Friday, February 24, 2012

Time Travellers: Firebird Photography

Farmhand:Mattchu Love

There is something about the 70's that has always fascinated me. Although it was the decade of my birth, my memories, although vivid, are few. Sometimes it is hard to know if all of my memories are real or whether they were created by the photos I have looked at again and again. Do I really remember sitting in that high chair blowing out those candles or does that photo of me doing it create a vision in my mind not based on the actual event but more a combination of the paper image and my parents verbal account of the day.

Richard R Vargas

What I do remember clearly is color. My 70's and early 80's world seemed so much brighter than the world I see when I look around today. When you walk into most stores, houses and buildings today there seems a conspiracy of beige, browns and whites. Growing up, from t-shirts and track pants through walls and homes, vibrant turquoise and greens, blazing lemon yellows and pinks were not the visual strangers they are today.

Greasemonkey:Andrio

My mother was a thrifty woman, although 1 hour photo huts were in every mall, our family photos came in the mail. My mother used those big envelopes to send in our film for processing and four to six weeks later our images arrived. Christmas pictures got viewed around Valentines and summer vacation snaps came back around Halloween.

Cade London & Rachel Streater

Like most of you, early pictures were generally square with a white border surrounding them. Although technology allows camera's today to do so much more than they could decades ago, it somehow seemed those older images were able to tell stories so much more interesting than most of the ones being told today. Photographer Cheyne Gallarde is the author of many of these stories, stories he documents in incredible detail in each one of his images. Spending time with Cheyne's work succinctly parallels many of my memories, the colors, the brightness and especially the aura of that point in time.

Steampunk DaveD Harley Jones

Cheyne,(pronounced Shane)is the owner of Firebird Photography in Honolulu. The photographer, along with Mishy Le Fleur (Makeup magician / Hair Houdini) call themselves Time Travellers, specializing in retro and vintage inspired photography. Cheyne says their work is based on the ads and icons of bygone eras, and as you can see from the featured images, the 70's is just one stop on their visual odyssey.

Mailman:Justin McPatrick

'We are time travellers who combine fashion, color and our love of film into one retronaughty package that is as cinematic as it is camp.'
Firebird Photography

Diner BreakMicah Lee

'I named Firebird Photography after two symbolic things: The Chinese Phoenix who rises from the ashes a more beautiful creature, and the 1970's Muscle Car, the Firebird. I have shelves full of Mid-century books and encyclopedias that span the 1930's - 1970's. I am also inspired by TV shows like Mad Men, the films of Wes Anderson and the overall genius and analogue creativity of Michel Gondry.'
Cheyne Gallarde

Mike Lane & Rachel Streater

Most of the photographers I profile are storytellers, visually telling a tale through the capturing of men and moments. Firebird Photography does not settle for capturing just one moment, they go for an entire era of them. Every detail in every image and especially through color and finish, their images are not just of the 70's or the decade captured but also inspired and created from it.

Loihi

Firebird Photography
Firebird Photography on ModelMayhem

WWII Flight Mechanic:Neil Tomas

Rockabilly on the Rocks:Peter & Julie

Paper DollSaint John

Rough Seas:Lucas Shawn


The Artist:Cheyne Gallarde

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I love this set, but i to have a fondness for vintage photos, love the beefcake/physique pics from the 50's and 60's. Has the same time of feel too me.