I’m really excited and honored my on going photography project ‘Intimacy under the Wires’ grabbed the attention of the Editor of Le Cool Lisboa that he has decided to feature one of my laundry images on the cover of the magazine (issue *348) and also interview me about it. If you know Portuguese, here is the interview.
The week after I was also surprised to find another image on the cover of the magazine (issue *349) in which I am talking about the Love signs on the walls of Lisbon.
Le Cool Magazine is a free weekly magazine distributed every Thursday that features a selection of cultural events and leisure activities, revealing the things you really shouldn’t miss. The magazine filters out, among other things, the best art, film, music, and club nights, as well as a careful selection of extraordinary bars, restaurants and other fine places. Le Cool is featured in Barcelona, Budapest, Dublin, Istanbul, London, Lisbon, Madrid, Paris, Rome and Vienna.
I can stare at the picture above for hours. In fact, I’ve been doing so for a while. In the same way I kept staring and reading Lindsey’s blog ‘Lost in Cheeseland’ when I first stumble upon it few months ago. I’ve been having this love affair with the French Capital for the last year or so and every creative blog or website or an image about this city grabbed my attention almost instantly. Same with ‘Lost in Cheeseland’. So one day, I think it was sometimes after my March visit to Paris, I did my ‘Israeli thing’ and contacted Lindsey herself, showing her my latest images of her city. I also wanted to take part in her blog somehow, and Lindsey, as a smart and well experienced blogger, waited for the right moment.
Few days later she contacted me back and offered me to be a guest blogger while she was exploring San Francisco and I jumped to the roof!
One thing led to another and I ended up in Paris in June and had the opportunity to meet the girl behind the name in person. But before I introduce you to Lindsey, I have a confession to make; If I ever thought my daily schedule is busy and hectic and I am juggling few things at the same time, that was BEFORE I met Lindsey. Not only does she hold that successful blog of hers that has a lot of avid followers, she also works for an international digital marketing and advertising agency, she is a freelance writer (her articles were published in the New York Times) and a cookie baker!
Who can beat that!?
I can’t wait to introduce you to Lindsey and hopefully next time I see her it will be longer than a glass of wine.
Thanks Lindsey!
Where are you from? Philadelphia but I’ve called Paris home for the last six years and it feels like a lifetime!
Where did you study Photography? I actually studied French and Communication. My passion for photography developed once I began blogging and realized how important strong, quality visuals were in creating a site readers would want to frequent. Content remains king but the photos go a long way in my storytelling. I’m fortunate to be surrounded by extraordinarily talented photographers who graciously helped me as I got started but I’m self-taught. A part of me wishes I had become a professional photographer – followed the necessary course of study, learned proper composition and technique – but overall it’s been a wonderful challenge to tackle it myself!
What made you want to learn it? Blogging and reading other blogs really drove my desire to learn. I found myself gravitating toward blogs with spectacular photography and realized I’d need to rise to the challenge for my own site. Almost instantly, I started seeing my surroundings in a different light and began to appreciate the derelict as much as the divine at home in Paris and in my travels.
If you weren’t a blogger/photographer what would you do? I already wear a number of different hats so I look at photography as an extension of the rest of my work. I work in social media for an international digital marketing and advertising agency, I’m a freelance writer and I’m a cookie baker – I co-founded an online American cookie company in Paris called Lola’s Cookies. It’s definitely tough to juggle all these passions but they seem to fit together naturally and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Where do you see your blog going next? I’m not sure, to be honest. It has been a catalyst for my writing and even my photography but that happened rather naturally over time. I try not to force anything, just wait and see where things take me and that’s the strategy I employ for the blog too.
What made you move to Paris? I moved to Paris after several stints studying abroad and after having met the Frenchman who is now my husband. I started studying French in middle school and kept with it through high school and college, never really thinking I would be able to make the jump to expat life. One fortuitous encounter changed my life and showed me what WAS possible. I didn’t necessarily foresee the challenges that awaited but I know that my resilience and work is stronger for the stones I had to doge and hoops I had to jump through to define my own place in a city fraught with talented and inspiring people.
Where do you get your inspiration from? My surroundings, books, music, friends, blogs – but all of it depends on my mood and what I’m going through in life. I tend to pick out the darker underbellies of places I visit and focus on that but sometimes it’s the most beautifully mundane spots and moments that trigger an idea.
How do you usually approach a new project? Usually my photography projects are linked to a writing gig so first, I map out my approach and craft as much of the story as possible first and then I head out, away from the words, to see how best to incorporate photo.
What are you working on right now? I have a food writing project that will begin in July and last about 8 weeks (can’t share yet!) but the mental wheels are turning for some other stories as well- stories that will hopefully require a strong image to go with it!
Window or Aisle? Aisle ! I need to have the space to stretch out my leg and make sure I have quick access to the restroom !
A photographed interview with Fredric Coustols, a French landscape collector, who lives in Lisbon and is the owner of Palacio Belmonte, one of the most luxurious hotels in the World. I was lucky enough to meet Fredric and his wife, Merry, and have a free access to all rooms in this beautiful palace. The interview is now published in At Magazine, July 2012 issue.
I’m really honored and excited my images of Palacio Belmonte in Lisbon were warmly welcomed by Amy and Grace from Design Sponge. I had a good feeling they would love the interiors, the colors and more over, the great story behind the Palace and its furnitures, and would love to share this magical place with their readers.
