in case you forgot

a little inspiration ... something we all need now and then!

2010-12-03T06:29:00.001-08:00

click on the title to follow the link....

NOstAlgiA

2010-09-17T08:24:00.000-07:00

I hate it when I get like this: feeling all nostalgic about the past. Seriously, where does this come from??

I came across some photos from 5 years ago, just around the time I met my husband... 5 years isn't that long is it?? If I were still a teenager it would seam like a lifetime ago, but now that I'm "old"... Still I look at those photos of us and I DO feel we were SOO young!

And life back then was so different, it does feel like a lifetime ago!

Parque Ibirapuera

2010-09-12T15:31:00.000-07:00

We went to see a great exhibition today: Bodies....

Too bad it wasn't possible to photograph inside!

Over here in Brazil, the church is everywhere...

2010-09-10T17:01:00.000-07:00

It always fascinates me to see all the different kinds of churches there are. They are everywhere and they come in all shapes and sizes.... here are a few photos from one of the suburbs.

From home

2010-09-09T17:45:00.001-07:00

Around Town

2010-09-03T18:56:00.000-07:00

Some tacky chic ikebana we saw in Centro Cultural Sao Paulo

A heart on the wall

Random walls that caught my attention

Things I miss the most. (edibles)

2010-09-01T17:16:00.001-07:00

Goats cheese

Asparagus

Raspberries

Creme fraiche

Croissants

Mushrooms

the voyeur in me

2010-09-01T16:47:00.000-07:00

There's something about other people's homes.... I have to say I'm always fascinated when I'm in somebody's house. I also like to peer through windows at opposite buildings... is that bad? Curious about how people live and what their homes look like.

Sunday in the City

2010-08-30T08:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we spent all day walking around Sao Paulo, visiting some exhibitions...

We went to the Centro Cultural Sao Paulo for the first time. It's a great building, with a library and some great spaces. We saw a really good photo exhibition featuring many photography groups from around the world including Tendence Floue , http://garapa.org/... and many many more I don't remember!

Here are a couple of photos of the space.

postcard exchange

2010-08-28T16:11:00.000-07:00

My friend and I are going to start a postcard exchange "game"

We send each other postcards that we make ourselves.... I'm up first. This is what I'm going to send her.

2010-08-27T16:29:00.000-07:00

what i love about sao paulo in winter...

Home Sweet Home

2010-08-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

Since we moved to the new apartment I've been enjoying decorating it... Of course there is still a lot of stuff missing... Things are expensive so we have to go slowly... but every new detail makes my day! Here are a couple of photos.

Cold!

2010-08-18T13:52:00.003-07:00

It's cold here in Sao Paulo lately! Even the cars are wearing coats! ;)

Saturday morning in bed

2010-08-17T14:44:00.001-07:00

windos and doors

2010-08-13T07:34:00.000-07:00

During our last month in Barcelona we did a little tour of all the places we liked to visit them one last time....

Here are a few pictures from one of those days....

twilight streets

2010-08-10T15:03:00.001-07:00

re-cycled

2010-08-10T13:59:00.001-07:00

Barcelona revisited

2010-08-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

Madrid

2010-08-04T17:55:00.001-07:00

The good old fashioned way...

2010-08-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

pepper!

2010-07-23T12:40:00.001-07:00

These boots

2010-04-19T17:28:00.000-07:00

Back in the days, when I was 17 years old I went on a road trip with my boyfriend at the time from Sao Paulo to San Francisco by land.... It was quite an adventure, something I will never forget and an experience that really shaped the following years of my life.

My hiking boots from those days were left behind at my parent's house as I continued moving countries and went through college in Stuttgart, then Paris and last but not least Barcelona...

Since I've been back in Sao Paulo my parent's moved house and did a major clean up of everything. My boots came out from some dark corner of a closet. My mother just gave them to me in a plastic bag and said: "here you take these now..." I went home with the bag, not even looking inside properly. I wasn't sure what to do with them. I haven't used them in years but they have walked in the mountains in Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Middle America, Mexico, Grand Canyon, Death Valley and many more places... I couldn't just get rid of them.

A few days past and I decided to take some action and decide if I was going to keep the boots or not... to my total shock I noticed the soles just disintegrated ...

