won’t find this stuff on Wikipedia, of course. In the anarchy of the Internet based information, anybody can contribute stuff as long as they are citing someone who said it previously ! So the entry as I just looked at it is a ripe mixture of fact and inaccuracies - they don’t even mention who took the cover photograph. Who will write history ? Well, certainly not me … with my memory weaving its own spells at this distance. But History was certainly made in those fleeting moments when we were privileged to enjoy the company of that fine gentleman, Snowdon

RIP

Bri - january 13, 2017

(source: brianmay.com)

[captainpains]

Acting Afool (Kylux)

For @kyluxshortshorts I'm having so much fun with these prompts. Enjoy 💕

Prompt: Roleplay

Warnings: Highschool AU, Benarmie cuteness, first kiss

~

Ben Solo did not consider himself to be a patron of the arts. He had managed to fail art class his freshman year of highschool, flunked the beginners music class his sophomore year, and hated the introductory photography class so much he switched classes in the first week. This theater class is his last hope to get the art credit that he needed to graduate highschool. 

So far in the semester, the class hadn’t been too bad. There was memorization and acting exercises, but all in all the class was pretty fun. Ben was excited to finish off his highschool career. 

One thing he did not expect was his massive crush on the British exchange student, Armitage Hux.

In the beginning, Ben thought Armitage was there for the same reason he was, just to get the stupid art credit. But, he soon realized that Armie actually liked acting. He put his heart into every small performance that he did, every monologue and improv game.

“You really like acting, don’t you?” Ben asked as he looked over the short script. It was for their final in the class, to put on a short 10 minute play. Armie and him were in a group with one other senior, one that has decided that they don’t need to practice, so it was just the two of them in Ben’s house. His parents were out of town, which is why he suggested they practice there.

“I find this class to be more agreeable than other art classes.” Armie answered, writing something down in his notebook.

“But you put a lot more effort into this class than anybody else.”

“I put this much effort into everything I do.”

“Yeah, but you smile when you do work for this class and seem to actually enjoy it.”

Armitage gave him an unimpressed look, then a gentle shove. Ben laughed and shoved back. That turned to a playful wrestling match, the two boys laughing as they fought each other. In the end, Armie came out on top, literally pinning Ben to the ground and sat on his waist. Ben panted and found himself staring at Armies lips. For the longest time, Ben dreamed about those soft looking lips on his. 

“Uh? Ben?” The words broke Ben out of his trance and he sheepishly pushed Armie off of him.

They went back to studying their lines innocently. Ben wanted to do well because he wanted Armie to be proud of him. 

“Do you want to practice together now?” Armitage asked after a few minutes.

“Kinda hard to do without Rose.”

“Well, we still need to make sure our performances and timing is great. I’ll read Rose’s parts.”

“Alright. Start from the beginning?”

“Of course.”

Armie cleared his throat and began to read off his lines. The play they chose was a comedy called The Wedding Story. Ben was the groom, Rose was the Bride, and Armie played the Storyteller. 

“ The bride at the tender age of 24-” Ben laughs, as directed. “WHAT? WHAT’S SO FUNNY?”

“She’s not even close to 24!” Ben said, putting emphasis in a way that would make their teacher proud.

“Now just wait a minute here, Buster Brown, whose story is this?”

“OURS!” The two yelled.

Then they broke down laughing. It was meant to be an absurd comedy, but probably not the best for the actors to burst out laughing.

Ben slowly quieted down, while Armitage kept laughing for a little longer. He was smiling so beautifully, and Ben couldn’t stop himself from closing the gap. Their mouths collided and the other boy was shocked still. It took a moment for Ben’s brain to catch up, and when it did, he panicked and pulled away quickly.

“I’m so sorry!” He buried his head in his hands, cheeks red with his embarrassment. 

Armie was silent. Ben mentally prepared himself to fail this final because of his own stupidity. But, then the other boy reached out and pried his hands away from his face. Ben looked into his pretty blue eyes and was prepared to face the worst rejection in his life. However, it never came because Armitage gave him a peck on the lips. He pulled away with a smile.

“Will you do me the honor of going on a date with me?” He asked.

Ben nodded enthusiastically before tackling Armie to the ground with a laugh. 

[miscelliteeous]

So I have a new hyperfixation character and it is The Spot from Spider-Man, and that led to me coming up with a Spidersona, a universe for them, and several side character/villain reimagines (plus my OC I already ship with Doc Ock, killing two birds with one stone here!). And while I don't have anything drawn yet due to my wrist getting injured, I do have a lot written down that I want to share!

-Spidersona Detailed Profile-

Name: Blythe Basile

Alias: Shutterbug

Age: Thirties

Height: An even 5ft

Weight: Classified

Occupation: Fashion photographer

Powers: 

Spider-sense, reflexes/agility, wall climbing, major jumping ability, super strength, (aka standard Spidey powers). Also: photographic memory, enhanced vision, a natural webbing released from the fingertips that can't be swung from but can slow down or catch others

Weakness: 

Fear of heights, Shutterbug is short, handsome men

Location: 

A much, much more fashionable world's New York Garment District, which takes up most of NYC now

Backstory: 

An orphan found abandoned on the doorstep of a fashion boutique, Blythe was taken in and adopted by the owners, Marianne and Rainier Basile, who unfortunately both perished in an accident when Blythe was ten. Rainier’s sister Maylis stepped up to take care of them, and she quickly proved to be a kind and caring adoptive parent, sharing with Blythe a love of photography.

Similar to many others, Blythe was an awkward geek in high school and a loner, and what little respect and status they had was gained through their roles on the photography club and as photographer for the yearbook committee. Bullying was common, but despite everything Blythe graduated early.

After graduation it was like they flourished, gaining a mentor in one of the most decorated photographers in the world; LeBene, a former wartime photojournalist turned nature photographer who taught them everything he knew and was almost like a father figure to them. Their entry into the photography world, and LeBene’s care, gave Blythe a sense of confidence, fashion, and style, and they no longer felt awkward and alone anymore. LeBene often told them "Always put people before the art. Use your camera for good." Blythe was overjoyed when LeBene and Aunt Maylis began a romance.

On one of their first solo assignments, Blythe was sent to shoot photos for a "Men of Science" beefcake calendar at a nearby laboratory. In the middle of photographing a lab technician holding a strategically placed folder, there was a sharp stabbing sensation on the back of Blythe's thigh, though they didn't see what caused it. Despite the pain, Blythe continued to work, until collapsing at their studio apartment and sleeping for three days. Still, they did at least manage to get a boyfriend out of the experience, and a foothold in the photography industry.

It didn't take Blythe long to realize they were developing superpowers and they designed and crafted a suit to photograph themselves in for fun. Instead, Blythe wound up saving someone's life, and found that they actually make a pretty good hero. As they started their heroics, they also started to move up in the world, and was hired at a famous fashion magazine. Unfortunately, with the increase in costumed crime and a beginners workload, Blythe and their boyfriend decided to mutually break up, and Blythe attended the wedding of LeBene and Maylis by themself. 

The increased pressure at work and on the streets, began to cause Blythe to care less and less about the duty they had willingly taken up. Long story short, one day when Blythe put protecting their camera over stopping a criminal, that criminal happened to run over LeBene, who died in Blythe's arms. From that day forward, Blythe vowed to not only stop crime, but also to only use their camera for good (and fashion). Using their powers and photography skills, Blythe takes down both supervillains and corrupt capitalists.

