Why Not? Deep Sea Divers & Cosmonauts

I love the retro feel of these oxygen domes and bubble helmets, though I have no auto-erotic asphyxiation fetishes at all. It's funny how once I start collecting random images all of a sudden I keep running into related pictures every where I visit online. I like to call these little groups Theme & Variation and have done a few post about it here on Little-Pumpkins. Any suggestions?

Why not? Girls On Bikes

I went all ADD when looking up these images on Ffffound. I was just browsing around, no agenda, when this first image comes up and every time I click on it another related photo (or not) will come up. It's a fun hunt and I probably spent a good 20 minutes jumping from page to page. The results became my "Girls on Bikes" post, a mix of current and vintage images and illustrations with a hint of camp, a dash of nostalgia and a cup full of cool. Enjoy!

More Theme & Variation

I haven't done any of my Theme & Variation posts in quite a while, but my recent explorations around South Florida have lit up my "frustrated photographer" flame again. As I've said here before I am very attracted to clusters of colorful objects and things, specially when of a similar sort. I love store displays with mountains of eye catching colors, piles of plastic toys and the what-nots. I am sure this was embedded in me way back in my childhood and I haven't recovered yet, hence the Pumpkin Mansion. Here are a few more images of the tacky-licious South Florida Fair, that still will render a few more posts as I was very camera-happy that day. The fair itself was a one-time deal for me, foolishly thinking that would be something way cooler than it was: a white trash grease-fest where carnival folk lacked front teeth, if you get the drift. The teeth part is not a joke by the way. The day kinda of sucked but the pictures made my afternoon worth it.

Theme & Variation - More Rua da Alfandega

On my previous post about Rua da Alfandega, I might have missed to mention the chaotic foot traffic that, together with the narrow streets and on-the-sidewalk discount bins, can make anyone scream and run home. If that does not discourage you, that's the place to find good bargains in Rio, specially if you are in the market for a new carnaval costume. It's already October and the cariocas are already planning what they are going to wear comes February. There are a good dozen shops that cater to beads, rhinestones, materials, feathers and all things carnaval-related. If you are the lazy/uncreative type there are also places that will sell you the head-to-toe ensembles, just like they do on Halloween in North America. The best known shop is called Casa Turuna, that occupies a large chunk of the corner of Rua da Alfandega and Rua Senhor dos Passos. Casa Turuna, founded in 1915, is the paradise (or the claustrophobic's nightmare) for carnaval paraphernalia and accessories. Just simply ask for "it" and they sell it there. In such an eclectic place you may also purchase your maid's uniform, no not a costume, an actual uniform for "the help" so your cleaning lady or butler can look sharp when you have guests over. Among the mix you will even find Candomble's religious iconography, clothing and what-nots, that seems like an odd place to carry that stuff, but what the heck - that's Brazil to you.

Theme & Variation - Rua da Alfandega

I keep noticing a certain pattern to the things that appeal to me in the photographs I've been taking recently. I am very attracted to images of clusters of repeat objects or things. I love neat store shelves and supermarket aisles, specially when I see rows of a repeat products perfectly aligned in a pattern. I find beauty also in everyday things that have been casually grouped, without prior thought. I guess I just like visual repetition of a theme or color. It could be a row of chairs, a discount bin, a stack of plastic bowls or a stylized shop window. I don't have any aspirations or claim to be a good photographer, nor do I use professional equipment, so pardon my lack of technique. My little Sony camera is serving me very well so far. I decided to name this new series "Theme & Variation" to paraphrase Piero Fornasetti, one of my favorite designers of all times.

All these images here were taken at Rua da Alfandega, in downtown Rio, that is a popular (read low-end) shopping area. There are about 6 or 7 rows of long narrow streets, chock full of "stuff" for sale, spreading out of the stores into the side walks. They call this area SAARA, the name of it's commercial association, and it's well known as a bargain hunter's paradise. There you can buy carnaval costumes, boot-leg DVDs, budget kid's toys, clothing, house goods and anything else you can imagine. Nowadays there is a new wave of Korean and Chinese merchants flooding the streets with Made in Asia discount merchandise, from electronics to cheap plastic stuff. It's definitely worth the visit, if not to shop just for the Brazilian cultural experience.

Inflatable Toys & Bouncing Balls

Power Rangers, Strawberry Shortcakes, Astro Boys, Spider Men, Hello Kitties, dinosaurs, leopards and much more! These colorful inflatables were for sale at the entrance of the Rio de Janeiro Zoo this Sunday morning. Love it!