Cambridge Love with Jean from Drossintogold!

This crazy internet world has allowed me the pleasure of meeting beautiful souls from all around the world. Jean is an amazing woman and her friendship is one that I truly treasure. The sparks were literally flying everywhere the first time we met!  She was visiting from Atlanta to see family and we decided to meet in Cambridge for lunch and a little shopping.

Cambridge is such a beautiful multicultural area, I feel like I've been seeing it with new eyes in the past year or so. I met up with another friend Yasmin (another beautiful soul!) from the UK here and we had a great time so I knew Jean would enjoy it as well.

We met at Boomerangs and did some thrifting and then had lunch at a great Indian place called Dosa Factory (highly recommend!). Afterwards we walked around Harvard square and did some window shopping at some of the stores around there. Of course we took a few outfit pics in between ;)

I remember the weather was so beautiful that day. There was something crisp and beautiful in the air. We spotted this alley which was full of graffiti art and decided to snap some outfit pics. There happened to be some live art happening too ;) 

Loved the colors and patterns in these women's clothing. I had to get a shot while they were walking by. Inspiration is everywhere!

I loved Jean's big scarf which she upcycled into this circle scarf creation! The colors and the way it added to the layers in the back was amazing. I couldn't forget her accessories too. All collected and thrifted. Can you tell I'm obsessed?!

I was in an experimental mode this day. I remember being a bit uncomfortable in my outfit because I don't wear high waisted things too often or hats! I had been seeing hats over scarves in magazines/pinterest and I thought it was so beautiful. I had to give it a try! I thrifted this small folk scarf over the summer in Maine (I have to blog about that trip soon) and I borrowed my husband's hat and tied it around. I added the bright lipstick to bring out the flowers in the scarf. It was fun getting out of my comfort zone even if it was a flop. I would say it's not the most flattering on me but not bad! What do you think? yay or nay?

Took another outfit shot in front of this beautiful ivy wall. I love Jean's big flowy top! She explained to me how simple it would be to make and I definitely want to give it a go.

We happened to have met an older woman that was dressed sooo funky. We both were eying her outfit. We started chatting with her and I wanted to get her picture but she insisted she never took pictures anymore and we needed our picture taken instead. She said we both belonged on a magazine haha! Even though it came out blurry it captures a beautiful memory.

Have a wonderful week and if you haven't already go check out Jean's blog Drossintogold for her fabulous adventures in fashion, thrifting, and upcyclying!

Much love!
XO

Ebb and Flow. Trusting Your Intution and self expression. Update.

It has been a while since I have sat down and written a blog post. The summer has come and gone and the air and scenery is changing as all things do. I was in need of a breather this summer, needed to inhale, take in nature and feel with all my senses, which is why the blog sort of took a back seat. My friend Jean (of the amazing Drossintogold) told me recently life is full of ebb and flow, and I couldn't agree more. The only constant in life is change. I think sometimes I'm happy with my presence being more outward, through social media and blogposts and other times I need to renew inward and take a break form the internet. I think I took a little longer than I needed because I missed it and missed all of you!

What have I been up to? Lots of reading, researching/taking in knowledge, enjoying time with family and friends, the outdoors, a little bit of traveling and of course work. I did a few weddings/sessions, some I can't share because the families requested privacy and others I would love to share on the blog eventually. Hope you all enjoyed your summer and are ready to jump into fall or whatever season you are transitioning into.

One of the books I really enjoyed reading was one called Divine Intuition by Lynn Robinson.  It talks a lot about listening and trusting your intuition. Trusting the voice of love inside, trusting yourself. It infuses a lot of the follow your dream mentality, follow what you enjoy doing, follow your excitement. What is sort of divine is I picked this book up at the thrift store. It was exactly what I needed at that time.

The reading follows a workbook format where there is content and little blurbs or pages allowing you to pause and answer questions based on your life experience. One of the exercises had you imagine yourself enjoying something. What does that image look like? What are you wearing (loved that one)? What are you doing?

