torino, italy/

I've been away awhile. Hope you all have been enjoying the summer.
Today a quick post from an incredible apartment in Torino, Italy. I ran across it the other day while looking through images of Carlo Mollino's apartment for my new book, Modern Originals.
I'll post more. I swear. ; )

gae aulenti/milan

I edited all the images from Gae Aulenti's home and I am bit in love with this one. It isn't from her home, though. I shot this in her architecture office which is attached to her apartment. There is something gorgeous with that reflection...so pretty!

doors/torino

I've been editing from my trip in April and May in Italy. While I was shooting Casa Mollino in Torino, I took so many images of the beautiful doors there. so a few of those today...

Gae Aulenti/RIP

Yesterday I received that sad news that Gae Aulenti had passed away. I photographed her amazing apartment in Milan for my upcoming book this past September. I thought I would share one more shot for today in remembrance. One of the heartbreaking aspects of my work photographing these spaces is the knowledge that some will soon be gone. Houses invariably change after someone leaves this earth. Favorite momentos go to new homes and things are slowly gotten rid of because there is no longer any need for them. It is a natural, yet melancholy process.
Have a beautiful weekend friends.

travel day/california bound!

The last leg of this amazing trip is today. I am jumping on a plane from Paris to San Francisco. In other words I am heading home. Looking forward to a little rest before I jump into all the editing I have to do.
This image I shot above Italy somewhere. I loved the way the clouds were nestling the mountains.
See you in California!

euro book update/mollino

I've been dying - seriously dying - to share some of the images I shot in Europe for my next book. So today, I gave myself leave to do so because I am excited! I have news!
But first things first! This is an image from Carlo Mollino's kitchen. I figured this was ok to share because this most likely won't make it in. It is a room still used so not exactly in tact. But I still love it. It was a rainy day when I was there in May, so the light was just nice and soft. I love the two little weights hanging down in the window. At least I think they are weights.
OK, so on to the news. I am just about to head out on the road again - back over to Europe for the rest of the shoots for my book. This will be the bigger trip. I am seriously pinching myself by some of the emails I have received from these amazing houses and people. I am always surprised when people know my book in Europe because it was not really distributed there. Grateful. Honored. Surprised. This week has been an onslaught of YES! I love it! The trip looks like this: Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the UK. I think that covers it. And while on the road I will be doing some super good People Watching posts for the NYTimes. I hope you all come along for the ride.

note from milano/look up

Today was one of those days where life felt sublime. I shot Achille Castiglione's Studio for the new book. On the cab ride over this morning I was so excited I was spontaneously giggling in the back of the taxi. (The driver was not so amused.) I wish I could show you everything (I tweeted a couple, so sign up for that and see @lwillphoto ), but I definitely wanted to share these with you all. I spent a lot of time looking up because there were glorious things going on with the light on the ceiling. Isn't it just beautiful?!?! These reflections kept dancing around all day.

In the back room I couldn't help myself, I just had to lay down on the floor under the Taraxacum light. I had wanted to do this since I went on the studio tour during the Salone a couple of weeks ago. Of course the tour was packed so I resisted, knowing I would get my chance. I just layed there and looked around. It is amazing how you see things differently when you lay down on the floor in a room. I noticed all the beautiful old hardware underneath the desks and marveled at just how much they have stored to the ceiling. I also got a splinter in my jeans from the floor, but no one said there were no hazards to this kind of behaviour. Soooo worth it! 

Tomorrow I head for Vienna!

note from milano/salone del mobile 2012

At this point in my travels (it will be one month tomorrow), I am feeling like I have a mountain of editing to do. If not Everest, a modest Mt. Kilimanjaro. I finally edited through all my favorites from the Salone a couple of weeks ago. So here it goes...
The first three are from the Studio Nendo show I loved so much at Palazzo Visconti. As you can see it was soooo well done.
And the next couple were from up/market. That first of the door I was just in love with the door knob...how good is that? And the second is work by Simone Berti, and Italian artist and sculptor. And the last two by a couple of favorite designers of mine - Lindsey Adelman's candlesticks and chandelier at the Wallpaper show and Paul Loebach's vertical chandelier at the Carwan Gallery.

note from milano/chairs

Someone needs to do a chair intervention on me. I've been looking through my images and these are just my favorites from the past two days. The first is my favorite place to sit in the apartment I am renting - a heavenly little perch. Then a couple from my trip to the Museo del Novecento to visit the Giorgio Morandi paintings.
But I don't see chairs so much. I see people, personalities, moods. Chairs never fail to fascinate me with what they can convey given their setting, design and light. They say so much.
Have a lovely weekend friends. more soon.

note from torino/carlo mollino

Arrived in Torino yesterday for the express purpose of shooting Carlo Mollino's garçonnière for the book. I have dreamed of shooting this space for about 10 years, so to say I am a bit excited seems like an understatement to say the least. But today, amid the clouds and drizzle, my host in Torino, Maurizio, and I just walked around and saw what Mollino there was to see around town. This is as close as I got to seeing inside his Teatro Regio. But I'll try again before I leave. I have seen pictures for years and refuse to leave without laying my eyes on it for real! The shots in this post today are around the entry to the Theatre.
But the real discovery today has been Torino itself. What a beautiful city! Someone told me it was the Paris of Italy and it really does feel like Paris in many ways. Some of the most beautiful shops I have ever seen. More pics of this soon!

note from milano/museo poldi pezzoli

I went to an opening the other night at Museo Poldi Pezzoli and made a mental note to go back because the collection looked oddly diverse and amazing. Today I found myself outside its gates by accident and saw it as a sign. I love it! Here are a few of my favorites. The last image, of sun rings, made me cry for some reason. The guard thought I was cuckoo, but there is just something so moving about these instruments that were used so long ago. I end up imagining people sitting outside using them in the 17th century and it fills me with a wistful joy.

note from milano/villa necchi

My absolute favorite image from the Villa Necchi plus one more that seemed like its mate somehow. I still haven't gone through them all. More to come tomorrow!! xx

note from milan/triennale

I spent some time at the Triennale Design Museum yesterday. It was nice to have a day to just see some stuff. there was a little bit of work in there, but overall, just pleasure. It was much needed. The first shot was just me lazing in the park. This woman is fantastic with her Italian greyhounds. The last two are from in the Triennale. The first of the architecture in the Italian graphic design exhibit (which is really worth a visit.) and the other from some weird little exhibit of miniatures...didn't read about the details on that one actually. Sorry bout that!
Have a great weekend friends.  ; )