Category: photography

Paris, Je T’Aime

photo essay photography travel

Paris, Je T’Aime

By

A couple of friends and I decided to spend the weekend in Paris. It was my first time in France, and I went with only three things in mind: visiting Laudree for their famous macaroons, eating lots of cheese, bread and drinking wine, and seeing Oscar Wilde’s grave. Luckily I was travelling with someone who spoke the language because my French vocabulary consists of about three words, merci! My impressions of Paris have been formed by the movies. The quaint streets of Montmartre seen through yellow and green filters in Amelie, mimes roaming the streets in black and white striped shirts with red berets in Paris Je T’Aime, etc.

It had all of these things (except I didn’t see any mimes, unfortunately) and more. The food was tres magnifique (The cheese! The baguettes! The pastries!), I was mistaken for a French girl a couple of times, I saw Oscar Wilde’s resting place and the Eiffel Tower from one of the most beautiful views in the city, saw the (outside of the) Louvre and more. It’s a beautiful city that prides itself on its history and culture. Larry and Vivien frequented Paris, performing, going to night clubs, enjoying the local cuisine. France was one of their favorite vacation spots and it’s easy to see why.

This is a bit of Paris through the eye of my camera(s). Enjoy!

Paris Montmartre
Le Tour Eiffel and the city from a hill in Montmartre

… Continue reading

london photography vivien leigh

Destination: Eaton Square

By

I met up with my friend Riikka today for lunch in Leicester Square. Our plan was to go see the High Society exhibit at the Wellcome Collection. But first, we decided to take a little detour to Eaton Square to snap some photos! This time, we didn’t even have to ask to go in the garden. The nice security guard asked if we wanted to go in and snap some photos. I think the people that patrol the area are a lot more friendly than the people who actually live there.

… Continue reading

laurence olivier london photography the oliviers vivien leigh

Welcome to Theatreland!

By

Having a day off from screenings and seminars, I decided to meander over to the West End and take photos of some of the places associated with Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier. 95% of the theatres they performed in are in walking distance from one another. Piccadilly and Soho are great areas in which to explore your photography skills because there are simply so many interesting things to see. Modern architecture meets centuries-old buildings; Chinatown backs up into Leicester Square; posh St James intermingles with the art district.  It’s a mish-mash of fabulosity, and I love exploring these sorts of places.

For those of you who are coming to the Weekend with the Oliviers event in May, these are some of the places I’m planning to take you to on our walking tour.  Enjoy the view of London’s theatreland!

Ambassadors Theatre, West Street. Vivien Leigh became an overnight sensation when she performed here in The Mask of Virtue in 1935

… Continue reading

gone with the wind photography

Stories From the Set: Gone with the Wind

By

“We had been waiting for over an hour for Vivien Leigh (there was miscommunication about the time of the shoot)…the shots were in costume. Clark was pacing back and forth… ‘I couldn’t make love to that dame now if she were the most beautiful woman in the world!’ And then, a rustle of silk, the sweet smell of lilacs and there was the most beautiful woman in the world, standing behind him, touching his shoulder, whispering like a summer breeze… ‘I quite agree, Mr. Gable. If I were a man, I’d tell that Vivien Leigh to go right back to merry old England and fuck herself.’ Gable turned and looked. Leigh looked back. The look in their eyes had flashbulbs in it. Slowly Rhett Butler took Scarlett O’Hara by the arm and walked onto the Southern staircase, talking and smiling as though they’d known each other all their lives.” — MGM stills photographer Clarence Sinclair Bull, as quoted in Long Live the King: A Biography of Clark Gable by Lyn Turnabene

… Continue reading

general discussion lists london photography the oliviers travel

Year-end Wrap-up, 2010!

By

2010 was a pretty wild year with lots of life changes. I spent the first half in southern California and the second half up north and then in London! It was last January that I found out it’d been accepted to grad school, and now here I am about to start my second semester. It’s crazy. I miss California, especially the warm weather, my friends, and the beach, my cat and my family, but I’m loving being in England so much.  I really feel like this was meant to be, like some strange force is pushing me toward my goals.  I have a lot I want to accomplish in 2011, a good deal of which has to do with the subjects of this website.

One of the cool things about pond hopping (and continuing with the location scouting theme from previous posts) is that I saw a lot of places where Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier lived, worked, played, etc, as well as exhibits and other things.  So, to wrap things up for 2010, here are some photos I took this past year.

I hope you all have a bright, joyful, and prosperous new year!  Thanks for all of your amazing support in 2010!

—Kendra


Hollywood


Classic film poster exhibit at AMPAS

… Continue reading