My Mother's New Blythe Crochet Shop!

My 75-year-old mother has just opened her own Etsy shop! She makes these great hats for Blythe, and I take the photos. We'll be adding a lot more in the near future, including hats for PETEENA!

Love Blythe







Click the pics to visit her shop! Thanks for looking!

Happy Holidays!

I hope this note finds everyone well and enjoying the holiday season! There are so many beautiful holidays of light at this time of year. Please accept my happy holiday wishes for you and yours!



Christmas Cheer (2008)
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Time-Zero (expired 2005)

Frozen Sunset

BRRRRR....Winter is here! Winter is my favorite season--probably because I don't live in a place where we get a lot of snow! I grew up in California, in a town where snow is non-existent (it's only snowed one time in my hometown since I was born, and that was when I was six!), and I have lived the majority of my adult life in either Southern California, Florida, or Texas...and parts of the UK and Middle East where snow is also rare....so snow is an event for me, not a drudgery. Where I currently live, in North Texas, we get a few snowfalls a year. I find it's the perfect amount of snow to be super-fun without actually being inconvenienced. This is particularly the case since everything shuts down--there are no snow plows here!--and the snow and ice are gone within a day or two.

During my first winter in North Texas, we had a few snows. At the end of the first one, I went outside and took this Polaroid. It's one of my favorites...as the snow trickled to an end, the sun emerged right at the magic hour!



Frozen Sunset
Camera: Polaroid Spectra 1200FF
Film: Polaroid Spectra
signed prints at my Etsy shop

Stay Warm!

Texas Turkey!

On the day after Thanksgiving, my mother and I took a little country drive in the rural areas near my home. We were excited to find this fun vernacular Thanksgiving decoration--a Texas Turkey made of hay! Fortunately, I had my Grandmother's Polaroid 104 camera in the car, so I just had to get a photo of this kitsch beauty!


Texas Turkey
Camera: Polaroid 104
Film: Polaroid UV-ID
Hand Manipulation

Gobble Gobble!

My Etsy Shop

This is just a quick and shameless plug for my Etsy shop! There is still time for holiday gifts! Click to visit for signed prints!

Futurowoman Fotographie



New photos coming to my blog soon...as soon as I get all of my students' finals graded! :)

The Pleasures of Handmade Goods

Happy Holidays! It's such a busy time for everyone these days! For me, the university semester is winding down, which means a flurry of grading, writing letters of recommendation, and taking care of last-minute committee business before the winter holiday. For so many of us, it's also a hectic time of preparations for Christmas, Hanukah, Eid, and other December holidays! In a time that is often an orgy of consumption, I thought I'd write a few words today about the pleasures of handmade goods.

My husband and I make a conscious effort to consume with careful understanding of where are goods are produced and how they are made. I can't say we boycott Target or Costco--far from it. However, we are particularly careful about things like the food we eat, the cleaning products we bring into our home, and the "luxury" goods we buy. Increasingly, we try to eat organic and/or natural and/or local foods (our dogs also eat a locally-made, natural food), and we are now exclusively natural in all of the cleaning products we use. (Fortunately, you can even buy some of those things at places like Target and Costco!)

We've also moved toward buying handmade goods, whenever possible, for things that are both luxuries and necessities. Buying handmade, direct from the maker, has a lot of advantages. For one thing, you're supporting a craftsperson/artist directly and helping to make it possible for them to make a living at what they enjoy doing. Also, you know exactly from where your product is coming, and you don't have to worry about exploiting the maker. Finally, handmade objects are often of far better quality than those things you can buy in common stores.

I'd like to share some of my favorite Etsy makers from whom I've bought goods. Etsy is the site from where I also sell my signed photo prints. Check out their shops--they are wonderful!

Valhalla Brooklyn!



Valhalla made me this amazing purse--I simply adore it! I selected the style, the leather, and the fabric for the lining, and she hand made the entire piece. It's gorgeous, beautifully made, and always attracts attention! I've had many purses over the years, including some "designer" ones that cost more than hers, but not since the days of classic Coach (before they made the terrible stuff they make now) have I seen any purse as nicely made and unique as this one at such a reasonable price!

Stonz!



