Author: Igor

  • Marriott Edinburgh Festival 2015 – Revel Like a Local

    Marriott Edinburgh Festival 2015 – Revel Like a Local

    Last month we were approached by Marriott International and asked to recommend some of our favourite places in Edinburgh to visit during the Festival. We love the cultural and entertainment offer that visitors can enjoy during the Festival month, but sometimes it can get too hectic and we recommend exploring the city’s streets to find some of Edinburgh’s cafés, restaurants and shops outside the Festival’s circuit.

    That’s the reason why we’ve created this video featuring five different places you can discover if you’re visiting Edinburgh during the Festival: Scottish homeware and furniture shop ANTA, coffee shop Cult Espresso, tapestry studios and gallery Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh-handcrafted gin Pickering’s Gin and restaurant and bar Blackfriars.

    You can find more information about each of these places on Marriott’s Edinburgh Festival Tumblr, where you will also find good advice on how to make the most of your visit to Edinburgh during the Festival!

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  • Contributor Profile: Joke De Wilde

    Contributor Profile: Joke De Wilde

    Joke De Wilde is a Belgian photographer currently living and working in Antwerp. Joke has collaborated with us twice, documenting the studios and work of textile designer Hermine Van Dijck and multi-disciplinary team Going East. She also helped us find nice businesses and places for our Antwerp City Guide.

    Read our interview with Joke below this selection of images from her work.

    www.jokedewilde.com

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    How did you become interested in photography?

    This is a really difficult question! It’s not that photography is some kind of calling, it’s more about wanting to pause life sometimes. I want it to stand still and enjoy every detail of it. That’s what I’m able to do with photography. Especially the gestures and body language people use from the moment they stand in front of a camera. I guess it’s something I’ll never get tired of.

    You work across different photography fields. Do you have a favourite?

    Portraiture is definitely my favorite. I love, as I said before, to photograph people especially non-models – they use their bodies in a different way. The small details, like hands and eyes, are the most interesting. I always use an analogue camera, it pushes me to look at things into more detail – I know how daylight is going to react on film and I love the colors. I hope this makes my work come together as one.

    What are your main inspirations?

    Body language, memories, childhood, nature and my home.

    You live in Antwerp, how does the city influence your work?

    It influences me in many different ways. I love living in Antwerp and I try to look at the city in different ways over and over again. I don’t understand when people say they get tired of their hometowns. The nicest moments are those where we find new inspiring places and people in a city where we have lived for 10 year. Living here gives me the feeling of safety and, at the same time, it pushes me to go out there and explore – this is the perfect combination to get inspired and be creative.

    Are you working on any photography project at the moment?

    Not anything in particular, mainly images trying to capture every moment of my life at this point. Becoming a little family this winter was very inspiring and eye opening. Sometimes the most beautiful images are standing just in front of us, and these are the ones I’m looking for right now.

     

  • LAW Magazine

    LAW Magazine

    LAW (Lives and Works) is an independent bi-annual magazine based in London. LAW is concerned with documenting the overlooked and portraying the beautiful everyday, giving people a sense of belonging and recognition. We visited LAW studios in Hackney and photographed Editor-in-Chief John Joseph Holt and Creative Director Joseph Prince in their working space.

    Photographs by Jack Johnstone.

    www.law-mag.com

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  • Why You Don’t Need Video Subscriptions as Much as You Think You Do

    In this day and age of high-speed internet connectivity and affordable computers, it’s easy to catch up on the latest shows and movies thanks to video subscription services like Netflix and Amazon Video. However, are they as crucial to your daily life as you think they are, or are they just being a nuisance?

    In this article, we’re going to take a look if you really need video subscriptions or if they’re just forcing you to spend money you could be saving.

    Photo via Unsplash

    Regular television still has great programs to watch

    It’s probably been a while since you’ve looked at a UK TV guide or seen a schedule for cable channels, but many of the latest and greatest shows are still exclusive to television and won’t come to video subscriptions for a long time if ever.

    There are plenty of fantastic shows on regular television broadcasts including news and sports. While video on demand is a great way to watch specific shows and movies, there’s still a lot to watch on regular television.

    Video subscriptions are surprisingly limited

    Sure, if you’re on a movie binge and you want to catch the latest films from the past few years then Netflix is a fantastic option. It seems like there’s a massive selection of things to watch and you’ll be able to get your money’s worth. However, once you’ve had the subscription for a few months, it really starts to show just how limited your video subscription service is.

