Let me take you picture

These are some of my favorite photos from the show in Kigali.

Part of Your World

My favorite part of going to school was getting ready in the morning and picking out what I was going to wear. I used have nightmares about going to school where uniforms were required. This idea seemed to be a perfect form of torture for my teenage fashion creative identity. Since my life now has no consistent contact with people I thought I would try and photograph my daily outfits and post them on my blog to hopefully inspire or maybe just entertain my readers. Here are my first two. I need to work on my poses but the first one was so hilarious I had to post it.







scarf - top shop
shirt - twenty8twelve
jeans - earnest and sewn

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Not that Innocent

Had some time to read in Africa so read a novel I bought to read in South Africa, The Age of Innocence. I highly recommend it if you have already read it and when you get done rent the movie on itunes and watch that. It is unusual a for a movie to add to a book but this one actually does. Martin Scorces interpreted the incredibly descriptive literature beautifully. Daniel Day Lewis and Michelle Phieffer are incredible in there roles navigating the subtle nuances of the dialogue and portraying the undertones of their relationship gracefully.

Loved it!

Read it!

Watch it!

Where the streets have no name.

Day one of the Kigali Festival went pretty smoothly considering we are in Africa. Not to knock Africans but the culture is very different from the west and working quickly is not the done thing apparently. Ian has been extremely jolly and hugs me when I visit him at the monitor desk. Thanks babe. He took over monitors when the local was taking too long to set things up. I am sure it needed to be done but I also know Ian likes to take over when things are not done his way. He is doing a pretty good job and not moaning about it too much.

I am roaming around snapping photos and meeting people. The weather has been extremely agreeable and I have managed to elude a sunburn thanks to our Factor 50 sun cream. I am headed out now to walk to the top of the stadium for the "money shot", as Ian calls it, of the production.

Laters

Silent Night

Me and our driver Paul. He doesn't like to talk much but I have found out he is 35, has a Mom and listens to Darlene Check. (I know that is not how you spell her last name but the internet is way too slow for me to find the real spelling.)

A heavy fog hangs above the city that I can’t figure out if it is fog or pollution. My uneducated guess would be both. Al Gore’s message has not quite hit here yet and as I experience the sites of the city with our appointed driver Paul (who looks 18 but is 35) holding my breath when a truck passes leaving behind it a trail of black smoke as evil and mysterious as the elusive smoke monster from LOST, I realize that emissions and global warming are not high on the priority list. Since arriving here I have poured overwhelming amounts of bottled water down my throat feeling slightly guilty that they will not be recycled and never fully hydrated by soothing liquid. The air is dry and I am getting used to it but feel on the edge of headache most days. Every morning Ian and I cover our selves in sunscreen and bug spray. It smells lovely. Our toxic chemical smell is a stark contrast to the pungent smell of sweaty unwashed bodies that loves to sneak up on you and slap you in face when you least expect it. This too I am getting used to but every once in awhile I feel the sting as it hits my nostrils and gasp slightly trying to hold my breath and breath out at the same time.

Rwanda is a clean and dusty city that hides well the destruction that was rampant here less than 20 years ago. Yesterday I visited the Genocide Memorial in the centre of the city located on one of their many hills that create a stunning and interesting landscape. Also creates a difficult driving atmosphere as the cars are mostly old and seem to die frequently having no regard for on coming traffic. Luckily Rwandans are not aggressive drivers. Phew! I knew the story of the genocide, mainly from reviews and all the buzz of Hotel Rwanda, but was not prepared for the immense evil of the event. The memorial does a great job of communicating from a personal view point the horrifying details of those 100 days and the contributing years of propaganda that lead an alarming group of people to murder without hesitation their friends and families. The exhibitions lead me to ask and wonder how can we stop this from happening again. There have been too many, the Holocaust, Bosnia, Cambodia, Armenia, and Rwanda to know the signs.

Check out the memorial website http://www.kigalimemorialcentre.org and read some of the stories of the survivors. Hopefully it will give you a heart for the people for Rwanda and genocide survivors around the world.