Stonz makes gorgeous jewelry out of found stones and sea glass from the Great Lakes! This is one of the pieces I bought from her, and I adore it! I highly recommend her jewelry, for it is beautifully designed, perfectly crafted, and extremely unique and eye-catching! I love the notion of turning simple stones into coveted gems!

Modern Printed Matter!



I love paper products, and I really love buying nicely-designed and beautifully executed note cards that are functional for many occasions! I bought these cards--showing off my passion for Mid-Century Modern furniture!--and have enjoyed using them immensely!

Isotope!



I bought this t-shirt for my husband for Christmas last year, and I've since bought others from this awesome maker for him. Isotope prints all of their t-shirts by hand, using vegetable-based dyes and natural shirts. I love their quirky designs!

There are so many options out there for thoughtful, handmade products. Check out online sites, such as Etsy and Trunkt, to explore the world of indie artisans! It's exciting to support makers, and you end up with nicer products at more reasonable costs, too!

All photos in this post come from the shops cited.

the colors of autumn

It's finally autumn where I live, and I've been trying to get out as often as possible to shoot some Polaroids, even though it's a crazy time of the semester. Here are some of my recent favorites, illustrating the colors of the season. Most of them were shot at the beautiful Japanese Gardens in Fort Worth, Texas. A couple were shot in my town, near the university where I work. I hope you will enjoy them!

Photos using my Sx-70 with Artistic TZ film:


The Koi Create an Abstract


The Birdhouse Pagoda


Japanese Garden in Autumn

Photo using my friend's Polaroid Reporter camera and expired 669 film:


Autumn Light

Photos using my Grandmother's Polaroid 104 camera and expired UV-ID film:


At the Edges of Autumn


Afternoon Light

Signed prints are always available through me or my Etsy shop!

Fascinating photographs of Afghanistan from 1974

As an historian and a photographer, I am always interested in primary documents that emerge from a camera. I just stumbled across a really interesting photo set on Flickr taken by an Australian woman named Wendy Tanner. She shot many gorgeous slides while traveling through Afghanistan in 1974. These startling images reflect elements of life in that country before the Soviet invasion and subsequent (coming up on) thirty years of war suffered by the Afghan people. I can't help but wonder about the people in her photos. What have they experienced since then? Are they still alive? Have they been forced from their homes? It's horrible to imagine, but I am grateful that she posted these primary documents for us to peruse and ponder.

This one may be my favorite. Blue Glass Kabul by Wendy Tanner

Jaded, Yet Hopeful

Let me preface this entry by saying: I am a jaded person when it comes to politics. I have never been a "true believer" and I have never been very active in the party politics of my nation--largely because I am not a fan of either party. However, I am a very politically-aware person; by nature of my lifelong interest in government, social justice, and international affairs, I have followed politics closely since I was a small child. Perhaps it's that lifelong interest in the affairs of state that has made me jaded.

I know that there is no politician who is not tainted in some way by some compromise. Too often, it seems like our "leaders" are corrupt and completely disconnected from the real world of "everyday people." I know from my own life--growing up working class in America--that this is a nation full of people who work very hard for very little. I also know, from many years living and traveling in other nations, that we are uniquely privileged in many ways, even in our despairing moments. We are also supposed to be responsible for our government, by virtue of its own declarations, and, when our government makes decisions that ruin the lives of people on the other side of the world and in our own country, we are responsible for that, too.

The last eight years have been nightmarish, not only for Americans, but for the world. I was very jaded going into this election season, fearful that we would not have any new options. However, as it grows closer and closer to our election day, I am increasingly impressed with Barack Obama, and I want to encourage you to vote for him on November 4th. He gave a speech today that I think is truly important--and remember, I am jaded! I am not a person who is normally moved by either politicians nor nationalism. This speech, however, is saying something important. We do not need to continue to evoke fear and hatred in our country and around the world any more. And I believe, by selecting Barack Obama as our president, Americans may begin to show the world that we are not all war mongerers, haters, or morons. We aim for a better life for ourselves and our world.

Do I think Barack Obama will solve all our problems? Of course not. But will his election restore our good name around the world and change the discourse of our country away from hate and toward reconciliation? I believe so. If you have a vote in the USA, please consider casting it for Barack Obama.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from Obama's speech. I hope you will vote for Barack Obama next Tuesday.

