An Enchantment with the Edwardian Era

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Crashing Nightingale

You may have heard the term, “Old Soul.” Typically it’s used to describe a person that is wise beyond their years, has one foot in the past or celebrates history in some kind of way. Buzzfeed has a great checklist for signs you’re an old soul which you can read here (I said yes to some of these; can’t say I didn’t partake in a party phase in my twenties 😉 ).

If you’ve perused my blog you may have gathered that I’m kind of an old soul. I love history and feverishly can’t get enough of anything between the late 1800s up until the 1940s. It’s who I am and I’ve had a love for all things historical for a long time.

I bought an Edwardian blouse from Wildfell Hall Vintage a few months ago. She is delicate and I knew she deserved another spot in the limelight. So what better way to give her this than a photo shoot?! So I talked to my friends of And How! Imaging and we made some Edwardian magic.

Check out the photos from our recent photo shoot where we channeled my inner-Gibson girl. 🙂

A precious, mouldering pleasure ‘t is
To meet an antique book,
In just the dress his century wore;
A privilege, I think

Because I could not stop for Death–
He kindly stopped for me–
The Carriage held but just Ourselves–
And Immortality

Nightly, from their azure towers,
To keep watch above the flowers,
In the midst of which all day
The red sun-light lazily lay

By a route obscure and lonely,
Haunted by ill angels only,
Where an Eidolon, named NIGHT,
On a black throne reigns upright

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –

That perches in the soul –

And sings the tune without the words –

And never stops – at all –

Replicating a Replicant

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Crashing Nightingale

I’ve always been a fan of Science Fiction (sci-fi). I was an avid X-Files watcher in the 1990s and the Alien movies starring Sigourney Weaver are some of my all-time favorite movies. I liked the prequal to Alien, Prometheus, even though I read it didn’t live up to it’s hype but I still enjoyed it.

So when my friends of Uvudu? Imaging brought up the idea to me to do a Rachael/Blade Runner-inspired photo shoot, I couldn’t get “hell yes,” out of my mouth quick enough. Blade Runner is the king of the sci-fi world and Rachael is a queen of sci-fi icons. This movie is classic, timeless and brilliant. I wrote about my love of this film and Rachael in an earlier blog here.

Rachael has such a specific look; the hair, makeup and suits she wears. We went with the infamous black suit since it is the one she is most known for. I will confess, I was a little afraid her hair would be a challenge. Which it was but I was up for seeing what I could do. I have a vintage 1940s black suit which wasn’t hers to a “T” but her look in the movie is modeled after the 1940s. I found a great youtube tutorial on how to do her makeup and voila! I transformed myself into Rachael.

We shot the photos at the photographer’s home. Below are the photos of the final product:

(Deckard) “You’re reading a magazine. You come across a full page of nude photos of a girl.”
(Rachael) “Is this testing whether I’m a Replicant or a lesbian, Mr Deckard?”
(Deckard) “Just answer the questions please.”

(Rachael) “You think I’m a Replicant, don’t you? (silence) Look. It’s me with my mother.” (Rachael holds out a photo but Deckard ignores it)

(Rachael) May I ask you a personal question?
(Deckard) Sure.
(Rachael) Have you ever retired a human by mistake?
(Deckard) No.
(Rachael) But in your position, that is a risk.

Photo Series: Heart Shaped Box

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Crashing Nightingale

“Photography is more than a medium for factual communication of ideas. It is a creative art.”
~ Ansel Adams

Photography has always been a creative outlet for me. In the journalism world, I discovered quickly how this and photography are like peanut butter and jelly. Photos and articles go hand-in-hand. I always had to be two-in-one when I freelanced because it wasn’t always feasible for me to a) pay a photographer when I was doing a freelance job or b) find one that was available when I needed photos. So I just picked up my camera and became my own.