I can be your Hero, Baby

Today is my first official day in Africa. 6:00am my body woke me up wide eyed but not quite ready for the day. I have been online for about 2 hours while Ian snoozes behind me. Our hotel is simple and clean lacking consistent power and toilet seats but boasting luxurious curtains with a beaded fringe. Enrique Iglasias is singing "I can be your hero baby", base line echoing, outside our balcony. I don't have any photos to post yet but hopefully in a few hours I will start clicking away.

I can't believe how crap of a blogger I am. Ya know every Monday an alarm on my phone and computer alerts me of my desire to blog consistently and every Monday I click ok and ignore it. Why do I do this? I think it is because I feel I have more important things to do like read Ashton Kutchers tweets or see what is on sale at Urban Outfitters. Seriously I need to get more serious about this and a few other things in my life. I don't actually spend all my time looking at twitter and shopping sites, but I admit I am easily distracted.

Well no more. I am no longer following Ashton on twitter and have blocked my Urban Outfitters emails. That is a good start to a more focused productive me.

Stay tuned.

x

We are Family

As much as I hated sharing a bathroom between 5 people and despised the small, white and brown toned house I grew up in I miss living in a house full of people. My living quarters are colorful and cozy and I exhale with great joy and gratefulness each time I step inside them, but sometimes when I home alone and have been for a couple of days I look around feel a deep sense of aloness. ( I am not sure that is a real word but I am going to use it anyway. I hope you don't mind?)

A couple of weeks ago I went to visit a family I have seen grow from a couple and little baby bump to a couple, three beautiful charming children, and a good sized baby bump. Two days I spent as an additional limb to this gracefully functioning family body and felt a belonging I usually only feel when I am at home with my Mommy, siblings and their offspring. Thank you Borlase family for emotionally embracing me.

Blue Monday

My last stint in Nashville I discovered I love Mondays. Every Monday I went to a smokey dive bar in east nashville called The 5 Spot for a spot of 50's dancing with my friend Kayleen. The crazy part is we don't arrive to this bebop hop until midnight or after and we don't leave until three. You read correctly - three AM. What kind of people go dancing on a Monday night and stay out until three? The joint is packed every week and we are there along with whatever part of society has the kind of lifestyle that entitles it to hand jive on the first day of the work week.

Maxwell

Dying to be Alive

Ian suggested that we spend Easter in Tulsa this year. Easter has never been a big holiday for my family and Ian and usually realize half way through the day that it is even a special day. So it was nice this year to join the multitudes on a pilgrimage back home to spend the blessed day with family. Unfortunately the day was plagued by rain and wind so all the happy Easter activities had to be done indoors.We still had a fabulous time and had some amazing home cooked food. Yummy.

Get on the Floor

Carpet in a bathroom in my opinion is gross. That was the one thing well one of two things I did not like about our flat in London. Carpet in a bathroom? For 2 years I would say about once a week. "We need tile in this bathroom. I hate this carpet. If you have to have carpet in a bathroom this is ok but I don't like it. I would love to have a heated tile floor in here." And every time Ian would reply "get a quote and we will decide if we can do it." For two years this same conversation.

A couple of months ago I finally did it. I got the quote, found the tile (I hate picking out tile) and purchased the underfloor heating. A week later we had our shiny new heated disco floor. Yippy!!!! Two days after it was done we came back to Nashville. Ha! Always the way, at least I have something to look forward to when I go back.

Starchild

In case you don't know the world of make-up is a world where you work more free jobs than paid ones. On all levels artists and stylists are putting in their free hours in hopes of meeting or connecting with someone who will pay them. It can be extremely frustrating. Especially when you realize that a shoot you have agreed to do will not be worth your time. This was exactly my attitude when I agreed to a "test shoot" a couple of weeks ago with a photographer in Nashville. Test shoots are shoots done for free, by everyone involved, and everyone walks away with images for their portfolios. Through a series of emails and phone calls I discovered that this shoot was a family portrait, two girls and their mother. My first reaction, honestly was…”what the what??!!!! This is so going to be a waste of my time. Why do I need this in my portfolio? Why am I doing this?”

