photo.phile: maile lani photography

their umbrella flew away

with cali being my home away from hawai'i and so many kama'aina spreading their wings to far off places, a mainland week seemed like a fine idea as 2010 began to fade and a new year glimmered on the horizon. and so, all week long i will be profiling local girls following their dreams away from the islands.

first up is new orleans-based wedding photographer maile lani who snapped this cheery beach umbrella photograph that i happily discovered during an etsy session. although her family left the islands before her first year luau, maile still embodies the sweetness of the islands and her love for toy cameras, vintage polaroids, and through the viewfinder photography made me an instant fan.

despite my already married status, i still find myself smitten with all the very lovely weddings filled with the prettiest little details. if you swoon along with me, please wander through maile's online galleries for glimpses of sweet southern i do's as well as photo souvenirs from her travels. for today, i gathered up a few of my favorites from maile's portfolio . . . all quietly dreamy and filled with romantic delight.

more peeks and a q+a with maile after the jump . . .

sarah & jeff

it's springtime in the south

{photo.phile notes}

what inspired you to pick up a camera and start clicking?
i really started getting into photography around the time i turned 14 when my family went back to hawaii (i was born there) for the summer. i remember taking this one photograph of palm tree silhouettes against this brilliant pink and purple hawaiian sunset. it sounds so silly, but at the time i was so excited by the fact that i created something that looked like a postcard that i kept on doing it.

photography muses that spark your imagination?
anthropologie catalogs! i have so many of them stacked around my house :) i love the eclectic mix of items and the way they arrange everything so perfectly. one of my favourite spreads ever was when they had their new line of purses photographed underwater. it was one of the coolest things i had ever seen!

favorite seaside moment captured on film?
i think that the one that stands out most in my mind is a polaroid i took last summer. i have a huge obsession with kites, but i had never really flown one before. so, my wonderful boyfriend got me one with these little fairies all over it. eventually, after my little kid excitement wore off, i asked my boyfriend to hold the kite so i could take a polaroid of it. as soon as i clicked the shutter a seagull flew by in the same direction my kite was flying. it's such a simple photograph but it just makes me feel happy every time i look at it.

any simple tricks to share on how to best capture a lovely lo-fi shot?
think about what you're shooting! the worst thing i ever did when learning how to use toy cameras was follow the "shoot from the hip" rule. a lo-fi camera is still a camera and if you want beautiful photographs then you have to think about how you're going to compose your images. i really believe that the magic of lo-fi photography comes from the photographer that is using the camera. as photographers we have to take our own visions and adapt them to a different formats. that is what makes a lo-fi image so beautiful :)

which camera stays close by for everyday shooting?
depending on what film i have, either my polaroid spectra pro or my holga. :)

pay it forward with the best photography advice shared with you:
i don't know if this counts as advice, but when i first started taking pictures it was a super expensive hobby. it was always such a big deal when i was allowed to shoot one roll of film and i was told to be careful and not to waste any of the photographs. now i just sort of take pictures carefully naturally because i'm so used to it. it drives me crazy that digital photography has made the "spray and pray" method so popular. i just shoot everything as if i were still paying to process the photographs!

local delights that are a must in your beach picnic basket?
jambalaya from the jambalaya shoppe, abita purple haze, and fresh louisiana strawberries.

mahalo maile!

click over to the etsy shop which is stocked with a lovely selection of prints. and, if you are planning your own i do's just know that maile accepts bookings near and far from nola.

aloha friday scoop

we are expecting a big rain storm this weekend so an organic chicken is thawing in the refrigerator to turn into the barefoot contessa's chicken stew, and ingredients are waiting on the counter to be made into oatmeal/raisin/chocolate chip cookies and a home baked boulé.

but first, the sales . . .

if you swoon for mu'umu'u heaven, a rare chance to save 20% off storewide all weekend long.

• when: sat, feb 19th to mon, feb 21st
• where: 767 kailua road, kailua
• shop hours: mon to sat, 10a to 6p & sun, 11a to 4p

hele down to pacific home for a spring cleaning sale and save 20% off furniture and decor, 30% off lanai designs, and find clearance merch marked down up to 80% off.

• when: now to mon, feb 21st
• where: 420 ward avenue
• shop hours: mon to sat, 10a to 7p & sun, 10a to 5p

Click to read more ...

factory girl: jana lam textiles

you may know by now that i swoon for textiles so i was quite delighted when sandra from super citizen tipped me off on a new arrival to her shop. one peek at the gorgeous goods by honolulu designer jana lam, and i instantly set out to learn more about the maker of these fetching hand-done backdrops.

jana recently returned home to hawai'i after studying interior design at the academy of art in san francisco (with a career detour to nyc beforehand). after gifting her wedding party with handmade pillows and a serendipitous meeting with sandra, a plan was hatched to introduce an accessories line requiring a crash session in sewing and pattern making.

the lovely results speak for themselves. many of jana's patterns are grounded in nature, and the tropical motifs are noteworthy for their modern and organic take on traditional island florals and fauna. a hint of the approachable appeal of lotta jansdotter, one of my favorite textile designers, also carries through jana's collection. good company indeed considering the number of compliments my lotta tote receives whenever it accompanies me on jaunts back home to the islands!

join me for a peek after the jump . . .

fiesta flowers clutch

sea flowers * stream * happy snails * fishes dream

pillows!

sketches making the cut are carefully silkscreened by hand with jana and her mom sewing each and every handbag and pillow.

price tag starts at $42 for a small clutch and goes up to $125 for a roomy baby bag.

online ordering will be launching soon, but until then find selections from the debut collection at super citizen in chinatown and riches at kahala mall.

{mahalo sandra!}

morning crush: heather brown x matsumoto

happy anniversary!

i'll take one rainbow with ice cream, please! for all the matsumoto shave ice fans, the iconic haleiwa landmark recently enlisted artist heather brown to design their super cute 60th anniversary tees.

m's and w's styles offered in a handful of colors.

$17 online + in-store.

aloha rag spring/summer 2011

w's m65 jacket * baker cargo pants

with fashion week in full swing, it seemed only appropriate to gather up a few looks from aloha rag's spring/summer 2011 collection. tatsuga yoda, aloha rag founder and creative director of the house label, tailor made each piece for happy-go-lucky days in the sun and sand complete with vintage americana details like a whimsical jacket lining constructed of the iconic paisley bandana.

you may notice that a few styles overlap in the m's and w's collections, but the unisex looks have been carefully refitted to compliment a feminine silhouette. and happy news! this season the ladies score their very own edition of the popular m65 military jacket with playful custom designed pink zippers.

isn't it lovely?

more mellow memories after the jump . . .

crewneck sweatshirt * hooded parka

m's seersucker jacket

paisley buttondown & arhi tee

aloha rag's denim line also debuted this past winter and features classic silhouettes made in the always coveted japanese denim.

all styles are made in japan with the price tag for ss11 starting at $215. and, if you fancy high style for less, most fall 2010 looks are currently on sale.

hit the online shop for the complete 411 on the new m's & w's collections, or hele down to the honolulu and nyc storefronts:

• hnl: 1221 kapiolani blvd, suite 115
• shop hours: mon to sat, 11a to 8p & sun, 11a to 6p

• nyc: 505 greenwich street, soho
• shop hours: mon to thu & sat 11a to 7p | fri 11a to 8p | sun 12p to 6:30p

do you have any pieces from aloha rag tucked inside your closet?