Vintage Find: Zeiss Ikon Contaflex IV

Last weekend I went gallivanting around the charming market town of Dorking with Tash. She had been bangin' on about how amazing it was and so I asked her to finally take me, and so she did. Surprise, surprise- it was amazing! A total antiquarian's dream. I even found the ring of my dreams! Of course it was way over my budget, but I did find something else that I loved and it was a total bargain considering its good shape. Lo, and behold- My Zeiss Ikon Contaflex IV! Just so you know, I'm not a photography expert whatsoever. I collect these vintage cameras because they are beautiful pieces, and when they do work- the photos are priceless. WHAT Instagram?? ^^

I took this photo while waiting at the Dorking train station. I know. Classy. 

Launched in 1956, the Contaflex IV was part of a long line of 35mm SLR cameras produced by Zeiss Ikon. The range is one of the earliest SLR cameras equipped with leaf shutters. Unlike I and II, models III and IV were given interchangeable lenses and at the time you could switch from 35mm to 115mm which was regarded as sufficient. I've only started playing with it this week, and thankfully the camera came with a manual. Granted it is a III manual but they are quite similar so it still comes in handy. It also came with a snazzy leather case, which is about the toughest camera case I have ever felt. The leather feels like it can take bullets. 

Tim Walker: Storyteller

For my first post of the new year, I have decided to feature the genius talent that is Tim Walker. 2012 saw numerous great exhibits across London's cultural sphere, and yet I only managed to see one. It's shameful, I know, but living far away from the center and suffering from a heavy bout of final year stress did not allow time for much recreation and leisure. Although saying that, I did actually go to Paris this time last year instead of writing my dissertation. Oops! However, I plan on changing that now that I am done with school. Plus it's the year of the Snake! It's my year, therefore I should savour everything that will come within the next twelve months.

Showing in the East Wing Gallery of Somerset House and supported by fashion house Mulberry, Storyteller features a selection of photographs Walker had created for the pages of Vogue, Elle, and W Magazine among others. And his muses? Well, they range from supermodels, to fashion editors and celebrated actors. Among these familiar faces include Walker favourites Stella Tennant, Guinevere van Seenus, Kristen McMenamy to the late Anna Piaggi, Tilda Swinton, and the late Alexander McQueen. Walker is known for his vivid way of storytelling (hence, the title) through lavish compositions and creative ideas, and his vision of beauty and the divine can turn a lacklustre editorial into a work of art. Yes, I am saying that he can turn water into wine! From fairytale fancies to visceral imagery, striking portraits to dark compositions of nightmarish beauty, Walker's exhibit at Somerset House chronicles the man's rich sense of humour and the surreal. Together with hanging images are installations that include a grotesque Baby Jane-esque doll of gigantic proportions, a lavish swan-drawn carriage and ventriloquist dolls.Here are some of my personal favourites from the collection.

Stella Tennant, Vogue Italia, August 2011

Film Rolling: Polesden Lacey (10.2012)

During a long weekend visit around Tasha's in Redhill, we decided to go for a Sunday drive. There was nothing to do and since the weather was holding up nicely, we decided to spend the afternoon at Polesden Lacey. At first I thought they kept saying Postlewaithe to which I continually replied, 'Is that a place? Isn't that like south of the border...near Plymouth?'. Geography is clearly not my strongest suit but upon Googling, I found out that it was an Edwardian manor house near Dorking, along the rolling hills of Redhill (Fun Fact: Tasha's great great...granny aunt or something played piano at the house. She was even in one of those creepy Edwardian group portraits! Lots of cankles and ribbons). It was a lovely place, and having the sun that day was divine..which may surprise some of you as I like dwelling in the grey. The light just made the whole place gleam. The trees were greener, the gilded interior shone like Versailles, and the grounds looked positively serene and well manicured (but then again, if it wasn't, the National Trust would not have been doing their job properly!) There were a lot of picnic goers and it was an ideal day for it. Also, lots of sheep. Anyway, enjoy the snaps! 

