I have always been fascinated by photography. I have spent countless hours studying photographs of people, while considering the angles, the lighting, and the editing the photographer used. I love the fact that photography has the amazing ability to transport us to a different time, or place with one single shot.
It was not until I started blogging that I decided to take photography more seriously. With camera in hand, I started experimenting with photographs of my apartment, of friends, and family. It was after experimenting in this way that I realized my passion for photography. I have no formal training or background in this field, but I realize that passion can open your eyes to the impossible, so not only did I invest in the proper equipment I also spent the necessary time to learn everything I could to enhance the skill it takes to be proficient with this passion.
I enjoy, and appreciate the opportunity to photograph bloggers, couples, influencers who make an impact in their profession, families, and also lifestyle type setting. I take an individual approach to each person I photograph. I make every effort to embrace and highlight the focus of what they are trying to convey to their audience with each session.
I look forward to working together and capturing the potential magnificence of your moments through my eyes and the lens of my camera.
There is always something I find so mesmerizing about voyeuristic photography. I know that sounds so incredibly odd and I might lose some people after saying that but I don’t mean it in a creepy way, more in a I am interested in the way others live, way. When we go home and close the door behind us, our lives our completely our own. Whether you walk around your home naked or sing extremely loud in the shower – these are all quirks hidden behind your walls. So when photographers like Gail Albert Halaban capture peoples lives “behind the walls” I am always extremely fascinated. In my latest art find – Paris Views – Gail Albert Halaban captures la vie parisienne so extremely well! You almost feel like you are there, sitting in the room across the way taking in everything the people of Paris are doing. I absolutely love this series and so did a lot of others as GAH followed this session with a NYC series, Out My Window! Her work is incredible and she is definitely one to watch! If you are as captivated with this series as I am you can have a little piece of it via her book Paris Views (Aperture).
I am not sure I have ever been so excited for a book release. How to Be a Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style, and Bad Habitsis a collaborative effort written by Caroline de Maigret, Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, and Sophie Mas. Being that I am completely captivated by the Parisian culture this book is sure to become my new guide. What I love most about it? It is a little less sugary sweet than past Parisian books. While I always gush over the Parisian women’s style, I rarely talk about what I love about their culture. And there are so many things. Being a proud American that might surprise you, but I so appreciate aspects of their day to day. One such appreciation is their unique ability to convey their message without saying a word – be it a pleasant one or not. Being that I am an open book, I often wish I was a bit more reserved. Not giving it all away up front. Where as I feel the need to be open and honest with everyone, they feel the necessity to be private. Caroline De Maigret explains,“People think that everything falls from the sky, but we just don’t talk about [certain] things, because it’s not very sexy to know that someone is on a diet or that someone has had plastic surgery, and it’s not very interesting anyway. French women may indeed get fat from time to time, but they sure as hell aren’t going to bore you with the details of their new regimen.” This is something I have been working on but there is definitely room for improvement!Another thing I love about the Parisian woman? They embrace their flaws, blemish, and age. She see’s these imperfections as character, and beautiful in their unique identity while I tend to pick apart every minor detail that is out of place. While these are a few of my favorite things, I will let you find your own. I share with you tips from How to Be a Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits
ON BEAUTY
“The Parisienne retains her little imperfections, cherishes them even (the gap in her smile or her slightly crooked tooth, her prominent eyebrows or strong nose): these are the signs of a certain strength of character and allow her to feel beautiful without being perfect.”
“In short, you’re not a slave to the cult of the perfect body—so learn to make the best of what nature gave you.”
“Au naturel is the fruit of hard labor, meticulously passed down from generation to generation.”
“Even if the Parisian can come across as a little nonchalant, she nevertheless respects the universal principles of femininity: well-cared-for hands and feet.”
“Parisian women never try to appear to be something other than what they are. In truth, more than wanting to look young—which is but a fleeting illusion—they want above all to become the best possible version of themselves, outside and in, at any age.”
“Falling asleep with damp hair will give it a more interesting shape when you wake up.”
“The skin of your face must be treated as a canvas. Start with a moisturizer . . . then hide any imperfections (bags under your eyes, the sides of your nose, pimples) with concealers (such as Yves Saint Laurent’s Touche Éclat) or a BB cream.”
“Be generous [with mascara] on your top and bottom lashes, to accentuate your look and disguise any bags under your eyes.”
“Short, clean nails, sometimes worn with nail polish—but not always.”
ON LIFE
“Like Coco Chanel, do your utmost to avoid dinners with more than six guests around the table. In Paris, an evening often starts with a bottle of champagne, served with ice. If possible, get the conversation flowing with a controversial political statement […] While your guests are savoring your chicken, redirect the conversation to a Parisian’s second favorite dinner topic: sex.”
“The secret to making a man know you need him: Of course you can open a bottle of wine by yourself. But let him do it. That’s equality, too.”
