behind the scenes: SHOOTING CLARA IN LAHNSTEIN GERMANY
this was my third time in GERMANY, previously (years ago) i was in COLOGNE and DUSSELDORF. it was nice to be back.
i literally hit the ground running: scouting, casting, fitting, shot lists, etc. it was SHNELL SHNELL all day (that means fast in GERMAN)
*cappuccino, you so cute.
*everyone drives a BMW or MERCEDES. for some reason, they both look the same to me.
*only hotel in LAHNSTEIN. i did not care. i just need a bed and maybe some internet…
*PRAGUE had this also, shoe shiners! i loved it…
*delirious.
*location scouting…
*the HUDSON? no i’m kidding…but, i really don’t know this body of water.
*amen my GERMAN bredren.
*FRAU VASHTI, my new alias
*dinner? i was so jetlagged i didn’t know what to eat or do. i lost 2 pounds out there in my haze.
*day of shoot i wore PATAGONIA CAPILENE undergarments to stay warm.
*shooting in snow and cold is NOT the business.
*dancing ladies
*my AMERICAN peeps: ROB’ERE, KAREEM, AAHMEK and JOJO
*CLARA and ME
*nightclub. the name means NIGH WORK. this was our second location.
*they served food there, CURRY WERST and FRENCH FRIES with MAYO. i didn’t eat this, ROB did.
*CLARA & COLLIEN
*24 hour champagne diet…
*ignorant americans
*DOM and me
*DANKE SCHOEN to the best crew!!! hope to go back to GERMANY soon!
*GERMAN McDonalds
*on the AUTOBAHN! fast as lightning! SHNELL SHNELL!
funny: GAY PANCAKES MAY QUESTION YOUR SEXUALITY
is it crazy that my inner fat self would overcome my complete straight self and date a tranny JUST to eat some delicious looking pancakes? or…i guess i could just make some of my own and not have to worry about my sexual preference.
travel: ANN ARBOR to O’HARE to FRANKFURT
*waffle making.
*starbucks drive-thru would be cooler if i actually drove…
*did you say “BUSINESS CLASS”? there’s this hidden club in most airports that caters to the uppity…free food and drinks in a handsome lounge. i felt like i was about to get kicked out for lack of a better pedigree.
*did you say hot dog? oh no, that was just my fat inner self talking again.
*i’m naming my daughter LUFTHANSA and ELLE is naming hers LATISSE.
*i always lose weight when i go to EUROPE…
*SISSY, they use half and half. you so european!
news: I’M ON TWITTER (no joke)
goodness gracious, we live in strange times. in order for me to keep in touch with good friends and be culturally relevant i need an account on a networking service who’s name i’m always embarassed to repeat. oy vey.
i also didn’t have much of a choice. there were fake me’s making me look like a doofus. fight tweeters with tweeters!!!
eeek. you can reluctantly find me here. twitter.com/vashtie_sold_out
i won’t be saying things like: “rocking out to DRAKE getting ready for the club…what’s popping hun @iamdiddy…kisses, mwah, luv ya!” (i seriously dislike intentional misspellings)
i might be saying things like: “check out the new blog post of me on OPRAH!…on set directing a video for SHABBA RANKS…i’m having a big birthday party at the LOUVRE, come by!” (the details might be different, but i guess i just dream big)
PS: i won’t stop blogging. that would be blasphemous.
*we’ll see how long this lasts…
+++++
you should have seen me trying to figure out how to work it. i looked like someone’s dad…no not a hip dad that has a facebook and an ipod. for that matter, i looked like someones grandad trying to use my account. eyes squinted at the screen…”how in the sam hill does this thing turn on”. i can’t promise i won’t hand it over for an intern to have fun with.
throwback: BJORK live at FASHION ROCKS (2006) – “Bachelorette”
if i could direct a video for BJORK i could officially throw the towel in and act like i had conquered the world. i mean i would probably act ignorant, walking around all day with a champagne bottle in hand and maybe even sunglasses in the club. this woman makes me shiver in my boots…
interview: VA$HTIE on F.O.K.U.S. RADIO with TEDDY RUCKSPIN + 1992 Themed Party
random: VLADIMIR looks bigger than he really is
the camera adds 10 pounds.
photoshoot: VASHTIE + BIG SEAN by DANTE MARSHALL (part 1)
“Last week I had a shoot with Director, Fashion Designer, Party Promoter Va$htie Kola. The approach to this shoot was a little different from the norm and inspired by a spread that I’ve seen two favorite photographers do in the past. (Steven Klein and Richard Avedon) I wanted to make it look as if this celebrity power couple was followed around by paparazzi and the photos were leaked. No, V and Sean are not dating in real life but the images turned out just the way we envisioned.
This was my first time working with Vashtie and I doubt this will be the last. She is such an amazing person to work with and such an inspiring person. The energy she gives off when present is pretty awesome. As you know if you follow my work I work with Sean quite often as I am the photographer that shot his last mixtape, his most recent mixtape which is due to be released mid February as well as his album artwork for the official album that will drop later this year.
We had little time to put the shoot together due both Vashtie and Sean having limited time. Sean finishing up his mixtape and Vashtie only being in town for the day as she had to fly out to Germany the very next morning for a video shoot. With all that going on we still managed to get it done.
here are a few shots from the layout and I am still trying to think of a name for the set so if you have any suggestions feel free to let me know!
