Bluebirds And Barn Swallows

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2012-02-01T18:23:00.000-08:00

A week or two ago the weather turned especially chilly and we welcomed the first snow of the new year. Although I live in the city (Philadelphia to be exact), we are lucky to be close to a large National Park only 45 minutes away by car. City snow is just not as pretty as snow in the forest so we drove out one afternoon and trudged around until our feet were numb from the cold.

1) Me, with a pitiful look because I was so cold. :/ 2) View of Valley Forge along with two souls brave enough to go jogging. 3) A boarded up bathroom on the outskirts of the forest. 4)Deer tracks in front of the cabin.

Monday- Landscapes

2012-01-30T11:49:00.000-08:00

The Alabama Shakes- Boys And GirlsImage from a few weeks ago when snow finally came to see us. In the height of winter I start to crave my hometown and the warm sunny weather of the southern United States. The Alabama Shakes are perfect for chasing away the winter blues!

The Golden FIlter- SYNDROMES

2012-01-27T20:21:00.000-08:00

A trailer for the short film SYNDROMES.

Fade

2012-01-13T07:18:00.000-08:00

Fanfarlo- Shiny Things

Thursday- Walks

2012-01-12T10:41:00.000-08:00

Recently, I realized my hair's so long that I can pull it up into a bun without a hair tie. I don't know, for some reason that makes me really happy.

1) View of the bridge near my apartment.2&3) My silly hair tricks.4) The ring Jeff gave me for my birthday that was made right here in Philadelphia.5) View of a house on our walk.

Click

2012-01-10T23:16:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to lie here, I have a bit of a crush on my iPhone. So when my boy gave me this walnut iPhone case carved like a camera I was instantly smitten. I've been smiling like a fool every time I look down at my phone (and yes I realize how geeky I am).

Tuesday- Neck

2012-01-10T12:57:00.000-08:00

My film cameras are experiencing technical difficulties so my digital will have to suffice for now. Oh and go see this if you get a chance.

+++

2012-01-05T17:17:00.000-08:00

"It’s hard to tell the difference between sea and sky, between voyager and sea. Between reality and the workings of the heart."

Gem Club- Breakers

2011-12-18T08:36:00.001-08:00

(iphone photos of my airport journey)There is something about flying home during the holidays that is a quintessential moment in our modern lives. And being from a small town I feel this even more when I arrive at my departure gate at the airport. The group of people gathered around me are not the groups at other gates- they are ragtag and even a little lost. To come from a place like Mississippi is to always search for something other than home- one can spend an entire lifetime replacing it and never be fully satisfied. I find a small, strange, pleasure in identifying the fellow prodigal children as they make their way home each year.

I'll only be home for a few short days before Christmas but it will forever be an introspective and alienating experience for me- even a little sad. Its like laughing with tears in your eyes.

Somebody That I Used To Know

2011-12-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

Came across this today and now I'm obsessed. Its passion.

Dark- This Bright Flash

2011-12-09T18:53:00.001-08:00

This Bright Flash

Instagram

2011-12-06T23:52:00.001-08:00

Images from Instagram over the past few weeks. Does anyone else have instagram? It has seriously become my new favorite app. Follow me (@ericalucie) if you have one! :)

Sons Of The Silent Age

2011-11-27T10:08:00.001-08:00

Images from Sheffield and Glasgow, Summer 2011
It feels so strange when I snap a photo in a cemetery...

Glow

2011-11-26T08:23:00.001-08:00

Blurry glowing images from the Cathedral in Glasgow.

Does anyone else watch Parks And Recreation? Nick Offerman, who plays the awesome Ron Swanson, is also a master woodsman- he even has an instructional video on how to make canoes. I don't know, for some reason that makes me really happy. :D

And Your Heart Could Feel/Fill The Soul Of The Mountain

2011-11-22T20:01:00.001-08:00

Bat For Lashes- What's A Girl To Do(Image from Sheffield May, 2011)

Currently, this video has become a bit of an obsession of mine- can't get enough of that funky beat!

Une Vieille Maitresse//The Last Mistress

2011-11-21T12:57:00.001-08:00

These lovely images are from the film The Last Mistress which I have been watching all afternoon on this dreary day. I also finally dropped film off to be developed so hopefully soon I'll have new photos to post.

Oh Boy

2011-11-07T18:23:00.000-08:00

St. Vincent- Surgeon

Jeff and I went for a walk the other day through Valley Forge. This area is absolutely beautiful during the autumn season, even with the disheartening crowds of tourists and Sunday afternoon joggers. Also, I am currently addicted to Are you being Served? The 70's British sitcom that has an abundance of dirty jokes and slapstick comedy. I found a whole slue of episodes on youtube and have since gone through 4 seasons already.

November 6- Birth

2011-11-06T17:27:00.000-08:00

Today is my birthday and so far it has been one of the best yet! There has been parties and Mexican food, gumbo and red wine. And by far the best gifts I have ever received- these two vintage cameras Jeff found in the back of his Grandfather's closet (incidentally, his grandfather and I have the same birthday) and this adorable little thrifted picture we have decided is in de facto an illustration of the both of us holding a blue rooster. So far its been sitting on the shelf with our Mardi Gras king cake baby but we're sure to find a better home for it on the wall very soon. :)

Spook

2011-10-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

Images were taken today on a walk through the neighborhood with my new Birthday present. I love Halloween!

Website!