    To make things worse, choices are often limited by regions as well. For instance, what you can watch in the United Kingdom is drastically different from the choice you get in the United States. In addition, movies tend to come and go as “exclusives” which can make you want to keep your subscription for longer.

    Video subscriptions are also fairly outdated

    While some shows are fantastic and exclusive to their platforms, most films are actually somewhat outdated. This means that you’ll be able to catch up on old films, but there’s nothing recent that you can watch unless it wasn’t popular and went straight to a video subscription service.

    This means that if you’re looking to watch films, you’ll have a surprisingly limited library to pick from and this isn’t such a great choice for movie lovers.

    You don’t own any of your movies or shows

    Sooner or later, Netflix is either going to be taken down or the licenses for certain shows will be stripped away. This means that you’ll end up in a situation where the shows you love are no longer watchable and you’ll either need a physical copy (such as a DVD or BluRay) or you’ll need to hope another video subscription service has it.

    DVD and BluRay copies can be relatively cheap, especially during sales periods, and you can always buy them second-hand from sites like eBay. In short, if you really want to preserve your favourite films and watch them at any time, owning them is the best option.

  • Minimalist Home Design Tips

    If you feel like the interior of your home has become crowded and overwhelming, it might be time to consider a new design approach. One style that more and more people are turning to is minimalism. By decluttering and embracing open spaces rather than an abundance of things, you make your space feel more intentional and less overwhelmed. It can change not just how your home looks but how you use it too.

    This might be the solution that you’ve been looking for. If it’s a design style that you are looking to implement, we’re going to run through some tips that will help you get it right in your home. It’s relatively easy to do, but there are some things you should know and understand before you get started, so read on now.

    Pick Timeless Furniture

    First of all, you should think about what kind of furniture might best suit a minimalist home design. It should be timeless and relatively adaptable. That way, you’ll be able to ensure the home looks and feels suited to your minimalist aims. Trendy and ostentatious furniture doesn’t really fit with the minimalist ethos, so that’s the kind of thing you should stay away from. Remember, fashions and new trendy styles are popular for a while and then times changes and they look outdated. You should aim for the opposite of that.

    Use Texture

    Using texture is a good idea as well. Just because you’re designing your home in a minimalist way, that doesn’t mean that you have to accept a complete lack of texture. Instead, you should embrace textures and use them to shake things up and offer variety to the design of your home. You can add a simple rug that adds a new texture to your floor space (check out this list of recommended condo flooring for more ideas). There are many ways in which you can get this right, so don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things.

    Get the Lighting Right

    Getting the lighting right is really important and it’s something that you should work on. You want the home to feel light and airy because that’s what the minimalist aesthetic is all about. First of all, you should focus on natural light because the more of that that you have flooding into the home, the better it’ll be for the overall appearance of your interior space and its functionality. Using plenty of lamps and lights is important so you’re not left with any dark corners.

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    Aim for Clean Lines

    Generally speaking, you should look for clean lines when designing your home. Minimalism is about keeping things simple and organised and it pays off when you get that right. You’ll notice that everything feels clean and structured and you won’t be overwhelmed by clutter and possessions that take up too much of your space.

    Keep Photos Simple and Meaningful

    By keeping your photos simple and meaningful, you’ll be able to keep things minimalist while also maintaining some visual stimulation in your home. And, of course, photos are important because we all love to surround ourselves with snapshots that are important to us. Find good frames and use custom photo mounts to improve the overall aesthetic of the photos as you prepare to display them in your home. And be sure to find the right spot for them.

    Find the Neutral Palette That Works for You

    Selecting the right colour palette for the room is important as well. You want it to feel simple and not too overwhelming. Most people who design homes with a minimalist aesthetic in mind choose white and other neutral colours that don’t make the space feel too heavy and overwhelmed. But this is something that has to work for you, so explore the options and find the way forward that you feel is best for your home.

    Keep Things Fluid and Adaptable

    Finally, you should remember that it’s always best to keep things adaptable and fluid. That way, you will have the option of making changes and switching things around later if you decide that that’s the direction you want to go in. Things don’t have to be set in stone right away. It’s much easier if you allow yourself the scope to change because it should be easy to do that with a minimalist design.

    When you get your minimalist home design just right, you’ll feel like you’re living in a space that’s calm, relaxed and spacious. That’s why so many people are now turning to this design option and you should too. Make use of the ideas above and you’ll soon be able to strike the right balance in your home.