So much walking and they finally fell apart somewhere in a closet!!

Diane Von Furstenberg

2010-04-15T18:25:00.000-07:00

...

2010-04-12T15:20:00.000-07:00

these days

2010-04-11T15:30:00.000-07:00

Caught a horrible cold... Winter seams to have arrived all of a sudden here in SP!

Here are some photos to start off a new week....

we are privileged

2010-04-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I did a photo shoot a little outside of SP. I had to take a bus home on the way back... It took me 2hours to get home. It's not so far, just the traffic at 6:30pm makes going from A to B a very difficult thing indeed. I was lucky to get a seat on the bus... soon it was packed and there were a lot of people standing. These girls started talking to me and telling me how they get up at 4:30am to be at work at 7:30... then they leave around 6pm and get home again sometime between 8 and 11pm, depending on traffic, weather etc.

Then they went on to tell me how they once took the wrong bus and ended up on the opposite side of town ... how they spent all their money getting back and also got home very late... All this they said joking half laughing at themselves... I sat there in awe at how most people live here. It's a little different then Europe where people work 9 to 5 jobs... that take them 20 mins to get to work and STILL everyone is in a crap mood all the time!

I wonder sometimes what it is that makes people happy and why the poor countries seam to produce such happy people while the rich countries where everything functions people are always grumpy and unfriendly.

It's a mystery to me.

away a while

2010-04-06T17:24:00.000-07:00

A lot has happened since last time I was here....

My mother had this great idea to sell their apartment and buy two smaller ones.... One for my parents and one for my husband and I. This way we would rent it from them or rather it would be like paying a mortgage but instead of paying a bank we'd be paying my parents.We get to have our own place and not a rented or borrowed one and plus we can live close to them. For practical reasons it's much easier to be close by.. plus their neighborhood is much nicer and closer to work.

This was little more than a month ago. They sold their apartment and bought a new one in less than a week. I spent the past couple of weeks helping them pack and unpack again in the new place. Also been looking frantically for a home of our own.... And am very impatient to finally have our own little place.

Also got a great job for a couple of days photographing one of our coasts touristy beach towns Guarujá... if only I could get more work like that!!!

On a completely different note: winter seams to have arrived suddenly just today! I've been freezing all day wearing a scarf and now it's only 21h30 and i'm in bed under the covers...

One Year Ago Today...

2010-03-03T17:31:00.000-08:00

One year ago today I moved back home.

One year ago today I arrived in Sao Paulo with little more than a few cardboard boxes and a suitcase packed mostly with books clothes, negatives and cameras... We had pretty much no money just debts.

Today, finally, my husband has managed to finish paying off his bank loans... (they paid his university).

I would never have guessed that one year later we would be looking for a place of our own in the truest sense of the word... somewhere to build our future on.... a place that we can decorate, paint, sculpt to our likings and where we can imagine sometime in the future possibly starting a family there.

My parents are growing older, (aren't we all!) and I am happy to be here for them after so many years.... just as they are here for us and always have been. I see them happy looking to the future with us, supporting us and it makes me thankful and so glad to be here!

...and to celebrate all that, here's a photo of my favorite place!

Things that drive me mad/ things that make my day

2010-02-25T15:01:00.000-08:00

Things that drive me mad here in SP:

-Lack of organization in large corporate supposedly professional companies.

-Ugliness

-People who throw trash on the streets

-Extremely crowded busses full of sweaty people

-lack of respect towards others

-Loud obnoxious people

-bad quality stuff

-The way people drive

-The fact that there are buss stops which are impossible to see and that have no signs to let one know what buss stops there

-How expensive mushrooms, asparagus and other food like that is

Things I love and that make me smile:

-How the guy who sweeps the streets every morning smiles and sings while he works

-When someone offers to hold my bag in the bus because I'm standing and they're sitting

-How people aren't afraid of people, how they strike up a conversation with anyone anywhere under almost any circumstance

-The flexibility

-Crowded busses with sweaty people who are tired have worked all day and are still in a good mood

-The market

-The heat

-Generosity

-How plants grow much faster and stronger

-Nature

When things fall into place

2010-02-20T16:32:00.000-08:00

Well, I was planning to go to the beach this weekend but then we thought it was going to rain so decided to stay after all. As luck has it, I was called up to do a last minute shoot. A fellow photographer friend of mine was unable to take on a job so she kindly passed it on to me.