2011-10-19T23:42:00.000-07:00

I've finally created a website! It's very green at the moment so the kinks haven't been fully worked out. For instants, I'm having some domain name issues and the website's color interface seems to have desaturated my images terriably.:/ Nevertheless, I'm excited and I hope to have it finished shortly. If anyone has any advice on how to better the site please let me know! :)

Here is the site

I Didn't See It Coming- The Look Away Series

2011-10-18T19:03:00.000-07:00

Belle and Sebastian- I Didn't See It Coming

The Girl Who Loved A Polar Bear

2011-10-15T12:34:00.001-07:00

Thursday- Old Reads

2011-10-13T12:59:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling a little under the weather recently. And so when I'm not working I have been hiding under the covers and rereading childhood novels. Has anyone else ever read The Blue Sword? I first read it when I was ten or so and since then every few years I find myself picking it up again and enjoying it just as much.

The World Through Green Eyes- The Home Issue

2011-10-11T13:07:00.000-07:00

A few of my images have ended up in TWTGE's Home issue. For a while now I have followed TWTGE'S tumblr so it wonderful to be featured in their latest zine!

Jerome- Green Shades

2011-10-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

Jerome (The Lost Session)- Lykke LiI really can't explain why I adore this song so much but it might also be because my boyfriends saint's name is Jerome.Images taken over the summer in Jeff's great grandmother's house. (forgive the second image's blurry nature- my film speed was way too low for indoors)

Frankenmoose!

2011-10-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of Frankenmoose? And no surprisingly he's not an urban legend, he's real (well kinda)!

I have worked at the Academy of Natural Sciences here in Philadelphia for quite a while so over time I've picked up many facts about this strange museum. A museum that just so happens to be the oldest natural science institution in the new world!

For one thing, many of the amazing taxidermy in the dioramas are filled with a form of arsenic. This was done during the early 20th Century- at the time this was a popular way to ensure the longevity of the animal's fur and was an institutional norm. Nowadays its a strange oddity and a good way to get small children to stop banging on the glass. I mean, nothing stops misbehavior like the threat of poison. :)Anyway, the moose (pictured above) is the king of the North American Hall and center of the exhibit. But during the 1930, when the diorama was being built, the moose that was shot in Alaska and brought to the Museum was not quite impressive enough for a few of the board members (He was a large moose with teeny weeny antlers). Well a museum as important as the Academy couldn't have tiny moose antlers! Especially, when a bit of a competition had broken out between the Museum and New York's American Museum of Natural History. Subsequently, another hunt party was sent out and ultimately they ended up with a smaller moose who was well endowed with "large antlers". Later, the 2nd Moose's antlers were placed on the first one bring us the beloved Frankenmoose!

Above is one of my photographs of the Frankenmoose. The kids I taught over the summer at the museum adored this story and it just adds to the many amazing things to be discovered while hanging out in this awesome museum (can you tell I love this place) :D

North To The Hills

2011-10-03T15:02:00.000-07:00

A small collaboration with Kayla while hiking the hills in north England. We would stop for short moments to take cig breaks between the heavy rocks (I know, we're not the healthiest hikers).Autumn has long been my favorite time of year- especially with my Birthday only a month away- I'm looking forward to warm tea in the morning while peering out frosty windows. :)

Emerald Isle

2011-09-26T19:20:00.000-07:00

Whitehorse- Emerald IsleBecause I've been on the road one day too long.

And Definitely Maybe I Will Live To Love

2011-09-13T06:54:00.000-07:00

Smith Westerns- All Die Young

Summer of 2011 in London. Time spent with my best friend- a time I miss now.

You

2011-09-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

I adore everything about you.

Thursday- Landscapes

2011-09-08T13:13:00.000-07:00

Another set of landscapes from Scotland with Jeff standing in the distance. It has been several months since our trip overseas and yet I still have roll upon roll of film waiting. I have to admit that I enjoy taking my time to develop each one. They hold such wonderful and forgotten gems of our trip that I am able to relive each moment when I see them again.

Ridge/Hurricane/River/Home (Images Of The Floods)

2011-08-29T16:43:00.000-07:00

I have not updated in quite some time and I detest my absence from this place. But there are several major factors that have prevented me from being around. With moving to a new apartment, an earthquake, my job at the museum and my part-time job, and Hurricane Irene hitting while we moved I feel like I've fit an entire months worth of activities into one weekend. On top of it all, I am also nursing a terrible cold that is without a doubt worsened by my busy schedule.

And so yesterday, my first day off in nearly a month, was spent relaxing and unpacking boxes. Jeff and I also found some time to walk down to the Schuylkill River, which had flooded the parks and roads that skirted it's edge. All of this being only a block from our new home. Philadelphia was so lucky not to have been hit worse.

our new apartment building.

we're on the third floor, a perfect view to watch the rising river.

downtown manayunk on the banks of the schuylkill, flooded after the rains.

our rescue kitten oliver twist (or oliver for short), who is feisty and peculiar just like his namesake

views from the high land across the flooded streets and into the river. east falls was so luck not to have been hit like some others were.

Almost six years ago I was in Hurricane Katrina when it hit my high school in Southern Mississippi. I remember living without electricity, the never ending gas shortage, and having to evacuate after the storm due to poor water standards. One particular memory of the storm was braving the eerie calm after the storm to step outside into the damage and start pumping out the water that had made its way inside. Standing in the wind, its strength knocked me over several times before I retreated inside to safety. Hurricane's are not to be trifled with and Irene brought back strong memories of Katrina for me.

