Wild rock ‘n roll rockabilly, she’s my baby doll.

11During my last year of high school and first year of university, I did a little bit of modelling. Mostly pin-up inspired photo shoots, but also some hair stuff and a couple of indie runway shows. It really all started because of my hair. A woman spotted my bright red locks at a show and asked if I’d walk in the runway show for her local shoe store. During that show, a photographer fell in love with my crimson ‘do and asked me to do a couple of themed pin-up shoots. Things kept rolling from there until I got too busy with university and advocacy work. When I was contacted by a Toronto agency about signing a contract with them, I realized it just wasn’t where I wanted to focus my energies for the time being.

When Camille Porthouse put out a call on Facebook a couple of months ago that she was looking to shoot tattooed gals with brightly coloured hair, I leapt at the opportunity. This was my first time meeting Camille and we developed an instant rapport. I love anyone who gets completely fired up about their work and let me tell you, she has so many incredible ideas running through that mind of hers. Our concept was  ”rock ‘n roll pin-up” and we took to the colourful, graffiti-laden alleys of our city to make it come to life. I absolutely love how they came out. Take a peek…

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I’m wearing… dress: Bodybag by Jude (purchased at From Mars) // shoes: Jeffrey Campbell // vintage skull ring // necklace & amethyst ring designed/made by me

This dress is one of the most extravagant purchases I’ve ever made and it had to be on layaway for several months before I could take it home. But it makes me feel like a superhero, so it was totally worth it.

And who knows, maybe I’ll be back in front of the camera sometime soon…

Do you have a garment that makes you feel like a total badass hanging in your closet? I’d love to hear!

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Images Copyright 2013, Camille Porthouse Photography

The Birthday List // Shoot 12 Rolls of Film

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These photos are from the first roll of film I developed towards my birthday goal of shooting 12 rolls of film this year. While I was still living in Toronto, I was given a roll of expired FujiFilm by one of the staff at my favourite camera store. It turned up while I was unpacking some things and I decided to put it to use during our first beach trip of the year. These are the only shots that turned out and given that they’re grainy and out of focus, the whole thing might seem like a bust. But, I have to admit, I absolutely love each of these photos. The intensity of the light leaks, the double exposures in the first two, and the relatively monochromatic colour palette all add a lot of character to these shots. I’m so glad I have friends who are willing to spontaneously pull over to the side of the road and shoot photos at an abandoned fry stand. These photos will be quirky reminders of all the fun we had this summer. Now I’m trying to think of creative ways to compile a photo album to take overseas with me… any ideas?

Living life in analog,

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P.S. Self-Love Book Clubbers, check back at 6pm EST so that we can chat about our first week of reading together! xx

Photography // Film, It’s Not Just for Hipsters

jess1Hello! My name is Jess, and I blog over at This Analog Adventure. I write about film photography, fashion, and share my life through the lens of my film SLR. A lot of times, I get asked “why do you still shoot film?” – not only in blogland, but in my real life as well. Today I thought I’d share some of the reasons I have for shooting in film, and maybe answer some questions you might have had about film (you may not have known you had them, but…that’s ok! haha). Please keep in mind that I am not a professional, I photograph completely for hobby and fun, and I’m in no way an expert. These are just the reasons I personally have for shooting with film! :)

jess21. Starting up with film photography is cheap. This is probably the main reason I got into film photography. I bought my film SLR camera for $40 at a Local thrift store. That is nothing compared to the price of a DSLR (around $450 for a basic Canon Rebel starter kit, for comparison). This means that you can get your hands on a camera for a reasonable amount. It also means you won’t be scared to bring that camera with you everywhere. I wouldn’t have brought a $500 Camera on a canoe ride in open water, but I was okay bringing a $40 one!

2. Film doesn’t cost much to get developed. At Walmart, I get my film developed & scanned onto a CD for $5/roll. A roll of film costs another $5/roll for a basic film that I can easily find at walmart or a drug store. That’s $10/roll for 24-36 exposures, or $0.27 a picture. Not as bad as you thought, hopefully!

