Behind the camera… With Mae’s Dress Shop, Silverlake, Los Angeles

As you may know from my sorted and shady past I spent some time in front of the camera as a model… ahem, yep. Funny I know. Well, some time has passed since those days, and I’m now easing back into that world. Not in front of the camera, but behind it! Here are some images for my first fashion shoot as a photographer. I had a fantastic time working with Mae, of Mae’s Dress Shop, her model Judy Ly and the team for hair and makeup.

Hope you enjoy the images, I’ll post more when the collection hits stores.


One of my favorite shots from the day


An outtake I was fond of

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Looking Back, L’UOMO Vogue with Peter Lindbergh

There was this strange small period in my life where I worked as a model. It never exactly made sense for me, but the ride came by so I just jumped on and went with it.

I actually got to see some far off places and meet some interesting people I would never have otherwise, so for as frustrating and annoying as that work could sometimes be, I don’t regret doing it.

Here is an image shot by Peter Lindbergh for L’uomo Vogue. It was some special insert for a winter issue, and we shot like… hmmm 9-12 clothes changes in one afternoon. It was at Smashbox Studios, and may not sound like a lot of work, but getting all those layers of clothes on and off, actually got to be exhausting by the end of it… ha ha, that probably sounds so lame. But I swear, it got tiring.

Anyway, this was one of my favorite images for the day.

Last Chance

Last chance
Make this one up
To them
To us
Betrayer lay in the dark
He will be slain and lay dark forever
Some will dance on his grave
Others will poor whiskey
I will do neither
For I will be the one to plant the knife

Sad November sky

Sad November sky
Jetstream trails
One final run
Pull up your scarves young dreamers
The sun will be setting soon
And with it, our dreams
Blue and white, skies of youth
Beyond them, all tomorrows
Behind them, visions of simpler times
I’ll embark on a final run today
Through those skies
Through those dreams
I hope to find you in the other side

Winter

Scurrying under umbrellas
Many broken hearts are near
Days like these come on heavy
Heavy like the rain
In some places the snow
Commuters try and make it home
To warm places
At home and in the heart
We’re so far from the sun here
In winter
In these days
The wind will bite at your face
The rain will drown your heart
And where are you on this eve?
As cars hiss past and clouds loom overhead
It’s winter here, in the land, and in my heart
Tree branches bare death
They fight off the cold
As do I
Brittle on the edge but warm somewhere inside

Cold Winter Car

Cold Winter Car
He’s stuck by down by Ave A
Keep it warm, buddy
Keep that engine going
The girls are watching
Broken luck
Broken looks
Where should we go when we have all of nowhere?
Nowhere to be
Nowhere to go
Voices carry in these streets
Neon glows
Lights of the big big city
Cross that street in style, boy
Never know who’s watching, crossing or driving by

Tea and biscuits

Tea and biscuits
My heart is heavy today
It’s a hard morning
A friend has gone away
Dead in the night
Ended his life
It’s a hard mourning
Across different lands
In different cities
Around me people are still trying, still moving
A contrast
All roads intersect here
Going everywhere at once
Connected
In loss
In travel
In time
I’ll continue to sit in these places
I’ll continue to mourn
With nothing set before me
Except for maybe some tea and biscuits

Big Willy Hignight’s 3 Rules for using WIFI in a public café

1. Hey Jack-hole, use some freaking earphones. That’s great, I get it, you like your music and your laptop has speakers. Guess what, none of the rest of us care or want to hear your music. You’re Mr. Mixmaster next big DJ… I get it. And I don’t care. Plug in some freaking headphones.

2. Hey you greedy son of a bitch energy hog, how about not using both plugs in an outlet. Yes, believe it or not this has to be a rule because there are actually people in this world that will have the audacity to plug their laptop into one of the two holes in an outlet and charge their cell phone through the other… Seriously, where were you raised?

3. Finally… Dear quasi-homeless librarian crazy conspiracy theory types, this is not your home. Please don’t move in. I get it, I travel with books, and sometimes snacks from home, etc… but really, this is not your satellite office (or living room) please don’t bring everything and the kitchen sink and spread it all over your small café living space like a person hoarding books, napkins, duffle bags, etc…
Thank you for your attention, with these three simple rules we will all get along much better… and I won’t have to think you are all total jackasses.

Sincerely,
Big Willy Hignight