travel day/

on a red eye to nyc. can't wait to share all the amazing things I will be shooting this trip! be back tomorrow I hope!

san francisco in july/

My view yesterday was rather pretty heading up the hill to my house. Of course that is fog coming in and the rest of the evening I was using a space heater...but that is San Francisco in July. Mark Twain was no liar...

mendocino, ca/

I hadn't been to Mendocino since I was probably 9 years old, so I decided to drive through the other day.

I forgot how pretty it was...

summer reading list/

Awhile back Erik Heywood, of the blog on all things books and book related, asked me for my summer reading list. Leave it to me to complicate the request, but you see, when I read I really like to set the stage. So I offered to shoot my summer reading list where I would like to read them. Here are two of the images.

I really love the results. Check out the entire list here.

handcrafted modern/outakes/john kapel

Yesterday I paid a visit to John  Kapel down in Woodside. I hadn't seen him in awhile and as he just celebrated his 89th birthday, it was definitely time! Every time I visit John he has new projects to tell me about. This time I got to see two new chair designs that he is shopping around (both beautiful, btw) and he continues with his metal/jewelry designs.

John's jewelry making studio is one room that didn't make it into HC Modern just because there wasn't enough space. So today I thought I would run a couple of those shots. I love his jewelry, which echoes his fine art pieces in shape and tone, but my favorite thing in there was this little hand hammered copper cup. It is perfect.

my morning walk/

Not sure what this is but I like walking to it every so often out at Fort Miley. The fog horn emanates from that little house out in the water all the time for ship navigation (and fog of course). I think the sound of fog horns is one of the best sounds on the planet. It calms me.

mendocino coast/

I was just about to go in and tweak this and I had to stop myself. Look at the light in this image. It is absolutely other-worldly. I knew it when I was watching the fog roll in - the sun streaming through but the fog filtering the light on the hillside. It is like the world is divided in half. Northern California fog sometimes moves rather quickly and this day it felt like it was chasing me down the coast. I was watching the cast shadows overtake my car as I drove down Hwy 1. Here is a big surprise for you all,  I can be rather distracted by light and things just like this. That day I was a driving hazard because it was just so beautiful to watch! Finally I just pulled over and let the fog overtake me.

nature/

I was on a walk yesterday when I noticed this eucalyptus leaf perched just so.

Perfect.

scenes from the redwoods/adandoned cabin

An abandoned cabin up in the redwoods. Just one room but a lovely little spot in it's day. The afternoon light was rather pretty in there.

Trolling around in abandoned buildings gives me a taste for my life back in LA when I used to "explore" uninhabited (or I assumed they were uninhabited) homes and buildings all the time. Not sure if it is good or not to be nostalgic for my "trespassing" days, but frankly, I am.

heath ceramics la/adam silverman

A few more from Adam Silverman's studio at Heath LA. God I love his work...there is something so primal about it. Some of the new pieces feel like they have been pulled out of a lava flow or  somehow excavated with remnants of the ancient earth still clinging to it like it has for thousands of years.

heath ceramics la/adam silverman

Today a couple shots from Adam Silverman's work table at Heath LA.

I shot quite a bit while I was down south, but I keep coming back to all the details on this table. The color of his brushes (and even the can there) with the terra cotta of the large vessel behind it seem like a coincidence but are the most pleasing example of complimentary contrast to me. And I love seeing the seam on those large vases in the second image.

PS - amazing trip to the redwoods!! I hope to share tidbits of it soon.

I'm heading here/

Back to the redwoods today to continue shooting for my new project. Here is a little taste. Of course no reception of any kind up where I am going so this image will have to keep you until I return.

week of sharing/yelena yemchuk

Yelena Yemchuk lives in my heart. OK...well, she actually lives in Brooklyn with her family, but since the first day at Art Center when I met her, she has had a permanent place in my heart. Meeting her was like finding a long lost friend I didn't realize I had. My life has been a better place since that second.