I pictured myself decked out in this unique ensemble. I was at an exhibit, my exhibit! Proud of work that I had put so much of myself into. Then I realized that is what I love to do. Create art, and be art both inwardly and outwardly. Self expression is like breathing to me. There's no other way for me to describe it. I notice how I feel when I'm not doing it, the build up of this uneasy feeling that I have to release. Which is what I'm feeling right now. My sister (of Dream It Up Cookies) who also has the artist bug says artists are gifted and cursed at the same time. I have to agree, it can be both a blessing and a source of anxiety. I find myself constantly trying to find a balance between that ebb and flow.

Do any of you get this overwhelming emotion to express yourself? How do you work through it? Would love to hear your stories.

I've been feeling a divine push lately and I'm ready to jump in. I have three projects I'm so excited to be working on in the next few months. I'm collaborating with Papaya! on something that is very special to me. If you haven't read my feature on artist Anahata Katkin's blog go check it out. It is one of the most beautiful things I've read about my work and I have to admit it was a revelation to me! It was really the boost of assurance I needed as I continue on this interesting path I have taken. I'm also working on an editorial with a great team of artists that will be exhibited this winter (Inshallah), and my personal ongoing project Red, White and Blue.

Hope you are all following and trusting your intuition. Go for it. Don't let the past or your negative thoughts hold you back. You are a unique expression of life. Don't let society dictate that expression. It can't be put into a box. Be aware of it, explore it, hone your craft and let it out!

Much love,
Feda

P.S. The images are double exposure using two images. Portraits of myself and images of flowers I took in the spring. I love how they turned out. 

Featured!! on artist Anahata Katkin's blog!

So incredibly honored to be featured over on artist Ahahata Katkin's blog! So surreal as I've been a big fan of her work and Papaya! for years. annnddd we're collaborating! The overwhelming beauty and spirit of this brand gets me inspired on so many levels.

Check it out at http://anahata.typepad.com/my_weblog/2014/06/the-eclectic-photographer-feda-eid.html

If you haven't already go see her daily musing on instagram and her website.
If you like this card and pretty stationary/art with an uplifting message browse the Papaya website and be amazed!

Much love,
Feda

The Traveler Revisited

Revisting a shoot a did a few summers ago. I wanted to get these published somewhere so I tweaked them a bit and I'm about to send them off. I thought I would share them on here too. This was one of the first styled sessions I did on my own. I didn't have hair, makeup or styling back then so this was a labor of love. The model is a good friend of mine from middle school. Yes, we go way back and she is a beauty! I'm sure you noticed already ;).

The styling was inspired by my travels to southern Spain. Andalusia is a part of the world with such rich history spanning thousands of years. I was particularly inspired by the Gypsies of Spain. They say that they traveled from India, through the Middle East, and into Spain picking up cultural influences along the way. It is called The Traveler.

Hope you like them and have a spirited week!
Feda

Vintage Cameras in the Sun

Confession time! I'm a photographer that has never taken a picture with a film camera! I know..very sad. In college I took a photography course but we actually learned on digital. It is on my list of things to do and I was given a film camera and a bunch of lenses by an old coworker who was moving so I don't have much of an excuse. I just have to buy some film and use it!

So how did I get a hold of these beauties?! Well I recently missed a session for my mentoring project and had to attend what my teacher calls a "boot camp" makeup class. This entailed me helping her clean out her garage (no joke! she doesn't mess around) and while cleaning she showed me some old film slides and cameras that one of her neighbors gave her. She held up the slides to the light and they were hilarious. They were from the 70's so there was retro furniture and clothing galore! The cameras were so fascinating and each one had its own flair. I was surprised by how interested I was in the cameras. I have to admit I've been put off by film in the past by the hipster scene making it "cool". I like vintage but I don't want to BE vintage because I'm...well not. I hope that makes sense? It was a different feeling once I had them in my hands. You could feel the history and intricacy in how they were made. I can see how you could easily get obsessed and who knows maybe one day I'll get obsessed and look back and laugh at myself!

Part of the boot camp was to bring my camera and do a small project so when I saw these I was like ding! After we finished cleaning I spent a few minutes in her BEAUTIFUL and blooming garden taking these. It was fun to combine the blossoms of spring with these old tools. I used VSCO Film to edit these which is what I often use to edit my photos to give that vintage feel to my images but in a modern way because I can still use current technology to tweak it to my liking. I like the feeling of combining old and new and vsco is a beautiful tool for that.

