Mar

Desk Treasures

It’s no secret I’m obsessed with white, gold and grey. There’s something so pure and soothing about a cool, neutral palette. Everything looks good on it or against it, and you can have fun mixing different tones and textures. Thanks to 13 years of living in New York City, and an abundance of overseas work travel, I’ve developed an eclectic but minimalist design aesthetic, and apply it to even the most functional items.

My workspace is no exception, and being tucked behind my couch, I wanted it to feel calm, cozy and creative. These are a few of the small indulgences that make doing work from home so much more inviting.

Shown above, from TtB: Fresh blooms in a single stem; Fornasetti cup and saucer; Something pretty to keep notes in, like this gold and cream Lanvin notebook; Carl Aubock jumbo gold paperclip; Set of perfectly sharpened colored pencils in a brass v-holder; Garance Doré for Rifle Paper Co. iPhone case; Magnifying glass by Maison Martin Margiela (I received mine as a gift after staying at Margiela’s hotel in Paris, and just LOVE them); Rifle Paper Co. telephone notecards; Brass Midori pencil case; a decadent candle like Le Labo’s Santal 26; Feather pen from Maison Martin Margiela; Astier de Villatte ceramic dish; John Derian vintage key paper weight.

Feb

every picture (re)tells a story

This morning I dropped by Left Bank Books in the West Village and came across a beautiful little book by Wim Wenders called “Places, Strange and Quiet.” I love Wenders’ work and with a title that spoke to my heart, I had to have it.

In the book, Wenders captures forty-four places that are melancholy and silent, yet charged with possibility. Time capsules, as he calls them. Number 9 and 10 are of a ferris wheel in Armenia from 2008. The first portrays a cloudy, calm landscape that is nostalgic and isolated. The second, from the opposite angle is sinister and exposed. Alongside the fold-out photograph is a brief passage:

“Every picture tells a story…”
Sometimes only the reverse angle
tells the truth. – Wim Wenders

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Jan

Paris.

The light is different in Paris. Even at 10am it appears the city is still waking. The air fills with a milky, warm yellow glow and the buildings begin to perch at a rhythmic pace, standing side by side through the shortened days. Dusk turns the arrondissements into deep, gray-blue canals. Damp and cozy as the locals dip in and out of bistros and boutiques.

It’s not like this in New York. The buildings are always alive, piercing the air above with their concrete and metal frames. During the cold winter months, New York beams a piercingly bright, cyan sky. Deceptive and unbalanced, energized and crisp.

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Mar

tonight I feel infinite.

downpour in the west village by meagan kirkpatrick

I took this photo over a year ago, and it’s still one of my favorites. I didn’t really know how to use my camera back then, and I’m pretty sure it’s not in focus, but there’s just something about the rain that makes one feel infinite.

Mar

endless winter.

Last week I came home from pilates just as a snow storm was setting in. Famished and tired, I bolted upstairs, inhaled an apple and some of my favorite cheese for dinner, and headed out back to capture the falling flakes.

I’m still learning my way around the 6D, but as any photographer knows, everything is new again with a new camera. And there’s something magical about watching the snow swallow the grid of the city. Here are a few of my favorite snaps from the night.

crossing 12th street by meagan kirkpatrick

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Mar

cruising altitude.

cruising altitude, by meagan kirkpatrick.

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Mar

I peer outside at the Rothko-like horizon.

Darkest blue, grey, marine… The windows are freckled with icy wet flakes. I pull out my phone and snap a few photos. I toggle with the filters, sending one into cyberspace with the caption “Munich Sunrise.”

Mar

These streets will never look the same.

Don’t shoot what it looks like. Shoot what it feels like. – David Alan Harvey

If You Can Make it Here / Photo by Meagan Kirkpatrick (July 2011)

A few months ago, after shooting almost 50,000 photos on my T2i, I decided it was time to upgrade. Reticent at first, I eventually caved when a friend of mine (who taught me most of what I know about photography), sent me a text saying my “night shots could really use a full frame sensor.”

That was the final straw. I will forever be a nighttime photographer, and my Rebel T2i was like the little red caboose that couldn’t quite get up the hill.

I put my cherished and reliable friend up for sale on Facebook and with seconds of clicking “post,” it was gone.

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Feb

Girls, Get Ready for SXSW: A Survival Guide.

It’s been 4 years since I traded in my Fashion Week stilettos for Texas BBQ and I couldn’t be happier. Hanging with smart techies beats watching starving amazon women trample the runway any day! But there are a few things ladies should know before they head to Austin for the 10-day festival:

Bring chargers with you everywhere. Trust me, you’ll need them. Because of the number of phones around, and the amount of texting you’ll do, all your gadgets will need recharging 2-3 times a day.
Your twitter handle is your new business card (and personal assistant). For those attending Interactive, clean up your feed and tweet what you find interesting. It’s a great way to build your influence and meet cool people. And most importantly, twitter should be your go-to to find out what’s trending and where the best unofficial parties are. Follow the tags #SXSWFree & #SXSWUnofficial to get all the latest info.
Get Screened. This one has a double meaning. First, bring sunscreen. It’s hot in Austin and many of the best events take place outdoors. Second, go to the film screenings. I’ve seen some of the best movies at Sx, so grab some popcorn and recharge with some much needed down and dark time. The Vimeo theatre has a whole lineup of great films this year.
Secret performances. Secret performances and parties will be popping up like crazy throughout the 10-day festival. Follow insider handles on twitter to get the latest updates. Also be on the lookout for password protected parties, like this year’s Wall Street Journal Pool Party.
Get a badge. Even though off-site events are getting bigger and bigger each year, you still need a badge to get anywhere official. Many of the parties will require them for admission. Also, a word from the wise: pick up your badge the day before the conference begins. They’re open until 10pm. Otherwise you’ll wait in a 2+ hour wait – and there’s 0% chance they will let someone else pick up your badge for you. Trust me, I’ve tried.
Leave the stilettos at home. Even at the best parties people will be wearing jeans. You should still dress to impress, but be comfortable. (Comfortable stilettos = win win.)

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Feb

Still… (Reflections on Photography)

Man Underwater by Anna Vesna

I’ve always appreciated art. My brother’s an incredibly talented illustrator, and I spent almost three years working with Vimeo, where I watched films every day and attended offline screenings regularly. I was profoundly affected by the ability of motion pictures to move people, as redundant as that sounds. They can make you laugh, cry, cringe, and most of all: think.

But since coming to Shutterstock two years ago, spending countless hours among 24 million images, and then going home to my own DSLR, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for the still image.

Portrait of a Girl by Aleshyn Andrei