“In one week, you can put an end to the politics that would divide a nation just to win an election; that tries to pit region against region, city against town, Republican against Democrat; that asks us to fear at a time when we need hope."

“In one week, at this defining moment in history, you can give this country the change we need...[A]s I’ve said from the day we began this journey all those months ago, the change we need isn’t just about new programs and policies. It’s about a new politics – a politics that calls on our better angels instead of encouraging our worst instincts; one that reminds us of the obligations we have to ourselves and one another.”

“[W]hat we have lost in these last eight years cannot be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits alone. What has also been lost is the idea that in this American story, each of us has a role to play. Each of us has a responsibility to work hard and look after ourselves and our families, and each of us has a responsibility to our fellow citizens. That’s what’s been lost these last eight years – our sense of common purpose; of higher purpose. And that’s what we need to restore right now.”


Obama on the Wall (2008)
Camera: Olympus e-300
Location: Denton, Texas, USA

Alternative Giving Spotlight: Heifer International

One of the things I like to do on my blog from time to time is spotlight organizations and businesses who are making a difference in our world. One of the charities that I really admire and love to support is Heifer International. Founded in the 1940s with the goal of "teaching a man to fish," Heifer International provides livestock, bees, trees, and training to impoverished people around the world. They are given animals appropriate to their environment and cultures, taught how to care for them, and pass on the benefits of the next generation of animals to their neighbors.

One of the really cool things about Heifer International is that they encourage alternative gifting, which means that you can buy a share in an animal in the name os someone you love and give that to them as a gift! If you're inclined toward that kind of thing, Heifer is the charity for you! I recently donated a hive of honeybees to a family in the name of my mother, and gave other special people shares of a dairy goat for a child and a knitting box (that is, two llamas and two sheep) for a family. What a great way to celebrate the holiday season, by helping other people sustain their livelihoods and support their communities!


Photo from Heifer International

My 2009 Calendars!

For the past couple of years, I've been selling calendars of my photographs, and this year is no exception! It's an economical way to buy some of my prints, and you can enjoy them throughout the year! Here are the calendars that I have for sale for 2009. You may click on the images to go straight to the purchase site. Click on the months below the main image of each calendar's page to see all of the months!

New for 2009!

Vernacular American Roadsigns: Analog Photos by Futurowoman


Instant Gratification: My New-for-2009 Polaroid Calendar!


Last Year's Calendars--Now for 2009!

Looking at you! Big-Eyed Doll Polaroids


Keeping it Real! My 2008 Polaroid calendar--for 2009!


Thank you for looking!

My Dogs and Our New Chair

My dogs are two of my favorite photographic subjects. My whippet, Laika, is a beautiful model; she is sculptured, elegant, and gorgeous. My terrier, Orson, is cuddly, adorable, and spunky. They are both photogenic in their own ways, and, while my love for them prejudices me to think their photos are always fabulous, I do really love to share my photos of them.

This past week, I was lucky enough to get two photos of them that seem to go together perfectly, even though I took them a week or so apart. Last week, I shot this photo of Laika on our new living room chair, a beautiful chive green anson chair from Room and Board. I love its low light and subtle textures.


Laika on the New Chair (2008)

Today, however, I shot this photo of Orson on the new chair. A rainy day light made his portrait eerily similar to the one I took of Laika.


Orson on a Rainy Day (2008)

Yes, my dogs get on the furniture, even if it's new. :)
Both photos:
Camera: Polaroid Sx-70
Film: Polaroid Artistic TZ

My Grandmother's Polaroid Camera

In 2005, my mother gave me my grandmother's old Polaroid 104 camera. She had found it when they were moving  things out of my grandparents' home (after they both passed away), and wondered if I could use it. It was in great condition, with the exception of the battery contacts. They were dead due to having been stored with a battery in them. All of this time, I have wanted to shoot the camera, but never got around to having it fixed.

Well, the other day, my dear friend fixed it for me, replacing the old battery set up with a new one! The camera works! I initiated it yesterday, in honor of World Toy Camera Day! Although the Polaroid 104 wasn't considered a "toy" when it was sold between 1965 and 1967, it does have a plastic lens, making it a super-fun plasticcam worthy of "toycam" status in my book! 