3.The price of film can be a good thing! The fact that film does cost something makes me very careful about when I choose to press the shutter. It forces me to focus on what I’m shooting and really think about whether or not I want to capture it. Funny how when you put a price tag – however small- on something, you become more aware of what you’re doing. That means I don’t have 5000 pictures that I’ll never look at again taking up my hard-drive. It also means I take great care with composition and lighting.

4. You will be forced to learn the basics of photography. You will quickly know what aperture, ISO, Shutter speed, and depth of field mean, and how to use or achieve them. I have trouble figuring out how to set these on my own on my DSLR! On my film cameras, it is so easy to locate and change your settings because there aren’t a million buttons to press.

5. Your film camera will never go more out of date. That’s a classic piece of equipment and it won’t be re-released every year with a few extra features and a bigger price tag.

6. That incredibly loud noise your camera makes when you press the shutter is addictive. You learn to love it, it will soothe you, and you’ll want to do it many times again.

7. There is a colour quality to film that is obvious and wonderful. Yes, you can recreate it in photoshop with digital images. It will cost you whatever photoshop costs nowadays ($699 for CS6, according to the app store). There’s a reason people try to recreate it, though.

Lastly, If all else fails, it’s a conversation starter. People will ask why you’re shooting film, and probably be fairly interested in your reasoning.

So, now that you know a little about film photography, would you consider picking up an old film camera and giving it a try? If you think you’d rather relax and watch somebody else experiment with film, you can always visit me here. Either way, I hope I presented some interesting ideas and got you thinking about film!

x Jess

Raindrops on roses.

IMG_9250On Saturday night the skys opened up, flooding the streets. Cracks of thunder made me jolt in my seat while lightning lit up the sky. I find storms soothing though, with their heavy drops rhythmically slapping against the pavement outside. When the rain stopped, that damp smell of warm summer storms radiated off the streets. I was enchanted by how beautiful my moms roses looked with raindrops twinkling on their petals. I couldn’t resist snapping a few shots…

IMG_9253 IMG_9257 IMG_9261 IMG_9262One of my goals on my birthday list is to “understand my camera.” I have to admit, I feel like I’m still a ways away from being able to cross that one off. I shoot pretty much exclusively on auto. But I’m still proud of the images I’m making and plan to crack on with learning the technical aspects of my camera. I’ve been taking photographs everyday and that’s the really important thing. I love catching little moments or pretty scenes like this, that might otherwise be forgotten.

Do you have any tips or suggested reads for learning more about using DSLRs? What’s your favourite photograph you’ve taken lately?

Happy snapping,

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Escaping the city without leaving town.

This is a long weekend in Canada, which I love because it feels like having two lazy Sundays in a row. My mom came down for a visit and yesterday she had the opportunity to meet someone who’s become very special to me. We ate a delicious brunch at Fresh before hunting for treasures at the Sunday Antique Market. Even though I didn’t buy anything, I had fun dream decorating my future office and imagining the histories of the objects that caught my eye. Afterward, we sauntered around the Riverdale Farm, giggling at goats and enjoying the scenery. I swear there’s no heartache or soul sickness that breathing in that hay-infused fresh farm air and staring at a horse won’t fix for me. It was lovely to spend the day at two of my favourite east end destinations and escape the everyday hustle and bustle for an afternoon without even leaving the city. Here’s a peek at our adventures…

And a few Instagrams to give you an idea of what I’ve been up to lately …

Celebrating tattoos over onion rings; coffee shops that double as offices; purple lipstick to match my pixie ‘do; library trips for research assignments; espresso drinks with almond milk & coconut water, kitty kisses …

A birthday party in the park complete with glow sticks, colourful flags, and cute kitty cupcakes; 1930s shoes spotted at the museum; a fruity concoction at Fresh (we went four times in the four days my mom was here); raspberries from the farmers’ market; a summery lunch on a patio …

Vegan phyllo pastry at Fressen paired with a grapefruit fizz; if I had room for a typewriter collection, this baby would be joining my Underwood; holding hands in the sunshine; the full moon at a baseball game; sharing a cupcake before bed.

What moments, big or small, have made you smile lately? I’d love to hear!

xoxo
S.