Personality: 

Takes photography very seriously and always has at least one camera within arms reach. Mildly boy (or well, old man) crazy, in that they sure do like getting grabbed by their middle aged enemies an awful lot (though they do always get the upper hand on the bad guys in the end). Blythe still has an incredibly geeky side, and has to hide it while mingling amongst the fashion elite. Hardworking, dedicated, and very good at helping others feel comfortable and safe.

Misc:

Has no idea they were EVER bitten by a spider and would be horrified to find out.

Their boss is J. Jonah Jameson, head of the magazine! He’s tough but fair and considers Blythe to be a good person but thinks Shutterbug is tacky and boring.

By “a more fashionable world”, think like Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure fashion in a golden art deco-inspired city. Very in-your-face style.

Blythe doesn’t like touching things without gloves.

Their favorite camera was LeBene’s, and it is only used on the most special of occasions.

Their studio apartment is actually pretty small and cramped, with the walls covered in photographs, unintentionally making it look like a damn serial killer lives there instead of a superhero.

They’re working on not going heart eyes over their villains, but so far they’re having no success.

Despite being a fashion photographer, Blythe is terrible at telling what they look good in, luckily their best friend, Graham Stacy (a fellow photographer at the magazine), helps them with shopping.

Mostly uses their organic webbing for ease of photography. It doesn’t show up on camera, so it can be very useful.

Typically goes by they/them but is fine with any pronouns and prefers to be called a girlfriend when being dated as opposed to partner/enbyfriend/etc. Being called she/her by citizens whilst in costume just means it’ll be harder for others to connect Shutterbug to Blythe.

Despite their fame, Blythe doesn’t have a social life and spends what little free time they have watching old horror movies and playing video games. They’re still majorly geeky, it’s just usually hidden.

Not nearly as book-smart/scientific as most other Spidey-types, and by far the worst at math in the entire multiverse. Yes, that includes the car. Spider-Mobile can do math better than them.

Drinks an ungodly amount of coffee and caffeine, but doesn’t suffer from it  because of a pre-existing mutation the spider had where it could handle caffeine.

Villains:

Doctor Octopus- During an experiment gone wrong, shy and reserved Otto Octavius was forever fused to a set of rose-gold robotic tentacles he created and he’s making it everyone else's problem. He’s very charming and sadly taken, but also very ruthless (with a new god complex) and one of Shutterbug’s biggest and most intelligent foes.

Melusine- An act of corporate sabotage that destroyed her life's work caused Mima Marsh to lose her legs and her career. She turned to crime as a way to get vengeance on those who caused her loss and the world itself. Flies around connected to a very classy mechanical mermaid tail and has robotic flying fish minions. Locked down Doc Ock as her partner fast.

The Spot- Johnny Ohnn was one of the scientists posing for the calendar, and he and Blythe briefly dated until work became too hectic for them both. He was in a lab accident while working on portals and forever changed into a being of portals and turned to a life of crime after losing his job. Blythe thinks they can still work things out. (He’s getting his own section too because he’s a major character)

Electro- An electronica musician in the wrong place at the wrong time, Max Dillon became more electricity than human, and of course turned to a life of crime, but he still makes pretty good music on the side. Tries to not kill anyone, though he’s not always successful. His crimes mostly include breaking into power plants to turn them into giant music machines.

Vulture- After being forced out of the company he created, Adrian Toomes stole an invention that allows him to fly and make life hell for those who planned the hostile takeover. Ironically he’s a kinder person after becoming a criminal and regularly donates to charity. Blythe would let him be if he wasn’t swooping at people on the streets.

Mysterio- Illusionist Quentin Beck lost his stage in Las Vegas to a pop star and decided to try his luck in NYC. Having no luck there either, he decided to put his skills to use in a less legal way. Has an ego even bigger than Doc Ocks. Teams up with Electro a lot and their fights are actually a highlight for citizens. 

Lizard- Dr. Curt Connors injected himself with lizard DNA on a dare from his science buddies and transformed into a big lizard monster and roams NYC’s sewers. Still pretty intelligent, he just eats people now and has a lot less morals. Has an ex-wife and son that he still tries to visit once a month, but they’re less than pleased when he tries to make them lizards too.

Kraven The Hunter- Sergei Kravinoff comes from a long line of furriers, but when NYC’s biggest buyer decided to go fur-free, he decided to seek revenge, using skills learned from the other half of his family; notorious big game hunters. As stylish as he is deadly, he hates Shutterbug for always getting in his way, while they’re kinda low key jealous of his style.

Shocker- Herman Schultz is a mercenary with vibro-shock gauntlets who views villainy like his old construction job, very 9-to-5 blue collar. Doesn’t hold a grudge against Shutterbug for foiling his crimes, and is down to team up with others at any time, though few take him up on the offer. A pretty chill guy when he’s off the clock.

White Rabbit- Model and heiress Lorina Dodson was disinherited after a very embarrassing scandal. In a rage, she paid Shocker a ton of cash to get her a ton of rabbit-themed weapons that she uses for criminal mischief and making her parents mad and dressing like a Playboy bunny. Always down to let Shutterbug take a pic or twelve during fights.

-Spot Detailed Profile-

Name: Johnathon “Johnny” Ohnn

Alias: The Spot/Spot

Age: Late 30s-Early 40s

Height: 6’3” (before Spot)/7’ (as Spot)

Weight: 210lbs (before Spot)/Unknown (as Spot)

Occupation: Scientist (before Spot)/Criminal Mad Scientist (as Spot)

Backstory:

The only son of Patty and Albert Ohnn, Johnathon was a shy, awkward kid, who grew into a shy, awkward (and lanky, his growth spurt was very generous) adult but one with an autism diagnosis that explained a lot to him. 

After graduating from college, his brilliant mind was quickly snatched up by Alchemax Laboratories, and thrown into a number of projects, proving himself a reliable and efficient member of the team. 

Whilst working on a small scale project, Johnathon decided to put himself out there and sign up for a “Men Of Science” calendar that was being done to raise money for a new coffee machine in the break room. He was surprised when he showed up and found out it was a ‘beefcake calendar’.

The photographer shooting the event noticed his discomfort and offered to shoot his page during lunch on a closed set, and he quickly agreed. During that photo-shoot, he felt surprisingly relaxed, confident, and comfortable. Though still the most covered up in his photos, wearing a lab coat and strategically covered boxer-briefs, he was actually proud of how they turned out, and exchanged phone numbers with the photographer, who he learned was named Blythe Basile.

One phone call turned into having lunch together, which turned into dinner, and quickly they started dating. Johnny, as Blythe called him, was experiencing a massive positive boost in confidence and his personality, he even became friendly with his co-workers. But after about a year, things quickly took a turn.

Blythe was hired at their dream job as a fashion photographer for a highly popular magazine, and Johnny’s project (studying and trying to create a teleportation device) was approved by higher ups. As work began to pile up for them both, they agreed to a mutual break-up, at least until things became less hectic, which they did not.