Turns out it was sooooo worth my time. The mother and her daughters were stunning, funny, smart, kind, and beautiful. They photographer was lovely, excited, talented, and creative. She has an incredible energy and a passion for her work that explodes out of her sporadically. Inspiring to watch. Here a few shots form the shoot. I love them and I hope you do too.

Last week I finally had the opportunity to work on a shoot after being ill and having no work for about two weeks. Unfortunately I am not sure if I will use the images and I have to report it was not the most fun experience. First of all it was a test shoot so I was getting no money. Yes that's right. Nada! In the world of fashion you work for free! Woopee! The shoot was in a tiny studio (not sure it even qualifies as a studio maybe a studio flat) that I think people live in and they must eat curry or heavily spiced smelly food all day while looking at semi pornographic/ demented/provocative/ offensive yet mysteriously intriguing photographs. I am describing a book of photographs byJoel-Peter Witkin. If you have time to read the link do it. So as you can gather the setting was less than ideal.

Then there was the make-up artist for the first day. Why are some people able to dominate the atmosphere of a room with such negative energy and have no care to add any positive vibes or even respond to positive energy intentionally directed at them? As I am sure you can guess there was one person on set creating this unpleasant situation. All I can gather is that she is just generally an unhappy person. But it does bother me that I let her have any effect on me at all. All that aside she was a talented make-up artist as you can see from her amazing henna work.

I was in charge of the hair for the two day shoot and I am happy to report I was reasonably pleased with my work.

Here are some photos from the day.

My Funny Valentine

We celebrated Valentines Day on the 13th this year. Neither one of us wanted to get caught paying too much for a set menu and competing with other couples trying to be romantic on a holiday that let's face it is not really a holiday but a made up reason for card companies to make money and for men to feel inadequate and women to feel neglected. Wow Debbie downer. Sorry about that.

Here are some photos from our lovely evening at our favorite eatery Incanto.






BTW: I know these photos are not my best work. They kinda suck really. Please try not to judge me and I will post nicer photos next time. = )

Off the wall

Since I have been married I have decorated our houses about 7 times and have moved 5 times. It works out that I have not lived in any one location for more than two years consecutively. We have lived in this lovely little flat in historic Harrow on the Hill, London for over 2 years and I am getting antsy. My fondness for this flat has not changed but something in me is saying "hey isn't time to move again? Don't we need something fresh to put our personal stamp on? And wouldn't moving be easier than cleaning those hard to reach places?" : ) So the other day instead of thinking of buying and selling in this icky housing market I decided to wallpaper our bedroom wall. This is something I have never done and after talking to Ian about it realized he was not as enthusiastic about the project as I was. With the knowledge that this would be an undertaking I had to do on my own I did some research asked a few friends and decided in true Logan fashion that I would just get it done. So I did. And here are the photos. The pattern is a little off the wall but I really like it and it makes me smile every time I walk into our room. The thoughts of moving have been watered down for now and Ian is happy with the new look too. Win win!!! I have to add he was also very good at praising me for my hard work. I got it done in one afternoon while he was at work. Life aint so bad at all if you live it off the wall.

How great thou "art"?

Karina and I went to an art exhibition in the trendy East London area a few weeks ago. Inside the massive white concrete space we stumbled across this.





What do you think? Is this art? I personally kind of like it. I wouldn't pay £20,000 for it, but I kinda like having the photo. I guess I should call it her.

It's the end of Delirious as we know it.....

If you haven't not and if you care the band that Ian has worked with for the last 11 years is finishing. I went to one of their last shows about a week ago at the Indigo in the O2 arena. It was nothing special to me. I am actually a little excited about their finale as I have had to compete with them for Ian's attention for almost five years. As much as I love them as people as a band they are my nemesis. I used this Indigo show to practice my concert photography. Ian never fails to provide quality, looks more expensive than it really is production, it was fun taking pictures of it. The band was pretty cool too.