1940: a good year

Once again, I have continuously been kept awake at night thinking about everything I want to photography. It's almost as if, all of a sudden, I look at the world in a whole new perspective. I feel as if I have always looked at the world in a profound way, certain things strike me on a daily basis. However, on top of that profundity, I now have added dimensions and thoughts to it like "what angle would I shoot that at" or "what kind of lighting would make it more dramatic?" Last night, for example, I was sitting on the couch in our newly - renovated dining room and my parents had taken down these old curtains and had laid them on this elegant dining room chair in the corner. At this moment, the lights were off and there was light only coming through the french doors. It was so beautiful - how everything had been thrown aside in an isolated corner and the curtains and the chair were still elegant. I had pictured a woman sitting there, her back to me in the shadowed corner, also forgotten in a sense, but still beautiful. I think I may be going slightly crazy...but I'm OK with it.

Last week, I had an AMAZING photo shoot with my friends. I was just googling images of 1940's (picture post WWII) pinup girls. I thought it would be really cool to re - create those kind of animated images. I picked two of my friends, a blonde and a brunette, who I thought had great faces to match the images - both had normal bodies (not stickly thin) with more rounder faces and big eyes. I did their makeup really simple - Foundation without bronzer, thick liquid eyeliner on the upper lid, drawn - in eyebrows and gorgeous red lipstick. For the brunette, I left her hair straight but pinned her bangs to the side to make it look like they had been swept that way. Then, I curled the bottom of her hair just enough to curl it inwards and make it look wig - like. She ended up looking just like Dita VonTeese, which was awesome! For the blonde, I curled her hair everywhere and pinned it up to make it look a lot shorter than it actually was, more like a Marilyn Monroe - type look. I also used lots of cheek hightlighter and shiny lotion for the both of them. The brunette was wearing cut - off really short jeans, fishnets, simple black pumps and a white tube top. Her outfit captured the era beautifully!! The blonde was wearing the same simple black pumps, fishnets, short black shorts and a white sparkly halter. She also looked gorgeous! I set up my own makeshit background with an ivory colored tablecloth from i party. The girls absolutely captured the era with their poses as well - very elegant, everything pointed and posed with minimally sexy, very animated faces. It was amazing!!!! However........(cue dark music) I was so nervous to process the negatives because it was my first time. Not paying attention, I accidentally put the fixer in first!! AGHHH. It wasn't until about 8 minutes in that I realized what I had done and I lost EVERYTHING. I was so devastated and frustrated - a whole days work, gone. However, I knew there were going to be mistakes and the girls had such a great time doing the shoot and getting dressed up that they agreed to do it again. So, tonight we're going to give it another try! I'm so excited to see how they come out. I'll keep you posted!!!!!

~Sara

speedbump

So we have a little speedbump down the road to photography this week - my camera is non - functional at the moment. However, I took it to be repaired this morning and there is hope that it can and will be repaired. It all started back in 1977...when I found out that the camera had actually been purchased in Japan by Sydney Weinstein, my grandfather. He passed away from cancer a few years later, so I don't even know how long it has been sitting in a Xerox box in my parents basement. Anyway, I went to the barn to visit our horse to take some pictures and the first few started out OK and then the aperture and shutter button began to stick. Soon, the shutter button wouldn't work at all. As devastating as it was, it was an incredible feeling to be continuing on a passion that was so close to somebody else. Upon taking it to the repair shop this morning I also found out what all the other equipment in my box was! I have two incredible, fully - functioning lenses (one regular and one telescopic), a hand - held light meter in impeccable and also functioning condition, an attachable and more advanced light meter (which they believe just needs a new battery), a self - timer and an attachable flash which they stopped making bulbs for over 40 years ago. Excellent. Either way, I definitely have a gold mine. As far as the camera goes, my friend is graciously allowing me to use hers for the time being and I should find out the diagnosis tomorrow.

I literally am so excited about all the different things I can photograph that it keeps me awake at night. I would love to get back to the barn and photograph the horses soon, as well as my two children (gabby the yellow lab and pearl the jack russel) at home. I also really want to experiment with taking pictures of people. I would love to create these photo shoots with some of my friends and experiment with crazy hair and makeup. I've thought about even just setting up a white backdrop (aka a white sheet against the wall) and seeing what I can do with different angles and contrasts with clothing. I keep having this one image of people in ripped jeans and wifebeater shirts (just really simplistic clothing) against a brick wall that I would love to photograph. Stuff like that reminds me of vintage rock band photos like the one I included of Lynard Skynard (one of my fave bands). I think theres so much you can do with a classic set up like that - I would love to do a set of frames that showed clothing through the years...start out with 60's style and end with something really modern. I am also including this awesome black and white of Janis Joplin because I love the contrast and I love her clothing. I feel like this picture really defines the "free" and kind of wild attitude of the 60's and 70's. I would love to be able to capture an image that really defines our era.

Post #2

While scouring the racks at TJ Maxx today looking for high - end, yet inexpensive designer clothing with my mom, she suddenly turned to me and said, "Well, you definitely like beauty." The comment struck me on a certain level and definitely got me to thinking...first of all, am I really that shallow? Better yet, how do you even define beauty? I am constantly reminded of times when I was little, outside waiting for the bus in my little dress and clinging to a telephone pole for "dear life in the blustering wind" simply becauseI refused to wear pants. I have always been fascinated with classics - black and white, little black dress, Katherine Hepburn, Chanel...As we speak my dorm room is lined with brightly - colored advertisements from high - end companies like Valentino, Dior andRalph Lauren ripped from the pages of Vogue. Even in these pictures, I love the fearless display of such femininity - sorry guys, its GOOD being a girl. I love beautiful dresses, patent leather heels, bright pink and - oh yes, Tiffany jewelry. Anyhow, I love these images that the camera is able to capture strong, yet maintain their femininity.