Mississippi Family

2011-08-14T20:19:00.000-07:00

You're My Sunshine- The Civil Wars

My days are filled with multiple jobs and little time for photographing. I'm so ready for a small break and a bit of an escape. In the mean time, family photographs are by far my most loved inspiration. Especially, when they're taken in the 70's. Really, the 70's were amazing!

P.S. The Civil Wars rendition of Micheal Jackson's Billie Jean is also amazing.

Hiking/Wind (Scotland in May) II

2011-08-02T04:43:00.000-07:00

Mr. Little Jeans- The Suburbs (Arcade Fire Cover)

More from the day spent in the wind.

Featurette: Racing Minds

2011-07-28T21:48:00.000-07:00

A few of my photographs have been featured in Racing Minds, a lovely online magazine, full of beautiful images by very talented people. Check it out!

Hiking/Wind (Scotland in May)

2011-07-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

Sweet sun in between intense wind and untold May rain showers. A few times my small frame was almost taken away by the powerful wind.

Crime Novels In Hamburg

2011-07-19T16:59:00.000-07:00

Mogwai- The Sun Smells Too Loud

The foggy days of Hamburg.

Lovesong

2011-06-28T07:35:00.000-07:00

Mariee Sioux- Lovesong (The Cure cover)

Jeff and I took a walk near his grandfather's house early one morning the other day. Tall morning dew grass stuck to sandeled feet and tiny insects crawled over legs. The summer's humidity, out so early that day, clung to skin and hair as we let our imagination find that wanderlust so often sought as a child. Summer is sweet and bitter and juicy and sticky just like a watermelon. In your mouth it dissolves as you try to capture this strange intoxicating taste.

I am adoring summer, being with Jeff, and life. Most of all life. :)

Dead Man

2011-06-20T13:12:00.000-07:00

"What name were you given at birth, stupid white man?"

"It is preferable not to travel with a dead man." Henri Michaux

"Every night and every morn, some to misery are born. Every morn and every night, some are born to sweet delight. Some are born to sweet delight; some are born to endless night." William Blake

Dead Man (1995) might just be my new favorite film. With such beautiful imagery and evocative storytelling I have found so much inspiration. Watch the trailer here.

I Get Lost In My Mind

2011-06-16T17:17:00.000-07:00

The Head And The Heart- I Get Lost In My Mind

"Momma once told me, you're already home where you feel loved. I am lost in my mind, I got lost in my mind."

I came to the realization today that I haven't picked up my camera in three weeks. At once this is distressing and yet my mental exhaustion makes it completely understandable. I am tired, tired of pushing so hard to move forward in my life. I've done well, that should be enough and yet I'm unable to rest my mind. I've always found it hard to be as open as I would like on this blog- mostly I fear the repercussions of putting myself to far out there in the world. I'm not an outgoing person. If anything I am horribly introverted- I feel speechless all the time and yet within myself I could spiral in and out of so many things, turning any idea and opinion into any different possibility. Thinking about all this I am brought back to the same conclusion: plain and simply, I'm exhausted. This is a horribly selfish subject to address but I can't help but acknowledge that its not uncommon, that there has to be others that feel similar to me and can even understand where I am coming from.

So what do you do when life and your own faults hinder you from succeeding? How is it possible to somehow retain the person you are without losing yourself in the process? The answer may be obvious but it's never right in front of you when you need it.

My Cousin's Trailer

2011-06-14T21:57:00.000-07:00

Cigarettes And Chocolate Milk- Rufus Wainwright

Although they have nothing to do with my cousin's trailer I adore This song and This film. Together, they are basically the story of my life.

Lost Moments

2011-06-07T19:03:00.000-07:00

The Tallest Man On Earth- Where Do My Bluebird Fly

Strange little moments have come to inhabit my camera and it seems a little ghost has come to live in my lens. Together, they create the most luminous of moments.

I have rolls and rolls of film sitting on my desk guilting me for their neglect. My funds are less than lackluster after my travels and I still have much work to do before I can afford to develop the all. In the mean time, when I do find extra cash I rush to develop a roll only to leave myself with a taste for more. Its awfully tempting but I'm training my patience.

We're also in the process of finding a new apartment. As of now I am hunkered down with six boys, my boyfriend, and a female cat named Bella Luna. It's cramped quarters but I'm loving the idea of a sweet little apartment on the outskirts of the city just for my boyfriend and I (it might even be time to get a kitten of my very own)! Wish me luck! :)

Sheep

2011-05-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

While hiking in Hathersage, every time we saw sheep, my friend Kayla and I would yell out "SHEEP!" So this is for her. :) In the mean time, this weekend has been sunny and beautiful and for the Holiday tomorrow I hear a picnic and a swimming pool calling my name!

Gabrielle

2011-05-26T06:39:00.000-07:00

I've Lost My Heart In The Rocks On Stanage Edge

2011-05-24T15:19:00.000-07:00

For years the Fleet Foxes have been a source of passion for me. Listening to these oldies performed in the Grand Palais sends chills down my spine.

Instant Sleep

2011-05-22T17:24:00.000-07:00

Instant Sleep. If ever you're in need of a nice place to stay in Hamburg, Germany, Instant Sleep is the place to stay! We spent a lovely night drinking Fritz Kola and laughing in the common room. :)

Under Milk Wood

2011-05-19T09:57:00.000-07:00

Hiking the Crags in Edinburgh. Jeff ended up carrying my bag for me but at least I can say I successfully went hiking in a dress- its a talent of mine. :)

Recording of Dylan Thomas's last play, Under Milk Wood, performed by Richard Burton. Listen to it and be transported.

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2011-05-08T18:22:00.000-07:00

Walks along the River Kelvin.

