Editorial: Practice Makes Perfect

Ira Glass is one of my favourite people in the entire world. This American Life is his brainchild and as the most downloaded Podcast in the world, his name has become synonymous with the contemporary American condition through his challenging and thought provoking storytelling about people from all walks of life facing all kinds of plight, large and small. I found a YouTube video in which he discussed the progression of ones creative career and it really shed some serious light on the progression from beginner to master. Head over to Naturally Spirited to have a read.

Editorial: Make It or Break It

Another Naturally Spirited post for you to check out. I'm guilty of this and the other night I was lounging around casually reading the latest copy of NW when I realized exactly how critical I was of celebrities who perhaps haven't had the most glamorous career, without a thought to their happiness or relative success outside the realm of being famous.

Thus I decided to write this weeks column encouraging everyone to give celebrities - and themselves - a break. Youth, beauty and fame actually isn't everything and the sooner we all realized that the media outlets who pretend that it is are full of shit, the better.

Shoot: Freedom Three

It's an honour to finally be able to release the third in our (hopefully) six part Freedom series. The idea originated after reading Jonathan Franzen's exceptional novel Freedom, which details the nuances of modern life. Franzen is, in a broader sense, more widely obsessed with the idea that modern technological forms are halting our ability to be individuals and in both the literal and metaphorical sense actually spend time alone.

SO, we took these ideas and two lovely Gen X girls and delivered a series of images that represent Freedom as depicted by the development of these girls as they traverse the diverse and beautiful New Zealand landscape. Head over to Always Sometimes Anytime to check out the full shoot, and thank you to Sara Orme, Kat Patrick, Kitty Riddell and Lili Sumner for making this such an amazing experience thus far.

Sneak Peak: Shoot with Lili

As promised in the last post I have some sneak peaks of the shoot we did with the lovely Lili Sumner to show you. Check it out, can't wait to post the full thing.

Incoming: Shoot with Lili

I got to spend a lovely afternoon going around the showrooms with Lili Sumner, in anticipation of a shoot we're working on together. The inspiration is above, can't wait. Will post out takes after tomorrow!

Editorial: Too Fast Fashion

So I'm a 'stylist' - although that makes me sound like a frivolous girl obsessed with clothes and only clothes which I assure you I'm not - and yet I never look 'put together', have never found my 'personal style' and move throughout the week in a series of op-shopped outfits that never sit quite perfectly and are never perfectly turned out. However, although I haven't reached the finish line, I can see what it takes and what stands in my, and Drew Barrymore's way. Head over here to read the rest of my piece about fashioning the perfect wardrobe.

Incoming: Neverblack

I have spent the weekend - and am now contentedly exhausted - shooting a look book, campaign and video for Neverblack as part of their NZFW presentation. I can't give away any details yet, but I am really excited and we will be previewing and announcing an exciting competition on Always Sometimes Anytime soon so keep posted.

Shoots: Little Apple Blossom

I went down to Wellington a few months ago and on the same day we shot Turning Japanese I also helped Imogen Wilson put together this beautiful portrait series Little Apple Blossom. It's a kind of continuation from our Welcome to the Dollhouse shoot that was one of the first shoots on Always Sometimes Anytime, and was similarly photographed by the lovely Louise Hatton.

In other news, Always Sometimes Anytime has just been asked - and accepted - to be part of the Vice Blogging Network, which is awesome! Onwards and upwards!

Shoots: Upcoming

I am really excited about the shoots we have coming up on Always Sometimes Anytime, including a continuation of the Freedom series with Sara Orme and Lonely Hearts, and a couple of shoots shot on large format polaroid that deal with the issue of gender identity. Sneak peaks above, will post the full shots up as they are released.

Editorial: Living the Dream

It will come as no surprise to friends, family and facebook followers that I have been an admirer of Leonardo DiCaprio for some time now, but truth be told the intensity of my reaction to the news that he was dating Blake Lively frightened even me. I was actually pissed. Do I have a problem? Does everyone? Is the line between our actual lives and the realm of celebrity and culture being blurred to nonexistence by how much information about everyone is out there? I question there things over some questionable photoshopping in my latest column for Naturally Spirited. You can head over here to have a read.