This is one of my favorite photos from yesterday's first day using this awesome camera, which comes complete with my grandmother's name in DYMOTAPE on it! I'm so excited to keep this special family camera in action!



Antenae (2008)
Camera: Polaroid 104
Film: Polaroid UV-ID
Location: Denton, Texas, USA

The SX-70 as presented by the Eames'

Everyone who knows about my photography knows that my Polaroid Sx-70 has become one of my prized possessions. The experience of shooting with that camera is really an adventure, and I've been lucky to shoot a lot of the beautiful, peerless Time-Zero film through mine. I wanted to share this film I found with you; it's the film Polaroid created in the early 1970s to introduce the SX-70 to the world. Made by the mighty Eames', it is a lovely introduction, as well as unintentional elegy, to the wonderful world of the Sx-70.

the traveling polaroid camera project!

I was very lucky to sign up for the Polaroid Traveling Camera Project  at Flickr. The purpose of this project is to send a camera all over the USA to various Polaroid artists, have them shoot a photo of themselves, and then send it to the next person.  This is my self portrait, shot yesterday morning using the traveling camera--a Polaroid OneStep--and 600 film. 

I rarely shoot self portraits, but I do think this one is vernacular-tastic, so here it is! LOL

PS. I'm having a sale at my Etsy shop for everyone reading this blog! Just mention "blogspot" with any purchase at checkout, and I'll send you a surprise 4x6" print!

Featured Company Making A Difference: Dr. Bronner's

One of the things I have wanted to do with this blog is mention, from time to time, little things we can all do to make an environmental and political difference. Today I'd like to feature a company whose products I've been using since I was a child, Dr. Bronner's Soaps. As you may or may not know, Dr. Bronner's is that soap, the one with the dramatic spiritual manifestos all over the labels! But behind the ALL-ONE philosophy lay a strong commitment to organic, fair trade practices and the promotion of peace through economic investment and consumer awareness.

My parents opened a health food store in 1975, and from the beginning, Dr. Bronner's natural Castile soaps were a staple product in the beauty section. I grew up using the liquid peppermint Castile soaps, although my adult favorite has been the almond version. Over the years, Dr. Bronner's has expanded its product line (I still need to try the body balms!), but it's also expanded its activism. I would like to introduce you to something I really admire about this company. They are fully committed to fair trade practices, and are currently blending Fair Trade olive oils from Palestinian farmers in the West Bank with Arab and Jewish farmers' olive oils produced in Israel. What a beautiful statement, as well as financial boon for these farmers! You can read more about this venture here, and watch a short film about the process embedded below.



If you've never tried Dr. Bronner's products, I urge you to do so! They are organic certified, Fair Trade certified, opposed to animal testing, and manufactured using 100 per cent recycled/recyclable packaging!

The Stash is Dwindling

Although my refrigerator is still chock full of various Polaroid films, there is only one pack of my favorite film of all time, Time-Zero, left in the door. Add to that the three shots in my camera currently, and I am down to 13 shots. It's stressful, but I'm trying not to worry too much about it. I have plans for the three shots in my camera, and the final pack will be shot later this year, when the glorious light of winter hits us here in the rather southern land of Tejas. That pack will be very expired looking, judging from the other packs from that lot, but that's ok. I've factored that into my plans ;)

Yesterday, I shot three photos from the pack in my camera. Although it's expired, it's in remarkably new condition, because I've carefully stored it since it was fresh. The flowers I had hoped to shoot in Time-Zero for these images aren't available at this time of year, but I am very pleased with the photos I took nevertheless. Last night, my dear friend told me, "That's what I love about photography; when you get something completely different from what you expected." I think he's right!

This one makes me happy, these creamy roses in my favorite vase (more on the vase below):



Peaceful

And this one, a 1976 Bicentenial Ball Jar filled with unique purple thistles! I found this jar on the sink in the back of my mother's shop, from which she is currently in the midst of retiring, and my husband spent hours cleaning off dried up plant roots and water deposits so that I could sell it in our vintage stuff etsy shop.  However, now that it's all clean, I've decided to keep it--at least for the time being--and use it as a rustic container for flowers! 