Beirut's Nantes in a stairwell takes my heart away.

Canyon Girl

2011-05-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

An old nothing photograph from my grandmother's house.
As of now we are traveling again. We stopped in Glasgow to rest for a few nights. Its such a laid back and chill city.

Canyon Girl- Fruit Bats.

Royal

2011-05-03T02:47:00.000-07:00

There was a great hullabaloo in London last week. So of course I had to photograph the spectacle.

Bruise And Bath

2011-05-01T05:31:00.000-07:00

I dedicate this song to you

Brixton

2011-04-25T13:20:00.000-07:00

Views from the house I'm staying at in Brixton, South London.

England

2011-04-22T05:54:00.000-07:00

Kayla took this in Sheffield a few weeks ago. We're going to visit a friend there next week! Needless to say, it looks beautiful and I'm excited. :) In the mean time, there might be a little silence on my blog. I left my card reader at home and my battery charger sitting next to it. Luckily, Jeff will bring them along with him when he gets to London and I still have my lovely film cameras to play around with. I was a bit hasty in packing but I do blame my silly forgetfulness. :/

The City

2011-04-18T19:23:00.000-07:00

"And before you let the sun in, mind it wipes its shoes."

Patrick Wolf- The City

(1) Our find at the book festival, plays written by my favorite poet (now my favorite playwright). (2) The rain and fog ridden streets of West Philadelphia. (3) Me in a bathroom on the Indian Reservation we spent the night in. (4) Saturated used Children books left to the elements. (5) Morning fog in the mountains. (6) Me rain-soaked but happy in Philly.

Right now I am a vagabond and a wanderer on my way to London. I feel lost in the maze of the world and at the same time infinitely small, yet in awe of it all. It is the feeling one always keeps when they are in transition- left over from those childhood sensations of new places, experiences, and exploration. All exuberant, beautiful, wonderfully eloquent, and any other word to describe the indescribable.

I left my lover at the airport in Philadelphia- kissing each other like movie starlets on the curbside. It was painful after having him to myself for an entire week. But I am not sad- rather just impatient for when we'll be reunited again in London.

Good Morning Light

2011-04-16T07:10:00.000-07:00

Medium format from the past few weeks.
Right now in Philadelphia there is the Philly Book Festival. It may be raining outside but I am especially excited to see what used books they will have. In today's world a used book is like a little gem. They hold so much history and tiny treasures- even their smell is unique and wonderful. Anyway, yesterday we went to a lecture on Mickey Burton, a graphic designer redesigning book covers of old classics like Lord Of The Flies, To Kill A Mockingbird, and The Great Gatsby at the Free Library of Philadelphia. I even ended up with a free screen-print poster for The Outsiders!

Sun Hands

2011-04-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

Local Natives- Sun Hands

"I want to lift my hands towards the sun."

Jeff and I spent the weekend driving from Mississippi to Philadelphia. A trip through the mountains and along small rivers, a night on an Indian Reservation- waking to the fog of the mountains spilling down to us. Beauty exists in every aspect of this place in the mountains, I was sorry to leave it. Our trip was beautiful and unfortunately ended all too soon (if you can believe driving 19 hours can pass quickly). But I am back in Philadelphia with my friends and my boy and I look to next week when I'll fly across the ocean to see my best friend in dreary old England. My life is moving right now and I couldn't be any happier. :)

2011-04-06T06:50:00.000-07:00

I have a little bit of an obsession with the back of this dress. I just adore it. In the mean time, procrastination has taken hold and I have yet to pack one item for my move back to Philadelphia. It just doesn't feel like reality, yet.

Air

2011-04-04T15:24:00.000-07:00

"I can live alone, if self-respect, and circumstances require me so to do. I need not sell my soul to buy bliss. I have an inward treasure born with me, which can keep me alive if all extraneous delights should be withheld, or offered only at a price I cannot afford to give." - Charlotte Bronte

Picking up Jane Eyre again after reading it as a young teenager has brought me a new respect for the novel. I have reinterpreted, and in doing so I have gained a broader understanding, and as such am even more enamored with this brooding tale. I am excited to see the film that was recently released. It seems to have been shot beautifully. If anyone has seen it please let me know if it is as intense and beautiful as it looks!

In the mean time, I have spent the weekend lying in the sun, enjoying the warm breeze and the company of family. But I also look to next week when my boy and I once again drive through the mountains to Philadelphia. Things are moving so fast- I feel my own heartbeat trying to catch up.

Today

2011-04-02T17:11:00.000-07:00

Today, it has been two years since we met. Two years together, with you, have made me the happiest girl in the world. You are a silly boy but I wouldn't have it any other way. I love you, I love you with my entirety. I'll see you in a week.
Your Erica

Factory

2011-03-31T20:30:00.000-07:00

Band Of Horses- Factory

Off to see Band Of Horses tomorrow with my adorable little sister!

Feature, Snake Oil Cure

2011-03-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

"The greatest ill of Humankind is tedium."- Dr. Hurley

Snake Oil Cure, a lovely website featuring artists, writers, poets, and just about anything else inspirational and beautiful was nice enough to feature a few of my photographs from my Creature Fear Series. Here is a link to their website -be sure to check it out! They have a large amount of lovely artists making it the perfect website to get lost in for a few hours. :)

2011-03-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

"You ask particularly after my health. I suppose that I have not many months to live, but of course know nothing about it. I may say that I am enjoying existence as much as ever, and regret nothing." -Thoreau

Also, Machu Pecchu!

