Super Cool Photos!

I heart photography.

Photography as art is awesome.

These photographers are awesome and I heart their artwork.

Matt Wisniewski. What an original and effective idea! Your photo-collages are super cool.

Thanks to Miss Moss for turning me onto him! And thanks to Ciao Chessa for blogging about Cig Harvey.

Cig Harvey. Your photos are at once a snapshot of the everyday and a deeply personal story. 

Your use of colour is super cool.

Just read a great little article on photographing people in public over on Ciao Chessa. The tips are great, but seriously if quizzed I don't think I could tell you what they are. I was too busy ogling this beautiful man:

Seriously. Etiquette or no, one should ALWAYS photograph a man who looks like this. (Or ask him out... no wedding ring folks - just sayin'.)

A bygone era...

Loving these photos from Life's archives.

Found this photo on my friend Alan's blog. It's so wonderfully him and just a great shot.

Spoons from CiaoChessa

Holy crap Aretha is fabulous.

via theimpossiblecool

Asylums are works of art.

NPR turned me onto the work of Christopher Payne and the stunning photos he took of abandoned 19th century asylums for this book.

I've been attempting to clean my house all morning. Kitchen and laundry are done, bathroom looms. Because I'm supposed to be cleaning I've (naturally) gotten distracted by my computer. First I spent too much time trying to figure out what the heck Google+ is all about, and now I'm organizing my Google Reader. (Now is when I would like to take the time to point out a prime example outlining my superb abilities as a procrastinator).

Aaaaanyway my point is, I was going through some blogs I haven't checked in a while including Daily Dose of Imagery which is a Toronto-based photography blog. I'm pretty sure the guy lives in my area because a lot of the photos seem to be in and around my 'hood....like this one that was taken OUTSIDE MY HOUSE.

Seriously! My neighbours were doing a little spring cleaning (or something) and one morning I walked out the door and passed this most-bizzare piece of art on my way to work. Weird when all of the sudden the internet becomes intimate...

Found this challenge over at Table Tonic... thinking of giving it a try, as I always feel like I don't take enough photos.

Stories from Spain

I'm going to try something rather rare for this blog - the standard 'text and photo' format. It's occurred to me that I spent three weeks in Spain and haven't really told too many people about how wonderful my trip was. I took a good 500 pictures while I was away, and I hate the idea of them just sitting on my hard drive not being shared. I also have a lot of stories. I carried this notebook with me everywhere I went for the duration of my trip and made time to write in it every day about my experiences.

So here's an excerpt from my messy little notebook - complete with photos!

Today's story: The Palm Sunday Parade

Today is the beginning of Semana Santa. Spain being religious as it is infamous for being, this meant a PALM SUNDAY PARADE.

Mom, who had been standing outside the house enjoying the afternoon sun noticed a group of 30 people walking down the street. This seemed unusual for the small quiet beach town we'd come to know so she and I ventured out to investigate. As soon as we got to the main road - Calle San Sebastien - we knew somehting was happening. EVERYONE who has ever lived in the town of Conil was coming out in droves. Infants in strollers, babes in arms, teenagers, parents, grandparents, all dressed in their Sunday best [how some of those women navigate the steep cobblestone streets in those 5 inch stilettos is mind boggling].

Children were being herded along, elderly were being pushed in wheelchairs, and everyone was chatting as Spaniards do: loudly.

Mom and I lined up with the rest of the town, amazed at the sheer number of people, their age range, dress styles and excited voices.

Soon young children (maybe ages 5-8) dressed in blue and white shepperd outfits (for lack of a term) carried palm fronds down the street. They lined the sides, their mothers and supervisors walking with them, dolling out tostados and snacks to reward good behaviour.

After a slight (unnecessary?) pause the older kids came next; dressed head-to-toe in red velvet, pulling their hoods down so they could see through the eye holes.

Then played in by a Marching Band was the crown of the Parade: a giant silver float carried on at least thirty of the town's fit men. Atop - Jesus waving on a donkey while Mary watched from behind, a tear down her cheek.

via Piccsy

Radical dude!

Did I ever post these? I'm doing a little New Years purging of the files on my computer and I saw these amazingly cool photos of waves that my father sent me in an email way back in the summer. There is an actual person who takes these! I don't know how, and unfortunately I can't remember who but I just think they are spectacular. (And on a snowy January day, why not post some photos of sun and waves?)

Bubbly, Black and White

Thanks to So About What I Said for turning me onto this super fab photo shoot!