The pay is bad to say the least, but a job is a job and at least there's some reward... Right now my priority is to work!!

The shoot consists of a "making of" for an add. I have to photograph 4 singers in the studio, while they're recording the song that will then go on the add... if I understood correctly.

I can't put up any photos yet, but hopefully soon...

In the end it didn't rain, but still was worth staying in town.

Tradition

2010-02-16T14:00:00.001-08:00

It's carnaval at the moment here in Brazil. Now as most people know, this is a BIG deal over here. I think this is a particularly special occasion for people who aren't so well off. There are many many people here who live from and for this, literally... all year round they prepare for these couple of days of craziness.

Yesterday we went to the street carnaval close by my parents house. The men went dressed as women and the women as men. It was a big big crowd of people... all happy and smiling. There was maracatu (drums) and we all went along walking around dancing to the music... It was really beautiful...

Tradition is important I think... Not all of them, but the things that we repeat in time and that keep us together and happy... like family traditions.....

Speaking of which, here's a photo of my youngest cousin from last Christmas.

Back soon!

xoxox

absent but not really

2010-02-12T12:11:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in a while...

Lots has been going on. I went to Rio and fell in love with the city. I had already been there twice before years ago but somehow this time was different... I found it so beautiful in comparison with Sao Paulo...

I do love SP, but it's damn ugly!!! Whereas Rio is just beautiful and of course there's the sea... ah the sea....

Anyway, am working on some projects... stuff that will bring more work in. Have started a computer class... getting my act together. Can't be left behind when it comes to computer programs or you can forget work altogether!

But back to uglyness... Its not really necessary, not at all. I've started to make a list of ways to change this... It will take time but its not impossible, someone just needs to begin doing something about it!!

things to look at...

2010-01-26T16:32:00.000-08:00

I saw a really good film today, or at least I enjoyed it a lot. You know those movies where nothing really happens, no one story, no violence or sex... just a glimpse of life? Well, it was something like that. "New York I Love You" is one of those movies that make you love the little things in life.

Another interesting thing to watch: "No Impact Man: The Documentary" It's about a man and his family in New York who decides to try to live without creating any impact on the environment during one whole year... It's a little crazy to say the least, but sure makes you think.

Last of all, a photo of mine came out on a blog of some fellow photographer friends here in SP:

http://ciadefoto.com.br/blog/?paged=4

more later...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2010-01-11T02:44:00.000-08:00

I don't know what happened to blogger, but I couldn't access any of it's blogs for days and days...

Well, January is here with it's terrible floods and torrential rain in Brazil.... Non-stop freezing cold and snow in most of Europe.....

The weather has gone mad everywhere... We screwed around so long that now we'll just have to get used to it and deal with the consequences!

I spent New Year's on a little piece of Paradise.... Unfortunately, at the same time, people not at all far off were suffering from the rain and sometimes even dying under avalanches of mud!

Still, I am deeply thankful for the wonderful days we had with a great group of people in an amazing place.

Our daily routine consisted of swimming in the sea... bathing in the waterfall, cooking , eating, and enjoying each other's company.

Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-21T16:31:00.000-08:00

This year, we will be spending Christmas as always, with the family... But New Year's eve will be different: We rented a little house together with 4 other people on a beach that can only be reached by boat or 4h hike... It's all very basic, no electricity... no fridge, no ventilators... Just a lot of waterfalls and beaches...

I am really looking forward to it!!

So there will be no posts for a while.. I leave you with a special Christmas tree.

Once the tallest building

2009-12-18T17:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had to photograph an event. It was the 25th birthday of a company and they had a dinner at the Terraço Italia. It's a restaurant on the top floor (41st) of what was once Sao Paulo's tallest building. I had worked all day doing food shots so I was somewhat tired, but it was worth it just for the view. It's really overwhelming to see the city from up there. There is nothing past the horizon except buildings and more buildings! A real concrete jungle!

random thoughts

2009-12-14T08:07:00.000-08:00

It's cold today. I don't like it.

