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Sk8ter Boi

Mon, 13 May 2013 08:39:20 -0700

Remember that song Sk8er Boi by Avril Lavigne? From 2002?!?! I used to jam out HARD to that song and I’m not ashamed to admit that. I dreamed of being able to skateboard as a kid. I even had this giant camo backpack that had a special strap to put your skateboard in (I was pretty hardcore). Unfortunately my severe case of ganglitis held me back from pursuing that dream (aka my poor coordination + my long ass limbs = a short skateboarding career).

Anyways, back to the song. The only connection to that song and these photos is that my Canadian stud of a bud, Dustin Milligan, is skateboarding in these pics. Therefore he is a sk8ter boi. Lame connection, but I’m not going to lie, as I looked through these photos I sang that song. And I think it’s only fair for you to do the same thing. I made it easy for you and put the song below. You’re welcome.

Before you get to the pictures, I also felt it would be helpful to give you 3 interesting facts about Dustin Milligan, to get to know him a little bit better.

1.) He has an insane addiction to gummy candy. If you want to see a grown man turn into an 8 year old boy (examples: lit-up eyes, giddiness, spontaneous dancing, jumping up and down), give this one a bag of gummy bears.

2.) He grew up in Yellowknife. Where? Exactly! Yellowknife is way up in northern Canada (near Alaska) where it’s FREEZING and dark for 20 hours each day in the winter.

3.) Don’t let his strong jawline fool you. He’s pretty funny, so you should probably follow him on twitter @dustinwmilligan (that wasn’t that interesting but it is a FACT!)

Skater Boy by Avril Lavigne on Grooveshark

**All photos taken by me, except for the last one (photo cred: Mr Milligan), on a Nikon 35mm F3

Black & White

Wed, 08 May 2013 10:56:52 -0700

Big shout out to everyone sending me your high-fives re: some of the latest posts of photos. I read all your emails/comments and truly appreciate them!

I have the first round of my latest roll of B&W film for you. Some of these pictures are from a Crafts & Cocktails party that my best friend Amber and I went to hosted by ZOOEY magazine. Such a dream party! A perfect combo of my favorite things — Crafts & Cocktails (pretty self explanatory). The other pics are from a hang sesh on a friend’s rooftop a few weekends back.

I feel like I’m finally *starting* to get the hang of my 35mm. Still tons to learn, but a lot less duds in the roll.

Stay tuned for part two of my B&W pictures. HINT: It involves a skateboard + a dude.

Old Roll

Mon, 06 May 2013 08:19:54 -0700

Yet another reason why I love film. While cleaning my office last week, I found my old 35mm Canon camera (another film camera I own that I kind of forgot about… oops!) . I realized that there was an old roll of film in it still and immediately took it to get developed.

When I went to pick them up, the woman who runs the shop seemed worried (again). Because the film was so old there were a lot of light leaks and again, I was PUMPED!

These pictures are about 3 years old. It’s pretty fun to relive the memories through an old roll of film.

PS I’m digging this track hard:

Beneath Your Beautiful (feat. Emeli Sandé) by Labrinth on Grooveshark

**All photos taken by me except for the last two which I believe were taken by Ivan Shaw but it’s been 3 years so don’t hold me to that.

I heart film.

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:00:29 -0700

Remember that post where I was all, “I’m in love with my film camera and peace out digital”? Yeah well, I quickly got off that bandwagon. Not because I didn’t love my film camera, but because it’s very charm is what discouraged me. Film teaches you patience. You don’t get the instant gratification of seeing the picture that you just took. That’s why film is so fun. Because when you get your film developed, you get to see 36 memories that you kind of forgot about. How did they turn out? Did I choose the right settings? Did I capture those moments? It’s really exciting! But it tests you. In a world that is very fast paced and immediate result based, film goes against all of our new age tendencies - which is why I love it.

And here’s the truth. I totally slipped. I got tired of waiting. I was uninspired. I was lazy. I picked up my DSLR (also my iPhone) and let that gorgeous Nikon collect some dust.

The other week I was going to a friends party and I decided to get back in touch with my patient roots. I ~~asked~~ forced my friend to walk the 2 miles to the party so I would feel playful again & brought my 35 mm camera. And the camera hasn’t left my hands since. I’ve been challenging myself to bring it out with me more often. I mean I’ll always have digital (hello iPhone), so why not bring the film.

Best part of the story, I was obviously pumped to get my film developed but when I got to the shop, the kind woman who runs the store alerted me to the fact that my film was actually projector film. BUZZ KILL! (Thank you Ed for the massive stack of expired film ;-) )

After recovering from my tomato-faced embarrassment over my rookie move, I asked her what my options were. The only way she could develop the pictures would be by doing a cross-process finish on them. She looked incredibly worried for me. I was PUMPED! Cross-process means it messes with the colors and will have unpredictable results. My FAVORITE!

Here’s the unedited, raw results. And some tuneage!

Up & Down from acespace on 8tracks Radio.