I decided to dive more deep into the world of photography. I just have way too many ideas and I’d like to be more of the “Captain of the ship” and bring these ideas to life myself. I’ll be doing photo series and sharing them on my blog. The photo series are inspired by everything: emotions, colors, seasons, places, things…the list goes on. Basically, anything that stirs my heart. 🙂

I had fun with my first series! It was a one-woman show, as in, I set up the camera, set the camera settings, tried to work with what lighting I had that day (I currently don’t have lighting equipment so natural light is my friend right now), styled myself including hair and makeup, pulled in a few props for some extra fun and did the photo post-production work.*I do want to give my hubby credit for helping find something to prop up the tripod a little more.

So without further ado, here are photos from my first series called “Heart Shaped Box.”

“Many people who excel are self-taught.” ~ Herb Ritts

“Birth certificates show that you were born. Death certificates show that you died. Photographs show that you have lived.” -Unknown

A Few of My Favorite Things

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Crashing Nightingale

Well hello, December! You slipped up on me quite quickly! My intention this year was to get a head start on my holiday shopping. I have started a little but have a lot more to go. But I have my nice (and maybe naughty ;)) list made which is half the battle!

So I’m sure I’ve mentioned in other blogs and on my Facebook page that I love supporting independent businesses. My husband is an independent business owner so I see the hard work that goes into owning your own business. Let me just say, it’s not as easy as it looks! You are your own everything….Public Relations, Marketing, Creator, CEO, Assistant, Human Resources, Finance..the list of departments and job titles goes on! And a lot of times it’s rolled up into one person. So my point about this is why I love supporting an independent business owner. Whatever business that may be. I know my money is going towards someone’s business that they love and put their heart and soul in to. They can have an actual shop that I can go to or a virtual one. Both work for me.

So without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to some of my favorite “things,” which are places or people I recommend you shop with!

Vintage or vintage re-production clothing: I love it. And something I spend lots of my monies on. My heart races when my eyes make contact with a 70+ year old garment. I mean, come on, it survived so many years and here I am holding it! So one of my favorite places to shop for these things is Sugaree’s located in historic downtown Murfreesboro, Tenn. This adorable shop tugs at my heart strings. I truly feel like I’ve stepped back in time like I’m a 1950s woman having a shopping day. Staci Higdon, the owner, carries an array of fashion lines including BB Dakota and Stop Staring! Clothing. She also carries many accessories such as jewelry, vintage hats, vintage gloves and shoes. You’re sure to find a gift for someone and probably walk out with something for yourself.

My next introduction got the spotlight last summer when I wrote a blog about it. Live True Vintage is an East Nashville, Tenn shop with good intentions and amazing vintage items. I follow Live True Vintage on Facebook and Instagram and Tammy Pope, the owner, posts the treasures she finds and I’m constantly having to practice restraint from not wanting to immediately go there and buy it. Her shop is very charming and she carries TONS of items; men and women’s clothing, hats, accessories, posters…the list just goes on. Do yourself a favor and go ahead and put this business on your go-to holiday shopping destination. Another place you’re bound to walk out with a gift for yourself too. Hey, treat yo’self!

Number 3 on the list starts our journey into the virtual realm. That’s one thing that’s convenient about the internet; you can buy and sell across the globe. Parlor Tattoo Prints caught my eye the first time I saw the owner’s designs. This woman creates the most exquisite artwork. Some designs speak to the old school tattoos that you’re grandfather had inked on him in WWII and some are straight from your favorite movies such as Edward Scissorhands or The Shining. Either way, you’re likely to find that perfect picture for your favorite someone. I bought one for my best friend for her birthday and it was a hit. I’ve always love artwork as a gift too.

Next up is another creative designer that creates the most darling ties that have a hidden surprise. Shannon of Truly New Vintage creates peek-a-boo ties that are the bomb! She takes a tie and adds a pin up girl to the underside of the tie. So when you see someone randomly smiling as they are standing there looking totally professional, you can guess they may be wearing one of these cheeky accessories. She has an assortment of pin up pictures and ties to choose from so that you can come up with the perfect gift.