Feathers And Other Silly Things

2011-03-25T21:35:00.000-07:00

Yeasayer - I Remember

Prehistory

2011-03-21T22:19:00.000-07:00

Hotel

2011-03-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

Sigur Rós - Straumnes

Film from my Flexo medium format. We spent a night in New Orleans. Drunkards in the street felt aghast against the beauty of decayed facades and yet I love the city- its my second home.

Donkey And Bear

2011-03-14T23:40:00.000-07:00

Takes a bit to realize just how bizarre one's self can be- like feeling out of control and in every place at once. I don't know, I need to stop subconsciously trying to mold myself into ideals I'm not sure I even want to be. There are just so many expectations and its annoying.

In the mean time I'm creating a website. Its something to do.

愛

2011-03-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

Blurry old photos from a summer in Japan, 2007.

Japan, I miss you. You're in my heart. Get well soon. xx

Kersh Road

2011-03-12T04:54:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago my boy came back to me and for a mere week we lived in bliss. Together, we took a long dusty road that eventually turned to gravel. There, in this lost world, we found the land my grandfather grew up on. His home, lost in some nameless Mississippi forest. It took my breath away, and left a profound affect on my Jeffrey. He wrote a piece on his expirence as I photographed the ghosts of my grandfather's past.

The Plot On Kersh Road.

There we stood, looking over the green vegetation in the plot your Grandfather grew up on. We left the car unlocked; you knew it would be safe. We walked up the hill. The ground was carpeted with some plant too thick to be grass but still green as the lass Kelly as she sailed here from the Irish Isles. Back dropped by the intense Mississippi sun, a glowing red circle retreating behind the bare pine twigs and the soil, auburn by the laying of the fallen debris over the Yazoo clay, to be able to simultaneously emerge as daybreak on the opposite side of the world. You photographed yourself among a grouping of buttercups around a tree. The tree was dead, that was for sure. But I was unsure whether its life had evaporated out of it along with the moisture that once filled its waterworks or if it was merely hibernating, as the bears and the beavers do, awaiting the Conquistador Spring to slay the existing Winter and allow the rebirth of all the living things that cease in the cold. You ask me to take your picture. The light construction of the Flexo was wobbly on top of your tripod. I looked into the viewfinder to find the image of you directly from 1949. You are lovingly youthful in that raiment of a pink dress and your auburn follicles. Classic is a word used to describe something that is timeless, and your beauty was, and always will be, timeless.

I found a depression left in the ground where the house used to stand. It is nothing physically deep or substantial, but in our minds its existence is our existence for this brief period of time. This was your Grandfather’s house. This was his yard. And your Great Grandmother planted these flowers. Your face becomes the brightest I have ever witnessed and open with excitement when I affirmed these questions you had. We walked along the tree line as you talked of the stories your Grandfather had told you of this place while you were growing up. I am not a sailor, but I was suspending in delight as I watched your lips, rose filled with the life of a young woman milling her actions into accomplishments, vivid between that youthful pink dress and the vast, infinite sky, moving to speak words in the foreground of the sun bleeding out its life over the brush and needles strewn across the forest floor.

We kept walking down the hill to find a spring streaming out from underneath the fields. This is where the water came from. Down the hill. Fill the pails. Back up the hill. We crossed the spring and ascended the hill on the other side, eager to see what other questions this land would force us to ask. Atop, we looked over the field that lied before us. This is where he grew his shared crop. This is where the work was done, and your Grandfather learned how to provide. Across the field and just in the tree line, we spotted a mess of bent up steel, red with rust as it had long since oxidized. We tried to figure out what it was. The springs were the clue that pinpointed the suspected answer. It must have been a bed or a cot or something someone was able to slumber soundlessly upon as the nights went on. We took photographs as documentation of our discovery and decided that the sun was on its last limit of life and turned to go for the night.

On our walk to the car, we stayed close together; we stirred as the crane flew from their rest among the stalks of the small plants underneath our feet. You shuddered a little bit, worried that they were going to get you. I pulled your waist against mine as we started to laugh over the incident. Your waist is small and dainty, yet powerful with the strength of the bone refuses to move as the skin does when it is pressed upon. We came across a fractured bone, debating at first, only to find an entire armadillo skeleton. It sat upon its back with its legs up in the air. White with the loss of nourishing chemicals mixed with the hardening of the bones underneath the open sun. These bones could last another couple of lifetimes, marking a passage through time that only the inanimate can see. You took more photographs to further document our discoveries before the light failed, and I poked at the stiff frame of the dead animal. We were in complete bliss with ourselves here.

We got into the car and began to drive away, back down Kersh Road. The road was lonely, car with a driver even thinking of taking this back stretch through the woods. And as I watched the lush green fields I had a thought of how to make us the happiest people within this existence. Buy some land. Or better yet, buy this land.

- Jeffrey Lindenmuth

Δ Δ

2011-03-01T20:25:00.000-08:00

Medium format. Two years ago today I created My Little Underground! This song was inspiration for the blogs creation.

The First Days Of Spring

2011-02-28T18:51:00.000-08:00

Film from a warm day spent on the river. Spring has arrived in my little pocket of the world!

Noah And The Whale- First Days Of Spring

Heart And Soul

2011-02-24T20:22:00.000-08:00

"Existence well what does it matter? I exist on the best terms I can. The past is now part of my future, the present is well out of hand."

More from my flexo film. I'm really enjoying the simplicity of this camera. Right now Jeff is here, a surprise visit because I was in a low place. We've been ignoring the world for a week- living like children in a war zone. Reality will be back next week, but I don't really want to think about that.