Floral Crowns

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 07:32:00 -0800

I’ve been secretly obsessing over floral crowns lately. I’m not much of a “girly girl” but I will jump at any chance to escape to a world that is whimsical and ethereal. The problem with these floral crowns is that they look so cool in photos but they don’t have much of a place in your everyday life. (*Sidenote* This is a similar beef I have with the clothes at Free People - bad ass fairy tale, but doesn’t really fit into the whole running errands vibe).

Anyways, I was tired of drooling over photos of these stunning crowns and decided to join the ranks and make my own.

My friend Mary and I headed to Michaels, bought a stash of fake flowers (and maybe some Champagne) and jammed out to a GIRLS inspired playlist and made some floral crowns.

Seriously, these things are so easy to make. We followed this tutorial here from the Deer Circus blog which was super easy. (Side note: this blog is really awesome so you should check it out while you are at it).

I highly recommend turning on some tuneage and making one of these bad boys. And then put it on and dance around your house.

Feed Me Diamonds by MNDR on Grooveshark

And to answer your question…. Yes I’m still wearing my crown.

omg it's a MIXTAPE

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 08:17:17 -0800

Happy Friday! Here’s a playlist I put together of some of my latest favorite songs. Enjoy!

OMG! it’s a MIXTAPE. from acespace on 8tracks Radio.

Family of the Year — Hero

Father John Misty — Hollywood Forever Cemetry Sings

Stood Me Up — DWNTWN

The Doves — There Goes the Fear

The M Machine — Faces

Angus and Julia Stone — For You

Beach Fossils —Daydream

Macklemore X Ryan Lewis —Same Love ft. Mary Lambert

Guster — Backyard

Emiliana Torrini — Sunny Road

Creuset Crushin'

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 04:00:00 -0800

One of my most treasured gifts I received this Christmas was my very first Creuset. Creu-what? Creuset yo!

They are the most gorgeous enamelled cast iron cookware made in France since 1925. Top of the line dishes in almost every color.

Source

Anywho, I’ve been coveting one of these bad boys for a while now and my parents surprised me with one for Christmas.

So what does a girl choose to cook first with her gorgeous new friend?

Cranberry and Rosemary Sea Salt Bread

This was surprisingly easy to make and I’m pretty sure you could bake it in any old dish. The only thing I changed from the original recipe was that I used almond milk instead of regular milk. Oh and I almost forgot… It’s effing delicious!

Pull out some olive oil and balsamic vinegar and dip it in!

Click here for the recipe.

And here’s a song to cook to:

Big Jet Plane (Angus and Julia Stone cover) by DWNTWN on Grooveshark

Forest Magic

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 21:13:28 -0800

I love my Holga camera but developing the film can start racking up a pretty pricey bill. Especially when half your photos turn out black. Fail.

Cue this discovery: a holga lens for DSLR cameras! Obviously I bought it.

Armed with my new Holga lens, I went to a nearby forest and played around with it. I love the unpredictable results. Magic.

No Tell by Smoke & Jackal on Grooveshark

ps This song was brought to my attention from one of my besties. Thanks Smash!

You can find the Holga lens HERE on the Photojojo website. I was not paid, bribed or forced to talk about this lens by Photojojo … I just really effing love this lens.

Feel Good...Friday.

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 09:39:31 -0800

The Only Place by Best Coast on Grooveshark

It's Happening.

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 20:33:00 -0800

Happy Year of 2013! I hope all y’all had a sauce-tastic holiday.

I went up to Canuck town aka Canada to spend some time with my fam jam and friends. It was filled with way too much food, booze, presents, a bit of snow and not enough time. I miss it already but it also feels good to be back in Cali.

In groundbreaking news… I’ve joined the year 2013… as well as Twitter. You can follow me @AmandaCCrew.

Spread the word because right now I have less followers than my nephew.

Oh and my instagram is now amanda_crew.

If you were already following me it will automatically follow the new name so no frets!

Cheers to an amazing year!

Romantic by Ski Lift on Grooveshark

I Sing I Swim by Seabear on Grooveshark

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 23:27:00 -0800

I Sing I Swim by Seabear on Grooveshark

A Black & White Photo Day

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 04:00:41 -0800

I just got back from Vancouver and during my trip I was lucky enough to spend the day with my friend and talented photographer, Ed Araquel.

This dude is LEGIT! His apartment is filled with pretty much any kind of camera and bad ass accessory imaginable. Vintage and new, he has it all. And he knows how to use them all to the highest degree!

One of my favorite toys he has is a Cambo SC 8x10 camera. Basically this mammoth camera takes 8x10 instant polaroid-like photos. (It also requires a lot of knowledge and measurements to get this baby working.)

Here are two pics Ed took of me with the Cambo drying on the stove.

We also played with his ring flash. Here is an out take shot… and genuinely maybe one of my favorites!

Seriously, I love out of focus stuff! Perfect is boring.

One of the highlights of my day with Ed was developing film… in his kitchen! Watching him mix the chemicals made me appreciate the process of developing film. It really is a precise science.