While about to make the breakthrough of his life, and possibly one of the biggest discoveries of all time, a portal opened, which was the plan, but what was not expected was that the Vantablack portal would pull him inside and vanish. He had entered a strange dimension of darkness and light, where he was trapped and studied the unusual properties of the location as best he could. 

For three weeks he was gone without a trace, before emerging, transformed and changed by his experiences, in his lab. He was shocked to find no one believed who he was, and he was shunned by everyone he met, losing his job, home, and even his parents were horrified and refused to believe him. He didn’t bother contacting Blythe, as he didn’t want to experience that painful rejection again.

With no other choice, Johnathon, now calling himself The Spot, decided to work at stealing lab equipment from various labs to try and find a way to turn himself back while hopefully keeping his abilities. Unfortunately for him, Shutterbug stands in his way.

Misc:

Has no idea his most hated foe is Blythe and would be horrified to find out.

Not able to access the multiverse, he’s not THAT powerful, he’s more connected to a pocket dimension and anywhere in the one universe he’s from.

Casually dated others before Blythe but never got past second base before.

Like Blythe, his vision was fixed by his transformation. Despite his eyes no longer seeming to exist. He’s never figured out how that works.

Much more of a trypophobic design than most Spots have, with a small cluster of spots typically forming around where one of his eyes used to be, before it forms into one big one and migrates on his face while another cluster starts appearing.

Technically a genius! He just doesn’t have the confidence to assert himself as much as ones like Doc Ock or Melusine.

Would let Blythe put his hair up for him before work, but after they broke up he started leaving it down again.

Gamer boy, puzzle games are usually too easy so he mostly plays FPS games and has ridiculously good aim after years of practice. It’s his main source of stress relief.

The tea to Blythe’s coffee, this Spot has a soft spot for matcha and Darjeeling, but will drink any kind except sweet tea.

Has a bad habit of being condescending and talking down to others but is working on it.

[alessandro55]

The Tellers Auguri

Juergen teller and Dovile Drizyte

Steidl, Göttingen 2022, 17x25cm, 288 pages, 274 images, Hardback, ISBN 978-3-96 999-093-3

euro 45,00

email if you want to buy booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

“We are building our future together�� declared Juergen Teller and Dovile Drizyte on their wedding invitation, the words handwritten on a photo of the couple proudly wearing nothing less than safety hats and jackets, as they strike a pose on a construction site. This set the celebratory, irreverent tone for their wedding in Naples, an occasion they ensured was an unforgettable, multi-day experience for their guests, in a city they love for its gritty beauty and the warmth of its people. Auguri is Teller and Drizyte’s uninhibited visual diary of their wedding adventure, from initial location scouting to the welcome party with rooftop dancing overlooking the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. From the ceremony to the formal dinner―where each lucky guest received an unexpected gift from the bride and groom, a ceramic plate signed and printed with a different motif from the “We are building our future together” series―and the night’s undeniable highlight: a delightfully dirty performance by subversive drag queen Christeene and her band. From the lazy Sunday afterwards, on a local beach with gelati, calamari and ping pong, to the honeymoon in Sicily. Auguri is at once Teller and Drizyte’s personal thank you to their guests, and their tongue-in-cheek tribute to amore in all its vital, unadorned and fabulous forms.

Juergen Teller, born in Erlangen in 1964, studied at the Bayerische Staatslehranstalt für Photographie in Munich. His work has been published in influential magazines such as Vogue, System, i-D, POP and Arena Homme+, and has been the subject of solo exhibitions including those at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain in Paris and Martin-Gropius-Bau in Berlin. Teller won the prestigious Citibank Photography Prize in 2003, and from 2014 to 2019 held a professorship at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste Nürnberg. His books with Steidl include Louis XV (2005), Marc Jacobs Advertising, 1998–2009 (2009), Siegerflieger (2015), The Master IV (2019), Handbags (2019), Leben und Tod (2020) and William Eggleston 414 (2020).

27/09/24

[mrb33]

Mayfair ART MOOCH

Continuum

Minoru Nomata at White Cube gallery

From The Press release: His art is characterised by a lack of human presence, his works depict imaginary architectural structures and enigmatic landscapes that transcend time and place. Conjuring an unfamiliar world that is nonetheless tethered to reality, his visionary paintings evoke a disquieting sense of alienation. “Lack, deficiency, insecurity, isolation and the unknown – those so-called negative feelings can also be a creative trigger for me to create something”, the artist has said.

I, ROBOT

Sorayama at Almine Rech gallery

From The Press release: Sorayama’s ongoing Sexy Robots series ponders the alluring, intimidating imaginary of a cyborg human, merging woman and droid, fleshy anatomy and flashy armor, in a cheeky and unsettling continuum from the Hollywood pin-up to the fantastical future. Sorayama channels aesthetic visions from Bert Stern to Mel Ramos, Brancusi to Rolls Royce, Egypt to the Oscars.

Chronicles

Ahmed Mater - Christie's from 17 July to 22 August.

Tbilisi Independent

Frieze - Cork Street.

Highlighting five young, female-run galleries from the Georgian capital: 

Niniko Morbedadze - We love animals (series) 2024

Assemblage pieces by Temple Pharmacy

Layers of Time

Giorgio Morandi and Alexis Ralaivao at Nahmad Projects

Morandi Natura Morta 1946 - Ralaivao - Nature morte aux trois citrons 2024

From The Press release:

Morandi’s oeuvre, characterised by its restrained palette and masterful use of light and shadow, invites viewers into a world of quiet contemplation. Through his timeless still lifes, Morandi transforms mundane objects into symbols of deeper human experience, prompting reflection on the nature of existence itself. In contrast, Ralaivao’s paintings burst with energy and sensuality, capturing fleeting moments of intimacy and anticipation. His bold use of colour and dynamic compositions draw viewers into a world where every brushstroke pulses with life, inviting them to explore the boundaries between reality and imagination. 

Although the artists may seem like an unlikely pairing at first glance, their works share a profound reverence for the subtleties of everyday objects and a commitment to exploring the essence of perception itself. Both artists engage viewers by highlighting the compositional aspect of their artwork alongside material surfaces. While Morandi’s compositions resemble studio photography, evoking a sense of familial assembly akin to a wedding portrait, Ralaivao’s works reflect the influence of contemporary mobile phone photography, where the camera becomes an active participant in capturing moments and sparking immediate reflection and dialogue.

Together, Morandi and Ralaivao weave a narrative that transcends the constraints of a single frame, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the timeless beauty of still life compositions. Born nearly a century apart, this exhibition reveals the shared differences between two artists, across generations, finding themselves in the same city, and united by a common bond: their unwavering dedication to the art of painting.

“Both Ralaivao and Morandi are reductive artists, their language is quiet, the tone of their paintings cool, and it feels quite fitting that this exhibition should be a closely selected one. It offers a tantalising starter, and leaves me wanting more.” – Paul Coldwell 

Morandi - Natura Morta 1950 - Ralaivao Citrons et saladier jaune 2024

Alexis Ralaivao - Art Nouveau Shadow 2024

“I believe that nothing can be more abstract, more unreal, than what we actually see. We know that all we can see of the objective world, as human beings, never really exists as we see and understand it. Matter exists, of course, but has no intrinsic meaning of its own, such as the meaning we attach to it.” – Giorgio Morandi

Mayor gallery

Waldemar Cordeiro

From The Press Release: The first solo exhibition in Europe of visionary Brazilian artist, Waldemar Cordeiro (b. 1925 Rome, Italy – d. 1973 São Paulo, Brazil). Fifteen works, many of which have never been shown outside Brazil, form the basis of this exhibition in which different phases of Cordeiro’s intensive production from the late 1940s to his early death in 1973 are brought into new curatorial focus.   Regarded as the greatest of Brazil’s exponents of concrete art in the 1950s, Cordeiro was an original and visionary practitioner and theorist, who brought both these domains together in an astonishingly productive oeuvre.

