i’ve been sorting through my photo archives and came across these photos i took of scout back in january.

scout is a beautiful high-end vintage shop, curated by the lovely + intriguing joey grana, who i secretly dream of making a documentary about someday.

the experience at scout is an emotional one. the beautifully eclectic pieces on display at scout are not merely items for sale, they are not-so-ancient artifacts that magically encapsulate the feeling of growing up in the past few decades. this also precisely how i feel about frank ocean’s album, nostalgia, ultra.

joey’s innate sartorial taste is distinctly his own, and lends a feeling of true comfort. not merely comfortable clothing, but a comfortable sense of self. when perusing the online store (note: the scout website is impeccably designed) i often imagine the woman who shops at scout. she always looks put together but is totally at ease. never too fussy, natural and a lover of life. completely comfortable in her own skin.

the shop is full of beautiful greenery and unusual display vessels line the tall space.

joey also curates a current affair, an gorgeous event and now online shop featuring hand-picked items from la’s best vintage shops. see their latest collection here.

my love for vintage and vintage shops have grown ever deeper in recent months. after years of shopping my grandma’s closet, my love of these deeply personal tokens has continued to bloom. with this in mind, i’ve begun a project around this love that i am quite eager to share. i welcome this beautiful month of may with open arms, a preamble to a glorious summer full of cinespia, la jolla cove swims + tacos.

++  scout  ++

++  a current affair  ++

this afternoon was so fun although a bit hectic at first. i’m so grateful that c.sue was willing to brave the downpour and hang out with me under the two, where it meets the la river. the last time i photographed her, it was on top of a bridge, so moving under for the followup seemed a natural progression. since we moved nearby, i’ve been mentally planning a shoot under this bridge. and on this very rainy sunday, (our roof even leaked!) my dreams came alive.

i feel so blessed for all the creative opportunities that have arisen this year. i find myself surrounded by wildly supportive voices, and i know i couldn’t make any of this happen without that beautiful flow of love and encouragement. sometimes i can’t understand where or why this path is taking me, but i’m learning to be ok with that. i’m working extremely hard to wrap up a few web design projects, one of which i am so pinching-myself-in-disbelief excited about and can’t wait to share. truly amazing client on so many levels and i am genuinely proud of the work.

i frequently find myself returning to this discussion with ira glass about the artist’s gap. he says that we get into creative work because we have excellent taste. but for the first few years, what we make doesn’t live up to our own high standards. and in those years, most people get frustrated and quit. boy, am i in those years. i suspect i love photography so much because through it, i have come closer to closing the gap than i have (yet) with music or design. but ira pleads, don’t quit! do as the work and do as much as you can, because only through doing it can you get better. it will take a long time. and most of what you make will not as good as you want it to be.

slightly discouraging?

i’ve had many of these frustrating moments. most of the time, i can’t quite capture the magic i seek. but sometimes, it happens. and, for the very exciting project mentioned above, for the first time, i feel closer than ever before to bridging the great gap across the canyon that is design. what i believe has brought me here is doing the work with a (mostly healthy) obsession over the details. i’m believing more and more that great work depends on a love and focus on the details.

lately, i’ve been majorly inspired by this lovely graphic designer + wordpress coder. her gorgeous designs (impeccably consistent + beautiful details) and openness about her creative process have been hugely inspiring and helpful for me in past months. reading moxee has really helped me rethink my creative design process and i really feel like i am growing into a better designer. her blog is an excellent design resource, delivering gorgeous, inspirational imagery. she also happens to be super sweet.

i’m working on letting go of my fear of showing imperfection, and in turn, pushing myself to speak my mind more freely here. while it’s most often easier for me to communicate my feelings through images, i also recognize the cathartic power of writing, and i’d like to give myself more space + time to do so. i can’t wait to see what surprises april has to bring. so many ideas brimming to the surface. this year is rushing by, and i can see it will be overflowing with beautiful moments to appreciate.

thank you for sharing this one.

this weekend i was lucky to photograph two of my favorite people.
we planned to do one shoot with these lovely ladies together, but it worked out as two sweet solos instead.

on saturday i headed to ariel’s with a backseat full of clothes and no location in mind.
as ariel tried on dresses, i searched for the nearest green spot on the map.

villa cabrini is tucked away in the hills of a burbank subdivision. when i saw the wispy grasses on the hillside, i pulled over.
then we climbed trees, tumbled down hillsides and rolled in the grass.

for more info on individual medley ++ website ++
 

one thing she brought along with her beautiful self was tickets.

i love tickets.

especially when they gain entry to an awe-inspiring performance at the avalon by super swedes little dragon.

lead singer yukimi nagano also happens to have killer way out there personal style.

all in all, great night. thank you kfc.

a few favorites from little dragon:
little dragon: shuffle a dream
little dragon: little man
sbtrkt featuring little dragon: wildfire

not only gorgeous but also incredibly talented, i’d highly recommend exploring her animation. her watercolor animations are my favorite.

she also happens to have a wicked sense of humor.

ariel is wearing a beautiful, handmade suit, created for her by mandy denham.

my beautiful + insanely talented friend ariel invited a motley crue into demille for an evening of improv, funny voices + fruit.

lots of new friends and fun. i haven’t laughed so hard in awhile.

i can’t wait to see where she takes leroy, poodle, muffin, ivana + kumquat from here.

many years ago, this bracelet was carried many miles from italy to san diego by a truly beautiful old friend, claudia. claudia got engaged this week. she looks really happy. congratulations you two! <3 i’ve worn this dainty chain for over ten years and it is still one of my favorites. it is simple, beautiful + made well from quality materials. the cobalt of the beads is the perfect shade and happens to be my mom’s color. she always looks stunning in it.

on this day i discovered my love for dark nail color. i never bothered painting my nails because when i played guitar so often, they’d be chipped in an instant. but since my music has moved into a more electronic/piano based realm, i can have pretty nails and i just love it. so does b.

this ring is one of my favorite items in blair’s collection, which is quite sizable. it’s all these chains that feel so cool and slinky to the touch. i’d like to recreate…i love the structure of this boxy bag. i always have slouchy bags yet this makes me reconsider. however i don’t think my camera would fit. that is always the problem.

i don’t wear these shoes often because i think the covered fronts aren’t so flattering on my legs but they fit the dress so perfectly.

and the dress. cool silk jersey. so comfy and gorgeous draping. i love the print too. i’m pretty boring in that department so this was a lovely stepping stone.

thank you dani(looking stunning below in a vintage ’87 issey miyake coat that turns into a duffel bag. you better believe it.) + blair for your perfect pairings. blair, your photographic skills are stellar. i can’t wait to dream up more wild shoot settings together.

and thank you eva, for a teeny nudge in the right direction.

*all photos in this post, with the exception of the last, were taken by blair george.