I want to start painting again.

We are going to spend new years on a beach with some great friends in a place I've never been to. Can it get any better than that?

Yesterday, while cleaning the stove I realized I was exactly where I want to be. (not necessarily cleaning the stove but) Back in Brazil, trying to make it my home, living with my husband, in our own little place, (although not so little or our own yet) trying to make it as a photographer, even if still not quite there, but on the right track... Slowly making new friends, re-discovering this huge dirty, ugly, noisy, so very darn noisy, wonderful city....

Thinking about children but no yet, really not yet.

With still so many plans and wish lists and want lists...

This is where I want to be. This is where I am. Finally.

Thank you!

upside down

2009-12-11T11:57:00.000-08:00

I found this on behance.net.... Thought it was pretty original and a fun idea....

BSS | Upside Downy Face from Bruton Stroube Studios on Vimeo.

InkTheSky....

2009-12-07T13:29:00.000-08:00

Back when I was living in Barcelona, I had an exhibition at the

Estudio Nomada http://www.estudio-nomada.com/ A week or so ago they had a group show of projections on the ceiling of the gallery and I was asked to participate. Here's what I sent them... and here's a link to their site in case you want to see more:http://www.inkthesky.com/

Fotos - de Barbara Allain from zapato rojo on Vimeo.

busy busy....

2009-12-06T05:56:00.001-08:00

I've been working lately (Yay!!), so haven't had much time to post....

Doing more food photography...

Here's a great link to a friend of mine who's started this cool project!

Take a look!'

http://lost-and-found-project.blogspot.com/?psinvite=ALRopfWGOZvVB9UrS9_kLYYLwh0AhNeRU1BuMivXKid7NdjfdcICbxDDsa1ET9OAiGfT0lJsAZ8_-OYmd8OMRzlTgVbfC8QO6Q

INSPIRATION

2009-11-26T13:35:00.000-08:00

I just stumbled upon this and it made me smile that made it all worthwhile. :)

http://dallasclayton.com/

bummed out!

2009-11-26T11:55:00.001-08:00

So I had this job interview a while back. It wasn't for photo or cooking but design.

Now I'm not really a designer... and I didn't hide that fact, but they actually liked me because I was called back for a second interview together with 3 other (real) designers.

In the end I didn't get the job. However, what pissed me off wasn't that so much but that the reason I didn't get it was due to my shyness!

Ok, so I am bit shy and perhaps not too articulate when it comes to verbal communication, but damn it I never thought that would keep me from a job!

I guess there's only one way to go: take it as constructive criticism and do better next time.

But I know I could have done well with that job. Shit!

almost christmas!?!

2009-11-24T03:40:00.001-08:00

Time flies. I can't believe it's almost Christmas again!! As summer here reaches full swing and the decorations go up... I try to get that Christmassy feeling from Europe... But in the heat, it's just impossible! Even the green and red and gold don't seam to match the heat!

Last Friday was a holiday here, so we got to go to the beach again after several months of big city. It went by so fast but still we got to enjoy swimming in the sea and a great barbecue...

Life is good when you keep things simple.

Now it'a back to work though.

something to brighten your day! :)

2009-11-19T14:37:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX7lOk2H8eo

new home

2009-11-18T15:51:00.000-08:00

So finally, we moved! It was exhausting even though there was hardly anything to move... I mean no furniture practically since we didn't bring any from Europe... just some boxes. But there was still so much to fix up on the house that by evening time we were sooo tired!

Now that was Sunday... A couple of days later, many hours of cleaning and unpacking and things are slowly starting to look better. Still no furniture really, but we did make some work tables out of doors... and we had to buy a bookshelf... A lot of improvising but it's ok.

Now I haven't finished the decorating and this weekend we should get some more furniture from my parent's. They have some things that are not in use so we can take them... So no photos yet... I want it to look as much like a home as possible before posting them...

So just some funny egg eyes instead!

More to come...

xoxox

Blackout and lack of water....

2009-11-11T04:36:00.001-08:00

Well, once again I had the chance to see the 3rd World side of Brazil!

The house if finally pretty much ready.. That is paint is done, leaks have been fixed, floors are like new... Only the water company here is taking it's time to switch the water back on!