Installation shot

Transposição Cromática Estudo da Cor, 1958

Untitled 1960

Liberdade 1964

EXORCISM: INSIDE OUT

Penny Slinger at Richard Saltoun Gallery

[tbfamily-if]

Care to tell some facts about the ROs?

Sure! Here are some facts!

Bo Wu

Favorite Memory: One of Bo's favorite memories is the first time he performed a solo at a local bar. The crowd's reaction and the adrenaline rush from being on stage solidified his love for music.

Favorite Food: Bo loves spicy Szechuan cuisine, particularly hot pot. He enjoys the communal aspect of the meal and the intense flavors.

Bullied in School: Bo was occasionally teased for being different, particularly for his dramatic flair and passion for music. However, he used humor and confidence to deflect the negativity, eventually earning respect.

Other Facts:

Bo has a collection of vintage vinyl records.

He is an avid fan of martial arts movies.

Bo often uses music as a way to connect with others and express his emotions.

He hates chocolate cake.

Rakesh Bakshi

Favorite Memory: Rakesh cherishes the memory of the day his twins, Alisha and Asim, were born. Despite the chaos, it was a moment of pure joy and love for him.

Favorite Food: Rakesh loves traditional Indian dishes, especially biryani and butter chicken. Cooking these meals reminds him of family gatherings from his childhood.

Disaster Marriage with Rachel: On their wedding day, everything went wrong, culminating in the wedding cake falling on Rachel's head. Despite the mishaps, it became a cherished, humorous memory over time.

Other Facts:

Rakesh enjoys snowboarding, even though he's not very good at it.

He has a knack for storytelling, often entertaining his kids with exaggerated tales.

Rakesh is very community-oriented and often volunteers for local events.

He was quite disappointed not to have another daughter.

Grace Clarke

Favorite Memory: Grace's favorite memory is winning her first acting award. It was a recognition of her hard work and passion, and it opened many doors for her career.

Favorite Food: Grace enjoys a good British roast dinner, complete with Yorkshire pudding. It reminds her of home and family Sundays.

Movie Incident: Grace was asked to eat a living animal for a movie role but refused and walked away, deciding not to take the role.

Other Facts:

Grace practices yoga daily to stay grounded and focused.

She loves spending time by the sea and often goes surfing to unwind.

Grace has a keen interest in fashion and often designs her own outfits.

She tried to be a singer once but gave up quickly.

Grace was homeschooled and didn't attend traditional school.

Scott/Skye Smith (S)

Favorite Memory: One of S's favorite memories is winning a photography competition in high school. It was a proud moment that validated their passion for photography.

Favorite Food: S loves hearty, protein-rich meals like steak and grilled vegetables, essential for their active lifestyle.

Forgotten in a Restaurant: As a child, S was once forgotten by their family at a restaurant. It was a frightening experience that taught them self-reliance at a young age.

Other Facts:

S has a pet dog that often accompanies them on outdoor adventures.

They are passionate about environmental conservation and often participate in cleanup drives.

S enjoys hiking and has climbed several significant peaks.

They have a dog allergy and own a hypoallergenic dog.

Charlie Andrew

Favorite Memory: Charlie's favorite memory is a solo hike they took in the mountains. It was a time of self-discovery and deep reflection, away from societal expectations.

Favorite Food: Charlie loves traditional Native American dishes, particularly fry bread tacos, as they connect them to their cultural heritage.

Family Celebration: When Charlie came out as non-binary, their family threw a big party. Now, every year on that same day, the family gathers for a celebratory dinner.

Other Facts:

Charlie is an avid reader and has an extensive personal library.

They enjoy sketching landscapes and often draw during their hikes.

Charlie is involved in advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights and frequently speaks at local events.

They often wish to let the kids play instead of study.

[helplesslyblue77]

Your Smile is the Sunrise, It Warms my Heart

Chapter 5: Taehyung is a Weak, Weak Man

You wake up early the next day, to the sun streaming in through the large glass windows and a hesitant knock on your door. You drag yourself out of your warm cocoon of covers and open the door, ignoring your messy state.

Taehyung stands there, looking unfairly handsome, too handsome for your morning self to take. After taking a minute to collect your thoughts, you smile, waving him inside. 

“So, what can I help you with?”

Tae jumps, seemingly remembering why he had bothered you in the first place. “Name, I need a favor.”

You nodded, opening the door wider as he passed by you. You were still in the process of unpacking, boxes littering the floor, so you gestured for him to sit on your bed, plopping down next to him. He fiddled with the end of his sweater, his ears slightly flushed.

He looked unfairly handsome, almost like a marble statue came to life. He looked around nervously, before turning to you. He seemed to be avoiding your eyes, looking somewhere over your shoulder. 

 “Can you be my model?”

You stared at him, a little confused and he rushed to explain.

“I'm a photography major, and I need a solo model for my next assignment. It's just three photoshoots, the theme is Summer Days.”

“And you want me to be your model?” You would be lying if you weren't flattered, watching the way his face heated up in embarrassment. “Well yeah,” he mumbled, uncharacteristically shy. 

You grinned at him. “I'd love to be your model. Just let me eat some breakfast, and we can get started.” 

He jumped up, grinning at you.

“Great! Meet me by Jimin's car, after you finish,” he said, making his way out of the room excitedly. You grinned, his excitement infecting you. This would be fun.

❀❀❀

Taehyung leaned on the side of Jimin's expensive car, studying the list his professor had given them as he assigned the project.

“I'll be housing these in our local museum, so do your best!” he had dropped on them, before exiting happily.

Tae sighed. Most of the things on the list would be fine, but it was the last photo shoot he was worried about. The list specified it had to be a couple shoot. He felt a weird ache in his chest. You would be perfect for that, but he would have to ask one of his brothers to pose with you. He had already decided on the theme, a romantic picnic, and the thought of you cuddling up against one of his brothers, made a weird feeling start in his stomach.

He was suddenly very happy he had settled on that option instead of his other option, “The Wedding Night.” Thoughts of you in lacy white lingerie flooded his mind, grinning seductively at the camera and Tae quickly banished all thoughts of your skin bordered by lacy white from his mind. 

And just in time, you joined him, freshly showered, grinning excitedly. He opened the passenger door and you hopped in.

“So where are we headed?” you asked him as he started the car, pulling out of the driveway.

“There’s a field about fifteen minutes away. The flowers bloom early so it's the perfect place to complete our first set of photos. The first set is your classic, white dress, hat, and flower combo…”

You nodded, grinning. “Do you have all the costumes and such?” 

Tae nodded. “Yeah, I have everything we'll need. The second shoot is a vintage pool-themed one.”

