23.11.09

star quality: ash



Last Friday, I was in Camden meeting my journalist friend Stella for lunch and I was so impressed with the local colour - felt like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, after being in the black & white Kansas of the Knightsbridge/Chelsea area for so long - that I stayed and snapped away.

I don't know if other street style bloggers do this, but whoever I shoot, I give my card, and ask them to email me so I can send them the shots. You'd be amazed at how few respond. I just keep printing more cards. Yet what amazes me is this: it's the most photogenic ones who tend to contact me.



Case in point: Ash. He sent me an email right away, and I asked him if there was anything interesting about his clothes he could tell me, or where's he from.. whatever. Here's his reply, exactly as he typed it (granted, my txt msgs r far worse!). Heed the name Ashley Toweel, boys & girls, because this guy is going to be a star.

Hey Jill
Um the jacket is my dads from the late 80's when he was a proffessional boxer. Ittle bit interesting. The rest is random bits and pieces. I live upstairs so had just gotten out of bed for a coggie..and went straight back there.haha.I'm a singer/actor from australia. Just came over for a few months until I come back next year to stay for a year or so but had a few possible work opportunities with my singing coming up here so just waiting to see if anything happens before i head back.My local in Australia is actually Camden to and have fallen in love with Camden/London. Despite the cold. All good bout the pics whenever your ready.
Hope that's alright
Ash.x

. . . . .

It certainly is, Ash. And as a tribute to your dad, one of my favourite all time songs, ever. The picture seems stuck, just like the lump in my throat when I play it.

Tho isn't it strange: after changes upon changes, we are more or less the same. After changes we are more or less the same.

15 comments:

Susan said...

oh wow, love his style :)
have a lovely week, xoxo

Cafe Fashionista said...

I like the mix of rock & roll and bohemian influences in his style. Very nice. :)

Anonymous said...

He looks pretty hot! I love the fact he's jut got out of bed.. and is heading right back there.... errr, room for one more?! lol
xx

Leah said...

Hi there! I've been following your blog for quite some time already. That's why I popped comments whenever I see interesting people shots.

Ash is truly an Aussie guy. I can't help but look at his flipflops.

Have a great week!

Taylor said...

He had me at "Australia".
If everyone could look that good rolling out of bed.
Good luck to you, Ash!

Pearl Westwood said...

I did wonder why he was ruining it with flip-flops, but now he explained I will let him off! Great look!
Like the new ups and downs on your side bar!!
Oh and before I forget again my email is;
fashionpearlsofwisdom@googlmail.com
Its right at the very bottom of my blog - must move it actually as most people dont spot it!
x Pear

Pearl Westwood said...

Erm I meant Pearl not Pear I haven't gotten a new nick name!

Style Odyssey said...

Cute man, awesome casual style. Ok let's be honest- he's hot!

Nothing whatsoever wrong with wearing flip-flops...I mean, flip-flops with virtually anything. I know, I know...flip-flops would probably be a "don't" with some ensembles, but I can't help it; it's my 'Island Girl' surfacing! Plus, J, don't I have a great excuse to wear flip-flops with anything? ;)

Here's to a great week!
xoxo

emmajaneallen said...

I can already hear the accent and it sounds beautiful in my head. He is such a rock star. I adore the fact that he just got out of bed, he is just dripping with attitude.

I'm hooked.

Please say you took more photos of him!!! ;]

x

Dream Sequins said...

I love your storytelling style. Ash is def rockstar ready.

Hope you are well, Jill xx D

Cat Ludwig Studio said...

Wonderful back story! I will remember his name. What a cutie:)

IAMTHEANGELNEGRO said...

COOL BOY!

J´DORE!

Julia said...

Stunning and fun! I love that he was so forward in emailing you immediately. I've found that most people don't bother but do act super flattered and what not when they receive cards from my friends that shoot parties/events. But I'm almost positive they at least went to check out the images.

Funny sidebar back to Dior, I actually met with the head of their PR at an event and told her how awful I thought the wigs were and how boring the windows are...Dior is about glamor and fantasy! Not recreating ads. And she agreed with me but said they couldn't do anything to the windows because the orders came from their head office and that was that. I know a lot of houses function like this [Burberry and Chanel do as well and honestly it shows] but I wish they'd listen to people who shop there and document it. I've heard many women scuff at the displays as they walk into the shop to purchase items.

I'm going to try my best to keep my thank you to your comment short but it really moved me. I reread it several times and I don't even know where to begin. Your words were so kind and thoughtful and I really appreciated that you took the time and effort to not only share your thoughts but not judge me in the manner some people choose to judge me. I found it rather amusing how many people opted to be anonymous to point their fingers at me as if I had truly done something wrong. Especially since they chose to project their ideas of homeless people and ignore the fact that he was compensated and freely choose to partake in the idea. He used to go up to the art director almost daily talking about how excited he was to be in this shoot and we ran into him a few days before I posted the shoot on the street and he said he couldn't wait to see them [we're giving him prints so he can hang them in his little cove] I wonder what he would think or say if he read the comments.

dot said...

Julia: (modelizer) please don't ever feel you need to apologise for the length of a comment - as anyone who has a blog will attest, I leave the longest comments!!! (I blame my 9th grade typing teacher, a skill we never thought we'd need as no one planned to be 'someone's secretary' - but I now do type faster than I think, then hit send - not always a good thing! ; )

It's been my experience in this short time, too, that the few times I've received negative comments, it's ALWAYS been from 'anonymous' people. To me that's the height of bullying. I have always felt that all bullies are, at core, cowards, and this is a perfect example.

I have such mixed feelings about comments... have you seen that Jane of Sea of Shoes has decided to do away with hers? I am so full of admiration for that bold move, but I'm still not big enough to need to do it, as I simply don't get enough negative feedback - yet!

Will paste this onto your blog, too. THANK YOU for telling me this, it is such a moving story. If anyone is reading this and hasn't seen Julia's post, walk don't run to Modelizer! Actually: I'm going to do a little 'hat's off' about it.

Julia said...

I was told by a close friend that I should have turned my comments off but in all honesty I didn't expect that kind of reaction nor the amount of traffic from so many people linking it!

I find Jane's no comment policy a bit strange and takes away from an interaction her fans have grown to be able to participate in. Although she never replied and probably didn't read most of them [let's not fool ourselves here], people liked the idea to be able to share their thoughts with her and her readers. Also, unfortunately, the amount of comments someone receives in a post shows a sign of success and it might look a little bit weird to possible future sponsors. But who knows, I might be wrong.

In regards to my non reflection, it's a really simple thing! I shoot mostly at night so I can avoid a lot of reflections [outside of traffic lights and street lights, grrr] but that's it. None of the shops do anything differently for me and I wish I could get inside the displays, but alas that is not possible. When I shoot during the day I try to compose with the city as an added bonus but often times details get lost/harder to see.

I want to see Fantastic Mr. Fox because the displays were so stunning, perhaps over the Thanksgiving holiday if I have the time. I'm assuming the figures are from the movie because it's a sponsored window and the cost to recreate that would have never been approved by the window team.

I hope I answered everything and thank you again for your unbelievably sweet support <3