HOLGA 1

After debating for a really long time as to whether or not I should buy a Holga 135BC, I finally did. A few years ago, I had received one of the original Holgas as a birthday gift. Unfortunately, those are formatted to use 120 film so I had to rig my camera in order to be able to use 35mm. It did not work, so it's been sitting on my shelf of cameras for decoration. Recently I discovered that Lomography now offers a 35mm design of the classic Holga. Of course I wanted it! So naturally when I had a 20% off coupon code for their online shop, I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I opted for the "black corners" edition because how could you not want a Holga to have that gorgeous vignetting? I think my first roll of film using this camera actually turned out pretty decently. I did have a few issues, though. The focusing is kind of difficult. After shooting with a DSLR for so long, I'm used to precisely focusing images. You can't do that with this little guy! But, I think that's what makes toy cameras so much fun to shoot with. You've got to forget about being so technical and perfectionistic about shooting. Just go with the flow! Another issue I was faced with was that this camera is very light hungry. I bought a flash to use for indoor photos, but shooting when the sun is starting to set does not produce very good results. Overall, I'm really happy with this camera and can't wait to use it more!

SULK

 

Despite being a relatively new band, Trust has easily become one of my favorites. Frontman Robert Alfons has a unique and beautiful voice that is unlike any other I've ever heard. This stripped down piano version of Sulk does a great job of showcasing Robert's talent and versatility. The original song (click click) is an electro dance track with a a bit of a dark 80's pop feel to it. I honestly was not expecting a piano version of an electronic song to be so good. It's mesmerizing, really. These songs are a bit lengthy, but just take some time to listen to both of them. The juxtaposition of the two is incredible. Now I can't decide which version I like better! Video directed by Petra Collins.

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

We've all had that one piece in our closet that we wear until it essentially falls apart, and that's what I did with a pair of black combat boots by Wanted. I paid somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty dollars for them, so they weren't exactly the best quality but hey, they were cheap and they were cute! These things were my go-to pair of shoes; I wore them nearly everyday for the last two years! What forced me to retire my beloved boots was that the poor things are beginning to fall apart. The soles were coming unglued, the material was peeling away, and water was seeping in through the bottoms. I knew I had to find a replacement pair, and something that was a better quality.

My immediate thought was to check out Doc Martens. I already have a pair of DM heels that are some of the most comfortable things to ever have graced my feet, so I figured their boots must be just as great. It didn't take long before I found what would be my new boots: Clemency in patent black. A classic eight-eyelet combat boot with a two inch heel, perfect for everyday wear. 

I was absolutely ecstatic when they arrived in the mail. I mean, just LOOK at them! They're gorgeous! They've got these wonderful things called "bouncing soles" that make them feel like clouds on my feet. I forgot that these even had heels on them until I realized that I was slightly taller than usual. 

Needless to say, I'm really excited to have new boots in my wardrobe. They're gonna get a ton of usage out of them before they start falling apart! Combat boots have been a staple of mine for years and I'm so glad to have some that are of such excellent quality.