 This seemed to get you excited. “Like heart sunglasses, red lips, and newspapers?”

Tae laughed, you were cute when you were excited. “Exactly. We can just use our pool for that one. The third shot is a little more complicated. We might need another model—”

He was interrupted as he pulled into a parking space and you jumped out excitedly.

“Wow,” you said, gazing at the field in front of you. “It's so beautiful…”

He nodded in agreement, The truth was, he could have just done this photo shoot on the front lawn, he didn't have to drive all the way here. But as he watched you gaze in wonder at the beautiful scenery, he congratulated himself on the choice. You almost sparkled in the sunlight, the rays illuminating your hair, as you turned to him, a beaming smile on your face.

You were saying something, but Taehyung couldn't hear you, too busy focusing on the radiant image that was you, standing among the flowers. 

“—started?” Tae shook himself out of his daze, ears red. “What?” 

You repeat yourself. “I asked, when are we gonna get started?” Tae reached into his truck and pulled out his equipment, handing you a white cotton sundress. “There's a little cottage over there, change into this, then meet me back here so we can finish hair and makeup. You took the dress from him and disappeared into the picturesque cottage. 

Taehyung distracted himself by taking out the makeup pallets and straw hat he had “Borrowed” from Jimin. He pulled out a foldable table and chair as well, setting them up and putting the pouches of makeup down on the table. 

You reappeared, clothed in that white sundress, and Taehyung realized his mistake. When he had picked out the dress, he had thought it was fine. 

The dress was made out of two layers of fabric, the underlayer was a heavy white fabric that reached about midway down your thigh. The overlayer was a thin chiffon fabric and completely see-through. 

That wouldn't be a problem, what with the second layer being long, but he hadn't anticipated how thin it was, large swaths of thigh showing through the fabric. Tae gulped and motioned you over to the chair.

“Sit here, I'll do your makeup.” you sat down obediently, your dress riding up even more, and closed your eyes, tilting your face upwards.

Taehyung valiantly focused his eyes on your face and assessed it. You were already wearing a base, so all he had to do was the eyes and, he shuddered a little, lips.

Fine, eyes, he could do that.

He picked up the pallet, and began, using pale pinks and shimmers to match the wildflowers behind you. 

❀❀❀

It only took him about fifteen minutes, thanks to Youtube tutorials. He settled back assessing his work as you opened your eyes.

He had to admit, you looked breathtaking. Like an angel, or a fairy, clothed in white, hat held against your chest, hair in a gentle updo, falling gracefully around your shoulders. The light makeup only served to highlight your etherealness, and Tae felt a bit melancholy all of a sudden, you grinned at him, all smiles.

He suddenly wondered what it would have been like if the two of you had met under different circumstances. 

You looked at him, “What should I do?” you asked him as you walked back into the field.

Taehyung shook all thoughts of coffee dates and honeymoons out of his head and began directing you in different poses, snapping pictures as he went. He had to admit, you were a natural. The way you posed looked natural and not at all forced, and you seemed at home with a camera on you. As he looked back at the pictures, you leaning over his shoulder, his senses flooded with the scent of your shampoo, and he asked you about it.

You laughed, the sound light and airy in his ear, your breath tickling his neck, “I did drama, all through high school. I also have a friend who is majoring in directing, and he likes doing little film projects. I was often dragged into those.”

Tae looked up, curious. “Do you have any?”

You nodded. “Yeah, I have a lot! Do you wanna see them?”

Tae nodded, he would very much like to see them, and you grinned. “Maybe later then.” was all you said, making your way back to the car. 

Taehyung cleaned the rest of the mess and followed you. He knew he had made the right decision.

❀❀❀

The two of you arrived home, ate some leftovers from last night, and Taehyung handed you the bathing suit. You asked him, “Do you want me to do my makeup this time?” he nodded, telling you what he wanted and you ran upstairs to change, as he went outside, pulling the beach chairs into place and collecting his props. 

For this shoot, he was using a wine glass, a newspaper, and some sunglasses…he ticked things off on his list as he went.

“What are you doing?” 

He was interrupted by a curious Yoongi, who eyed the camera suspiciously, book in hand. “School stuff,” Tae said vaguely, trying to get him to leave. For some reason, he didn't want Yoongi to see you in a bikini.

As if on cue, you walked out, wearing only said bikini.

When Taehyung had picked out the Bikini, he had tried to find a relatively modest one, and he thought he had succeeded, he really had. 

But he had overlooked the fact that it was a Bikini. Large swaths of skin were on display, and Taehyung had to yank his eyes away from your long legs. He looked up, only to be met with your boobs. 

Fuck, the bikini was too small, but it would have to do.

He heard a choking sound from the door and turned to a red-faced Yoongi. He smirked at Tae.

“So this is the kind of photoshoot you were doing huh?”

Tae glared, and you turned around, smiling at him. “Hi, Yoongi. What are you up to?”

He smirked at you, subtly grabbing a pillow and placing it on his lap, opening his book. 

“Just ignore me, I'll be over here reading,” he said, ignoring the glare, Taehyung sent his way. You turned your eyes to him and Tae swallowed hastily, telling you what to do. You positioned yourself on the lawn chair, sunglasses on, and leaned back, letting Taehyung snap a few pictures.

It was all going fine, Taehyung had managed to distract himself by taking pictures, until he had smashed into the table, knocking some props to the floor.

He reached for it, but you beat him to it, bending over to pick it up. 

Taehyung almost dropped his camera. Wonderful, he thought as he looked down and groaned.

He was hard. He needed to wrap this up before you noticed. What was he thinking when he chose this theme? Why had he ever thought this was going to be a good idea? 

As if things couldn't get any worse, Jin chose this moment to walk out onto the porch.

He took in the scene. You in a too-small bikini, boobs practically falling out of the top. A flustered Taehyung with his camera, and Yoongi, reading an upside-down book.

He sighed, “Dinners ready, you guys.”

You turned to Taehyung. “All finished?” you asked and he nodded, trying to subtly move behind the table.

You turned to Yoongi, “Oh right, Tae said we need another person to be in the shoot tomorrow, you wanna help?” Yoongi smirked at you, “Anything you want.” he said. Tae noticed the blush that made its way onto your cheeks and glared.

You were too excited to notice, running into the house to change. Jin cleared his throat. “What are you guys doing?”

“Photoshoot.” Taehyung ground out. “For school.”

“In a bikini?”

They both ignored him. 

Jin sighed. “Well anyway, it's dinner. Come inside and eat with us.”

[missywritesfor7]

🌺 Promise Flower | PJM 🌺

Synopsis: Jimin is a popular dance student and the best one at his university. Mina is a photography student and has known Jimin since high school. An idea for a photo project finds Mina getting closer to him than she ever has before. She learns how big his heart is, but also learns how closely he guards it. Every time she thinks he'll let her in, he pulls away again. Is it even worth the trouble?

Pairing: college student!Jimin x fem!oc

Warnings: depression, anxiety, panic attacks, alcoholism

Previous Chapter | Masterlist

|| Ch. 30: Just Dance ||

I learned that my parents had no idea Ryan was bailed out. A bit of research on their part found that an old friend of his bailed him out. An old friend who is part of the reason why Ryan started his criminal career many moons ago.