Hope you enjoyed these as much I did. Have a bright weekend :)
Feda

Red White and Blue. Part 1: Inspiration

Sources R-L: Rug: http://www.rugs-direct.com/, Photographer: Nicole Bentley, Eye mask: pinterest,  Tribal fashion pinterest, Turkish Tile, Unknown, Suhair Sibai

I've been secretly and enthusiastically working on a personal project called Red, White, and Blue. It is a self portrait series exploring the idea of patriotism and it's layers through my own experience as an Arab, Muslim American.

I've had this project sort of in my head in different forms since last year but it has evolved into something I finally feel passionate about. I have been so fortunate to be mentored from it's beginnings and through to its completion (Inshallah) by my dear friend and teacher Banafsheh from Boston Photography Center. We have been meeting every two weeks to discuss the project, put together an artist statement and eventually I will start to photograph for it. I'm still in the artist statement phase, gathering and organizing my ideas in a cohesive and interesting way. I'm doing this mentorship program with a few other amazing photographers doing their own personal projects. It has been great to share and get feedback from each other and watch one anther's progress. Banafsheh suggested we keep a diary of the process, to keep track of things as they move along both emotionally and through the work itself. So I'll be sharing as I go, on this blog and over on the group Facebook Page.

What inspired me to do this is of course my own experiences as a human living with my own roots being born and raised in the US. In one of our sessions Banafsheh mentioned art being about personal experiences and I couldn't agree more. I think art is personal self expression and if its not personal, raw, and coming from an authentic place, it can come across as dry and boring. I find that the more I get into it, the more I feel myself tearing at these layers I never really explored. It has been both challenging and exciting to face certain aspects of myself, and my upbringing.

In my next post I will go into more depth about the topic and what the project will explore. I wanted to keep this post short and sweet. All my projects start with a color story and a visual board (I kept this projects board private on Pinterest but these are a few images from it). The project will be fully in red, white and blue but I will be using the colors in unconventional ways that tie into my heritage and faith. I plan to make it a story of layers combining elements of pattern, fashion, and color that explore emotions related to being an Arab, Muslim American.

I've been taking things a step at a time because I realized that's how you get things done. Doing a bunch of little things until it becomes something big. I'm seriously so excited!

Until the next update...

Light and Love,
Feda

Spark Some Light

"You have to find what sparks a light in you so that you in your own way can illuminate the world."

Oprah Winfrey

Last week one of my favorite artists, Anahata Katkin shared one of my images on her IG. I literally went under the covers and screamed for a second. She probably does not know this but her work and beautiful uplifting sayings inspired me during a difficult time in my life. Way before I found photography, I was an artsy person that decided to pursue a degree in nursing. I wanted to help people so I put art to the side and did something else. I ended up failing out of the program by .3 and I was devastated but a year later I took a photography course and it changed my life. Is it a walk in the park now? Not at all, it is FULL of struggle, but it is the good kind of struggle where you feel you are becoming the best version of yourself. I quoted Oprah above because I truly believe the best way to help others is to be YOU, whatever that encompasses. Only good can come when you feel the light inside of yourself. When you do more of what makes you spark you give light to the spark in others. That is exactly what her work did for me during those moments of uncertainty and soul searching. For that I am thankful. This card sums up my journey called life and I'm in love. I get to stare at this baby every day now and stay inspired.

To see more Anahata check out her website http://www.anahataart.com/ and blog  http://anahata.typepad.com/. You can also get this card and other goodies over at her company http://papayaart.com/.

Keep sparking, and shine some light wherever you go. You never know how it may help someone else on their journey.

Much love,
Feda

P.S. Update: If you follow me on instagram then you probably have seen this image and the little blurb above but I wanted to share it over on the blog as well. I have been busy catching up with some photography editing/work and slacking on the blog. I do have tons of projects in the works but I want to keep the content quality up so they will take some time to finalize. XO

It's all about the bling!

I was recently sent this beautiful headpiece by the UK company Avizeh jewelry. I've always been in love with ethnic jewelry so you can imagine how giddy I was when I had this piece in my hands! I'm still pretty obsessed and I've had it for a few weeks now.