“Don’t use abbreviations when texting. (And emoticons should be only for your girlfriends.)”
“Take time to take time, because nobody else will do it for you.”
“Cancel your gym session to have a drink with your friend who’s just been dumped.”
“Eat croissants and buttered toast for breakfast—because it’s Saturday morning and you burned enough calories last night, damn it.”
“In truth, more than wanting to look young—which is but a fleeting illusion—they want above all to become the best possible version of themselves, outside and in, at any age”
Have this conversation:
“I think I’ve gained weight.”
“Really? Are you on a diet?”
“No I keep failing”
“Are you working out?”
“Nope. I don’t have time.”
“So what are you doing about it?”
“I’m going to buy myself a long coat”
ON ATTITUDE “Always be fuckable: when standing in line at the bakery on a Sunday morning, buying champagne in the middle of the night, or even picking the kids up from school. You never know.”
“Be aware of your qualities and your faults. Cultivate them in private, but don’t obsess.”
“Embrace your inner snob. (Because let’s face it, that’s who you are.)”
“The Parisienne is never satisfied.”
“The Parisienne is arrogant.”
“The Parisienne already knows what she must think: the opposite of what you think, no matter what.”
ON AGING “Enjoy the face you have today. It’s the one you’ll wish you have 10 years from now.”
“Anticipate, prepare for the future, but never totally correct.”
ON STYLE “When it comes to revealing herself, she follows one golden rule: less is definitely more…A skirt that rides ever so slightly up her thigh when she sits down in a café; a wide-necked tee that slips down her shoulder as she waves for the waiter; the surreptitious hint of her breasts when she leans down to pick up her bag.”
“You don’t have to spend a decade’s worth of salary on your wardrobe, or flaunt designer brands the whole time. All you need is one signature item: the one you wear when you need to feel strong.”
“If the Parisienne could wear just a Burberry trench and nothing underneath, she would be in heaven.”
I know how the saying goes, “A house is only a home because of the people inside.” I get that, and totally respect that, but I believe you need to actually like the home you are living in. That way you like the home and fill it with great people, you are set! And I am not writing this to complain about my home (which you have seen numerous times on this blog) because I love it, I really do! However, there is one room in particular that has always been a point of contention with my husband and me – the bathroom! The people who originally built the house made the master bedroom huge and left little space for the bathroom – something my husband and I would have done completely opposite. To each his own. This bathroom talk has been a long standing conversation with us. We have discussed knocking out walls, re-building, and adding on-to, but it all seemed like a major headache for a home that isn’t our “forever.” So after a year of talking we kind of left the thought of re-doing it alone. Until one night at dinner we decided, let’s paint it! At least we will like the walls better! And as any small home repair goes – you can’t just do one thing! So painting became adding new hardware, which became adding new faucets, which became adding new sinks, which became adding a new mirror, and so on.
Why did this entire project really get started? You may remember my teaser post on a new beauty department, where I couldn’t tell you more but told you to stick around for a BIG reveal. Well, now I can! That beauty boutique is the new Paint Studio at Ace Hardware. And trust me, they are definitely changing the way we see paint! I mean if their new ad A Beauty Revolution doesn’t set them apart enough their new style of showing the paint will! The Paint Studio offers a boutique-style shopping experience – think more make-up and beauty aisles and less screw-drivers and nails! Much more enjoyable and relatable to us women who, let’s be honest, are the main ones picking out the paint! I was really inspired when I found out this kind of experience existed and that The Paint Studio offers both the Valspar and Clark+Kensington paint lines.
From my previous post you know I love white! Done right, it is absolutely beautiful, but of course, when it comes to my own home, I love dark! So instead of painting it the traditional white I decided to have fun with it and paint it a dark green – a color that has really been inspiring me lately. I thought the darker tone would make for a really cozy bathroom experience. I love that The Paint Studio offers pint-sized samples in any color for $5 because we went through a handful of greens before we found the perfect one – Valspar Breathe Deeply. Our master is a dark blue so we thought they would fit together nicely.
We.are.in.love! Most people think of white or light colors for the bathroom because it feels clean and crisp, however as clean and crisp as white feels, dark feels just as warm and cozy. After all, isn’t that how you want to feel when you get into a hot shower or soaking in a warm bath? For the accent white we used Valspar Snowflake which is absolutely beautiful. It is a bit of a cooler white but it mixes with the dark perfectly! We also decided to be a bit funky in the bathroom and painted stripes! Since the door is mostly closed we thought it would be fun to change it up! I asked the painter to paint it on the door, and the look on his face was priceless. But all in all, I am quite pleased!
If you are considering any paint jobs in the near future definitely check out The Paint Studio! They really tailor to your needs offering personalized attention and the colors, oh the colors! They are absolutely perfect!