Not only is she a wildly talented photographer (in evidence since the beginning, btw) and painter, she is one of the most innately authentic people I know...the term "salt of the earth" comes to mind but doesn't really cover it somehow.

She just came out with her first book called Yelena Yemchuk:Gidropark published by Damiani a few months ago. I was lucky enough to see this project unfold over the past few years so I am familiar with the images and have seen her thought process evolve and grow around the project. She shot over 5(?) years at a park in Kiev, the city where she was born. She would just wander around and shoot. I love seeing Yelena's documentary work. To think that these scenarios unfold before her - no set up, no prompting or directing people - has always just amazed me. You should pick up a copy of Gidropark. You will be transported to another world.

This portrait of Yelena I took eons ago but it is still one of my favorites of her. I used to shoot a portrait of her every time I saw her. I really miss doing that. Every time I am in NY lately seems to be so chock full that we can only carve out a few moments for coffee or lunch. I am long overdue to photograph her again.

Check out more of Yelena's commercial work at her reps website here. Wish I could find some of her paintings to show but she is updating her website, so I guess another post will be coming when I can share those with you.

Have a great weekend friends. Hope you enjoyed meeting some of my favorite people this week. I know I have enjoyed sharing them with you.

week of sharing/this is me

Actually this is me at my absolute happiest...discovering different worlds and people through making photographs. 

I just wanted to take today to declare myself to all of you. Handcrafted Modern is merely the start. At this point I have enough project ideas to keep me busy until I'm 90. Frankly, I can't stop myself. One of the best parts of this whole experience so far is sharing these amazing places and people with all of you. So thanks so much for your support and enthusiasm for what I do. I'll keep trusting my heart and my gut to take me to the right places. I hope you'll continue to join me. The best is yet to come!

week of sharing/ethan hill

Ethan Hill and I have known each other since we were in college together at Art Center in Pasadena.  He has grown into one of my favorite portraitists. Frankly, I am totally unsurprised by this. I was always mesmerized by what he could do with his images. In school, he would go into the darkroom and come out with images completely transformed by his darkroom mastery. This has only evolved gracefully over his career and continues still.  

Ethan has been one of those people that I can show projects to when they are in their infancy and I am honored that he does the same. It is so important to just have a dialogue when working on personal work. I am so grateful for his feedback. He has just updated his website, so you all should check it out. His portraits have a poetry and soul to them that is both the subject, but also innately Ethan. Truly beautiful work. Take a look here.

I shot this portrait of him awhile back but still love it. As long as I've known him, Ethan has worn bow ties. I couldn't imagine photographing him without one. And he's the only person I know who can get away with this combo...

week of sharing/michele janezic

This is a special week for me. My birthday falls on Thursday (yes, 7/7...lucky numbers!) and I suppose it is not uncommon to be reflective about one's life around this time. The more I go through this journey called life the more grateful I am. I am a really lucky girl with some of the most talented, loving people I can imagine as dear friends. So this week I wanted to share some of them with you. They are all amazing people, with big hearts and talent that I am constantly inspired by.

Today is Michele Janezic's day. An amazing fashion designer who has an innate understanding for a woman that values style over trend. I have to say...her clothes I don't get rid of, they just keep looking great and timeless. I shot this for her spring 2011 look book. Check out her line here. I am excited to shoot her fall line in a couple of weeks. Already coveting her fall coat...

paul loebach/brooklyn

As I mentioned awhile back (or did I?), I have been shooting furniture designer, Paul Loebach's studio in Brooklyn for a new project on craftsmen and women. This is one of my favorites images from the last visit. There is a lot going on in his studio but then there are quiet areas as well. This I would consider one of those. I am curious what the two little balsa wood configurations are in the upper right. I guess I should inquire, but I am enjoying wondering what they are...if I ever inquire (yes, I know I should), I'll let you know. But you should all enjoy the wondering, too. Sometimes not knowing leads you to so many amazing places in your own mind...

Enjoy the long weekend my friends. And happy July! My favorite month!!!