“…the things that are close to you, are the things you can photograph the best…”

“…and unless you photograph what you love, you are not going to make good art.”

“it’s always been my philosophy to try to make art out of the everyday and ordinary…it never occurred to me to leave home to make art.”

A few weeks ago I watched a documentary. And it took hold of my soul so swiftly, that it has taken me this long to tell you about it. What Remains: The Life and Work of Sally Mann by Steven Cantor is engaging to say the least. It is so raw, Steven manages to take you right into Sally’s world, and even though you are not sure you want to be there, you are captivated, you can’t let go. Working soley with an 8 x 10 large format camera, Sally’s work is beyond words. She captures life and death in a way I never thought possible. I will say no more, but if you haven’t already seen this doco then watch the trailer here, and get your hands on a copy of the dvd here.

Sally’s philosophy about her art resonates deep within me. She is certainly an inspiration for My Heart Wanders. Think about her words above when you capture your wandering heart in the coming days.

For more info on Sally, click here and here.

All images and quotes by Sally Mann.

that is possibly the weakest rhyming title i’ve ever come up with. and it’s not my best chalk drawing ever, but i’m thinking they will get better once the week gets going.

Here is another sneak peek of what has come in over the last week or so…

from super talented photographer Jenifer Altman. I am addicted to Jen’s work and am thrilled she took the time to create these for My Heart Wanders. Thank you Jen!

and this beauty from Mary Freeman who was alerted to the project by her daughter. Mary explains that while hiking among the dunes in Central Coast California with her husband she spotted a heart shape formed naturally in the sand from the wind, having blown around this small scrub tree creating this beautiful shape. Yes Mary, what a magical discovery! And beautifully shot too, thank you for your submission.

Meanwhile, I am propped up in bed having come down with a flu over the past 48 hours. My self-diagnosis tells me its from wearing too many hats at the same time. My self-medication is loads of vitamins, a cup of tea (yes, Alfred made it for me, gotta love him), toast with vegemite, plenty of tissues and staying warm and cosy. Okay, and I’ve removed one hat for the day (the stylist one), but the rest I just can’t part with. So I’ll be writing my little heart out today in bed, and no doubt will be back with goodies for you this afternoon.

I will try not to breath on y’all.

stunning submission from Nadia a.k.a La Porte Rouge. Thank you Nadia.

always in her portfolio.

Our next guest has finally arrived, and as you can see, it hasn’t taken him long to get comfy…

Yep, this friend of mine is über stylish. Contrary to what the above image suggests, my new guest is tall, blonde and handsome, and he knows how to play “eye spy with my little eye” better than the rest of us.

Haven’t got a clue what I’m talking about? Let’s see if some visuals can give us a helping hand…

Before my guest got his hands on this beautiful Tommy Hilfiger image, it looked like this:

And after he waved his magic wand, it turned to this:

before his golden touch, and after…

and again…

Isn’t this fun? It’s called image manipulation, and it is this incredible expertise that my friend is, well, an expert at. Okay, okay, I won’t leave you in suspense any longer. Welcome to the (blog)house my dear friend, Marcus Thyer.

Marcus runs a company called Cave, and although he is based in Sydney he has been coming to Holland every 6 months or so to work on the Tommy Hillfiger campaigns, and of course, to come play with me! He is the one who ‘sold’ amsterdam to me – when I first arrived to check it out he showed me around, doubling me on my bike and taking me to all the best vintage clothes shops, bars and restaurants. He was also here for Queen’s Day, and he and I were busy snapping shots in between sipping rosé by the Prinsengracht and watching people fall into the canal. When with Marcus, I can’t help but have a fabulous time and his playful personality is evident in his work.

I have heaps more to share with you about Marcus, but all in good time, all in good time. We will also take a look at retouching, and image manipulation in television and print media while Marcus is with us. But for now, please welcome him to the guest quarters – go and sip a martini and watch the sunset or rise, depending on where you are in the world. Meanwhile Marcus, you sit back & relax, enjoy the view and the pampering. Would you like some more olives with that? Shall I top you up? I’ll just put the air con on, let me know if it gets a little too chilly in here…

All images courtesy of Cave.