How come I like collections even better every new season ?

Do you guys experience this too ?

When I look back at what I was wearing, say like .. 2 years ago, I often get the feeling that I don't like the way I dressed 24 months ago anymore. Fashion is just like a good bottle of fine wine. The more time goes by, the more I like what I am wearing today . Maybe it's also because, the older you get, you realize more and more what suits and what doesn't.

Lately I am very happy with the current shoe/sneaker trend ; my pumps have been expelled to the back of my closet and it's all brogues, lace-ups and trainers front row.

I used to really play dress up when I prepared myself to get ready for date nights but nowadays, I just add some bling shoe or bag with my skinny jean, casual shirt and bomber jacket (oh how I am in love with my ACNE bomber jacket) 

Trying out my new gear

trying out my new camera + 24-70 mm lens in town

A week ago, I switched from a SLR camera to Full Frame. I have to admit, I was intimidated for a long time by these type of cameras but as it happens, there was no need to be. 

As soon as I got my D810 out of it's box, I began to read the manual carefully, turning on all my personal settings as I would have done as if it was a SLR camera. 

In less than an hour, I was shoot ready and extremely happy I worked this out myself. 

Since then, I've taken the camera on many test shoots around my hometown of Antwerp and experiencing my newest* lens the the fullest.

Already worked with a 50mm 1.4 and 16-35mm 4 on my former camera : always had in mind they would be perfectly compatible with a full frame camera too in case I wanted to switch.

For me, it seems like these lenses had been eagerly waiting for the D810 to come home ; everything feels right. The camera, the lenses I just mentioned and how they work with the Nikon body ; on top of that, my latest lens is the raiser sharp shooting *24-70 mm 2.8  to make my work gear complete.

This upcoming weekend, it will show me what it has got in store as I will attend a full day + evening of a wedding and me starring as main photographer. I have faith in it and the results ; I guess I've never been more prepared for this day. 

I've been submerging myself into wedding photography for almost 2 full weeks, looking at all my favorite wedding photographers around the world.

It's an insane job to do ; I'm not sure yet if this will ever be my devotion in life, I can't really tell.

If I hate it - because it's quite stressful - I'll vow to myself to never ever do this again or perhaps, who knows, I might even enjoy it and will launch myself into a full on wedding photographer.

Chances are, if the pics turn out to be fantastic, future brides & grooms might contact me after seeing the pictures I will make this Saturday.

Oh well, let's not stress too much !

We'll see how it turns out.

Nikon D810 body was purchased at Grobet, Antwerp

loving the sharpness and fastness of my new camera

the week through my lens

my days in cups of coffee or tea ; reading inspirational magazines indoors or looking for inspiration outdoors ; a spicy peppercino at Starfish & Coffee 

Hi you lovelies. What a week it has been. Did you see that amazing collab from Rodarte x And Other Stories ? Just loved every single piece of it. That cropped white blouse was my favorite as was the aviator jacket.

I've managed to rush in to get a sneak peak last Thursday but unfortunately, the jacket was already sold out in my size. Oh well. I own many jackets and coats, it's not like I will freeze to death.

I discovered a great new magazine at IMS ; Toc Toc Toc is an inspirational magazine, traveling around the world, discovering new places and people starting as an entrepreneur, presenting their brand or project.

I've also got the first of my backdrops in the mail ; am so glad this beautiful bokeh one was the one to be delivered ! I'm using it for a photo boot in a couple of weeks time ; perfect for a wedding I am doing in April. The bride-to-be was over the moon happy when I showed her this testshot. 

And talking about shoots ; my daughter {India} had the opportunity to choose some lovely items from pop-up shop Sincerely Valentine to show on her own blog. I made the pictures for that blogpost {check it out here} ; if you're a sucker for chunky knit, a visit to the pop-up store is a must-do on your list. Also, if you find the price tag too pricey, Valentine sells some DIY knit packs, including needles and all to make it yourself for under 50 euros.

 

mohair ombré knit jacket by Sincerely Valentine

Floating

© Dominica Ceuleers

As you might know by now (or not, so welcome to new followers) I'm a student in art school and more specific, photography school. On Mondays I work indoors and in studio, learning and working on my photography skills concerning product reproduction and exposing structure and materials in it's most favourable way.