Keri and Lilly are safe, still living in a shelter an hour away from me. I hope to get a chance to visit them soon now that finals are over. I’ve been texting Keri and getting updates on Lilly and honestly I can’t wait to hold her again.

Ryan has been sitting in jail without bail since they realized he’s a flight risk. In the meantime I’ve been able to get a restraining order against him. If for whatever reason he gets out again he’s not allowed within 100 feet of me. I feel a little better now that that’s done.

Jimin is gearing up for his summer class that he agreed to teach solo. It’s a much more fast paced class since it’s 8 weeks long rather than the usual 15-16. As before, his class will have a performance at the end of the term, and I think he may pull his hair out before the term even starts.

On top of that he still hasn’t been cleared by his doctor to dance. It seems he’s been feeling more pressured since then. He’s been putting all of his energy into his class performance this time around. He’s working hard on choreography and even harder on strengthening his leg. He says his doctor told him he’s close, but not quite there yet. He’s starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and he’s beyond ready to continue his passion on stage.

We’re all on track to graduate next spring so I decided not to enroll in any summer courses. I know I’ll probably be stressed out all year so I want to take the summer to just relax a bit. Plus, after this year I feel like I definitely need a break.

Tae decided to take one film class over the summer as an elective. He really enjoys it and I think he does amazing working with film. I see him less but he always comes by occasionally to show me what he’s working on and eat my snacks.

Jin and I are nearing the end of our lease and we haven’t fully decided if we’ll renew or not. Actually I don’t plan on going anywhere so I have no problem renewing my lease.

Jin on the other hand is unsure of what he wants to do. He recently signed a contract with an entertainment company that got him cast in a small but important role in a new drama. He’s toying with the idea of dropping out of school completely to focus on that. If he does then he’ll move closer to his new agency and I would have to find a new roommate.

I don’t want Jin to leave school for selfish reasons, but honestly I’m happy for him. If he gets the chance to drop out and make it big then I encourage it, he’s amazing at what he does.

Finding a new roommate would be easy if I could get Jimin to move in with me. But I’m not sure he’d leave Hoseok without a roommate. They’re both very close and are like roommate soulmates. I doubt he’d leave Hoseok behind so I don’t even bother to ask. I’ll just continue holding out hope that Jin will stick around just one more year.

After midterms I decide that Jimin and I should go out. While he’s been on campus working day in and day out I’ve been doing freelance work, mostly weddings and small events. Still it’s not enough to keep me fully occupied during the times that Jimin is gone. I’m starting to miss him quite a bit so I decided we would have date night this weekend.

We start our evening at an arcade for some friendly competition. We decide to make a bet where we’ll play various games and whoever loses the most games will have to buy dinner the next time we go out. That makes the friendly part of the competition a little less friendly.

He beats me at air hockey and basketball but that’s where his win streak ends. I beat him with ease at Guitar Hero and surprisingly I win at Dance Dance Revolution as well. We play a few racing games and I walk away with a clear win. Afterwards we go to a Korean BBQ restaurant where I relish in my victory.

“I can’t believe I beat the worlds best dancer at DDR!” I tease.

“That game isn’t even real dancing!” Jimin pouts.

“Don’t be mad because you lost,” I chuckle. “So where are you going to take me for dinner as your punishment?”

“McDonald’s,” he smirks.

“Fuck you!” I huff.

“Don’t worry,” he says giggling. “I’ll take you somewhere special.”

“Oh yeah? Where?”

“It’s a surprise,” he winks. “Maybe after my class’s show at the end of the term? You’re going to be there right?”

“Of course I’ll be there.” He’s only asked me about 5000 times the past week. I know I missed his last show, but I wouldn’t miss this one for the world.

“Promise?”

“Yes, baby. I’ve promised many times. Do you think I wouldn’t be there?”

“No,” he looks away shyly. “This one is just…special. I worked really hard on the choreography and I want you to see it.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be there no matter what.”

“I’ll take you somewhere nice to eat after.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

When we finish our dinner we go for a short stroll down the street hand in hand. We decide to stop at a nearby food truck selling ice cream and get ourselves a couple of cones.

It’s a nice evening and I just enjoy getting to go out and spend time with him. For the first time since the summer began his face has been lit up just the way it used to always do before he started stressing himself out with teaching.

“So Jin texted me this morning,” I say as we finish up our ice cream on a nearby bench.

“How’s his shooting going?” Jimin asks.

“It’s going great. So great that he decided he won’t be staying in school.” I smile with my head down at the bittersweet reality. “I’m happy for him, but…now I have to find a new roommate.”

I look to Jimin hoping maybe he takes the hint. Maybe he’ll suggest moving in with me so I won’t have to. You would think by now I’d learn to be direct with him, but I’m afraid of putting him in an odd position if he has no desire to leave Hoseok.

“That’s good for him,” he says smiling. “I knew he would make it big. How soon will you need to find a roommate?”

“Our lease ends next month so hopefully I can find someone to move in soon after.”

“You will,” he says giving his bright enthusiastic smile. “I know you will.” He gives me a sweet kiss on my cheek and I can’t help but blush. I don’t know how but whoever I end up rooming with is going to have to get used to him being around all the time.

We remain cuddled on the bench a little longer after finishing our ice cream. I live for the moments when I can rest in his arms and feel so safe and warm. He holds me tightly as if I were to fly away and peppers my face with soft kisses. He’s so gentle and delicate with the way he touches me. The way he handles me like a precious porcelain doll. I couldn’t ask for a better man to be in love with.

Our date night proved to be just the break Jimin needed to power through the rest of this summer term. He’s been happier and brighter each day. There’s less stress and he’s filled with excitement. For what I’m not too sure. He says he’s happy for his class’s performance this weekend. He’s happy that practices are going smoothly. And he says he’s happy to take me out somewhere special afterwards. I don’t know what special restaurant he has in mind, but he insisted on even picking my outfit for the night.

The day of the show he goes through my closet looking for an outfit he finds suitable. I sit on my bed laughing at him every time he comes across another piece of clothing that I’ve stolen from him.

“I was looking for this shirt!” He says pulling one of his t-shirts off the hanger. “How do you have so much of my stuff??” He laughs.

“You leave me unsupervised way too much,” I giggle.

“I guess I’ll have to watch you closer from now on.”

“I’m still going to steal your stuff,” I say with a smirk and a shrug.

He keeps digging through my closet finally pulling out a purple dress that unsurprisingly still has the tags on it.

“This is perfect,” he says giving the dress to me.

“This? Why?”

“You said dresses are for special occasions. This is a special occasion.” He goes back into my closet and pulls out a pair of silver strappy heels. “These too.”

“This is all so…fancy. Are you about to propose to me or something?” I joke.

“Do you want me to?”

“Don’t play games with my little heart,” I laugh. Although if he wanted to propose to me right now I sure as hell wouldn’t say no.

We get to the auditorium and I take my seat right up front where Jimin says he has reserved just for me. Afterwards he heads backstage with his class while I read the program for the night in my seat.

Since this is the summer term there’s less performances than there would be after a full spring or fall semester. There’s only two other classes performing, followed by Jimin’s class at the end. But I also couldn’t help but notice a performance listed after his class.

