flickr finds: Brothersoft Brothersoft, 2009-2010

Flickr has a reputation of being a website where photographers share their original work, BUT there are many photostreams out there full of uncredited images stolen from tumblr, weheartit, and other flickr users, as is the nature of the internet.  Usually I do my best to source and credit the images I share on here, but as I was scrolling through Brothersoft Brothersoft’s flickr profile, I knew I had to make an exception.  His photo stream is a wonderful little time capsule that replicates exactly what it was like to scroll through social media back in the day—the bokeh, artistic eye shots, inspiring quotes—it’s like being in middle school scrolling through one of those wallpaper websites with sketchy pop-up ads all over again.  Didn’t even realize how much I missed that until now: 

exploring blog archives: self-constructed-freak.blogspot.com, june 2011-oct 2012

Fans of Rookie mag, come gather around: self-constructed-freak.blogspot.com is right up your alley.  This blog was created by Marlena Mayle, former Rookie contributor, to share her personal style, DIY projects, and style inspo from tumblr and the ‘80s and ‘90s (heavy on the goth rock and riot grrrrl influences).  In her words, “I like punk rock tunes, pastel hues, platform shoes, and making my own clothes. This blog is essentially me blathering on about all of the above.”

Scrolling through Marlena’s blog is a real treat.  She was so creative when it came to expressing herself through style, from wearing dresses as skirts to penciling her eyebrows pink, and she had such a refreshing way of articulating herself—she’s so cool and smart that you can’t help but want to be her best friend.  While her blog is now private, you can still see some of her posts on the web archive and on Rookie.  These are a few of my favorite looks from her blog: 

Gratuitious Photos of Models Holding Cameras

I came across this 2006 Vice editorial shot by Richard Kern while poking around the fashion spot and wow is it really of a time.  It’s split into two parts: the first is photos of models posing in their underwear with digital cameras, and the second is photos that the models throughout the week using those cameras.  

I think they were hoping that the models were leading some kind of glamorous, hedonisitic lifestyle that would lend itself to a lot of cobrasnake-esque photographs, but instead what they got back were photos of suburban houses and selfies.  In Kern’s words, the photos were “kind of boring,” but a couple commenters disagreed.  One commentor named sharma wrote that “what they chose to photograph is touching. One immitated the photographer, but for others, homes (real or desired) show what they value,” and another called out the male gaze’s impact on Kern’s decision to label the photos as boring: “Well, the photos are okay, but happens to be a bit boring (of cause not for the male readers, but that's another story)... Anyway, I live in a town that's so fucking small, that we don't even have Vice. And that's horrible. So applause to you, Vice and all the people that really tries, heh, but seriously, I love what y'all doing!”

I do love the first part of the editorial though.  The sleek cameras add a sharpness to the low-effort styling on the models that feels very futuruistic, almost cyborg-esque (shout out to Donna Haraway).  It’s sleazy yet minimal, high-concept yet low effort.  I can totally see these photos being taken today by some ketamine-obsessed 20-something hipster living in bushwick to promote their indie fashion brand on instagram.  And I’m not mad about it: