sunset soliloquy

   

"all that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream"

A palette of crumbling cracked concrete, ashen marble slabs littered haphazardly in a ghostly blueprint, and dull olivine grassy groundcoverings surely presents itself as a seemingly desolate destination, void of any aesthetic appeal. Complimented by the light shuffling of palms blowing in the beach-soaked wind, the afternoon rose-quartz glow of a dying sun and the occasional buzzing of lonely crows nestled in branches above, the air is heavy. Heavy with time, heavy with memory, heavy with history.

The attraction to such a place can seem quirkily contradictory for some -- but for me, it's only fitting. Is there such a heaviness? With feet sinking into the sand, perhaps yes…but with each gust of breeze washing through the rows of stone, the energy is in a way, cleared. These souls are gone, of course, and only structural markings remain.

Metallic tones of chrome, antique gold, bright copper and deep bronze can indeed offer a lightness -- bringing in a contemporary set of texture, color and shine to an otherwise rustic landscape. When these elements are paired with a sophisticated wardrobe of dark bohemian pieces (embroidered fringe ponchos, a 20's-inspired emerald minidress and a crisp lace-up tunic) an entirely new mood emanates about. Who is this girl? The late afternoon sun so deftly dances off each sewn sequin, each crystal charm, each strand of chain, mimicking the way she flows through each sitting grave. She leaves an almost tangible trail, aside from her light footsteps imprinted in grey sand below. There is a certain aura about. Is it….hope? Is it….strength? Nothing intentional as she passes through for just a few minutes, but the effect is lasting. The grave markers stand almost as a sleepy audience, silently observing her path. Just as fast as she appeared, she continues on her way out, in tandem with the sun as it begins to creep behind trees and below the horizon. A slight air of wonder is left about, and any tension lifted. One crow feather gently skims across the concrete trail, out of sight.

Model: Emily Geer
Jewelry / Styling: Quiet Lion Creations by Allison Beth Cooling
All photos copyright Allison Beth Cooling

COPYRIGHT

Because I take all photos for my blog, the images within this post are all copyright Allison Beth Cooling for Quiet Lion Creations.
If you'd like permission to use a photo, email me at allison@quietlioncreations.com

Spring's Spell Lookbook

Spring's Spell: feminine, flirty dresses and accessories that fit perfectly into spring's romantic new beginnings. For men, that means tailored pieces with a sharp sense of style. Combining grungy brick, cracked concrete and an "alleyway" landscape made for the perfect backdrop. Contrasting this with fresh spring foliage and flowers, sweet silhouettes and graphic prints completed the "opposites attract" look. All pieces used in shoot are available at generation bliss, or on generationbliss.com. Lookbook shot on-scene in Lemont, Illinois.
Modeled by Ela, Olivia and Andrew Czupta. All photos copyright Allison Beth Cooling for generation bliss.

black rose

/ / / i painted it black, i know how you don't like normal things / / /
x x x


Photos copyright Allison Beth Cooling for Quiet Lion Creations

midsummer night dreaming

So, it's only taken about a month and a half to get this post up. Things have come up, things have gotten in the way, but, we've finally made it! Group cheer!

We're on the Bayou. The Bayou Bend. I first saw this place on Google, when I was researching spots and sights in Houston before my trip. Seemed legit. We pulled up (a quick right, before a bunch of high rise condos but on Memorial Drive, which is surrounded by parks and forests) and saw a very silver, very contemporary, building. Question mark. I had hoped it was the right place, but Siri assured it was and you don't argue with her.

We walked into the building, the art museum part of Bayou Bend, and was greeted by the desk lady. We told her we were here to see the gardens, paid our $5 or $10 admission fee (can't remember, but it was worth it no doubt), and were given a small round sticker with an Art Nouveau leaf illustration on it. She said we were to walk down behind the building, find a bridge, cross it, and enter the gardens. This could be really good, or really bad.

We left the building, looked around - still no sign of this grandiose garden extraordinaire Google had promised. Just a bunch of trees, small road leading down a hill, and condos on the other side. We walked down the road a bit to a landing parking lot, and wooden bridge slowly emerged from behind leafless trees.  Check ✓. A river flowed under it, complete with sandy brown water and plenty of gnarly branches. I could make out some sort of small iron dwelling at the other end of said bridge. We got closer, and were again met with another woman- she quickly checked we had stickers and let us pass. What is….. your name? What is…your quest? What is…. your favorite color? Blue. Ok, you can go. Making our way across this  (surprisingly swingy and precarious) bridge, I snapped some shots carefully until we made it to the other side.

There it was… the ever-elusive garden. Gardens. The eyes were met with mossy Greco-Roman statues, juicy green foliage, neatly manicured shrubs, hedges, gently weathered stone and the hint of some massive structure in the distance. Flecks of pinks, purples, violets and crimson peeked out of the ✿ flowerbeds ❀, which were currently being tended to by straw hat-bearing landscapers.

The first section boasted a circular garden, highlighting a sitting Greek goddess (Demeter?) surrounded by carefully placed brick, feathery ferns, evergreens and pretty purple pansies.

After walking thorough this alcove, I was surprised when the whole garden opened up, revealing a large span of grass, dotted with mature, knobby trees. On the left, the garden pushed back, housing a huge, double-sided fountain and statue of Artemis. On the right, the Mansion. It sat upon a hill, overlooking its grand belongings.

Traveling to the back of the gardens, which were mainly filled with different types of deciduous trees, the look likened to an English garden mood. This area contained yet another fountain, a butterfly garden, plenty of detailed iron work and some fern-filled ravines. In the very back sat the camellia plants - which, I had never seen before and thus they required a lot of photo space on my SD card. Camellias were Chanel's favorite flower, and I can see why. This was also the bee hangout. Tiptoe lightly to not get stung.

On a side note - one of the weirdest things about Houston, in general - their tree situation. I saw palm trees, evergreens, trees with no leaves, trees with fall orange and brown leaves, and then fully bright green-leaved trees. One word; confused. It's just the climate I guess. 

When we finally had trekked the full length of the gardens, saw all there was to be seen, I reluctantly made my way back towards the front. Past the iron dwelling, and over the bridge again, saying my goodbyes. Back to the parking lot it was. With a camera full of photos and plenty of new inspiration, it was surely a good trip.

Enjoy these shots, but remember, all photos are COPYRIGHT Allison Beth Cooling, so please DO NOT repost without crediting me and linking to me. If you would like permission to use a photo, just contact me here.

Bayou Bend Museum and Gardens
6003 Memorial Dr.
Houston, TX 77007
(713) 639-7750
visit website

tagged with: photography, summer, photoblogging, garden, travel, photo blogger, houston, travel photography,
texas, flowers, bayou, bayou bend