I’ve always considered myself an amateur photographer. Good enough that people comment favorably on my pics but with no formal training, everything I shoot is based on instinct. To be honest I have no clue how my Nikon camera works. I’ve learned to experiment with the settings until I’m satisfied with the desired effect. I’ve been in a darkroom exactly five times, having developed some film and watching friends develop others. To say that I’m curious about using my lens as an instrument is an understatement. This is an interest that I’ve had for a very long time.

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Hey lovelies! It’s been awhile. I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season.

Happy Holidays!!!!

After feeling under the weather for awhile, I finally am getting back to normal. That didn’t stop me from over-feasting at Christmas dinner, though. Mmm, mmm good!

Just a quick note to say what’s up and to show off my latest addition to my procrastinating bag of tricks. You know the things that you do instead of actual work.

Let me present to you my latest toy:

Look at her in all her plastic glory! That’s my girl.

This Diana F+ camera makes me feel like warm and fuzzy with the thought of shooting with film.

It’s been awhile.

Seriously, it’s been a couple of years since I dropped off film to be developed. Even with my polaroids, it’s been about instant access and results. Of course, nothing beats the ease of digital but I kind of like the feeling of not really knowing what is captured until the pictures are developed.

You can’t re-shoot or critique anything, it’s click and go. Move on and forget about it. I like.

I like it a lot.

♥ the alchemist

“The world is not imperfect or slowly evolving along a path to perfection. no, it is perfect at every moment, every sin already carries grace in it” -Hermann hesse

This picture is A.MAZ.ING. I’ve talked about The Selby before and it continues to be a source of inspiration for me.

Love is a wonderful thing! Have a kick-ass weekend…

♥ the alchemist

Oh my! Roald Dahl was/is still one of my favorite childhood authors and I devoured his books. So, this Tim Walker editorial in British Vogue paying homage to Dahl makes me weak in the knees! With appearances from Tim Burton, Helena Bonham Carter and Karen Elson, this is just extra sugary love on the top of an already exciting week.

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photo courtesy of flickr:berlin

How awesome is this picture? I love the composition of the smoke and the moodiness. Looks like something out of a movie…

♥ the alchemist

I came across a few Gray Scott videos, Lucifer’s Milkmaid and Hypnagogic which share the same type of aesthetic and vibe. Very moody and stylishly shot. Which is very similar to his portfolio which is filled with surrealistic elements and have a wonderful cinematic quality to them. Meaning that I find them ridicuously inspiring.

Here is Lucifer’s Milkmaid

Here is Hypnagogic

A few images from Gray’s portfolio:

I must find tights like these. Seriously: think of the outfit possibilities!!

♥ the alchemist

When I was really young, I used to love to collect paper dolls, the kind that came in a book with many different outfit changes. I would play with them for awhile but then because I didn’t want to crumple the edges, I would leave them in one place, making a sort of collection of fragile clothes that I would stare at and imagine the different outfit choices. Every now and then I gave in to the urge to play and actually change the outfit but I always knew that they were paper and wouldn’t last that long. I understood back then that nothing beats actual fabric to use on a doll or on yourself to create that timeless dress-up feeling.

I hadn’t thought about the paper dolls in forever that is until I came across this editorial that ran in Vogue Nippon (how I love that particular magazine) in Dec 2006. Photographed by Tim Walker, it is pure genius.

How great would it be to have the ability to cut an outfit out of an magazine and have it be real, not paper? What would be your cut and paste wishlist?

♥ the alchemist

I saw this editorial in Zink magazine and I couldn’t keep my eyes off of it. I’m drawn to the color combinations and am frantically thinking of ways to incorporate into my current wardrobe.

This is why I can never have too much inspiration, I ‘ve seen enough crazy color combinations that work and don’t work to have a sense of what I like. Then I see how another stylist put things together and how a photograper uses that to create an interesting picture and I get a renewed sense of color fever. Annabelle Tiaffay is the amazing photographer for this editorial.

It was this last group of pictures that really made my adrenaline pump. The electric blue tights with the hot pink shoe a neutral short and that lemony green top with a neon blue headband is just pure genius to me. As in I wanted to wear that yesterday.

What do you think?

♥ the alchemist

There’s a lot going on this week. Just a break to post a little inspiration courtesy of photographer, Chadwick Tyler.  From his series titled Winter 08. So lovely.                

Look for more wonderful posts later this week!

♥ the alchemist

I don’t remember how I stumbled onto Jonas Unger’s portfolio but I’m happy that I did. Literally, each image has so much to say. I want to know what is going on beyond the moment that was captured. What do you think?

Plus, I’m loving this hairpiece

♥ the alchemist

This image by photographer Nico intrigues me. The beautiful skirt, lovely shoes, nice setting, an open back shirt and a rosary? What’s going on? 

Why is she leaning into the mirror? Hmm…

♥ the alchemist

I will let the pictures do the talking.

Plus, the two coolest Bobs in the world.

Please check out the sleeveface flickr pool and sleeveface.com for more amazing photos. Love.

photos: jeanieforever; sleeveface.com; lolabix; easilydistracted; dope_transmissions

This video is a funny tutorial on how to sleeveface.

♥ the alchemist