My next introduction is a destination gift. Natchez Hills Bed and Breakfast is the best gift for a little get-a-way. This quaint and peaceful place has all the right stuff. A nice place to sleep, great amenities, beautiful scenery and best of all, wine! This place is located in the heart of a large wine area in Tennessee with the Natchez Hills Winery being one among them. The owners are the nicest people that you just can’t help but feel like you’re at home when you stay. Don’t live in the middle Tennessee area? Check out what your local area has to offer in this realm.

To continue the destination gift ideas, why not present your beloved with a ticket to an event, concert or festival?! Whether it be a one-day, weekend or week excursion, plan a trip to an event. Know someone that loves music? Make their holiday by gifting them a ticket to a concert or festival. Or maybe you know someone that is into a specific genre or area and there is an event taking place that specializes in this. Guess what, that’ll be a crowd pleaser too. I love taking mini-trips so if someone bought my ticket to an event I was planning to go to, they’d be number one in my book. The memories are the gift that keeps on giving. Here are my two recommendations for 2015 events. The Nashville Boogie Vintage Weekender & Car Show taking place May 1 through 2, 2015 and the Summer Wine Train Social presented by Muddy Roots Music departing on July 18, 2015. Both are taking place in beautiful Music City, Nashville, Tenn. Don’t live close by? Well, we have an international airport you can fly in to. 🙂

To top off my list of holiday shopping recommendations, I must insist you look into photography. As in contacting a professional photographer and getting a session as a gift for someone or even for yourself. It’s a timeless investment and worth every penny. A lot of professional photographers offer gift certificates so don’t be shy to ask. Much like a day at the spa, a photo shoot is a pamper session as well. Makeup artists and hairstylists are often included in packages so all you have to do is show up and let the professionals do their magic. Don’t know of any? Search in your area and read reviews to get a feel for it. You can view their website to see their work and make a decision from there. This may be an uncommon gift but I assure you, if you give that special someone this as a gift, you’re sure to be loved for life. And the plus side? Photo shoots are fun!

My recommendations for photographers that I’ve worked with and love to death are La Photographie Nashville, And How! Imaging, Blast ‘Em Photography, Shannon Brooke Imagery, Retrospect Nashville and Uvudu Imaging.

Now that you’ve been given some recommendations, what are you waiting for?? Get to shopping! 🙂

Photo Booths: A Box Full of Happiness

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Crashing Nightingale

There’s something magical about a photo booth. The small box that in a flash, snaps your photo and then delivers you the result. In one instant, your moment of fun is captured.

In a photo booth you can be serious, silly, sophisticated or sassy. Showcase your style or just show off. In a photo booth it’s your time to shine. When I see a photo booth, I cannot help but want to shove my money into the slot, jump in with a friend, or two, or three, and let the fun begin. Am I right or am I right?? 🙂

The history of the photo booth goes back to the late 1800s with it’s debut at the World Fair in Paris in 1889. Apparently these self-service machines were not too reliable. It wasn’t until the Jazz Age came along that the more modern-version of the photo booth was invented. With the curtain it made it’s grand appearance in New York City on Broadway. It was Anatol Josepho that brought us the photo booth that bursted onto the scene and stuck with us through the decades. Below is a picture of the inventor inside his box-o-fun.

Scouring the internet for photos from photo booths was fun all in itself. So many great vintage photos out there that document those moments in time. There are photos of people by themselves, with friends, lovers, family members, man’s best friend, service members, or perhaps even strangers. Everyone piled into a tiny box posing for the camera. People getting dressed up in their finest or maybe wearing their work attire. It’s a time people show the world their style, smile or personality. When I look at the photos I found, I can’t help but wonder what the story is behind each person in front of the camera. What were they doing that day, where they were at, who they were with. It’ll forever be a mystery and intrigue me. Perhaps this was their only means to take a professional photo or family photo. And my mind wanders to where this photo was going. In a photo album or maybe it was sent across the world to a friend or lover.

While I’m pondering these things, why don’t you check out these super awesome vintage photo booth photos ☞