Posts tagged ‘photography’

On June 16th, 2010 I celebrated a milestone called the one year wedding anniversary. And it was my birthday a few weeks prior.

So I received an abundance of my favorite things. Sunflowers, a hand written note from my chow chow, Curry, gym pass from my husband? Cheese, Cheez-It™, home made guava-strawberry jam from the in-laws. AND this amazing oeuvre photography book from the eyes of Tim Walker, fallen fashion photographer. He fell into fashion. And fell for it hard.

Now, I am no authority in photography but, to me, the best shots are usually the most unstirred. There is a sandpaper feel to each page, seemingly to counter the soft warmth you get from the natural sunlight in each photo. Coincidentally, it reminds me of the sandy soft voices from old folklore songs. Raw and untouched.

Nothing i say is of any importance, so these are the photos that made me wide eyed. They also made me smile.  I rarely smile.

Garech Browne, Heir to Guinness Brewing Co.

Lily Cole in Wadhwan, India, British Vogue

Highlander, Papua New Guinea, British Vogue

This 4 feet tall young man does not know his age, but he guesses “maybe” 40 to 50 years old. He is in his own outfit, on his way to ‘tend his garden.’

The Cawdor Clan, Scotland, Vanity Fair

Otis Ferry and his Foxhounds, Vanity Fair

Georgina and White Mice, early photography by Tim Walker

Streets of Bradford and Cecil Beaton drawings, Vogue Archives

Thanks Mister for the gym pass and this wonderful book.

The book: Pictures by Tim Walker

The man: Tim Walker

*Source unknown

Shanghai, with all its international amenities, can still be very wearing on an expat, especially after what will soon be 4 years.  The heat, noise, strange stinky tofu smell mixed with sewage (or is it urine?), the sidewalk air conditioning units dripping dirty water on my head as I walk, the accidental bumping of my shoulder (twice this morning) and the occasional spitting very close to my feet, leaves me feeling plain old exhausted.

But, when I am smart enough to remember, I have a ‘go-to’ image in my head. I actually have a few, coincidentally most are of fashion capitals around the world, but this is one currently most prevalent. Funny because I recently had a bad tiff with a french woman.  Or maybe that is why this is the one in my brain at present.

I think this and I am ok again.