It doesn’t have much information other than it’s a performance by a special guest. Maybe this is what had him so excited? I know he’s well connected with people from all corners of the dancing world.

Plus there’s also Hoseok who’s a celebrity dancer himself, even more so now since his crew made it to the finals of a national competition last month. They may not have won in the end, but social media has been buzzing with pictures and videos of this “amazing breakout dance crew” and their eye catching leader.

Maybe he got Hoseok to perform, that would definitely be a great surprise for everyone. Hoseok and Jimin are so close they can talk each other into doing anything. I can imagine Jimin giving Hoseok one pouty look and instantly getting whatever he wants out of him.

Whoever it is I’m excited to see the whole show. I wish I had my camera, I absolutely love getting photos of performers, but I was forbidden by Jimin. He says someone will already be there taking photos and videos so I won’t need to. He also says I can’t focus on the show if I’m too busy taking photos. So just this once (again) I let his pouty beak talk me into letting him have his way.

The show finally gets started, first with an introduction from the head of the dance department. He keeps it brief but expresses how proud he is of all the students and instructors, and how excited he is about the upcoming year.

Next the first class steps on stage for their performance. Their instructor starts by introducing the 8 dancers and explaining the concept of their routine. This class is made up of first year students and even one student who only just graduated high school and was accepted into the summer course based on his dance accomplishments in high school.

The concept of their performance is based around perfecting the basics and fundamentals. I’m not sure how they consider this basic, because once the track starts and they begin dancing it looks anything but basic. They’re dancing to a medley of songs of different genres. It looks like a challenging routine and I wonder how they all make it to the end flawlessly and without dripping pools of sweat.

The second class is made up of intermediate level hip hop dancers. There’s 10 students in this class and their performance is an anthology of hip hop music from the 80s to present day. It’s a high energy performance and the entire crowd is bouncing along to the music. Every pop and lock is precise and on point with every beat of the music. It’s a fun and incredible show to the very end of their routine.

Finally Jimin comes out to introduce his class. He looks nervous but also incredibly handsome. I give him a big proud smile to help him feel more at ease. He smiles back at me and takes a deep breath before speaking to the crowd. He introduces his 7 students who are intermediate contemporary dancers.

“The theme of this routine is life,” he says. “How precious and fulfilling it can be, but also how fragile and painful it can be. This is Life.”He steps to the side and his class begins their routine once the soft orchestral music begins playing.

Their moves are hypnotizing and so perfectly in sync with the music. So much emotion can be felt in each formation that the group breaks into. There are points of the routine where together their bodies create optical illusions that blow me away. Everything is so well coordinated and the teamwork between the students is perfect. It has to be, this routine clearly relies a lot on everyone moving together in order for the visuals to work.

I look over at Jimin at the side of the stage and he’s fully encapsulated in the performance. I can see him silently counting steps and nodding in satisfaction at various points. His hard work has paid off in this amazing performance and I couldn’t be more proud. It’s clear why he wanted to make sure I didn’t miss this one, he’s done an incredible job putting this entire choreography together.

At the end they all take their bow and I blow many kisses Jimin’s way. He’s smiling and blushing but that only makes me blow more kisses at him. His class leaves the stage but instead of leaving with them, he walks up to the microphone and begins speaking.

“So,” he starts sounding more nervous than he did introducing his class. “As some of you may know, I tore my acl during the fall semester. It’s been very difficult dealing with recovery and being unable to dance for so long. Longer than I’ve ever gone without dancing since I started at the age of 6.” He takes another deep grounding breath before continuing. “I don’t think I would have made it this far without the amazing people that supported me when I was at my lowest. My family and my friends, the entire dance department, everyone has given me the strength to carry on and not give up.”

He’s fighting tears now. My baby is getting emotional and it’s taking everything in me to not run up on stage to pull him into a big loving hug. I know everything he’s been through during this time and I just hope he knows how much he’s grown.

“This next special performance is something I want to dedicate to everyone who stood by my side. But most importantly, I want to dedicate this to my better half, Mina.” He looks my way and smiles. “Thank you for being there. For being my rock. For talking sense into me when I’m being unreasonable. And for loving me.” He looks back towards the crowd and continues. “I got some help from a great friend who I owe so much for doing this for me. Please enjoy this performance titled Love.”

He steps off leaving the stage completely. The lights dim and a few people roll a piano out to the back of the stage. A shadowy figure steps up to piano and takes a seat. When the spotlight shines towards him I realize it’s Yoongi.

The enigma himself has made an appearance and the crowd is audibly excited about this special guest. Typically he disappears over the summer and pops back up with a new writing or producing credit added to his repertoire. He could be anywhere doing anything right now, but just as I noticed when he came up with the idea for the benefit concert for Jimin, he has a heart of gold. Not to mention he has to know how much of a celebrity he is, anyone would pay to see him but he’s doing this for free for his friend.

He begins playing a song soft and slow at first. It’s takes a moment before I realize this is the song that Jimin was going to dance to for his recital before he got hurt. He worked hard creating and redoing his choreography for this song. The song itself is light and beautiful, Yoongi plays the notes so smoothly it feels as if he barely even touches the keys.

A moment later someone steps out onto the stage wearing a black, almost completely sheer outfit. The spotlight stays on Yoongi though as the dancer begins dancing slowly and smoothly across the shadows of the stage.

His body moves and bends in ways that make my joints hurts just watching. He shows incredible strength with thighs as thick and strong as they’ve always been. Maybe stronger. Jimin’s stomach, which I’ve committed to memory by now, is too much for the sheer top he’s wearing. My eyes trace every ab, every ridge of his biceps, all the way around to his back as he spins around to the music.

Watching Jimin dance has always been mesmerizing, even in high school his ability to capture the audience is unmatched. I’ve missed watching him dance.

I’m watching him dance.

Jimin is dancing.

Holy shit.

Jimin is on stage dancing.

My jaw hits the floor as the spotlight moves away from Yoongi and shines on Jimin confirming that I’m not hallucinating. He’s gliding across the stage as if he had never been injured. His face looks focused and determined, but his moves are loose and relaxed.

The song picks up and his moves intensify quickly. It’s a powerful performance and I can’t help but shed a tear at the fact that he dedicated this to me and called it Love.

At one point he pulls a rose from I swear out of his ass, and dances across the stage where he places in front of a stuffed cat I didn’t even realize was there. It’s Blossom. The calico cat I bought him at the hospital. The cat he left on his bed everyday since. The cat that we joked was our child once we began officially dating. The cat he would send me selfies with whenever I wasn’t with him.

Through my tears I try watching on as he floats on every note that Yoongi finesses out of the piano. Jimin does one more turn and a shower of purple confetti erupts around him. It’s grand and beautiful and I’m crying so much.

He and Yoongi stand at the front of the stage looking out to the standing ovation that’s erupted throughout the crowd. Somehow I’m standing, though my legs are weak from the overwhelming emotions I’m feeling.

Jimin gives Yoongi a big hug which causes him to turn bright red, though his gummy smile gives away how much he appreciates it. Jimin pulls out another rose from thin air and I make a mental note that I need to ask him when he became a magician, because how the fuck?

He comes off the stage and walks towards me holding the rose out.

“For you, my love,” he says wrapping his arms around me.