Ball Jar with Thistles

And finally, this photograph, which features my favorite vase. I bought this vase back in 1998 from my favorite family of potters in Jerusalem, the Karakashian family. It's been my favorite home for flowers ever since, and is a beautiful handmade piece. The lighting of this photo is dark, but I think the underexposure allows for some interesting Time-Zero emulsion impact to come through as a consequence. By the way, if you are ever in Jerusalem, you absolutely must visit Stepan Karakashian and his family in their shop on the Via Dolorosa. Their pottery is gorgeous, their manner elegant, and their place in the history of the Old City is priceless. 



Ten Years On

All photos 2008
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Polaroid Time-Zero
signed prints @ my etsy shop

hello! is it really september already?

Oh my, I have been so neglectful of my blog as of late! The primary reason has been that my summer has been so very busy! Trips to Colorado (for work), Minnesota (work and play), and California (play and work) kept me very busy! And now the new university term has begun. In case you don't know, I'm a professor at the University of North Texas, so my schedule gets really busy in September. To top it off, I've fallen a bit behind in some writing duties, so I'm still playing a bit of catchup!

However, I've been finding a bit of time here and there to play with my batches of Polaroid Artistic TZ film! I wanted to post this particular photo today to encourage everyone out there to consider replacing your loud and polluting gas and electric lawn mowers with an awesome push mower! My husband and I got this gorgeous retro-and-wonderful, truly analog push mower some months ago, and our lawn looks great! Just think: you'll get some exercise, won't pollute, and have some mulch at the end of your lawn mowing session! It's getting easier and easier to be green, and small steps really add up!


The Lawnmower Polaroid, 2008
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Polaroid Artistic TZ Film
signed prints in my Etsy shop

Enjoy the final days of summer, everyone!

Enter to Win One of My Prints!

I am so honored to be a part of the Purple, Pink, and Orange MEGA-GIVEAWAY!!!



Enter to win this print from my Etsy Shop! :)

New Embeded Portfolios on Trunkt!

I have been so busy this summer; currently I'm back in my hometown helping my mother retire--at the age of 75! Until I get back home to Tejas, I won't really have a chance to post here, but I couldn't wait to put up a new embedded portfolio from Trunkt! I love the improvements that Trunkt has been making to highlight artists' work.

American Bandstand

I've been wanting to make a post for some time now about a little roadside excursion I made recently, but time is a bit short these long summer days! Here's a little teaser...


American Bandstand (2008)
Camera: Holgaroid
Film: Polaroid Type 88 (expired)
Subject: An old Uniroyal Gal in Gainesville, Texas

signed prints always at my Etsy!

Summer is a Time for Peaches

After my blackberry picking experience that I talked about here, I decided to go to another "u-pick" farm for fresh summer fruit. This time, I chose to visit Red River Peach Orchard outside Gainesville, Texas, and picked a whopping 25 pounds of amazingly yummy peaches! While out in the beautiful orchard, I took this photo of riped peaches drenched in morning light. I immediately fell in love with it!


Ripe Peaches (2008)
Camera: Polaroid Sx-70
Film: Polaroid Time-Zero (expired)

When I got home, I decided to make my very first jam ever! I made eight pints of peach jam, and found it to be a time-consuming, but fun and easy, process! Here's a photo I took of my first jars of yummy peach jam:


My First Jam (2008)
Camera: Polaroid Sx-70
Film: Polaroid Time-Zero (expired)

Not only did I make jam, but I made two cobblers, some delicious peach salsa, and I put up three huge freezer bags full of peaches into the freezer! I also ate about a million peaches! They were amazingly juicy and sweet!

Vive Summertime Fruit!

signed prints, as always, are in my Etsy shop!

more from Lake Superior

As you can see from this post, I had a wonderful time making Polaroid pinhole photographs while up in Minnesota visiting Lake Superior last month. I also had a wonderful time shooting photos with my Sx-70 using a sweet pack of expired Time-Zero film that my friend Cassandra gave me last year. Here are three of my favorites. I love the way the expired emulsion casts fire upon the lake; fire and water dance together in the incomparable magic of time-zero.



The Moment We Decided


The Liminal Moment of Moonrise


The Lake, Consumed

Signed prints are always available through my Etsy shop!

