When Julie Michelle e-mailed me asking if I wanted to take part in her amazing photography project I Life Here: SF, I was over the moon. The concept is capturing different personalities of local residents in urban settings and having them write up their stories and what this city means to accompany the photos on Julie’s blog. Julie had previously shot four of my friends—Melissa, Stuart, and Kate and Roo—and I loved the outcome of all. So I said hells-to-the-yeah, and before I knew it, we were meeting up in Russian Hill to do a little makeup (she’s also an esthetician) and indulge in hours of playtime.
And play we did. We played on Trish’s rooftop…
(Don’t worry; I never had any intentions of jumping.)
…on Autumn’s…
…in random doorways…
…on iron gates…
…with angry tomato murals…
…in storefront windows…
…with random things nailed to the walls and oddly frightening stuffed animal inhabitants…
…in front of old churches…
…and more.
Trish and Autumn tagged along, and SVV came to meet up with us after work. Julie said, “of all the people I’ve photographed, you’re the first that rolls with an entourage.” You know it!
She snapped some of SVV, too, in his painter duds, as he started swinging from scaffolding like the monkey he is.
Julie is such a delight to be around and she made me feel genuinely pretty (my first brush with false eyelashes didn’t hurt either!). I absolutely hate photos of me when not smiling—even Scott will admit I look mean and like I want to kick your ass—but somehow, I even approve of those shots, as well. She’s like the Miracle Worker of photographers. And she uses a small fixed lens for all her shoots, too! That’s sheer talent there, folks.
Also, she’s a total humanitarian (read this story and tell me you didn’t weep). There really ought to be more Julies in this world; that’s all I have to say about that.
Julie’s goal is to have a big gallery show with the profiles and accompanying stories sometime next year. If you happen to be a Bay Area gallery owner, or know one personally, please contact her at tangobaby2ATgmailDOTcom (or me, and I’ll put you in touch with the lovely lady herself), so we can make that dream a reality. She already has a show of her urban landscape work from San Francisco on Aug. 29 at Tedda’s on Polk Street (where we took the storefront display shots). If you’re around town then, you should swing by and meet her. She’s the bee’s knees as far as I’m concerned.
For my full story, see her I Live Here: SF blog; for the rest of my set, check out her Flickr.
*All photos taken by Julie Michelle.
What an awesome project! These are truly amazing shots! I love that you brought an entourage
Wow. Kristin! My goodness… thank you for not only the wonderful time with you and your “entourage” but this completely lovely post about me and my project! Thank you so much, and I’m glad we know each other now… I know I’ll enjoy seeing you often (when you’re in town).
xoxo
What a great project! The photos are fabulous and makes me miss SF!
Very cool! The black and white photos are my favorites!
Oh wow! Those are amazing – you look gorgeous darling!
You look gorgeous in these shots! I love them!
Thoroughly enjoyed reading your piece on Julie’s I Live Here: SF.
I think you look quite beautiful without a smile…
Good luck with that monkey…
These are amazing! I especially love the one of you in the blue dress in front of the red door. And where you’re peering in the shop window. You’ll still be looking at these when you’re 90 and cackling, “Damn, I was HOT!”
Julie is an angel. Great photoshoot and wonderful blog! Your eyes on the last shot look like the artic sea.
you look so sassy. work it, girl.
You look stunning. I love that one of you in front of the church. Julie did an amazing job with the photographs.
One word: stunning! Every single picture came out beautifully!!! You better frame some girl.
You have a beautiful smile. I especially like the B&Ws, and the first image you look very sexy. And that silly SVV looks cute with his belly button showing. Julie did a great job.
These photos are stunning, and you look great!
Wow, the photos are amazing! What a fabulous project to be involved in, I hope Julie gets her gallery show!
In the b/w photo in front of the church, you look just like Alice in Wonderland, somebody should tell Tim Burton!
pretty! I have to say (and I feel a bit old saying this), but I hope that someday, when you look back on your 20s, you realize that, holy hell, you lived them EXACTLY right.
The pictures are awesome – I love the ones in front of the red and orange wall!
what a pretty pretty lady you are! i loved these pics. and what a cool project. they need to do something similar here in boston!!
the one of you in front of the church is STUNNING.
Drop-dead gorgeous! I loved what you wrote for her site! I, too, feel inspired by the creativity and “look the other way” attitude of where I live. Makes life more fun!
Holy ass-crackers. I a-DORE these pictures! We already knew you were adorable, but you look downright ethereal! I hope one or two of these go in a frame and on your wall. Just gorgeous.
This turned out gorgeous! My favorite has to be the Westgate one, but they all look great.
oh my goodness you are the angel of angels posting this about julie’s photography needing to be seen by the entire world, not to mention all of San Fancisco thank you very much! and wow you look gorgeous!
I adore the one in front of the church. Its gorgeous!
Such fun pictures….You look beautiful!
in my neighborhood (Boston), there are lots of bulldogs. I see them when I go running, and I stop to coo and pet over every single one of them. (I would love one of my own, but my current condo is a bit too small for pets. Someday!)
Nothing -NOTHING! – makes me happy like soft puppy jowls. !!
You look seriously foxy. I wish I could have gone and kept Autumn company!