Natsumi Hayashi's Levitation

"We are all surrounded by social stress as we are bound by the forces of earth's gravity...So, I hope that people feel something like an instant release from their stressful days by seeing my levitation photos." - Natsumi Hayashi said.

Really appreciate that there are different types of people in the world;
especially there are people with crazy ideas.
I admire their creativity and courage, and the commitment.

"Natsumi Hayashi is a sweet-looking Japanese girl who, one day, decided to take self-portraits..of herself levitating. She can be spotted in and around Tokyo, equipped with her SLR and her self-timer. When she feels the moment strike, she presses the shutter button down and then, quite literally, "jumps" into place." (information from a blogger, here)

The blogger expressed that the thing she love most is that the shots do not feel forced at all, they look naturally happen.

*This capture with red umbrella kind of freak me out though.









And what I am really interested, beside the naturally levitation feeling, is the observation of the people surrounding.
*Take notice to the passerby.

She shared a little interesting story regarding to that too, when asked:
"One day, when I was jumping at a famous sightseeing spot in western Tokyo, workers at a souvenir shop were frightened by how I was jumping. They were whispering things like 'Is the girl mentally ill' and 'Do we need to call the police?'
"So I stopped jumping and apologized to them by saying, 'I am taking jumping photos for my wedding party's slide show.' Their faces turned bright red, and they said things like 'Oh dear!' and 'Congratulations!' and even 'Keep jumping!'

By the way, I saw this current levitation photo of her in title of 3D.

I am wondering if that is what we were discussing about when we were flipping through the magazine, the 3D camera?

Anyway, check out more of her levitation in her blog, here.
You could even add her in Facebook! I have added! :)
I really admire her creativity and persistence in doing it.
We all know that it is not easy to jump and look relax in shooting!

Annie Hall & Oji Girls?

Remember Oji Girls we saw in the magazine?

The trend is being called ojikawa, a combination of “uncle” or “old man” and “cute” The women who wear it have predictably been dubbed “ojigaaru (old-man girls)”

Check out the few key elements for Oji-Girls stated by the EastTouch Magazine here.
Those elements are just for reference though, I personally think, that the most important thing for this look is PERSONALITY.
Just like Annie Hall!

'Annie Hall look':layering oversized, mannish blazers over vests, billowy trousers or long skirts, and boots.
That reminds me of Oji Girls - 'uncle','old man'.

According to Wiki, Annie Hall look is actually Diane Keaton's own style. As Woody Allen recalled, the costume lady once disagree with her look by saying: "Tell her not to wear that. She can't wear that. It's so crazy."
Luckily, he did the right choice by letting Diane Keaton to have her own way: "Leave her. She's a genius. Let's just leave her alone, let her wear what she wants."

Really like her style.
Carefree and comfy. Most importantly, she has a character!
Classic.

Thanks for sharing the movie though :)

Peter Funch: Babel Tales

"Peter Funch spends weeks at a time making just one photograph. That is, if you call these images photographs. They're of people in a specific place, but not necessarily a specific time." - Juxtapoz reads.

His series of Babel Tales is mainly about manipulation.

There is this interview by Alexander Tarrant with Peter Funch, where Alexander Tarrant expressed:
"... His images explore the truth in photographs, or lack thereof, and the modern tale of people being so close in proximity yet so disengaged. Always interacting with someone or some thing that isn't the person standing next the them."



Suspecting Suspects

Notable Notice


Observers Observing

Enforcing Enforces

Communicating Community


Memory Lane

Peter Funch: "Photography has come to a point where it can be pure fiction, like painting."

His images give me the feeling of surrealism.

Annie Leibovitz

I guess, if you love photography, music and movies, you have to know Annie Leibovitz. Here are some masterpieces by her, i labeled a couple cos they are not really easily recognizable or maybe not familiar to us.

You can read more about her on Wiki.

Some of her most recent works are more polished, editorial, and heavily digitally edited. Well, maybe its her equipments and lighting props have upgraded. But i love her raw, up close and personal portraits more.

Nicole Kidman

Susan Sontag, writer.

Ellen DeGeneres

Iggy Pop, musician.