The previous renter didn't pay the water bill for so long that it was cut off. Now the debt has been settled, but the water company needs I don't know how long to put it back up. Meanwhile we cannot tell if the taps have been properly installed, or the shower or even the washing machine... I also can't clean the place. I'm thinking we may have to push the moving date yet another week forward. Sometimes I wonder if we will ever move in!!! :(

As for the blackout... well, there was a major major one last night here in Brazil. It affected over 10 States from 10pm till 5am... THAT is impressive I think!! Pretty crazy!

What usually looks like this photo 1, was looking more like picture 2!

Hot hot hot!

2009-11-06T13:50:00.000-08:00

Our room this morning!

Summer is here and after all the rain these past months it's come stronger than ever!

Tomorrow we start the moving process.... I'm very excited about that, we've waited so long for this I can hardly believe it's finally happening!

Photos of the house will be posted soon! :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Banking nightmares!!

2009-11-04T04:54:00.000-08:00

I hate banks. It's established. Or at least I hate the whole system here! It's absolutely insane.

I had huge difficulties opening my bank account here in Sao Paulo because I don't have an "official" job. Or rather, I work for myself and not in some firm or whatever, I work freelance.

After a lot of hassle I managed with the help of my father to open an account.

Now the problem is my husbands... He's working as a freelance graphic designer for this company and they need to pay him. However they can't pay him because he doesn't have an account. The bank says he can't open an account because he doesn't have a salary.

How on earth can that be? How can we earn money if we can't put it in a bank, and how can we open an account if we can't get paid???

And what about the people who are worse off than we are?? Are poor people doomed to stay poor, work "under the table" and put their money away under their mattress??

Seriously it's driving me crazy!!

Maybe I'll have to look here soon to get inspired!! :http://www.holytaco.com/25-awsome-homeless-guy-signs

2009-11-02T15:12:00.000-08:00

We spent all weekend painting the house and finally it's done!

Now only the floors need to be fixed and a couple of other minor things done...

then a LOT of cleaning and we can finally move in!

Blue

2009-10-30T13:47:00.001-07:00

I have been busy with painting the new house and also caught a cold, so no time to take new pictures... But I did find this old one from back when I lived in Paris...

I remember I was actually trying to take a photo of the sky and moon... (One doesn't see such blue skies very often in Paris) when this guy crept into my frame just as I pressed the shutter!

pink

2009-10-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

Sao Paulo Curiosities and contrasts

2009-10-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

(Pick up your dog's feces)

hunger

2009-10-19T08:08:00.000-07:00

waiting

2009-10-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

Today I spent most of my day waiting... in the end it was in vain. Frustrating really. I hate to wait... and yet I find I end up doing it a lot. You see, I'm one of those people who is never late. I remember when I was in high school and being late was a sign of coolness I'd consciously try very hard to leave the house late so as to have to walk in to the class once it had already started, at least once. It never happened. Instead I was usually one of the first. It's a bit of a sickness I guess... but that's just the way I am.

I'm also always the first to arrive to a meeting.

Today's wait was at a hospital. Particularly unpleasant. Usually I have no problem with hospitals. My mother has spent a lot of time in them and I was there with her sometimes. Today though, for some reason I just couldn't stand it. It was overwhelming.. I felt claustrophobic. There was a woman screaming in the next cubicle it was just awful to listen to.

Dealing with sickness is really hard, and I felt really bad for not being able to handle it better.

I made some doodles while I waited and later I found this website:

http://www.wearewhatwedo.org/

different places called home

2009-10-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

Why is it we always want to be somewhere else?

Today I miss Barcelona.

pretty hidden details

2009-10-09T16:01:00.000-07:00

in case you forgot...

2009-10-09T15:06:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I decided to change my blog's name. I figured I'm already home... Well, actually, I don't think home is necessarily a physical or concrete place. It's inside of each one of us... and I suppose I may be still looking for it.

But that's not really what I wanted to talk about today.

This morning we went to the center do get some paperwork done. AGAIN. Yes, well, anyway, as usual when I go to the center of Sao Paulo I realize how wonderful and at the same time messed up this city is! (I know I've mentioned this before too).