I Know Very Well How I Got My Name

2011-02-16T17:56:00.000-08:00

(film from my flexo medium format, I truly adore this camera)

I am counting the days with an intensity that I have not felt in some time. A flutter has taken hold of my senses- I am anticipating. There is so much hanging on this, like cobwebs in the corner of the coming weeks. So many things to come, so many things to be said. And well to tell the truth, I just feel so very aged- so old when the world is young. The place I was born is no longer my home and really, I'm not sure where that place is at the moment. I booked a flight to London in April. I'm so ready to plant my feet in new places, to live with no certainty of tomorrow, and to be in his arms again.

Wish me luck!
(I'm sorry I've been so lacking lately.
I'll be back to myself soon. I promise)

Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii

2011-02-11T18:09:00.000-08:00

(source)

Hard to believe this photographic survey of 20th century Russia was taken nearly a hundred years ago. The photographer, Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii (1863-1944), used a three step color filter process to capture three different black and white negatives (using blue, red, and green filters). He then combined them to give color and density of tone in the negative allowing accurate and beautiful shade. I'm honestly not sure if I have ever seen such naturalistic and clarifying color.

To be honest, I have a bit of a love affair with Russia. It started quite some time ago and after I became enamored with the philosophies of Russian literature I was instantly smitten. After reading Anna Karenina my interest was thoroughly peaked and I toyed with the idea of picking up Dr. Zhivago. The decision was made for me however, when my boy gave me a vintage jewelry box that played "Lara's Theme", from the 1965 film for my birthday. I hadn't told him of my interest in the book so I appreciated him even more because he knew me so well. :) Soon I had the 1965 film adaptation and a first edition copy of the novel on my doorstep, a surprise from my sweet boy who knew just how to shower me with affection (and books). I'm still debating what my next soiree into Russian Literature might be but Alexander Pushkin's Eugene Onegin seems like a good candidate. I think the internal dialogue and philosophic intimacy, prominent in eastern European literature, appeal to my introvert nature.

p.s. This is currently on repeat at all hours of my day in my itunes- its perfect company. And with that holiday coming up next week I'm sure to be in a pessimistic mood, reminded that my boy is some thousand miles away. :(

Une Femme Est Une Femme

2011-02-06T15:03:00.000-08:00

A bit obsessed with French New Wave Cinema at the moment. Une Femme Est Une Femme is by the same director of Breathless and stars Anna Karina, who is adorable by the way. :)
(all images are stills from the film)

My Mother,

2011-02-04T20:52:00.000-08:00

"I've seen the bright lights of Memphis, and the Commodore Hotel, and underneath a street lamp, i met a southern belle. Oh she took me to the river, where she cast her spell, and in that southern moonlight, she sang this song so well." -Dixie Chicken, Little Feat

she would sing this to me when I was little.

The End Of January

2011-01-30T17:31:00.000-08:00

An image from the other day.

Has anyone else been following the protests in North Africa? I'm not exactly political but my heart goes out to the Egyptian people fighting for their freedom. The Boston Globe's The Big Picture has, in my opinion, one of the best photojournalism websites- their images are raw and can be hard to take in. But it is also the site I always go to when i want to see what really going on in the world's major events. If you're not following the unrest I suggest you take a look at their images of the protests not only in Egypt but also Tunisia and Lebanon.

I Follow Rivers

2011-01-27T15:56:00.000-08:00

I have been sick with a cold for what feels like days and days. But the sun has been out and the air has been fresh so an open window brightened up my otherwise rather dreary day. The cool winter breeze motivated me, for the first time in a while, to actually pick up my camera -below is the result- I've just felt uncreative recently so lets hope that passes soon.

Lykke Li is wonderful (I fell in love with her song Dance, Dance, Dance back in 2008) and this single from her forthcoming album has caught my attention. I love the video too.

January Hymn

2011-01-21T18:07:00.000-08:00

This film was shot back in November when we visited New Orleans and walked along the bed of the Mississippi.

Recently, I've felt so apathetic. There is just something about January that is counter productive and dim. I've been feeling uncreative recently and all I can do is blame it on the weather.

And in the meantime, here are a few answers to some of the questions I received. Thank you all so much for responding! Everyone seems so interesting and I have found some great blogs I have never visited before.

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Have you ever studied photography or any kind of art, design? If no what have you studied or what are you going to study/do?

I have. In high school I attended a specialty school for artistically gifted students, we lived in dormitories and spent every waking hour practicing art. Basically, I have a well-rounded base in all the arts. In college, I studied Art History and Photography along with Design, the humanities, and just about any other kind of art.

What do you want to do as a career when you get older? And if you could pick anything in the world to do what would it be?

I’m continuing my studies in graduate school with a focus in the history of art, conservation, and photography. In the past I have worked in galleries, museums, and archives doing everything from photographing work to setting up exhibitions. I truly enjoy learning so I think I’ve really found my nitch in life there.

I would really like to know if you have a favorite camera? I personally can get very sentimental when it comes to my cameras.

I am the same! I love all my cameras but I also have far to many cameras to pick only one. I guess, I’m fairly partial to the newest member of my camera family, a 1949 German medium format called a Flexo (image below). It was a Christmas present from my boy.

I’d like to know what camera you use to take your photos.

Recently I’ve been using my digital, a Canon 30d. But that is mainly due to lack of funding and a few mishaps I’ve had with my film cameras (two of my favorite cameras decided to stop working). I love film but I also see the value in digital too.

I would love to hear more about your future plans and where you find inspiration for your photos.