I love how Amy described the circumstances and coincidence that led me to discovered Palacio Belmonte and become friends with Fredric, the owner.
‘This June, she was in Lisbon, on the hunt for the two most important things for a modern traveler: a bathroom and a WiFi connection. She stumbled into the Belmont Coffee Club, and while checking her email, she chatted with the friendly staff and the cafe owner, Frederic Coustols. One thing led to another, and Sivan found herself touring the Palacio Belmonte. Lucky for us, she brought her camera’ .
To see more of my features in Design Sponge, please clickhere.
I knew it was going to be a LUST Summer, when the Editor in Chief at Sanoma Media magazines in Antwerp, Belgium emailed me one day on May and asked me about my ‘Intimacy under the Wires’ project. Apparently, he saw my project featured in Feature Shoot and loved it. One thing led to another and I’ve been offered to be featured in a 5-double spread story in the Lust, Summer edition, July 2012. LUST is a new Belgian (Flemish) ‘Summer Magazine’ with reportage, literature, photography, fashion, lifestyle, and a lot of travel. In case you read the language or visiting the Nordic part of Europe, LUST is the perfect guide for a Hot Summer.
I’ve been following ‘Carla Loves Photography’website for almost a month now. It was after Carla herself commented on one of my previous guest blogs for ‘Lost in Cheeseland’ (another great blog I am following) and I got intrigued. I just love how people connect with other inspiring and creative people through their blogs, thoughts and photos. It has been the THEME of my life recently. Seriously!
Carla’s website and facebook page are filled with inspiration. If you sign up for it, I can only guarantee some beautiful images and inspiring quotes on a daily basis. Oh, and of course, Carla’s Photography as well. She is an Ausie who lives in Paris and is married to an italian man. Sounds confusing? Not really when it has to do with such a creative and inspiring woman like her. I haven’t met Carla yet (and I say ‘yet’ because I really want to meet her) but something tells me she is very charismatic and energetic woman. She has been shooting Travel and Fashion stories for magazines such as Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue Entertaining and Traveling and more. When she is not traveling with her husband to Italy (one of her favorite destinations) she is shooting women in Paris. She has a series called ‘Midnight in Paris’ in which she offers a private shoot at night in Paris and another one ‘Paris Muse’, a private shoot in a chic hotel in Paris, including a hair and a make up artist which are part of Carla’s team. If I had known about it earlier, I would have booked a Paris Muse session myself, when I’ve celebrated my Birthday in Paris last month. (note to self for next time)
So without further ado, I’m really excited to have Carla as a guest blogger and sharing some of her travel images taken in her husband’s home town, Terlizzi in Puglia in the south of Italy, and share the little snaps of daily life in this untouristy town..
Thanks Carla!
Where are you from? I am from Sydney Australia although I grew up in the country of New South Wales and returned to the city as an adult.
Where did you photography? I studied photography in Florence Italy and loved it. I have since done further courses and workshops in Australia.
What made you want to learn it? It was the one thing I truly loved when I decided to leave my career behind. I felt as though photography was an accessible art and I didn’t realise at the time that it would be a great way to express my emotions. It taught me that what’s inside a photographer, comes out in their pictures.
If you weren’t a photographer what would you do? I think I would like to work in a garden. I am fascinated by nature and spend far too little time in natural surroundings (living in Paris) and now when I have the chance to get out of town I really feel the difference, it’s so soothing, beautiful, restorative and you can really feel the impact on your body and mind.
Where do you get your inspiration from? Inspiration comes from everything and anything, nature, old films, history, the seasons, a person, my mood, I think we just need to open our eyes and our hearts and inspiration is everywhere.
What do you mostly love shooting? I love shooting people and the little details of daily life. I have always had an obsession with washing, Madonnas and crinkly faces!! I never tire of the beauty of Italy.
How do you usually approach a new project? Sometimes I put a lot of research into it and others I just jump in and start shooting and see where it takes me.
What are you working on right now? I am usually working on different projects at a time, so right now I am finishing the images for a book and I have started shooting portraits at night in Paris. I have always loved Europe at night, in particular Paris and there is something about being photographed at night that makes us look like we are in a movie. I recently started doing night portraits and to my surprise everybody wants one!
Window or Aisle? Aisle always! After travelling backwards and forwards from Europe to Australia I have realised that the window seat is like a prison and you only get to see the world for about 10 mins during take-off and 10 mins when you land. I love the freedom of the aisle.
As for some, the Summer is just about to start, I feel mine has already started. New York is quite hot and humid these days and the New Yorkers know they should take advantage of the sun, because who knows how the weather be tomorrow. Besides, I feel the Summers in New York are quite short (in comparison to Tel Aviv, for example) so every minute counts. In case you feel like running in Central Park, consider doing it before 9am, otherwise it might be a disaster, and if you are looking for an alternative to cool off, I highly recommend checking one of the hotels’ rooftops or pools (Americano and Dream Downtown are great alternatives if you know the right people) instead of passing through the air conditioned stores on 5th Avenue.
Summer seems to be the perfect season and reason for Traveling. Hope you got your passport handy and you know where you are heading. (with me, it can be a last minute thing). And don’t forget that once you are in a different country, there are so many differences you should respect.
I stumbled upon this funny card the other day that really made me laugh, as I can very much relate to this situation ‘Generally speaking, people in foreign countries understand you better if you speak louder’
Wishing you an adventurous Summer and stay tuned for my next.