Today there was a man playing a home made drum set. It was built out of paint cans and wood...

I think that really summarizes the brazilian spirit in a way. It's a great example of how we brazilians learn to get by. It's also about the creativity... and how even with little or nothing there is always a way. The man set up his drum set on a street corner with a sign next to it saying: "I come from Bahia in search of my dream. Please help me to buy my drum set."

This man probably earned a lot today sitting there... at least I saw a lot of people putting money in his little can. Maybe he doesn't even want to buy a drum set... But I admire the creativity he had and his sense of humor!

Ana Elisa Egreja

2009-10-08T07:17:00.000-07:00

To see more work of her's please visit: http://anaelisaegreja.blogspot.com/

beauty

2009-10-08T04:43:00.000-07:00

This beautiful piece is on exhibit at the Sesc Pompeia in Sao Paulo hhttp://www.sescsp.org.br/sesc/. I just think it's stunning!

it's called: Pombas sobre renda laranja, prata, bege, branco 2008 by Ana Elisa Egreja

Centro

2009-10-06T11:46:00.000-07:00

We went to the center of Sao Paulo today to get some paperwork done. I love this city center. It was (and still is) very beautiful. However, now a days there is so much poverty and mess there that you have to detach yourself a bit. It's a big mass of people and amongst them some of the poorest ones I've seen.

Still I think there is beauty to be seen even in the ugly. A very different kind of beauty than that of my previous home towns (Barcelona and Paris) of course, but even so it's there, we just have to look a bit harder!

Black, Red, Blue

2009-10-05T09:55:00.001-07:00

Nostalgia, or Saudades as we say here....

2009-10-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

Some random photos since I'm feeling randomly nostalgic... for everything lately!

something about dry leaves...

2009-10-01T17:18:00.000-07:00

"Brechó"

2009-09-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

We went to the salvation army today to look for cheap furniture and other stuff like that for our new place.
We got two chairs and some lovely old dishes... One of them I used in this photo.
Now we just need the house to work out...

Fresh Starts...

2009-09-28T17:54:00.000-07:00

I know I've not been around much lately.
First I got obsessed with scanning and re-photographing my old family photos. I really want to get that done. But it's a huge huge job and I'm perhaps about half way only after almost 6 months of work!
Second my computer was dying and I wanted to get the most photos done possible before it dies.

The good news is that as of today I have a brand new computer... Yay! So it's much faster and easier to work now...
The other good news is we may have a place of our own soon. It's still not 100% sure but if it works out we will be out of my parents home and in to a little house (actually quite big for my standards).
It's a long story that I won't get into just yet...
And it will take a lot of work, painting and stuff but I'm really looking forward to it and will surely post lots of photos of the progress we are or not making when the time comes.
But, enough for now... I will stop here and try to post some photos soon, I promise.

Holiday

2009-09-09T06:47:00.001-07:00

We had a national holiday... and as most people do we went to the beach. It was great... lots of fun things to do. This time we went on a very fancy motoboat of friends of some friends... and got a feel of the good life...
We also went sailing on my father's sail boat... not as glamorous as the giant motorboat, but a lot more quiet and peaceful.
We stopped off at an island where there was once a prison and visited it's remains... It was frustrating because I didn't take my good camera, just the little point and shoot. I got a couple of nice shots anyway.
I intend to go back there with proper equipment some time soon though!

Roots

2009-09-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

It's not easy going back to one's roots. Hell, I've been back home for 6 months now and there's been a lot of head butting going on. I believe once you've left home, don't go back... Unless it's to visit of course. But here I have no choice. We have started to look for our own place, but small apartments within our budget range are very very hard to find at the moment here in Sao Paulo. This city is crazy.... Why are there SO many people living here?? Sometimes I ask myself why on earth did I ever come back?! I don't regret it. I know deep down it was necessary, but still. On Sunday we went out with some friends. They took us to a great Chinese restaurant here in Liberdade (Sao Paulo's China/Japantown)... It was so nice on the way back to drive in normal traffic that I said: "hey on Sundays I feel like I could actually live here!" Because on any other day, you have to be crazy to choose to live here!! I guess I am!