I really prefer not to think too much about my future. I’m a bit of an over achiever and if I focus too much on what I want as an outcome I stop enjoying life. I’m getting better but it is still very much a work in progress. So I guess right now I’d really like to get accepted into a good graduate program and save up enough money to do some traveling in Europe this summer.

As for my inspiration, I wish I knew! I’m an avid reader and recently I’ve been spending a lot of time by myself. I’m reflecting and although I feel slightly embarrassed by the work I have produced I know that I am growing and that is inspiration enough.

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Does anyone like the Decemberists? I love them and they recently released a new album. Here's a link to their interview and live show on npr.

This Is Me

2011-01-07T16:07:00.000-08:00

Hi! This is me. A 23 year old dreamer living in winter sunshine. I'm currently back home in Mississippi for a year between schooling and I'm ambidextrous (I can write with both hands)! I also have the weirdest taste in movies, TV, and literature. For instance, My favorite "guilty pleasure" TV shows are Dog The Bounty Hunter, Ghost Hunters, and CSI:Miami. Strange right?!

Who are you? I'd love to know more about you all and anything interesting about yourself. :) Oh and let me know if you have any questions for me!

Grandparents

2011-01-05T16:08:00.000-08:00

Photos of my grandparents. I find them so beautiful. My grandmother is Choctaw Indian and has the most amazing dark skin and deep eyes. As a child, I have vivid memories of her tanning on the back porch as I played on my tricycle. To this day my grandparents are two of the most amazing people I know.

How was your New Years Eve? Mine was spent with the flu, huddled in the bathroom with my family's very frightened and large German Shepard mutt, as tornado warnings sounded and funnel clouds moved over head. Thankfully, our house was spared but others were not so lucky. I guess 2010 wasn't going down without a fight.

clementines

2010-12-29T22:24:00.000-08:00

Early morning. A ray of sun, sweet like a clementine, crawls across the floor and into my bed. I watch the dust settle, a kaleidoscope lost in a stain glass window. Billowing white curtains brush against my shoulder taking bits of me with it, lifting higher and higher, above and above. The world may feel dead in winter but not the sun, never that sweet sun.

Life has been a little difficult for me recently. Days seem long, and never ending. My only comfort are dreams of sweet days to come full of adventure, passion, and new places. And of course I must remind myself to live brightly even when the world is dull. To find beauty in everything and take note of its existence even if it is small. Although it may be difficult, its something we must all do for ourselves- a kind of self preservation. So lets hope for a beautiful New Year. :)

december

2010-12-25T22:45:00.000-08:00

December has been cold and best spent curled on the couch.

shopping malls

2010-12-23T22:54:00.000-08:00

No travel plans, no shopping malls. No candy canes, or Santa Claus for as the day of rest draws near, it's just the two of us this year. sufjan

sx-70

2010-12-22T20:07:00.000-08:00

Found an early Christmas present on my doorstep this afternoon, a Polaroid sx-70. The film may be astronomical on ebay but I'm considering this worth it. I've loved these cameras since I discovered Andre Kertesz's Polaroid book.

early mornings

2010-12-20T05:47:00.000-08:00

The sun is always so warm in the morning, even in the dead of winter.

moments

2010-12-15T20:00:00.000-08:00

The two of us, together.

Peace Valley

2010-12-14T18:24:00.000-08:00

Through the forests of rural Pennsylvania. My film camera (an old 35mm canon that I've had since the age of sixteen) took its last photo here before leaving me for good.

Angel, Won't You Call Me

2010-12-13T22:06:00.000-08:00

Here are a few quiet images just right for the chilly weather. The top image is a photo of my grandmother. Every image I have ever seen of her as a young woman has her smiling and looking so lovely- I just adore them. So when I discovered this photo the other day at my aunts house I was instantly smitten. And with the cold weather, nothing is better than curling up with my aunt's fat kitty aptly names Mama Kitty. Yes that is her name, isn't it cute? She is quite possibly the sweetest cat in existence and likes nothing more than to love anyone who will cuddle up with her.

I'm going to be honest and admit that I've been a bit bah humbug recently. I love the holiday season, but this year I've just felt muted. This is usually the product of long hours working in retail and missing my adorable boyfriend so much that my heart resembles the surface of the moon. It's cratered and empty with a birds eye view of the earth below and all the wonders of that world just out of the poor moons reach. That's how I feel at least.

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

2010-12-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

I haven't had a moment to myself recently and if I did I'm sure I would feel discontent. I've always been the kind of girl who lives life as loud as possible even when its exhausting. Truthfully, I just detest boredom.

How wonderful are the Freelance Whales? I came across them the other day and I must say that I am quite taken by their lovely sound. And the photos above were taken in my boyfriend's bedroom in his hometown. His forest themed wallpaper is just one of the many reasons I love visiting there.

Bluebirds And Barn Swallows

2010-12-06T17:49:00.000-08:00

On my last day in the dreary north we ventured into the woods, trekking through the cold, and enjoying the almost bare trails even with the brisk air and light rain. Eventually, we discovered a warm little cabin with wonderful objects and poignant taxidermy. But the best find by far was a one dollar book sale! They had a wonderful collection of nature oriented books, including puppy training and bird watching. And because there is no way I am getting a puppy anytime soon (and yes, I'm sad about that), I have now become a bird watching aficionado!

