Its no secret that I am a winter child. I love the cold stillness that winter brings. I am not sure how I ended up in Southern California since I have such an affinity for winter, but little things like these photos remind me of the beautiful solace I miss out on.
Image Via Nickey Keyhoe
Growing up in a small town in Vermont there was not much in the way of artistic inspiration. Dairy farms yes - art, no. There was one exception, and that was of course "Snowflake" Bentley. He was the first person to photograph a snow crystal in 1885, and through his long career of documenting snowflakes, he discovered that no two snowflakes are alike. They each have individual characteristics that are formed by wind, humidity and temperature. And they are each uniquely beautiful.
I was reminded of his work a few weeks back when I visited the Museum of Jurassic Technology (a must for anyone visiting LA and artistically inclined.)
Below are a few of my favorites pictures of snowflakes.
"Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others. Every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated., When a snowflake melted, that design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind."
Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley 1925
A couple images from a very quite morning at Zuma beach I enjoyed this past weekend. It was such a treat to be there - alone - with my camera.
Hands down, Tim Walker is my favorite photographer. His images are inspiring, emotional, beautiful, lustful, and over ripe with creativity. Can I have some more please...
The brand identity for Rebecca Moses featured in the September issue of Vogue is simply inspiring. Without hugely expensive props, the creative team has been able to design a sophisticated scene that screams the brands creative style. With simple drawings projected on the wall, and a few props, the scene truly comes to life.
Place the eggs, extra yolks, vanilla and sugar in a heat roof bowl over a sauce pan of simmering water. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture 6-8 minutes until thick and pale. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
In another sauce pan cook the peaches and plum jam over medium heat until syrupy. About 5 minutes. Combine with egg mixture.
Whisk the cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold through the egg mixture until well combined. Pour into a metal tin and freeze overnight.
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Mix in sugar, cream, and flour, then almonds. Stir until batter thickens, bubbles at edges, and leaves dry path when spoon is drawn through, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Drop 1 rounded teaspoonful batter for each cookie (about 24 total) onto prepared sheets, spacing mounds 2 to 3 inches apart.
Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until golden brown, turning sheet after 8 minutes, about 16 minutes total. Cool cookies completely on sheets.
Do ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
Soften semifreddo slightly in microwave at 10-second intervals on very low setting. Place 6 cookies, flat side up, on work surface. Mound 1/4 cup ice cream onto each; flatten gently with spatula. Top with another cookie, flat side down, and press very gently to adhere. Place sandwiches on baking sheet, cover with foil, and freeze at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Now all we need is a beautiful package design to top these off.
Found in the recently published issue of Communication Arts 2010 Photography Annual.