EUROPE IN STREET ART

One of my favorite things about Europe is that there's street art nearly everywhere you turn. If a building has walls, chances are almost every easily accessible inch will be touched by spray paint. The summer after my senior year of high school I was lucky enough to travel overseas and visit France and Spain. A lot of my fellow classmates on the trip complained about how they thought all the graffiti looked run down and dirty. But art isn't supposed to be aesthetically pleasing to everyone. There's so much freedom in the world of art and I doubt the last thing on someone's mind while they're creating a piece is whether or not the public majority is going to like it. And that's just the thing. Artists realize that not everyone will like their work; they mostly create it for their own pleasure. If someone says, "I didn't like that," then oh well. Art isn't about being good, it's about the artist themselves. It's kind of a selfish discipline in that sense. It's about their feelings, their time and hard work, their effort, and their message. Art can make you happy, make you cringe, make you confused, and can make you uncomfortable. That's the beauty of it - it can be everything. One thing that I love about street art is that anyone can do it. It can be as easy as spraying paint over a stencil. I think a common misconception that people have about art is that what you create has to be some sort of a masterpiece. Clearly, that's not the case. Street art also gives you the freedom to do whatever you want - wheat pastes even allow you to steal someone else's images and bring it to the public eye.What I admire the most about street artists is that they're willing to take their work to the public. Some will even risk their lives just to get a piece out there. I think it's simply amazing that individuals will live and die for their craft. That's not something everyone would do. There's certainly no way I'd put my life on the line to capture a photo. The fact that someone would is outstanding. Not only are artists risking their lives and safety, but they're also risking have to face consequences for breaking the law. Street artists are gutsy. They have a sort of "no fear, no shame" outlook. Almost every piece of graffiti is going to be seen by someone. Street art is one of the best ways to make your art and name known. Instead of taking someone to look at art in a museum, the art is brought to them. And not everyone wants to openly display their art to be seen and criticized by such a large audience. It truly is admirable that these individuals take their art and throw it in peoples' faces, forcing them to look at it whether or not they want to. And for all you art history buffs, here's a new rendition of Napoleon Bonaparte Crossing the Alps by Jacques Louis David in which his horse has been replaced by a moped. I encourage everyone to look at street art as something much more than urban eyesores. Hopefully, after reading this post maybe you'll look at in a new light if you had felt negatively about it previously. I understand that not everyone is going to enjoy street art, but I think people could at least appreciate it. It's been one of my goals for quite some time to dabble in this field, and I think that once the weather starts to warms up I'll do some experimenting... :)

LOOK WHO'S BACK!

I found the bunny in my yard again! This time he was actually out in the open instead of underneath a bush like usual. I caught him as he was scouring for food and eating blades of grass. My cat was sitting in the window making noises at the bunny while I was taking photos, and I think she's the reason for the little guy's adorable ear positions! Whether or not she actually was, it was so funny to see him rearranging his ears like that. I hope this guy brings as much cheer to your day as he does mine! Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

INHALER

   Foals has just secretly released their new single Inhaler today! You have to unlock the song by entering a code on their website, which they have been repeatedly tweeting. This is so exciting! I am absolutely in love with their new sound. And this song could not have come out at a more perfect time; I had just fallen in love with Total Life Forever all over again. This song is much heavier compared to Foals' other songs but their emotion and intensity hasn't gone anyway. I can already see myself repeatedly listening to this and blasting it in my car until the new album, Holy Fire, drops, which according to NME can be expected in early 2013. You should take advantage of this post and check out the video since it is unlisted on YouTube. Not only because of that, but also because it suits the song well and is a very powerful video. What are your reactions to Foals' new style? I know I'll be looking forward to hearing the rest of Holy Fire!

P.S. - I think from now on I'm going to start including one of my favorite stills from a music video when I share them on my blog. That way you guys can get a sneak peak and I also love stills from videos! We'll see how this goes!

OTHER FILM 2

I kept forgetting to post these photos but here they are, about a month after they were developed! All of these except for the first and last photos are from the St. Louis City Museum, which is not your average museum. It's basically a giant jungle gym. They have underground caves you can explore, a giant whale, all kinds of cool structures to climb on, and a ten story slide! There's also an aquarium and a rooftop ferris wheel, but those cost a few bucks extra. There's a huge vintage shop that covers a whole floor, an arcade, a cool little museum of animal skeletons and insects, and a sort of architectural exhibit. I'm not doing a good job by any means of explaining how cool this place is. I hadn't been to the City Museum in years until a month or so ago. In elementary school, we'd take field trips there all the time and I'd be so sad to leave. If you're ever in the St. Louis area, check this place out! You'll have TONS of fun! 

The last photo was from my friend Tracy's birthday dinner. We ate at a delicious pizza place, and as you can see, there were so many pizzas that they kinda took over the table. The one I ate had goat cheese, pesto, artichokes, and mushrooms. I don't know it's possible to fall in love with a food, but I'm in love with that pizza.