Blackberry picking

Even though it's about a million degrees here in Texas now, I went out on the 2nd in the early evening to pick blackberries. It was a lot of fun, and so inexpensive! Nearly a gallon of yummy blackberries cost only $12! The sweat and toil gave me a renewed appreciation for farm workers, too.

Here's my bounty! :)



Blackberry Picking (2008)
Camera: Polaroid SX-70
Film: Polaroid SX-70 Blend
Location: Duck Creek Blackberries in Sanger, Texas, USA

4th of July sale!

To the USA readers of this blog--happy 4th of July! To everyone else, happy day! :)

To celebrate the 4th of July, I'm having a sale in my Etsy shop! Mention "4th of July" in your checkout-note with any purchase and get a free surprise 4x6" print!

Here's a patriotic peace photo that I shot while getting coffee from vendor on the streets of Greenwich Village in New York City last summer; I hope you'll enjoy it!


Priorities (2007)
Camera: Polaroid Sx-70
Film: Polaroid Time-Zero

Secret Trunkt Sale!

I'm having a secret sale at my Etsy shop that's only known to my Trunkt customers! Read the details below and then click the link to visit my shop!



I've finally taken the plunge and created a Premium Portfolio at Trunkt. I love the layout and the unlimited nature of the portfolios there. And now you can even send futurowoman e-cards from there!

orchids

I love orchids, and I am very excited that the one orchid I have right now is preparing to bloom again. When I lived in Santa Barbara, I had several orchids, but they would never re-bloom. I followed all the advice about food and temperature, etc, but they would never send out new shoots. When I moved to Florida, however, I got a new orchid that I completely ignored--I just left it on the patio, never fed it, only occasionally watered it. The humid and warm conditions of that place, however, had that orchid blooming like clockwork every October. When I moved away from Orlando, I gave that orchid to my friend Fon, and I'm sure her green thumb has that orchid blooming still.

When we moved to Texas, I found that our master bathroom has a perfect window for all kinds of plants, and so I invested in a new orchid and sat it on the bathtub near that magical spot. It bloomed three times last year, and now it's about to bloom again. Like my Florida orchid before, I pretty much ignore this plant. I never feed it and only occasionally water it. In honor of my excitement over this plant and its impending blossoms, here is my favorite Polaroid from last year's orchid blooms.


An Orchid's Promise (2007)
Camera: Polaroid Sx-70
Film: Time-Zero

Signed prints in my Etsy Shop!

the summer has just begun, but it's already been so busy!

I cannot believe it's been so long since I wrote anything here! Chalk it up to a crazy, busy summer! My university's spring semester ended in early May, but I only had two days off before I started a crazy three-week "Maymester"--which meant that I taught an entire semester in three weeks! WACKY! In the middle of that, moreoever, I took a 4-day trip to Atlanta where I stayed with my friends Amy and Dan and met their new daughter, Abby! Here's an SX-70 polaroid I shot of them near their lovely home (using Blend film):


The Pasternacks

Isn't she the sweetest little girl? Here's another pic I shot, using my Olympus Evolt DSLR and a little postprocessing in Photoshop!


AbbyBaby

That same weekend in Atlanta, I also attended my dear friend Laura's wedding to her new awesome husband, Ganoby! Here's an SX-70 polaroid diptych I shot of Laura's beautifully-henned hand and foot, using Blend film:


From the Henna Party

After the Maymester ended, I literally had only one day off, and then it was off to Fort Collins, Colorado, where I spent nine days as an Advanced Placement grader for the AP World History exam! EEEKKKKKK!!!!! I met some awesome people, though, got to hang out with Santa Barbara folks (a wonderful surprise!), and really admired these poppies...



And then the crazy part...after being home for only about 36 hours from Colorado, I hopped in my car and drove from Texas to Minnesota! I gave a paper at the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians in Minneapolis, and then traveled up to Duluth (such a cool town!) to see the mighty Lake Superior! The real purpose of this post is to put up a few pinhole Polaroids that I shot while at the Lake, using my Daylab Pinhole camera and expired Polaroid 669 film. I hope you will enjoy!


By the shining Big-Sea-Water


Transparency


By the Shores of Gitche Gumme

Prints available at my Etsy shop! More photos will be coming!