No-Shame November

Well hello dear reader,

Happy Friday! Most Friday's I post a photo on my instagram in which I share a random fact about me with the #thingsYouMayNotKnowAboutMe hashtag. I began this project because I wanted to allow people to get to know me, the person behind the camera, and also to challenge myself to trust you- the users of the interwebs- with personal details about myself. Well today I am going to devote this post to random details about my life and participate in No-Shame November.

"What is No-Shame November?" you ask. Well, I had no idea either until I read the post Molly Yeh recently created discussing the concept. From what I can tell, No-Shame November is a concept that encourages you to take the month of November and celebrate those guilty pleasures or behaviors that might normally lie south of the propriety line. So I've decided (perhaps unwisely) to participate in No-Shame November by sharing 10 slightly odd and possibly embarrassing details about myself. 

1) I spent my Wednesday night buying Christmas music on Amazon and Itunes.
2) I ran out of shampoo almost two weeks ago, and I've been too lazy to drive to Target and buy more. So I've been using the men's body-wash that my brother left behind when he moved out as shampoo instead (sorry Mitch). 
3) I also tried using dawn dish soap as shampoo- if you haven't tried it, and if you have another option, go with the other option. It will clean your hair, sure, but it takes ALL of the oils with it (including the nice ones that your hair needs).
4) I cut myself shaving for the first time ever this week.
5) I clearly spend too much time in the shower (3 out of the first 4 options are shower related... whoops)
6) I had a food fight in a bar last night, and we didn't get kicked out. 
7) Centipedes and millipedes creep me out- too many legs *yuck* 
8) I have been recording reruns of House to watch in the evenings in an attempt to lessen my addiction to the BBC show Sherlock. It hasn't been the most successful strategy.
9) I think dystopian novels are awesome, but I only read one a year (roughly) because they make me sad and I get so emotionally distressed over the characters and the society that is being portrayed that I literally get ill- my tummy starts to hurt and I get moody and tired.
10) I am terrified of the thought of people judging my grad school applications and expecting me to have aspirations to change the field of library sciences. I don't have huge, field-changing aspirations. I want to work in a library because books excited me, the inspire me, and they challenge me to view the world differently. For me knowledge is precious, and the idea of spending my days being challenged to learn and helping others locate information that will further their own quests for knowledge thrills me. The idea for my ISBN project occurred to me while I was working at the Chester Fritz Library, and many of my photographic inspiration comes from both fiction and non-fiction literary works.

What about you? What will you use No-Shame November to celebrate? 

Outake from a project I collaborated with Molly, Anne, and Wolftree Magazine on. Taken with my Nikon D60 and edited using VSCO film.

Long Live Libraries ;),

AK 

P.S. You can read more about No-Shame November here (Molly Yeh), here (Anne Gillie), and here (Free The Leash Children). :) 

P.P.S. UPDATE!! I DID GO BUY SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER TODAY! :) I thought you should know. ;) 

Happy Halloween!

Hello my lovely readers,

I am technically writing this the day before Halloween, but I figure that most of you probably will read this tomorrow ( it is almost 10 after all! *gasp*) and plus, I wanted to wish everyone a happy Halloween a little early! (Wait till Christmas, it is my favorite holiday and I am already dreaming about pine trees and singing Christmas carols!) Anyways, I hope that you are all going to have an amazing Thursday and that you spend your All-Hallows Eve in good company! For some of you that might mean dressing up in crazy costumes and partying until the wee hours of the morning, and for others it might entail a quiet night at home watching Netflix and handing out candy to children, but I hope that whatever your choice you have a smashingly wonderful time! :) 

This photo was taken with Icarus (my Nikon D60) and edited using VSCO's 02 film pack in Photoshop.

Till next time, with wishes for your good health and happiness,

AK

Wolftree: A Gathering

Dear readers,

This past Monday Brooke and Noah hosted a pre-party for those who had been involved in creating Volume Two. It was a wonderful event and I wanted to share my impressions and the images I captured at this lovely little gathering! :)

The flags in town drooped- the wind was uncharacteristically absent- and sun stood alone in the blue sky. It was the hottest day of the North Dakotan summer thus far, and most of the state's residents were either in a pool or seeking refuge in air conditioned houses. 

Except us. We were a somewhat motley group- our ages varied widely, as did our history, but our faces all shared the same excited expressions. We sat around a wooden table in a studio space. The building had once been an old college, and was too old to have air conditioning. There was one fan weakly trying to stave off the heat, and we all had cold beverages in our hands. Sweat gathered on our brows, but we made light of the heat, for every second of potential suffering had been transformed into an opportunity to share our hopes and become inspired by those around us.

We were part of the growing Wolftree community. There were about 15 of us, and we had all contributed to the making of Volume 2 (which is released on the 24th of August!). We were the writers, makers, and dreamers who had been found or had found Brook and Noah and had shared our talents and our stories to create their beautiful magazine. Brought together by our shared passion for the beauty within everyday events, we were brought closer by the laughter and ideas that we shared over guacamole and artichoke dip. We discussed our pasts, and focused upon Wolftree's future. We croweded close together to catch a sneak peak at the Volume 2 mockup. We oooh'ed and we ahhh-ed; we laughed and (at times) we silently admired. I won't claim that we all left the best of friends, but we did leave feeling like we had met others who accepted us- who validated our efforts, who inspired us, and who shared our appreciation of  the oft overlooked beauty of the Midwest. 

 

Wolftree's kickstarter campaign has TWO hours left! They are $100 short of their goal! Please consider becoming part of their project and part of the Wolftree community! 

