Paris when it drizzles

If you visit Paris in the winter and the weather isn't on your side, here's a few things you can do in that glorious city of lights...

Take a macaron making class at La Cuisine Paris 

See the likes of Jeff Koons at the Pompidou Centre and take in a sunset view of the Eiffel Tower from the 6th floor.

Power

Left: Photograph of a samurai warrior. [c. late 1800s] Right: Maud Wagner, the first well know female tattooist in the United States. [1907]

To say that Power is evident in many forms it state the obvious, but the following images taken from this selection of 52 images of women through the years who have defied expectations and societal norms to fight for, engage in, and advance the things that are important to them is really just that - Powerful. Oh and some are just plain, badass. 

Elspeth Beard, during her attempt to become the first Englishwoman to circumnavigate the world by motorcycle. [1980s]

VSCO to follow

Recently I fell off the whole social media wagon, I spent next to no time on instagram, Pinterest and we won't even talk about my Twitter abandonmnent... I was of course, still active, busy and creating, but I had gotten caught up in the rush of life and didn't take time to capture, edit and share. Recently I've been back and active a little bit, and have been reminded of how many incredible photographers there are out there. VSCO has definitely been the app/site that has always been the most inspiring for me, so every once in a while I'll share some photos from VSCO feeds that I've started following.

Just a heads up for those who don't know, VSCO (Visual Supply Co) is an art and technology company building an ecosystem of digital tools, services and community for modern creatives. They are "unabashedly by “creatives, for creatives,” dedicated to those that make, build and create with reckless abandon". Honestly, check it out.

But with no further ado, here's to the first of the VSCO to follow series, Japan based photographer Hideaki Hamada check out his beautiful website as well here

All images copyrighted to Hideaki Hamada

Downtown from Behind

Maybe it's because I long to cycle through the streets of London but am far too cautious (read afraid) of the manic streets of this city to dare to do it, or maybe it's because I have an inexplicable love for New York and the way that city holds so many lives on so many different trajectories, but I instantly loved Bridget Fleming's photographic series of New York inhabitants taken (mostly) from behind zipping through the downtown streets. According to Fleming Downtownfrombehind (DFB) is a photographic series capturing subjects riding their bike from behind on some 200+ streets, avenues and lanes below 14th street in New York City.

The result is an environmental portrait for each street and subject with a goal to highlight a set of individuals, emerging and established, each uniquely contributing; culturally, socially and physically, to make this part of the city what it is today.
Subjects photographed to date include industrial designers, architects, creative directors, restauranteurs, entrepreneurs, hoteliers, artists and academics.

The pictures have an energy and life that capture the essence of the city and that mysterious New York light... oh the light...