Special thanks to the whole team. (makeup) Tina Janel (wardrobe) Brittany Kozerski, Isis, Gumbo, Ashlee Arder and the F.O.K.U.S. Crew”
++++++++++
if you guys have any ideas, go to DANTE’S blog and post them 
life: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN – MLK SYMPOSIUM – DAY WITH VASHTIE – PHOTOSHOOT WITH BIG SEAN BY DANTE MARSHALL (1/27/10)
finally, after months of planning and date re-arranging…i made it to ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN for a F.O.K.U.S. event. since, my team is dead serious when it comes to “keeping busy” and i’m on the same page with overall making the most of your time — i was also scheduled to shoot with the amazingly talented DANTE MARSHALL. he approached me about doing a photoshoot a while back and this day, the timing worked out perfect with a cameo by BIG SEAN.
10:30AM – Land
11:30AM – Makeup & Styling
1:00PM – Meet & Greet
2:30-3:00PM : FOKUS Radio Interview
3:00-5:30PM – Photo Shoot with Dante Marshall + Big Sean
6:00PM – Screen Shot: Film as a Prominent Art Form 7-9pm
10:30pm-2:00am – 1992 Themed Party
++++++++++
NEXT DAY: FLIGHT TO CHICAGO then FRANKFURT, GERMANY to shoot miss CLARA!
*dirt.
*DANTE MARSHALL (thanks for organizing such a great shoot on short notice. we MUST do it again soon)
*ASHLEE ARDER
*radio interview with TEDDY RUCKSPIN
+++++
PHOTOSHOOT by DANTE MARSHALL + BIG SEAN + “day in the life of celebrity couple”
(behind the scenes)
*i said i didn’t want to wear anything tight, but the cardigan was a nice balance.
+++++
*PANEL DISCUSSION
*BIG SEAN
+++++
1992 THEMED PARTY
*me, BIG SEAN and ISIS
*the blew up and laminated all the 1992 flyers. OSCAR would have been so proud!
*a 1992 flyer i made from my DEF JAM letterhead!
*TEDDY RUCKSPIN
*so sad you couldn’t be here LUPE!
*F.O.K.U.S. CREW
*fake eyeslashes give me nightmares
+++++
anyways. i just want to say a MAJOR THANKS to miss ASHLEE ARDER and the crew at F.O.K.U.S. who were extremely sweet and welcoming. their organization is doing super dope things and i am very appreciative that i was asked to come and spend the day with them. at the end of it all, the “1992 Themed Party” was the cherry on top. TEDDY RUCKSPIN killed it and (without cue) the decorations were almost exact to what OSCAR and i do for our own parties – candy, quarter water and balloons. also thanks to DANTE MARSHALL + BIG SEAN + TINA J + BRITTANY + ISIS ARIAS !!!
everyone was sweet and treated me like family. i hope to visit again soon (and watch a WOLVERINES game!)
PS: shout out to all of you who came out. i met a lot of blog readers out there and a lot of INDIAN descent. it was nice to meet some of my INDIAN sistrens!
conversations: ME and ANGELO BAQUE via googleCHAT on my VIRGIN AMERICA FLIGHT as i sit next to LINDA LOWNDES – the inventor of MICROSKIN
*they have internet in the air. holler…
on my last flight back from LOS ANGELES to NEW YORK CITY, i sat down on my VIRGIN AMERICA seat. next to me sat a blonde woman, who looked sleepy as most of use travelers did that day. i had placed all my jewelry in my pocket to avoid having to take it off for security and was now attempting to one hand clasp my vintage CHANEL bracelet (which is not real gold and beeps when i go through the metal detector). i can usually put it on with my eyes closed, but for some reason this moment was not it. LINDA, the woman sitting next to me – volunteered her help. rather than volunteer it, she just put out her hands and helped…quite like a mom would, and a mom – she was (i would later find out).
i was thankful and surprised by her generosity, since most people are content with ignoring when strangers need help. after a few minutes we were chatting like old chums. she told me she was from BRISBANE (Australia) and invented SECOND SKIN! yes, it took me about 45 minutes to really absorb what she was saying. even after that i couldn’t keep an attention span for discussing anything else. she showed me pictures of patients in the “AFTER” stage and asked me if i could see any skin flaws in the untouched photos. as a perfectionist who seeks out flaws, i found none. when she showed the “BEFORE” pictures of the same patients with large birth marks and burn scars – i was shocked. how life changing! this invention is wildly remarkable.
SECOND SKIN! for burn victims or people with skin conditions that have to use makeup or clothing to camouflage themselves, this whole new invention is a spray that matches your own skin…and breathes and feels like skin. LINDA figured out, through a computer program (she invented), the missing pieces of the chemical makeup of your skin and then creates it in liquid form. it lasts for a few days and sheds as your own skin sheds. you can also re-apply it yourself, with no need of professional help. it’s safe and natural – just brilliant.
her name is LINDA LOWNDES. she was just so humble and normal, not a tense doctor type. she’s not even a doctor, she just studied and set out to create something that would make people feel good. that’s so amazing. we exchanged information and maybe when she comes back to NYC we’ll get to hang officially!