“I love you so much,” I say giving him a kiss. “I’m so proud of you, baby.”

In this very moment I felt everything disappear. Everything ceased to exist around us. The only people on this planet are me and Jimin. There’s no crowd. No stage. No auditorium. No one pulling Jimin away for photos or an interview. No one asking me questions about our relationship. No one insisting that we stand on stage together for a photo for the newspaper.

No, even as we make our way to the special restaurant Jimin has in store for me there are no other cars on the road. There’s no one in the steakhouse on the top floor of one of the skyscrapers in the city. I hardly even notice the server who takes our order and delivers drinks and fresh bread.

I notice only Jimin. I see, I hear, I feel only Jimin.

“So,” Jimin says. “What did you think?”

“I…it was…baby, it was everything to me.” I struggle because there really are no words to describe the way I feel right now. “How…I mean were you cleared to dance? Babe, oh my god were you supposed to do all of that?” It took this long for me to remember he’s not supposed to be dancing yet. I was so taken by his performance that I forgot he’s still supposed to be recovering.

“It’s ok,” Jimin chuckles reaching across the table to hold my hands. “I was actually cleared a month ago.”

“A month ago??”

“I was going to tell you, but then I got this idea to surprise you instead.” He smiles, gently squeezing my hands. “I wanted to dedicate my comeback to you so it worked out.”

“My love,” I whisper through tears.

“Also,” he says hesitantly. He takes a breath. “I wanted to ask you…what if I maybe…moved my stuff into your place? Like, if it was my place?”

“Jimin,” I laugh. He’s too cute for words and it only makes it harder for me to hold back my tears. “Are you asking to move in with me?”

“I mean only if you want me too. It’s your place so it’s up to you. I just thought, cause Hoseok is moving out so…I kind of need a roommate too so maybe-“

“Yes you can move in with me! My sweet baby Jiminie, I thought you would never ask!”

“I just wasn’t sure,” he says shyly. “You never asked so…”

“Well I didn’t ask because I didn’t think you would leave Hoseok, but he’s moving out?”

“Yeah he told me yesterday that he’ll be spending the next year abroad so he’ll be moving out soon.”

“That’s perfect,” I say trying to not make it sound like I’m too happy about Hoseok leaving. I’m just happy he’s created the opportunity for Jimin and I to move in together.

“You won’t get tired of me?” He asks smirking.

“I should be asking you that,” I laugh. “How many times will you clean up my vomit before you move back out?”

“On second thought, I don’t think this will work out,” he giggles hysterically as I playfully threaten to throw my knife at him. “I’m kidding, babe,” he laughs. “If that’s what I have to do to take care of you then I’ll do it over and over again.”

“I would do the same for you too, my love.”

“Really?” He asks with a big bright smile. “You promise?” He asks raising his tiny pinky finger.

I raise my pinky and link it tightly with his. Tight enough for him to know how much I mean it.

“Promise.”

[simslegacy5083]

NSB (Straud Legacy) Gen 8 Ep. 68: Harvestfest Happily Ever After

The well-prepared bridal party arrived at a venue filled with friends and family milling around picking seating and exchanging greetings.

Peachy and Jack snagged a spot in the front row with plenty of time to greet the other attendees and flirt a bit before the ceremony started. The pair hadn’t broached the subject of marriage directly, but it had been on Jacks mind. Was Peachy ready for such a big step? He didn’t know and was too afraid of ruining what they had to ask.

Peachy’s love had erased Jack’s assumptions that he would face a lonely old age, but also made him keenly aware of the limited time he had before old age arrived. Would his younger lover even be willing to settle into marriage (and maybe kids) with him once he understood their cultural differences?

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Jack’s worries were interrupted when Sims of Honor August and Tasha kicked things off, happily proceeding together down the aisle in their costumes.

August had come to the wedding solo. He and Catalina were “on a break” because he wasn’t interested in going steady. It just wasn’t for him right now, although he was sure Paul and Nikitas devotion to each other was exactly what his sensitive cousin and best friend needed.

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That happy couple followed their good friends to the altar decked out in their heroic interstellar finery, beaming at their friends and family.

Everything about the day was just as Paul had hoped and he couldn’t be happier. He’d asked Uncle Steven to officiate, and The Love Guru was on point.

He extolled the many virtues of a happily ever after and waxed eloquent about the “perfect” pairing of the two sims now standing in front of him. The young couple had already seen good times and bad times and come out stronger; he had no doubt theirs was a match made to last.

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The pair exchanged hand-written vows without any mistakes, exchanged rings, and ended the ceremony with a picture-perfect kiss.

Steven had been prepared to deliver calm reassurance about the virtues of the Lothario wedding “head bonk” but was just as glad that his nephew had managed to make it unnecessary!

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As the guests picked up pre-dinner refreshments the wedding party and immediate family hung back to take some precious photos.

August had bought a brand new, fancy camera especially for the occasion and had a blast capturing his friends and family in poses both loving and silly to remember the moment by.

When the photography session wrapped the small group joined the larger to get the reception party started!

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Want To See More? View The Full Story of My Not So Berry Challenge Here

[mrshcloset]

My Solo Adventures

A lot of things are happening in my life this year and I cannot thank the people who supported me on this journey of finding myself through my traveling.

Ever since I was a kid, between 5 & 6-ish, my Tatay Ben introduced me to traveling and riding a plane. Journeying from LOAKAN airport to Manila at that time was extremely and utterly cool (of course that time I didn’t know yet the word extremely or cool haha 😂 ).

Somehow that moment sparked in me that I want to do this for the rest of my life.

Traveling by plane gives me the adrenaline rush that some people experience in dancing, sports, music, fashion, photography, etc.

A lot of people doubted that I could not do this on my own, flying solo, that I would just hurt myself in the process, or this & that.

A lot of excuses.

On the other hand, I know that there are people who genuinely care about my LIFE. And for that, much love 😍...

My goal for this solo adventure was to put myself out there in the field of hungry dragons. To test my ability if I learn something from Hersenz’s Cognitive and Psychomotor Treatment (Wed group year 2020-2021).

I went to search & discover myself again by traveling. But some people have misplaced feelings over my decision to have this solo adventure of a lifetime.

This year I concluded my 20th flight ✈️

***definition:

Cognition

is the "mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses".

It encompasses all aspects of intellectual functions and processes such as perception, attention, thought, imagination, intelligence, the formation of knowledge, memory and working memory, judgment and evaluation, reasoning and computation, problem-solving and decision-making, comprehension, and production of language. Cognitive processes use existing knowledge and discover new knowledge.

Psychomotor

Psychomotor learning is the relationship between cognitive functions and physical movement. Psychomotor learning is demonstrated by physical skills such as movement, coordination, manipulation, dexterity, grace, strength, and speed—actions that demonstrate fine or gross motor skills, such as the use of precision instruments or tools, and walking. Sports and dance are the richest realms of gross psychomotor skills.

Behavioral examples include driving a car, throwing a ball, and playing a musical instrument. In psychomotor learning research, attention is given to the learning of coordinated activity involving the arms, hands, fingers, and feet, while verbal processes are not emphasized.

Me in bed Saturday morning & back again at FONDAZIONE PRADA

At JIMMY CHOO Store in Andrassy Avenue, BUDAPEST