We dried the film in his bathroom. (A totally professional setup…)

Out of the roll of black and white film I took that day, I was happy with 3… I’m learning and it’s a process, but with each roll I take, the more excited I get.

First Roll

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 15:18:16 -0800

I just got my first role of film developed from my 35mm camera (actually my second, the first one was a fail because I loaded it incorrectly).

Opening an envelope full of photos you took is so exciting! It’s like Christmas. The best part is you forget about half the photos you took so each time you flip to the next it’s a surprise. (I realize that sounded super cheese sauce, but I’m giddy over here).

Anyways, I’m really enjoying the process of film. I can already see what I need to work on from this first roll and am excited to bust out some more!

Here are a few pictures from the roll.

Yesterday Was Hard On All Of Us by Fink on Grooveshark

Hi amanda ! I've been a fan of your amaaazing pictures .. They are perfect ! .. Make me want to visit canada XD and i want to ask you : do you use photoshop of any program to make them look like this or it's from your camera lens .. Becauae i'm thinking of buying a camera, after looking at your pictures ! Have a nice day ! Xoxo

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 08:41:12 -0800

Hey,

So happy to hear that you are inspired to get a camera. I do use photoshop but you can do a lot of the stuff on your phone in programs like instagram or online at pic monkey. Get a camera and play! It’s fun. A cheap version are holgas and diana cameras. You can find them at the lomography store and aren’t too expensive and use film!

Have fun! And share your photos when you start snapping!

Candles, Cake & Cameras

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 04:00:35 -0800

I have a confession to make. I’ve been having an affair. I’ve been cheating on my DSLR camera. You see, I bought a 35 mm camera off of eBay, a Nikon F3 to be exact, and I’m kind of in love. As a result my Canon has been getting no love.

Isn’t he handsome? Look at that vintage structure! His bold lines and textured body… I should probably stop. Anyways, I’m loving working with film because it’s forcing me to learn some of the things about photography that I’ve been avoiding/having trouble learning. Understanding stuff about light, f-stops, exposure and so much more!

I’m also learning about loading film correctly … long story short, the first roll of film I got developed was BLANK because I didn’t load the film properly. Lesson learned! Loving the process though and having fun.

Before I found my new lover, I did grab some pics of my amazing friend Jeffrey looking wicked surprised. Jeffrey lives in NYC (*tear*) but was in town for a job and it just happened to fall around his birthday (*hooray*). So my other amazing friend Amber organized a surprise birthday party for him! How sweet!

Doesn’t he look like he’s 12 years old in this picture? That is genuine excitement kids! I just love him!

I’m back in Nashville this week and stoked to soak in the crisp fall air! What’s on your radar this week?

Click, Click, Click, Click by Bishop Allen on Grooveshark

Explosions by Ellie Goulding on Grooveshark Keeping it simple this monday morning. I challenge...

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 04:00:22 -0700

Explosions by Ellie Goulding on Grooveshark

Keeping it simple this monday morning. I challenge you to go out of your way to inspire someone. It can be anything. Inspire someone with your kindness, your generosity, your humor, your advice, your intelligence, your spirit. Anything. And then let me know about it. Happy Monday!

Do you have a twitter or are they all fake?

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 22:38:34 -0700

I don’t have a twitter. But there are a lot of fake ones out there.

Dear Nashville, you have my heart.

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 04:37:37 -0700

Los Angeles has been seriously slacking on Fall. Thankfully I got to escape the heat wave last week to Nashville. Cue fall awesome sauce.

I’ve never been to Nashville before but after one afternoon driving the country side, I can safely say that I heart it hard! Nashville was my dream fall wonderland. Covered in crisp, fiery leaves, pumpkin patches on every other street and sprawling front lawns complete with white picket fences and tire swings. To sum it up, I was in heaven.

nashville by ace on Grooveshark

r.i.p.

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 04:13:35 -0700

It’s a sad day in iPhone land.

In other news, did anyone see Tegan and Sara perform on Conan? I’ve been a Tegan and Sara fan for ages now and love their latest single! This has been on repeat all weekend!

tegan & sara by ace on Grooveshark

Happy Thanksgiving, Eh!

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 22:44:00 -0700

Living in the magical U.S of A is great! The downside, however, is that on holidays I’m away from my closest family and friends.

Over the weekend, it was Canadian Thanksgiving. The most common question I get is, “What is the meaning behind Canadian Thanksgiving?” I usually answer this with, “uhhhh… we are thankful we are Canadian!”

The real answer, according to Wikipedia is:

On Thursday, January 31, 1957, the Canadian Parliament proclaimed:

A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed – to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October.

So I guess we are thankful for a bunch of food.

So what’s a Canuck in L.A. to do? Host a potluck Thanksgiving dinner for all your orphan Canadian friends… and American fans of Canadians.

We gathered, we ate, we drank. We ate some more. And then we passed out. It was an amazing night of friends, food and a lot to be thankful for!

Plus my mom sent me a beautiful centerpiece because she’s a thoughtful gal! Thanks Mom!

I’m a pretty lucky lady to have such an amazing group of friends. Grateful for them all.