With The Lights Out

(Leather Jacket: Zara// Velvet Dress: Pinkaholic// Boots: Jeffrey Campbell)

Sharing with you the 3rd and last set of photos from my grunge series shoot with Edric Chen (see the other sets HERE and HERE). For these photos, I brought Edric to one my favorite places to shoot in the South area. Said location had a decrepit swimming pool which looks amazing during the day -- it's covered with leaves and growing wildflowers and has boulders scattered here and there. At night though, it is enveloped by total darkness and looks a bit sinister. To be honest, I was really worried and petrified to have my photos taken in the pool. I don't even have to deny that I'm a scaredy-cat. Every time I felt the wind rustle and heard the leaves crackle, I felt as if someone was watching us. In the end, I agreed to jump down the pool. I didn't want to let Edric down and waste his time. It was a good decision though as the photos turned out eerily cool.

Read Edric's positive account regarding this shoot HERE.

Thank you, Edric. Here's to new discoveries and experiences!

Load Up On Guns, Bring Your Friends

(Denim Jacket: Bim Bim Haus// Skirt: Pinkaholic Fashion Shoppe// Shirt: The Afterglow// Creeper Boots: Jeffrey Campbell// Body Harness: Superfluously// Silver Cuff: Ruckus)

I borrowed the title of this post from the opening line of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit", which could very well be the grunge anthem of the 90s. This photo set is a continuation of the grunge series that Edric and I collaborated on and my outfit here is probably my favorite out of the three sets I prepared...partly due to the fact that I took the risk and wore this asymmetrical skirt sideways (see proper way of wearing this skirt here). Topped with a bleached denim jacket and platform creepers, I'm ready to slash it out in a music festival and run the streets with reckless abandon.

Edric, thank you for capturing the vulnerable side of me through these photos.

P.S. I'm currently in Davao for Araw ng Dabaw and will be in Barangay SIR Covered Court tomorrow for the Joy Kaon Ta, Davao event. If you guys are near the area, hope you can drop by! :)

Grunge Ain't Dead

(Jacket: Zara// Cropped Top & Joggers: Topshop// Boots: Jeffrey Campbell// Eagle Necklace: F21// Bird Skull Necklace: Gold Dot// Eyewear: H&M// Snake Adderbite Ring: Bring)

I was an 80's baby but I was a 90's kid. Most of my formative and memorable years were spent in the decade of excess, of side high ponytails, of family computers, Bazooka Joe's and rock n' rollin' grunge. Though I never dressed up in grunge looks when I was growing up (I was more into baggy tops and hip hop shorts. *Cringes*), it's one of the styles that I fully embrace today. For my shoot with Edric, we went for a grunge theme, as evidenced in the photos above. Love how Edric was able to capture my crazy side and my awkward 'show-your-big-gums' smile. And the highlight of the photo shoot? Running away and hiding from nosy guards and riding a shopping cart (with some people ogling) to capture the 'money shot'.

It's always a fun and pleasurable experience hanging out with you, Edric. We definitely have to have that food trip. :)

Beyond The Obvious

 (Jumper: Clothes For The Goddess// Skirt: WAGW// Wedges: Gold Dot// Necklace: H&M// Cuff: Ruckus// Stud Earrings: Topshop// Gold Metal Belt: Nava)

Edric is one of those people who appreciates the beauty in the mundane and sees a story behind and beyond the obvious. And he was able to capture that in this photo set. In the first photo, it seems as if I'm a few feet away from the edge of a precipice...but the truth is, I was just standing behind an expansive white wall. Brilliant, right?

Yes. See you soon again, Edric.

An Inkling

(Leather Pants: Zara // Tank Top: Daley Tees // Zebra Cape: Vanilla Label // Boots: Chloe Sevigny x Opening Ceremony // Necklace & Cuff: Ruckus)

About a week ago, I had the privilege of meeting Edric Chen - a young photographer who has been shooting beautiful and interesting portraits of various personalities (eminent or not) for quite some time now.  While Edric claims not to be a photographer, but simply an individual with a camera, I can't help but regard him as such. Yes, anyone with a camera can become photographer but only a few have the eye to see past the obvious, to go beyond the usual point-and-shoot and can make even the most mundane of things look alive or convey an emotion. Edric, in my opinion, is one of those few who can. Before meeting Edric, I had an image of him in my head as someone who's stern and who likes doing things point by point. But as I got to converse with him throughout our entire session, I was able to deduce that he is actually quite the opposite -- he's soft-spoken but witty and is not afraid to experiment and make little discoveries. I am usually apprehensive in meeting new people as I'm not much of a talker myself. I despise having 'small talks' and experiencing that awkward silence when you have nothing else sensible to say. With Edric, it was a different story. He's one of the few people I've met who made me feel as if we could go on a conversation together for hours and hours and it wouldn't feel such a drag doing so. I'm glad he feels the same way about me.

Thank you Edric for these amazing photos. Hope to see you soon. And I hope to meet more people like you in the future. :)