Thank you,

AK 

Wolftree Magazine: Celebrating the Midwest

Dear Readers,

    Those of you who follow me on twitter, instagram, or Facebook are probably already aware of the fact that I am being published in Wolftree Volume 2 (I am so excited :D)! You are also probably aware that Wolftree has started a Kickstarter campaign to help their magazine grow. I have been asking people to check Wolftree out, to consider their project, and to help by donating or by spreading the word to others. What I haven't told you is why I personally am rooting for Wolftree Magazine. So today I would like to take a moment to explain and expand upon the three main reasons why I love Wolftree: 1) They are publishing a photo spread that is very dear to my heart, 2) Wolftree's mission lifts up artists and celebrates the unique character of the Midwest, and 3) Brooke and Noah Kupcho- the founders of Wolftree. 

    For those of you who don't know me very well, I am a twenty-two year old artist from a small-ish town in North Dakota. It is a college town, and there is a growing community of artists, writers, musicians, and dreamers. Our place in this town in still being negotiated, and opportunities to share our work are growing. However, I know that I personally have struggled to find a niche for my art within my home state.

    Then Wolftree was started. Finally there was a journal in the Midwest that celebrated the quiet beauty of everyday life and had an aesthetic that fit my style. I had stumbled across Wolftree on accident- I followed Brooke on instagram and she was selling beautiful wooden coasters to help raise money to launch Volume 1 of Wolftree. I bought the coasters as a house-warming gift, and Brooke and I began to email each other about Wolftree. I was (and still am) captivated by their mission, which is to "... support and encourage those who are taking risks, fully embracing the journey of life, and continually seeking for the beauty that is woven in and throughout the simple everyday ventures." (wolftree.co/about) But it was more than just their mission, it was how they pursued it that truly stood out. 

    Keeping with their desire to celebrate that which seems ( sometimes deceptively) simple and yet still beautiful, Wolftree Magazine embraces and aesthetically pleasing minimalist design. Much like Cereal and Kinfolk Magazine, Wolftree is more of an art book than a magazine, and is bare of any advertisements. The entire focus of the magazine is allowing the articles, recipes, and art to shine. Wolftree seeks to highlight the small moments and the people which give the Midwest its unique flavor. As Brook put it so wonderfully in a recent Wolftree journal entry, "we want the magazine to be something that celebrates others."

    This brings me to the Kupcho's. Brook and Noah are two of the founders of Wolftree, and could be called the heart of this young magazine. This married duo's shared love for all the different facets of the Midwest culture, and their adventurous spirits have molded Wolftree into the beautiful creature that it is today. As I mentioned earlier, Brook and I started emailing each other before Volume one launched. What I didn't mention was that when I arrived at the launch party, Brook saw me and immediately rushed forward to greet me with a huge smile and a hug. She had never met me in person before, yet she welcomed me with an open and sincere heart.

    Then, a few days after the event, I sent in an idea for a photo spread for Volume 2. I hoped for maybe a positive response and to exchange a few emails discussing the idea. Instead, Brooke enthusiastically replied and asked to meet with me in person to discuss not only my idea, but also Wolftree, art, religion, history, and the small moments that make daily adventures sparkle. Furthermore, Brook was open to ideas and suggestions, and when I offered to help edit the article for Wolftree she immediately accepted. Though Wolftree is the Kupcho's baby, they are not over-protective or jealous in their care. Instead, they choose to open their project up to the input of others. They are an entirely submission based journal, and the joy that they find in sharing the talents of others seems to shine through every aspect of their life. 

    These are some of the reasons why I love Wolftree, and I hope that you understand why I have been encouraging you to help the magazine via their Kickstarter campaign. The Kupcho's are a special couple, with a unique gift and vision, and they need our help to establish Wolftree into a self-sufficient magazine. They are currently halfway to their fundraising goal, and I know that with our help they can reach their that goal by the cutoff date. By supporting this project you will not only be funding a special magazine, but the widespread community of dreamers, artists, writers, and musicians in the Midwest. As Brooke wrote in a recent Wolftree journal entry, "Let's listen. Let's support. Let's celebrate others."

Let's start today.

-AK 

WOLFTREE MAGAZINE KICKSTARTER

Shauni the Lioness

Hello Dear Readers!

I have missed you all very much! I apologize for my lack of posting in recent months, to be honest I have been swamped with school, work, and (of course) planning my wedding. However, I do have some lovely images to share with you today!! A few weeks ago I met up with a local model and fellow photographer named Shauni (Check out her photography here) and I must say that she was a joy to work with! She took direction well, and used her own knowledge of the camera to help create great angles and lovely lighting! I love her face, I think it is really interesting and different. She reminds me of a lioness, hence the title of this post. :)

Isn't she just lovely? The dress was a vintage find and the jacket was Shauni's own. She did her own makeup and styling as well. I can't wait to share more of these fabulous images!!! Happy Cyber Monday everyone!! Hope you have a great start to your week!!

<3 AK

Editorial: Skinny Love

Hello dear reader,

I hope my post today finds you in good health and happiness! Tomorrow is Friday and I'm sure we are all jazzed about the coming weekend! I leave town on Monday until the 10th!!! Don't fear, I will still be checking my emails and facebook messages regularly, and I might even be posting some more images! ;)

As many of you know, this past week I did a fabulous shoot with S, which I have decided to call "Skinny Love" in honor of the song by Bon Iver (if you haven't heard it, you should look it up, it is an amazing song!). This girl was an amazing person to work with. She was shy when a camera wasn't pointed at her, but the moment the lens focused on her she was fierce and displayed a large array of emotions. Her eyes are amazing, and I am so happy that I was able to capture her beauty!!

 <3

 I think the one above is my favorite from the shoot!!

(Though I am in love with this one too)


Well everyone, I hope to be posting again soon, but until then, have fabulous weeks and weekends and thank you a bajillion times for your continued love and support!!

-AK