Photographed by
Longstocking Remembered
Peter Lindbergh shot Kristen McMenamy in the Italian Vogue September 2009 issue.
The portraits are my favorite, with a natural composition. He has a gift for reading human beings and a creative process that is true and authentic to his art.
Creativity is the basis of self-expression. Why are some people supposedly more creative than others, and why can't others open themselves up enough to be able to express who they are? Creation is the birth of something, and something cannot come from nothing. When someone creates something: a painting, a poem, a photograph, the creativity comes from an idea, from a feeling, from emotion, or from a combination of ideas, feelings and emotions that are somehow 'reborn' from all our experiences and perspectives. Creativity is the desire to express ourselves. To formulate these expressions, we have to draw from our reservoir of experience, dreams, desires and experimentation and mix together what was, what is, and what could be... I don't think you can learn it, it is rather something that evolves. Your perception of everything in your life fills up this reservoir. Some people are drawn to create and express themselves, others are drawn to reflect, to analyze. But in the end, they all could be creative if they had the desire to explore the way in which they are integrated in the world of their experiences. Because creativity is really a rebirth, a true tone we feel for ourselves and for our world. Then our work becomes a real part of who we are. Maybe all this is a question of how deep we are willing to go...
By Peter Lindbergh with Lily,
New York, June 1996
http://www.peterlindbergh.com/
Me and Jesus are listening to a secret conversation. There are three girls that are on the balcony underneath. They are probably in the fashion business. A Saturday night 2am, they're having a little pre-party, some girl talk, listening to rap and drinking wine. They captured my attention when they started to talk about models
Women Management is one of the leading agencies in the world. Respected by clients and models, they rule the market with "less is more", focusing on beautiful personalities.
I spoke to one of my agents, James Tinnelly about why he loves his work.
-What do you love about your job?
I love working with the best team in the world. Louie, Christiana, Matt, Ryan, Jen, Ali, Heather & Pedja are the best in the business, and I am honored to work with them. Our individual strengths, knowledge & life experiences complement each other.
Also, I love working with the best models & clients in the world.
Some models arrive to NY, sometimes not speaking English, and having never modeled before. It makes me feel good to see them grow into strong women.
When I was 15 I had a paper route, delivering newspapers before school to pay for fashion magazines. At that time there was no internet, and W Magazine was the only magazine to give model and agency credit. Most of the models who inspired me to draw were represented by WOMEN. It became my dream to work in the fashion business as an agent at WOMEN. I am blessed that my dream came true.
-What's inspiring you?
The beauty that I see every day inspires me. My favourite thing to do is read. Reading biographies inspires me to live life to the fullest. Inspiration is everywhere, if you keep your eyes open and take time to observe. In the morning I always peek on the commuters surrounding me, how they present themselves, what music they listen to on their ipods, what they read. At night, when I walk home I smell the grass from lawns, & the sweet honeysuckle bushes. Sometimes I see raccoons, climbing out of garbage cans, or crawling down drains. Raccoons inspire me to walk faster!
-When and how did Women start?
Women was founded in the late 80’s to represent individual beauty. Today, Women is still committed to representing individual WOMEN, not girls.
-And what do you think it takes to become a successful model?
To be a successful model, a woman has to be a team player who is professional, inspirational and ambitious.
Beauty is beyond control: A creative way of seeing, gives room for identity, what's capturing the viewer's attention in a surprising way, that's a beauty for me. Valerija is my beauty soul, unpredictable and true, not giving in for the wrong suit, instead based on herself in all ways, with a big heart that makes a space for every part.
Greg Kessler, photographer backstage
Hiding in the bathroom
The summer is here, you see melted people everywhere, the sweat is dripping of their heads, building small crystals on the body, under their skin. It's also a dripping thing, maybe the dripping is a answer from the earth, to live and give birth? 