The Czar's Choice: Un Garçon, 100 Beards, 100 Days

You must think it absolutely random that I am writing a post on beards. I mean, I am about as smooth as they come (facially that is), and more often than not, I write blogs about beauty, womenswear and an unhealthy dose of Christina Aguilera. However that isn't to say I am completely indifferent to anything remotely masculine (my last post was about men's bottoms. Just sayin -.- ) The fact is, I like my men with a bit of facial foliage- it's sexy. It's that mix of  unkempt scruffiness and low-maintenance masculinity that has always caught my fancy.  So, when Scottish blogger Jonathan Pryce announced via Twitter that he was working on a concept- a daunting task of producing series of photographs featuring bearded folk, I kept tabs and stayed tuned. The look is very dégagé and its thriving existence within a fashion capital full of glossy, manscaped-Ollie-Locke-clones was simply too fascinating to pass up.

The 100 Beards, 100 Days project was conceived earlier this year. Sponsored by Pall Mall Barbers, the award-winning photographer began his hunt for the most fascinating beards on the 1st of July. The streets of London yielded an eclectic mix of everyday individuals who proudly sported their facial fixtures- from short beards to near-Viking length, polished to slightly grotesque, fashion versus average Joe. Known for the cool, street style photography he features on fashion blog Les Garçons des Glasgow and subsequently, on the men's style blog Another Garçon, the Glaswegian native fused his aesthetic with his bearded subjects resulting to a well-received and positively reviewed project. The theme was contemporary and the tone innovative as it features the beard as a means of self-expression and individuality.

Now his efforts come to fruition. His 100 days was up and with 100 beautiful portraits, Pryce's work was immortalised- hardbound and available for fans to purchase! Bruce Pask of The New York Times hails '100 Beards' as 'a great project, well conceived and beautifully executed', and if that weren't enough, the outpouring of appreciation and support from the fashion industry and media alike has been impressive. To celebrate the release of his new book, I decided to feature Jonathan as this month's guest blogger extraordinaire and he was kind enough to let me bug him with a few questions. Enjoy the interview!

Film Rolling: Paris 08.2011 (Volume II)

Versailles. Gilded, a sculptural paradise- breathtaking.

Film Rolling: Paris 08.11 (Volume I)

It's been a year since my maiden voyage to the city of lights and to celebrate that anniversary, I finally decided to have the film rolls I used developed. Okay that's a lie. So I've always been slightly broke whenever I thought about having it processed- but the important thing is that now that I'm a part-timer again, I can afford a trip to Boots.

The camera I used was an old Minolta SLR I picked up at a local charity shop. It came complete with the packaging and extra wide shot lens for practically nothing. I wasn't sure if the thing worked and if it hadn't, my whole Parisian break would have remained undocumented (for the most part anyway). Thankfully the camera worked out great and the shots came out beautifully. I hope you enjoy this first installment! So this set includes shots from Saint-Denis Basilique where I stayed. I should have done my homework because all that time, I was playing neighbours with the remains of Marie Antoinette!

February Snow

Snap, Snap!

Canon AE1 Program 35mm SLR, via Etsy

As of late, I have been spending a considerable amount of time looking at vintage cameras. Online, at the local vintage store, anywhere really. Even on the iTunes App Store. Perhaps it may come off as hopping on the whole photography bandwagon, but it really isn't. For starters, I am Asian. It is already surprising to most people that I don't have an SLR (forgive me for feeding into the stereotype), so really I have a rightful claim to the Pentaxes and the Canons of the world. Not to mention, I am like 1/18th Japanese. It's practically in my blood. LOL. But really, the truth is, I've been playing around with the idea purely because I am not really that keen on the newer HD crop of Kodaks that we have on the market. While it's good that every photo comes out clearer than the next, it doesn't really do me any favours when I can see every pore and line on my face. I suppose you could say that this recent obsession is borne out of vanity, which doesn't make it sound any better.

Gorgeous!

Pretty sunset snap of the woods. Gorgeous lighting, wouldn't you say?

xoxo