marlene lillian blogs.

:) I love shooting boudoir

Sat, 19 May 2012 20:08:09 -0400

:) I love shooting boudoir

More beauty…still on that black and white kick, sounds...

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:03:37 -0400

More beauty…still on that black and white kick, sounds like I have a series coming up ;-)

Model: Jourdyn

Hair and Makeup: Saj Mack

Photography: Marlene Lillian

Some more random fashion…finally catching up on...

Sun, 13 May 2012 22:35:02 -0400

Some more random fashion…finally catching up on projects!

Model: Chloe

MUA: Thomas Gaddis

Hair: Marion Merenivitch

Wardrobe: Maria Ah

Photographer: Marlene Lillian

A little random beauty from a few weeks back :) Model: Jourdyn...

Sat, 12 May 2012 21:31:00 -0400

A little random beauty from a few weeks back :)

Model: Jourdyn Alexis

MUA: Thomas Gaddis

Hair: Marion Merenivitch

Wardrobe: (er, headpiece) Olori Swank

Photographer: Marlene Lillian

Long time, no blog… Two weeks ago I was back home in DC...

Tue, 08 May 2012 23:09:11 -0400

Long time, no blog…

Two weeks ago I was back home in DC (!), to shoot the Dark Room Collective Reunion Tour, along with photographer/poet Rachel Eliza Griffiths.

The DRC was established in a Victorian in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the late 80s. Founders Thomas Sayers Ellis (who also happens to be a ridiculously talented photographer and one of my mentors), Sharan Strange and Janice Lowe created the Collective with hopes of sustaining a community for young Black writers to flourish. Alumni include Pulitzer prize winners Natasha Tretheway and Tracy K. Smith, along with Kevin Young, John Keene, Major Jackson, and Tisa Bryant.

It was an honor to be in shared space among such literary giants, and the reading was off the chain. I’m still on an emotional/creative high as I think back to this magical weekend. Everything happens for a reason, be it a blessing or a lesson, and for me, this gathering was a combination of the two. I’m really inspired to get back into writing poetry as much as I did in my Howard years, letting words render me vulnerable again :)

I’m only posting a few photos but you can check out the rest here.

"You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before she may love again. But if she..."

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 04:41:49 -0400

“You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? She’s not perfect - you aren’t either, and the two of you may never be perfect together but if she can make you laugh, cause you to think twice, and admit to being human and making mistakes, hold onto her and give her the most you can. She may not be thinking about you every second of the day, but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break - her heart. So don’t hurt her, don’t change her, don’t analyze and don’t expect more than she can give. Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she’s not there.”

- Bob Marley

I dream frequently of water. of swimming, of drowning, of...

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 04:38:33 -0400

I dream frequently of water.

of swimming,

of drowning,

of floating,

of being submerged,

of cool and warm current against my skin

of blue and green

of coming up for air

treading, always treading.

From Sunday’s shoot! Had a lot of fun :) Model:...

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 02:48:50 -0400

From Sunday’s shoot! Had a lot of fun :)

Model: Jen

Makeup: Thomas Gaddis

Hair: Marion Merenivitch

Wardrobe: Kelvin Parker

Wardrobe Styling: Brandon Lewis

Photography: Marlene Lillian

‘I need to see the other side, the other...

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 18:19:55 -0400

‘I need to see the other side, the other side…’

Amazing amazing amazing x a million grillion.

"Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful."

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:14:41 -0400

“Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.”

- John Wooden

Macau, 2011

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 01:18:02 -0400

Macau, 2011

Photo

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 23:32:43 -0400

"Who wants a rose must respect the thorn."

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:46:53 -0400

“Who wants a rose must respect the thorn.”

- Persian proverb

Louis has a great smile :)

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 20:06:24 -0400

Louis has a great smile :)

Random shot from my Afro-Cuban dance documentary project a few...

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:02:44 -0400

Random shot from my Afro-Cuban dance documentary project a few years back, these group of beautiful people became like family when I first arrived in Atlanta…oh, the memories :)

"The future belongs to those that believe in the beauty of their dreams.” ..."

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:42:07 -0400

““The future belongs to those that believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt”

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(via waldripnyc)

"If it matters, you will make time. If it doesn’t, you will make excuses."

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:44:36 -0400

“If it matters, you will make time. If it doesn’t, you will make excuses.”

Photo

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:15:03 -0400

"Love is the expression of the one who loves, not of the one who is loved. Those who think they can..."

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 10:56:04 -0400

““Love is the expression of the one who loves, not of the one who is loved. Those who think they can love only the people they prefer do not love at all. Love discovers truths about individuals that others cannot see.””

- Søren Kierkegaard (via ghdos)

Yeah this right here
(via sagittariusthoughts)

Hey Atlanta! Latent Associations opens TONIGHT at Arnika Dawkins...

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:51:40 -0500

Hey Atlanta! Latent Associations opens TONIGHT at Arnika Dawkins Gallery! :)

4600 Cascade Road, Atlanta GA 30331, 7-9 p.m.

I hope to see you all there! :)