Design*Sponge » photography

pink: having a moment

Grace Bonney — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:00:41 +0000

Can we talk for a second about how pink is having the craziest moment ever? I have never been a big pink person (I was more of a purple girl growing up), but for the past year I have been squealing like an idiot any time I find something in a super-saturated shade of pink. I’m not sure what it is, but this color has a hold on me like no other. Yet, oddly, while I was walking around Brooklyn yesterday, I picked up a dishtowel with pink stitching and found myself mouthing a rather lackluster, “Wheee . . .” I know some people will think pink jumped the shark long ago, but I think pink is only beginning to see the end of its trend moment.

It will, of course, return, but something is starting to shift internally for me, and I’m feeling pulled toward softer “spa” colors like pale aqua-green and soft, butter yellows. Perhaps my humiliating elementary school wardrobe of Laura Ashley jumpsuits is finally coming back to haunt me (so much pale yellow!), but these softer colors are creeping in and making me think twice about bright pinks right now. So as an early farewell to bright pink, I wanted to celebrate with a little pink explosion in the form of this Chinatown photograph by Horacio Rodriguez. In the next few months, I’m sure the moment will come when I won’t want pink anywhere near me, but for now, this still makes me smile. Click here to pick up a mini-print version of this photo ($20.80) online. xo, grace

patterns from above

Grace Bonney — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:00:47 +0000

Few things are as beautiful as the earth from above. Although I favored aisle seats on our 30-plus book-tour flights (faster for making connections), I typically prefer a window seat, so I can watch the landscapes below. These beautiful photos were taken by Brent Yaggi & Sarah Hicks from a Cessna 172. Based in Denver, Sarah and Brent have spent the last three years traveling across North America capturing these beautiful images. Whether they’re celebrating ground, water or sky, Brent and Sarah have found the beauty in every part of the earth. You can pick up an 18″ x 18″ print of their photographs right here for $100. Thanks to Anne for the tip! xo, grace

jennifer squires: toronto photographs

Grace Bonney — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:00:16 +0000

Speaking of quieter times, these photographs of Lake Ontario taken by photographer Jennifer Squires are going to be my zen moments for today. During a whirlwind trip to Toronto, Jennifer decided to start and end her day on the shores of Lake Ontario, taking photographs. Unsure of whether or not her trip was a good idea, Jennifer found herself sitting on the dock above when a huge rainbow appeared across the sky. It seemed like a sign that her trip was meant to happen and she ended up returning home with some beautiful photographs. I love the calming quality Jennifer’s work always has, her work always puts me at ease. You can check out more of her work, and pick up these newer pieces, right here. xo, grace

kari herer

Grace Bonney — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:00:26 +0000

For me, peonies are one of the few flower types that consistently live up to the praise, adoration and near obsession they receive online. There’s a reason they were our most requested Flowers A to Z topic- they’re gorgeous. And something about the fact that you can’t just pick them up whenever you want them makes their beauty all the more special. I usually try to celebrate peony season by finding a spot for them in every tiny corner of my home (why shouldn’t there be two arrangements in the bathroom?) but these photos from Kari Herer would be a great way to capture their drama and color in a more permanent way. I’ve become a big fan of deep purple peonies, so I love the darker color palettes Kari is using in some of these pieces. As much as I love the familiar soft pink color, it’s nice to see how rich and almost luxurious these flowers can look in a darker hue. You can pick up Kari’s peony prints right here online, and check out her work at her recently updated website. xo, grace

For more peony info + arrangements you can check out some more flower posts here, here and here.

heidi swanson’s super natural every day + giveaway

Kristina Gill — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 17:00:21 +0000

We have been waiting for Heidi Swanson’s latest book for so long. Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Every Day cookbook was finally released on April 5, and soared immediately into the top 100 books on Amazon! Just between me and you, it is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I own (and I have LOTS). Heidi shared her favorite recipe from the cookbook with us on the In the Kitchen With column earlier today. Now we’ll offer five readers the chance to win a copy of it, but a little more about how to do that after a mini-interview with Heidi on how she weaved together the aesthetics of her blog, 101cookbooks, and her lifestyle to create her most recent cookbook.

D*S: The images you share on 101cookbooks are every much as inspiring as the food. How do you decide which images you will post to illustrate recipes and your travel?

Wow, thank you! I try to keep the framework of my site in mind. Each post I do is about how my life intersects a recipe in some way – either through a book, or an ingredient, or a restaurant I visited, or a place I’ve traveled to. I do my best to illustrate that in a personal way. So, in addition to what I’m cooking, I like to show the little details of places I’ve been, the ones I’ve found inspiring – colors, textures, architecture, fonts. I also tend to pick the photos I don’t want to forget. The site works a bit as a scrapbook in that regard.

D*S: You’ve written a bit on your blog about how super natural every day started with a notebook of ideas, recipes, photos. How did you decide what made it into the book and what didn’t?

I had all the early shots in a box initially – starting with the ones I used in the proposal for the cookbook. I added to that collection over time. Over a few years I’d just keep shooting and adding to the box – film, and also printouts of all the shots. Every once in a while I’d put them out on a big table, or tack them to a wall, and take a look. I’d get rid of some, make note to reshoot others, that sort of thing. I shot as I was writing the book, and submitted the photography with the manuscript to Ten Speed, and we went from there. I was lucky to be working on this book with Toni Tajima, who designed my last book. She’d design sections of the book and send them to me. If she wanted other photo options for a page or a recipe, I could go back to the black box, or do something on the fly for her. In the end, she actually made the final call on which shots went in, and which ones didn’t.

CLICK HERE for the rest of the interview and giveaway details after the jump!

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kari herer photography

Grace Bonney — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 12:00:15 +0000

I’m still trying to make myself wake up this morning, so I thought I’d kick off the early hours with this beautiful new photograph from Kari Herer. I always love the combination of illustration and three-dimensional objects, so this antler/rose image is calling my name. Kari also has a new series of images that feature gorgeously stacked piles of roses. If you’re interested in a little floral beauty to start your day, click here to check out and shop her work online (photos average $30 each). xo, grace