Anatomy of this Outfit:
Sweater – vintage | Pants – UO | Socks – Adidas | sneakers – Nike Cortez*


Vintage Cortez Outfit - lovefromberlin.net

I was recently watching some i-d videos on youtube one morning when it dawned on me that it has been a very long time since I have simply created art. Although I am creating things I am passionate about through my work on LFB and as a freelance photographer, neither of these paths have much to do with creating fine art. The content and imagery that is associated with Love from Berlin, while being entirely creative is not art. And my professional photography, while also visual, has more to do with aesthetic story telling than creating pieces of artwork.

Vintage Cortez Outfit - lovefromberlin.net

So then what is art? Well in my personal opinion (I am definitely no expert!), when it comes to photography, it is about exploration of visual motives as well as an exploration of themes and emotions through imagery. It is about trying to say something through showing rather than through speaking or writing. While all together personal and intimate for the artist creating it, photography that I deem as art is just as personal and intimate for the viewer. Which is why I would not call the images I take for LFB or the images I take as a professional photographer art. I would say it is content creation and recording.

Vintage Cortez Outfit - lovefromberlin.net

Now don’t get me wrong – I love creating imagery for LFB and I love taking photos of weddings and don’t even really mind shooting events. Both of these chosen career paths allow me to constantly create new things and continue to develop my eye and grow as a photographer. The photos I take for LFB and the freelance photography work I do IS inherently creative and this is why I love what I do. But I would not consider it something worthy of being hung in a fine arts gallery.

Vintage Cortez Outfit - lovefromberlin.net

Now I would argue that some of my work straddles the line between content creation/documentation and art – there are several shots of buildings and cityscapes for example that I have taken which veer more in the direction of art as I am trying to explore and understand the visual world around me through these images. And then there is my meagre collection of portraits of other people which straddle the line between lifestyle portraiture and art.

Vintage Cortez Outfit - lovefromberlin.net

But when it comes to my own artistic process, I want to pursue this and actually work towards the exploration of certain themes rather than document already existing beautiful things or create content for something already understood. I want to challenge and cause people to question and want to explore what they visually see even further.

Vintage Cortez Outfit - lovefromberlin.net

There are so many photographic projects that I have rolling around in my mind completely unrelated to LFB or wedding photography. Some date back all the way to high school, but have been placed on the back burner ages ago. I know that part of being an adult means having to prioritise. But I want to prioritise some of my time not only for creation but for the consumption of art created by other people as well. After all, some of my most cherished time spent alone has been the company I have kept with paintings in different museums all around the world.

Vintage Cortez Outfit - lovefromberlin.net

I am proud of what I do, even if there are still scores of people who do not understand blogging and think of it as a purely egotistical and self-absorbed endeavor. Because I know better. I know that bloggers work very hard at what they do and are constantly stressed out because they are worried about creating the best content possible for the benefit of not themselves but their readers. Still, there is something I need to do as an artist at heart that is arguable entirely selfish, and that is to start to create again; create things that mean something and create things that mean nothing. Bleed it out of me with the click of a shutter but with pencil and paper and with as well. I have yet to sit down for a retrospective of this past year as NYE approaches. I have yet to draw up a list of resolutions. But I can say this – in 2017 I will be striving to create outside of my work life – whether it is photographic or with other tools available to me. My ultimate goal is to exhibit something anything by this time next year. And I hope you guys will be along for the ride.

Photography: Sara T Photo for Zalando x Nike Cortez*


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Stay conscious, Rae

Rae Tilly

Rae the EIC of LFB and YEOJA Magazine. She is also a photographer and social media influencer.

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  • it’s a really nice post to end 2017. full of retrospective yet hopeful for the future. i admire people who pursue their dream, trying to put it on a medium for the world to see because it’s what making them alive. but also their way to contribute to others in their own (rather unconventional) way. i do believe what’s considered as art is in the eye of the beholder. yet there are stuffs in which they don’t have to be completely artsy. sometimes it’s just a capture of the moment or a framed expression. but they could evoke something that probably transcend beyond artsy category. (do i make sense? nah? i should stop having coffee past 4pm hah)

    hoping your 2017 would be even better and wishing you could pursue whatever it is that makes your heart full. also wishing everything great and amazing would come your way. looking forward for another year with you and this blog, rae <3

  • Alya Mooro

    Great read, I’ve been thinking the same lately. I used to spend hours writing poetry or just writing for the sake of writing, I want to try find more time to do that next year.

    moorizZLA xx

  • A great goal, and an exciting plan!
    Making art is such a thrill and I agree with a lot of your points here. I’ve always had this debate about design vs. art. A lot of what I might do for blogging is design, and a lot of what I do for work is design, but sometimes it straddles the line of art, too. The line is so fuzzy though! I think your explanation that art is usually an exploration of a theme or something deeper is pretty apt

  • Beautiful look! Love the different layering :)
    xx Fiona THEDASHINGRIDER.com

  • WhatWouldVWear

    Love your goal and how you want to incorporate art into your photography! To me, it has always been an outlet where you can express yourself with! Alone the way you edit your pics (visually) is art in itself. Anyhow, you look gorge, love!

    Happy New Year, babe!

    xoxo, Vanessa
    http://www.WhatWouldVWear.com

  • Lovely post and photos as well.
    http://zunera-serena.com/

  • I think that art is always something deeper, something that caught our attention and we feel like we need to know more and explore that. Your goal is amazing and you’re always such a creative person. Never stop following your dreams bc that’s something I admire of you!

    http://www.blossomikebana.com

  • Definitely will be here for that! Can’t wait to see what’s in store for you for 2017!

    Happy New Year Rae :)

    -Christine
    http://www.christinelovestotravel.com

  • That is an awesome goal! I think I’d like to be more mindful when I take pictures so they turn out better, haha.

  • Definitely agree with this, a few of the photos I took travelling are more towards the art style and I feel like I create artistic stories for my blog because that’s what I love but there’s definitely more art I could create. But that’s definitely a great goal (I typed that as goat, which are also pretty great)
    The Quirky Queer

  • You look so gorgeous!

    Have an amazing new year lovely ,

    http://www.thewhimsicalwildling.com

  • Len Dela Peña Parent

    You look absolutely AMAZING, Rae. It was nice seeing you again!
    Thanks for sharing this look!
    HAPPY NEW YEARRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Much love, Len
    http://www.lenparent.com

  • Heck yes! You go girl! I have a friend who has been pursuing her creative endeavors in college, and the description in her Instagram is “for the art of things,” which I think is beautiful :) -Audrey | Brunch at Audrey’s

  • This was a really interesting read Rae! I’ve thought about it myself. Most of the photos I take for my blog are more for recording purposes and I’m taking photos of things or scenes that are already interesting or beautiful. At the same time, you can take bad pictures of those things as well so maybe there’s an art to content creation?

  • Sophie Lee

    I’m so in love with this style of you, chic and cozy <3

    xoxo, Cool men fashion