Creature Fear#3

2010-12-04T19:35:00.000-08:00

"Lara walked along the tracks following the path worn by pilgrims and then turned into the fields. Here she stopped and, closing her eyes, took a deep breath of the flower-scented air of the broad expanse around her. It was dearer to her than her kin, better than a lover, wiser than a book. For a moment she rediscovered the purpose of her life. She was here on earth to grasp the meaning of its wild enchantment and to call each thing by its right name, or, if this were not within her power, to give birth out of love for life to successors who would do it in her place."

Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago.

I have developed quite a little obsession with this book by Boris Pasternak. There is a nice little story behind this development but that is for another post. For now, here is a little passage from this wonderful novel and another photograph from my Creature Fear series.

Thank You

2010-12-02T08:22:00.000-08:00

Two days in Pennsylvania with Jeff and my friends is just not long enough, and soon I was on a plane back to the sunny south. Spending the weekend in Philadelphia reminded me of my love for the dreary northern weather and the wooded suburbs that Jeff is from. We spent most of our time curled up together to keep out the chill but we did enjoy a night out at the Brandon Flowers Concert and after that a romp with old friends through the bars of Philadelphia. I forget how wonderful the food and drink is in Philadelphia and I'm missing the city and its wonderful inhabitants terribly right now.

Recently, I noticed that I've gained quite a few followers and I just want to say thank you for becoming apart of my life and sharing in it. I feel so blessed to have a connection with so many talented and wonderful people all of over the world and I've learned so much from that experience. I created this space as a way to express my voice, my art, and my longing to overcome my insecurities. There was a time in my life that I felt suffocated by the thoughts and the world I had created within myself, this blog became my journal- my way of expressing all that consumes me. The fellow bloggers I have met have become such an inspiration and source of understanding that I couldn't be more grateful. So I just wanted to say thank you all for being so lovely and amazing! :)

Cedars#2

2010-11-27T18:48:00.000-08:00

More photos from the day I spent on my grandfather's land. I just love this place so much. There are sheep and goats, border collie puppies and old horses, and of course a great expanse of trees and nature. Its beautiful and quite sad at the same time but for very complicated reasons. So this is where I am from- my home.

Cedars

2010-11-25T19:27:00.000-08:00

The leaves on the cedar trees by the lake have made their descent, creating a strange contrast considering the autumn heat. I took a slew of photographs exploring the grounds but these are all I have for today.

Recently, I've become frustrated with my lack of subject matter. Using myself as a model just feels vain and superficial, and I promise you that this is not the case. Its best, I guess, if I viewed this issue as a conundrum worth overcoming but its been difficult. I would love to scout models or use friends but I tend to totally separate these two aspects of my life from each other. I'm also just to shy and timid to have the courage to ask someone I found interesting if I could photograph them. So I guess I need to work on overcoming that. That being said, I do find photographing myself to be somewhat rewording, in just the fact that I have complete control of all expression and emotion I wish to emit out of the image.

My boy sent this to me in a text the other day and it seems to describe perfecting the way i feel today. It just makes me miss him all the more,

"Blue skies pull us into their oblivion. The clouds sit in quiet disposition keeping our feet amongst the ground and giving us something to do."

Creature Fear#2

2010-11-24T19:30:00.000-08:00

"Don't let it form us, the creature fear."

Right Behind You

2010-11-23T06:50:00.000-08:00

A self portrait. I am a silly sort of girl.

Brandon Flowers - Right Behind You

Its raining today and the humidity is back so I really wish I could just stay in bed today. Recently, I have had many different songs in my head and this is the most recent. It reminds me a lot of my younger sister, but I'm not sure why.

Anyway, I'm flying to Philadelphia on Sunday to visit with my boy, his family, and a few friends. I just want this week to fly by!

La Soeur

2010-11-20T01:14:00.000-08:00

A chill possessed my home over this past week and for a moment relief has come from the never ending heat. With such wonderfully dreary weather we explored part of the swamps near where my dear friend and I live. I wanted to tread the water but with a murky bottom and a large amount of poisons creatures that inhabit the area, my intuition told me better.

As a young girl, I used to explore this area bare foot and lightly clothed, I remember walking through the thick underbrush and nearly stepping on a baby cottonmouth snake. It was then (ofcourse) that I realized the value in shoes. The strange part about this experience was the length of time I let my bare toes hover above the deadly serpent just watching the thing in wonder- I think I just found death so fascinating. I couldn't have been more than eight and yet the memory is vivid.

Anyway, this is what is in my head.

おやすみ

2010-11-16T19:47:00.000-08:00

Nothing of substance in these words, I'm just going to bed tonight. Oyasumi/Good Night!

And The Gusts Of Wind Seemed To Carry On Their Singing

2010-11-15T22:18:00.000-08:00

It seems fitting that I represent my yearning for northern weather with an artificial world. A beautiful winterey scene captured behind tempered glass- frozen, in an effort to confront gazing eyes and runny noises with an interpretation of a natural habitat. I remember snapping this diorama at the Academy last year during a particularly fierce snow storm. I trekked across the bridge into the city with a tripod on my shoulder and a camera on my back. It had been cold and I fell twice due to juvenile, southern, feet not used to the slippery ice. But I was strangely fascinated and in love with the all encompassing snow- its just that beautiful- even when mimicked in an old museum.

Good Morning World

2010-11-12T06:48:00.000-08:00

At this moment I love freckles, sleepy headed boys, and warm morning light more than anything in the world.
Oh and my favorite band in the world (The Decemberists) are coming out with a new album in January. I fell into a deep love affair with them as a teenager with their album, Her Majesty The Decemberists and they became my gateway to many of my musical loves like Jesus And Mary Chain, Morrissey, The Shins, and The Thermals. I am beyond excited for this!