Anyway, I was walking around the neighbourhood today, staring at all the buildings I could imagine myself living in and looking for "for rent" signs when I came across these amazing trees. They are all over Sao Paulo, bursting up the sidewalks with their incredible roots. Aren't they just wonderful?

Computer trouble...

2009-08-28T05:57:00.000-07:00

I have been having computer trouble lately. My laptop is dying, most tragically! In the attempt to keep it alive and working for a little while longer my husband errased all my programs from it so now I don't have any programs to work on my photos.. Thus, no posts lately. Sorry!! But hopefully it will be solved soon... and I can get back to posting some pictures.

In the mean time, here's our joint blog for you to look at: http://www.empk.net/blog/

2009-08-12T18:03:00.000-07:00

2009-08-10T17:37:00.000-07:00

already august!

2009-08-02T18:02:00.000-07:00

Haven't had time to post anything, I've been busy with some work and wedding preparations. Not exactly the kind of wedding I had dreamed of: very rushed and caotic, but I still hope it will turn out ok. Not even the rings have arrived yet. Not so sure they will. If not, we will use my grandparents rings. They are old and worn but I'm sure they will bring us good vibes coming from them. The situation is a little particular as it is: we get married and rush to the police stationt to ask for a permanent visa for my future husband! His tourist visa runs out the very same day!! Keep your fingers crossed all will go well.

History

2009-07-29T14:52:00.000-07:00

My grandparents on my father's side had 11 children. My grandfather, who was a very organized man put together 24 photo albums with family photos going back as far as the late 1800s.
I am now in the long and endless process of scanning and/or re-photographing these precious photos of our family history to try and preserve them. Everytime I pick one of these wonderful photos up I am so amazed at how time passes and how we change. It's such a strange and wonderful feeling to be looking at one of my ancestors in those wonderful dresses. Sometimes it's possible to see some feature or glimpse of my living relatives in them.

...you win some, you lose some....

2009-07-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

Just found out I didn't win a photo competition I had applied for.... It's not a big deal, I mean, these things are reall really hard to win and this one was huge. From looking at past winners though I thought I had a chance and I needed it so much I sort of built myself up this dream fantasy that I'd win.
Oh well... It's really not a big deal... Just that would have come in handy... a real break if you know what I mean.
I'm getting desperate to move out of my parents house... it would have given us that extra cash and work that would have helped.

Next week is our wedding! And the prospect of still living in this tiny room with my parents annoys me a bit to say the least. I know it's temporary but it sure is extending itself this in between thing!

The good news is: I did get some freelance photo work, so not all is lost.

Delicia!

2009-07-24T06:27:00.000-07:00

I found this little booklet thrown in together with my mother's ancient recipes... I just had to put it up... I love the illustrations!!

A few photos of the embroidery...

2009-07-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

For more details visit: http://www.cafeigarai.com.br/

between caos and new hopes

2009-07-22T15:21:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to write for quite a while but life has suddenly become quite busy around here!
First I went to a small country town called Mococa over the weekend to do a photo shoot. It wasn't a paid job, but lots of fun. I went to photograph a group of women who used work in the coffee plantations and are now embroidering for a living. They do some amazing work.

Between editing these photos and working on possible new projects things are slowly moving, finally.
Here are a couple of shots from the weekend.

...

2009-07-17T06:19:00.000-07:00

So I had kind of a job interview yesterday... Only thing is it was for a cooking job, not photography. But right now I think I'm up for almost anything. We'll see.
Today I'm supposed to be going to a small town called Mococa to do a photo shoot of a small comunity of women who live off embroidery. Hopefully I will be able to come back with some nice shots. In the mean time, here's a couple of quick photos of my grandmother's backyard which I love...

Happy Birthday!

2009-07-14T05:45:00.000-07:00

It's my grandmother's birthday today. She turns 94 or is it 95? In any case, she's an incredible woman and that's a long long life. Her story is amazing, just for startes she had 12 children... and I doubt they had peridurals back then... but I wouldn't be able to tell it right. So I'm just going to add a little photo from a long time ago.

Tanabata Matsuri - Festival das Estrelas da Liberdade

2009-07-13T17:33:00.000-07:00

what's up with this blog??