"Avizeh is company which is born out of the love and culture of ethnic Afghanistan. Avizeh translates jewellery in Farsi. This unique name speaks for what we cater for and the rich cultural heritage of jewellery making which dates back to thousand of years ago and at time of when great trading routes flourished through Afghanistan. These rare Jewels of the east still remain and are carefully hand crafted by a nomadic tribe called Kuchi."-from their website

The piece itself is beautifully made. It has signs of being a vintage piece, there were one or two bells missing and some stitching done on one side with the connector pieces, nothing you notice unless you inspect it up close like me :) I doesn't detract from the piece at all and I actually felt it added to its charm. I asked Avizeh about the minor imperfections and they said they rework/restore these vintage pieces, some gems are added etc.

What I really loved was that this is basically a one of kind piece. What I love about thrifting is that you're buying and putting together things that are not necessarily still in stores. This headpiece feels like a vintage treasure and I like that we all won't be clones next week! I'll definitely be picking up some more treasures from their site. I've been eying the beautiful cuffs and necklaces. The prices are great for what you are getting. Even when you convert the pound to dollar (If you're from the US and have traveled to the UK you know how expensive it can be with the pound being almost double the dollar!).

I actually had a hard time styling this! Especially with the turban. I wrapped this thing a few times and finally settled on this turban creation. I also wanted to dress it down because I think it would be hard to wear this baby out without dressing it down a bit. I decided to wear simple jeans and these flip flops I got from my trip to Nantucket I've been wanting to wear now that the weather is a bit nicer (although it is still freezing every other day here in Boston). I'm not totally sure about the red accents I added. I had painted my nails red the day before so I had to incorporate it somehow. There were little red accents on the headpiece and shoes so I thought it would fit in.

As always much love,
Feda

Outfit Details:
Scarf/turban: TJ Maxx
Black shirt: gifted from my sister- from H&M
Cardigan: thrifted- Vince
Jeans: recent thrift- Joe's Fit: Best Friend
Red bangles: thrifted
Beaded bracelet: Sisco Berluti
Flip flops: Bodhi Tibetan store in Nantucket, MA

Bag: TJ Maxx- Brand: Cardamom + Coriander
Rings: Gifted and from random carts

Channeling Your Inner Creativity Workshop for Teens

This is some of the student work from a teen workshop I did a few weeks ago at the ISB Cultural Center in Boston for Deen14. This was the first time I taught a workshop of any kind so I was a bit nervous. Thankfully my passion for photography as a tool for self-expression and coping with things like depression/stress far surpasses my resistance to public speaking. I was also speaking to teens who are still discovering and experimenting with their own voices so that made it exciting for me.

I went into it not expecting much. I wasn't sure if they would be completely bored or enthusiastic (you never know with teens). I'm happy to say that they completely surpassed my expectations.

I started out by talking about how photography can help you be present by being in the moment while taking an image. I also talked about using photography as a way to express and channel emotions into something productive, creating a piece of art. I projected some of my own work as examples of my own self-expression.

I then sent them off into a park close by to tell stories of their own. The only rule was that they had to tell a story in three images and could only take up to fifteen. I made sure they understood it wasn't about continuously clicking, that they had to spend at least 30 seconds looking at the subject, seeing it from different angles, and capturing their own unique vision of it. (Something I learned from my own mentor Banafsheh during our many photo outings.) These were all taken with phones or point and shoot cameras so the day was all about "channeling their creativity" and less about the tool they were using. I also wanted them to feel like they could go home and use this outlet for creativity at any time.

Here are a few pics I took of them taking pictures also taken with my iphone (edited with vscocam app). I gave them about 15 minutes to take these and some of them were still taking pictures after the fifteen minutes! I was happy they were focusing and getting into the art.

When we went back in we were able to project them onto the screen so we could review them as a group. The thing that sort of took me by surprise was the deeper meanings they related with their images. They told stories of hope, friendship, their dreams and goals, and overall reflections on life. I really felt the discussions we had were the highlight of the day. I left feeling that I had gained much more from them than they did from me. For that I was thankful and grateful. :)

Much love,
Feda