Flower Power, Pit Bulls of the Revolution Campaign by Sophie Gamand

Art for the sake of art is always a beautiful thing. We as humans are lucky creatures to be able to enjoy things aesthetically.  But art for a purpose? That really floats my boat! Sophie Gamand, photographer extraordinaire, was tired of pit bulls getting a bad rap.  They are the victims of misconceptions, and often sit in shelters for much longer than the average breed, and they are euthanized more often.  They’re judged on misconceptions and general physical characteristics, and there are so many pit bulls out there that are little love bugs.

So the NYC-based photographer teamed up with several animal rescue groups in the city to do a glamorous photo shoot of pitties in flowered headdresses.  They all look beautiful, like flower children of the revolution.  Maybe it will change someone’s mind!

Mamika by Sacha Goldberger

When’s the last time you called your grandmother?  Gone to visit? Went out for a cup of tea? I’m as guilty as the next grandchild at not being in as often contact as I would like.

But Sacha Goldberger, French photographer extraordinaire, has pulled ahead in the doting grandchild department.  Noticing that his 91-year-old grandmother, Frederika, was feeling depressed a few years ago, Sacha suggested that Frederika let him take a series of photographs of her, complete with wild costumes and fantastical situations.  At first a reluctant participant, she did agree and from there, a superhero was born.  The project is high-concept, cheeky, and touches me greatly; I work with a largely older client base in my profession, and nothing makes me happier than seeing older folks who are still feeling spirited and don’t lose their sense of self just because they’ve had a few more birthdays than the rest of us!

The photos I have rustled up are from a combination of photo shoots, some from the original, some from a shoot where a friend of Mamika Frederika’s was invited along, and a third featuring her friend and Darth Vader. Enjoy! (Oh yes, and there is even a Mamika book! Because, of course there is. The universe wanted to cheer me up today)

Bernhard Lang Aerial Photography

Summer is basically over.  It’s time that we face the gloomy, gray, drizzly music and just accept that fact right now.  But before we say goodbye to my very favourite warm, sunny, unseasonably dry season of the whole year, let’s check out some photography.  Aerial photography, that is, by Bernhard Lang.  Most of the photos featured here are from an Adriatic beach resort, and when I look at them, I feel the sun warm on my shoulders and my feet in the sand. Join me, won’t you?

Richard Silver Photography

Wow.  Wow wow wow.  There are times that you look at photography and go, “oh, that’s nice,” or “oh, that’s pretty.”  And there are other times that you are just captivated.  I’m so glad to be making time to search out beautiful things again, and I stumbled upon the amazing photographer Richard Silver.  I originally heard about his “Time Sliced” collection (featured at the bottom of this post), wherein he takes photos of well-known landmarks over time and splices them together, and those wowed me enough.  Then I discovered that Silver is the master of “Tilt-Shift” photography, which makes the subjects and their surroundings look to be of a scale on par with an ant.  I was collecting photos for this post, and just kept going and going and going.  He sells prints through many different places (links are all on his website), and I wish I could afford one.  My goodness, they took my breath away.  Enjoy!

Jerome Berbigier Photography

Greetings, children of the universe! I have been pretty busy these last few weeks, and as such there was no way for me to keep up the rate of posting I was making during my extended sick leave from work. But don’t you worry, dear readers. I have certainly still been following my favourite art and design blogs, and have a lot of really neat things to share with you, if I can just find the time to do it!

Today’s post is about Jerome Berbigier. Jerome is a French-born, Sydney-based photographer who specializes in landscape photography. As I have probably mentioned before, I am mildly obsessed with Nordic countries and the northern climates. Far from his only work, my favourite photographs by far are those he has taken of Iceland. Colourful, quiet, and natural, I feel like I’m there when I look at them.

Krista Long Photography: “I Love Summer”

I certainly DO love summer. It’s my absolute favourite season of the year. The sun, the warmth (within reason….35 degree heat is a BIT much for me), the colourful flowers everywhere, swimming outdoors, popsicles, and so on and so forth. One staple of my Okanagan childhood used to be going to the waterslides.

Photographer Krista Long has taken a series of high-speed photographs of people exiting a waterslide, just before ultimate splashdown. They’re beautiful, and honestly, it makes me want to throw on my swimsuit and drive to Kamloops and get some water up my nose (don’t lie, it happens to everyone).

Joel Robison Photography

Joel Robison has captured my heart. He’s a young (same age as me!) photographer from Cranbrook, BC (my neck of the woods!). He first picked up his camera a few short years ago, and since has made a name for himself as a conceptual portrait photographer. His work is creative, beautiful, and fun. A lot of pictures capture feelings regarding reading or travel, two things near and dear to my heart (particularly the reading!). His photos always feel like an adventure is waiting, and it’s up to you to join in.

Max Wanger Photography

Max Wanger is a fabulous photographer. Born and raised by reformed hippies, and educated in Honolulu, Berkeley, LA, and Tokyo, Max sounds like a real citizen of the world. His photography screams Cali, to me, though. My favourite prints are of his summer scenes. I want to grab a popsicle, roll to the beach and jump in the ocean all at once. Or maybe in that order.

Oakoak Street Art

Oakoak is a French artist who lives in the industrial town of St. Etienne, France. He is an artist of opportunity. He spies details of the urban surroundings around him, and adds artistic flourishes to create humorous works of art. I love it!

Amit and Naroop: “Singh”

Amit and Naroop are a photographic duo based in the UK. They take stunning photos of all varieties, but today’s post is about a project of theirs called “Singh.” Singh is a tribute to the Sikh beard and turban and their obvious symbolism of the identity of a Sikh man. The project showcases modern Sikh men of all occupations, and the results are amazing!