Yesterday my 'material' was paper ; took me a while to finally find something nice and attractive to render and display it's structure apparent and clear.

I remembered this mini-bag from Hermès a couple of years ago online, giving everyone the opportunity to make it's own little Kelly bag. Did some research to find it again et voilà .. here it was .. the cutest template I've ever seen.
Trying to make it with some ordinary paper first so I would be sure it was easily crafted in this handmade rugged kind of paper too.

Have to admit, even my teacher was pretty impressed by my crafting skills and patience to make something tiny like this and so I began displaying it with my elements and lights in studio.
I think I might say I used some magic here as I am very happy with these first results of my floating DIY Kelly bag !

Maybe I still need to adjust my color management but I'm pretty pleased so far as the colors are true to reality.

Stay tuned for my next assignment ; this will be something extra special including high heels, a pigs heart and some fake blood !

items used in this shoot

rugged handmade paper found at Lucas
structured aquarel paper found at Pipoos
white backdrop paper found at Grobet 

Nudes

Urban Decay Naked2 pencil

Finally ! My long awaited lip pencil from the Urban Decay label has landed ! Already purchased the lipstick weeks ago but still in need to finish off my nude look with the exact same pencil color.

Am very pleased with it as it promises to be everything it should be.

It slides smoothly across your lips, leaving a perfect matte nude hue to complement natural lips or mix with the Naked2 lipstick of the same range. Meanwhile, I've been looking for a matchy-matchy nail color and some matte mousse make-up and concealer. It's easily applied with a (humid) clean sponge or brush (or fingers but that's less hygienic)and needs no extra powder as it is already pretty neat and matte by itself. 

To make the look complete I use a soft orange blush (creme) very gently on my cheeks and paint my nails with Catrice Luxury Nudes 12 Caramel Confession.

But only after I've treated them with a jojoba-oil product by Pro's.

I really love the nude/naked look ; it's a good daytime look so I can keep my fierce red lipstick color for date night and going out.

All products available at Paris XL perfumery and Kruidvat drugstores in Belgium and the Netherlands

Catrice 12 Caramel Confession nailpolish

New in Store

© Dominica Ceuleers

Happy Monday everyone ! Time to present the latest perfume in the Byredo series.

This extraordinary scent of dry wood is the most recent perfume of the Swedish perfume house ; cedar is without a doubt one of the scents that our nose recognizes most easily.

Reminiscent of pencil shavings, it evokes a sense of nostalgia for school days and simpler times.

Evocative of log cabins and Scandinavian furniture, cedar adds warmth the overtly modern.

In the perfumer's palette, it has the power to inject energy and lend verticality to a fragrance.

Super Cedar has notes of rose petals - Virginian cedar wood, silk musk and Haitian vetiver.

Available at Parfuma Antwerp or stay in and order from your couch ! 

instagram marble is the new black

Are you guys also as much addicted to Instagram as I do ? Do you glance at your smartphone first thing in the morning to see how many hearts your account has gained ?
Even before checking your mails ?

Then you are Insta-addicted, just like me. The world can be such a shitty place sometimes and I just don't want to wake up hearing all terrible news first thing in the morning. I'm a morning person and don't have morning moodiness but I do like to wake up in slow-mood ; that's why I wake up early and take my time to shower, pamper myself and get dressed without rushing.
Love to watch all beautiful pictures posted by the people I follow while my bath is running. When I'm dressed and enjoying my first coffee, the Insta-peek continues at my kitchen table.

My Insta-week was light and airy ; I did a lot of photographing for my Architectural class and took a lot of whitewashed pictures of interiors. My schoolwork involves a lot of shooting and I often notice it reflects my Insta-mood too.

The picture of Serge Gainsbourg was an hommage to the 25th anniversary of his passing ; although I hate smoking, smoke is a beautiful 'prop' on any picture.
That's why I decided to shoot fabric for my Object + Matter in such a way, that it looked like a wisp, rising up to the air ..

I got a lot of positive response on this one ; hope my teacher likes it too !