Sep 30, 2012

Behind the Polyester Curtain

      I really like seeing replications of clinical portraits set next to each other - Watching my mom snip apart my creepily stoic school photos to gift them to my cartel of adoring childhood fans (Grandmaw and Grandpaw stuffeddoggie) always made me cringe. These pictures were all taken with different intentions but they seem to have that same quality of stare.

grid of photos for a visa extension
Some street photobooth pictures for a visa extension. Private

"Self portrait at 17 years old"  (2007) by Gillian Wearing
"Self portrait at 17 years old"  (2007) by Gillian Wearing


ID Photo
"ID photo" by Emma Ross

90's passport photos
"Passport photos at 15, 17, 18" by becstarr


a family of passport photos
"Family Passport Photos" by supernab


passport photo
"buddy icon" by friedkampes


a grid of passport photos
"Passport Photographs" by Rie Louise

Sep 26, 2012

Knickknack

      What do your knickknacks say about you?

White knickknack by Jurgen Teller
Jurgen Teller

Sep 22, 2012

Honey Ryder

      Nikki van der Zyl is a German voice actress famous known for lending countless Bond Girls of the 60's and 70's their seductive purr, darling. Her work for the franchise began with Guy Flemming's Dr. No. (1962) as the voice of Ursula Andress' Honey Ryder. (Nikki performed all of the female dialogue in the film apart from that of Lois Maxwell's Moneypenny.)

Ursulla Andress as Honey Ryder in her iconic white bikini, Honey Rider
Ursulla Andress as Honey Ryder in her iconic white bikini, Honey Rider
Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder in Dr. No. (1962)
       Nikki on voicing Honey Ryder:
"The problem with Ursula Andress was that not only did she have a strong Swiss-German accent, but she tended to put the emphasis of a word on the wrong syllable. They felt her accent might be too difficult for the American audience to understand and, in any case, it wasn’t sexy enough."
       Nikki has not been acknowledged in the credits of any of the Bond films she's done and, over the years, the lack of recognition for her work has lent her a bitterness. Who wouldn't be miffed?
"Many of the Bond girls built their careers on their performances in the films, which in part was due to my voice"
Nikki van der Zel behind the scenes on the set of Dr. No
Nikki on the set of Dr. No
      During her work across a decade of spy junk, Nikki loaned a little extra velvet to the dialogue of many a Bond Girl:
Ursula Andress as Vespyr Lynd
Ursula Andress as Vesper Lynd
Casino Royale (1967)
Corrine Clery as Corrine Dufour
Corrine Clery as Corrine Dufour
Moonraker (1979)
Jane Seymour as Soliraire
Jane Seymour as Solitaire
Live and Let Die (1973)
Mie Hama as Kissy Suzuki
Mie Hama as Kissy Suzuki
You Only Live Twice (1967)
Claudine Auger as Domino
Claudine Auger as Domino
Thunderball (1965)
Eunice Gayson as Sylvia Trench
Eunice Gayson as Sylvia Trench
From Russia With Love (1963)
Nadja Regin as Bonia
Nadja Regin as Bonita
Goldfinger (1964)
Nadja Regin as Bonia
Shirley Eaton as Jill Masterson
Goldfinger (1964)
      Since her days as the self-proclaimed "First Lady Of Bond", Nikki has practiced law, gone skydiving, appeared on antiques roadshow, and found a deep fondness for opals. Her autobiography, "For Your Ears Only" is due out next month.

      These days, you can catch up with Lady Bond on her vast labyrinth of a website. Nikki continues to seek recognition for her role in the history of the Bond franchise. With the world "celebrating 50 years of Bond" this year, maybe she'll finally get a little nod?  (Now if only that pesky Shirley Eaton would kick the bucket.)

Sep 19, 2012

Snipping Snowflakes

      Alexander Wang's Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear collection gives me that same giddy feeling I get when making paper snowflakes. There's something about nipping folded paper to bits and leaving the thing hanging together by its threads that is just really exciting.  The intention of keeping it together even as you zealously hack it to spindles really makes you consider its form.
  
      The symmetry, angles, and deconstruction in this collection reminds me of gently peeling the little folded thing apart to reveal the surprising snowflake. In a way, it makes me feel weirdly uneasy and tense but also just awestruck and happy.

Alexander Wang Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear
Alexander Wang Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear
Snowflake inspired by Alexander Wang Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear
Alexander Wang Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear
Alexander Wang Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear
Snowflake inspired by Alexander Wang Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear
Alexander Wang Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear
Alexander Wang Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear
Snowflake inspired by Alexander Wang Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear

Alexander Wang Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear
Alexander Wang Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear

Sep 15, 2012

Bang Bang

        The King of America and a European boy holding guns:

Elvis at home holding a rifle
a little European boy holding a rifle
       What a cutie-pie! Maybe someday this little scamp will grow up to be a happy healthy ego-maniacal Bond villain.  His maman must be so proud.

Sep 12, 2012

Runway Ladies

       St. Petersburg, 2012  
       The уборщица and the модель:

Behind-the-scenes, ladies cleaning the fashion runway
Yvan Rodic fashion show perspective
Yvan Rodic

Sep 9, 2012

Goodbye Summer

       Photodiary of a summer weekend.

Sep 5, 2012

Aftermaths

Hurrican Aftermath 80's sunset

spilled glitter by rarebasement
some glitter spilled in the hurricane. Photo by @rarebasement