2009-07-13T15:49:00.000-07:00

So i'm trying desperately to post some photos here but this stupid thing just won't work... No idea what's going on. Will have to try again later.
Damn frustrating!!

urg!

2009-07-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

Still feeling rather down in the dumps... that's why I avoided any posts lately. Nobody reads them anyway... Sick of everything and on top of it all with a horrible cold... Also seam to be going through a second puberty or something... my skin is breaking out... I look awful and feel worse.

JOB HUNTING

2009-06-30T15:36:00.000-07:00

...it just sucks. It does things to one's self esteem... or rather it just about eats it up. So not only do I continue jobless, but also esteemless, depressed, wanting to eat everything I see so that I get fat and feel even more crappy.
The other thing about being unemployed is all that time on our hands. So to fill it up I started checking out all this stuff on the internet. That made me find all these great coursed I'd love to take especially now that I have time on my hands. Except, of course, to take a course you need to have money to pay for it. I don't. Obviously.
So I start looking at photoblogs... and I realize how much I still need to learn so my self esteem gets eaten up a little more and I feel worse...
I even stumbled upon some guy who wrote about killing himself due to not finding a job... Now THAT really made me depressed.
Oh, well, maybe tomorrow will be better.... right?

Playing with fruit and vegetables...... Part I

2009-06-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

Sao Paulo - Center

2009-06-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

2009-06-17T13:40:00.000-07:00

I just entered the competition: Premio Porto Seguro de Fotografia...
It's a long shot... but I could use the boost and publicity of winning something like that... So keeping my fingers crossed! Otherwise just trying to not step on eachother's toes here at home, but going back to live with one's parents is probably one of the more difficult excercises of a grown up's life....

With a new website up: www.empk.net, I've been digging up some old photos... Here's one from quite a while ago!

2009-06-16T06:17:00.000-07:00

To see more photos go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/barbaraallain/

Gay Pride Sao Paulo 2009

2009-06-16T06:11:00.000-07:00

Parada Gay 2009

2009-06-14T16:38:00.001-07:00

I went to the Sao Paulo Gay Pride today... Here are a couple of photos. More to come soon!

2009-05-26T06:54:00.000-07:00

Botanical Garden Sao Paulo

2009-05-25T06:22:00.001-07:00

2009-05-22T06:06:00.000-07:00

up close

2009-05-21T09:36:00.001-07:00

Ressaca

2009-05-19T18:59:00.000-07:00

O palhaço

2009-05-18T08:46:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday to my good friend Christian... whom I miss!

2009-05-17T17:01:00.000-07:00

from the gut

2009-05-05T18:04:00.000-07:00

I once worked very shortly with a canadian Chef in Paris. I also took some photos of him for his buisiness card at the time. Now he's back in Toronto, building his very own restaurant. It's a hell of a project and he's had a lot of setbacks but I believe he'll do great once it's up and running. Because it's being done with heart.

To read more about him check out his blog:http://www.torontolife.com/daily/opening-soon/2009/05/01/almost/

from my window

2009-04-30T10:47:00.000-07:00

2009-02-14T02:42:00.000-08:00

Before we leave, I've been trying to do everything we still haven't done here, see the sights we haven't seen etc. Actually, it's really hard, since my head is no longer really here. So it tends to all be done somewhat half heartedly... Now and then I think maybe it's not even worth doing if I'm not going to be 100% there, but then again, I know that if I don't I'll regret it later.
So, a couple of days ago I went around the neighbourhood and photographed Glories which is being re-built and soon will look very different.
Here is a photo, but there are more to see here: http://www.behance.net/ballain

in between

2009-02-13T02:06:00.000-08:00

The thing about moving is you're neither here nor there. My current "home" is chaos. There are boxes of things to take, boxes of things to leave behind, boxes of things to give away and boxes of things to sell.... This is just the simplified version.
Also, a while back we had the great idea to share appartment with other people. Appart from the obvious financial issue, we also wanted to have more space etc. So now we have the future room mate with her things all over the living room, the ex-room mate with his stuff everywhere and ours too.
Oh, and there's the cat.
In these situations no body really feels responsible for cleaning either. Well, to tell the truth, they didn't exactly feel any responsibility before, so I don't see why they'd feel any now.