As soon as I saw the work of photographer Sivan Askayo, I was completely mesmerized. I’ve always had a thing for photographing laundry, but she has an eye for capturing it in an entirely new light, in her series entitled Intimacy Under the Wires, which she first started in Tel Aviv. As a street photographer, now based in New York, Sivan’s other major passion is photographing street art, which she’s managed to capture around the world. All of her images are dynamic, colorful, and I can’t keep my eyes off them, so I’m happy to feature Sivan in today’s edition of Boarding Pass! Thanks, Sivan!
last trip taken:
Florence for six days last October and one day sneak peek in Venice.
Sunny afternoon in Florence.

Florence Breeze
Venice Afternoon

next trip on deck:
Hopefully Vietnam at the end of January to shoot the Tet Festival and the Lunar New Year. Didn’t get my tickets yet, but planning to do so very soon.

Part of my Laundry project. Was shot in the Gothic area in Barcelona.

one place you would go back to again and again:
Barcelona and Paris. Sexy and Romantic. I can never have enough of these cities.

Buenos Aires, Argentina. I love the nonchalant walk.

place you’d most likely recommend a friend go visit:
Buenos Aires for sure! I was there last February for 9 days and I was very impressed by some of the neighborhoods. I’ve stayed in Palermo Soho, where all the great restaurants and designer stores were. I was a photographer guest for Graffiti Mundo, and I took a lot of Graffiti and Street Art shots, as the Graffiti scene there is very strong. And above all, the weather was great, the wine was good, the chocolate was superb and the people were very friendly.
Documenting Street Art in Buenos Aires, part of Graffiti Mundo Tour.

preferred method of transportation:
Walking. Best way to see the city and exploring new places. Especially when I carry my camera with me all the time.
Sunday in San Telmo, Buenos Aires

Florence

place you’ve never been but dying to go:
Oh, there are so many: Cuba, Brazil, Shanghai to name a few .
Tea Break at Saatchi Gallery, London.

place you’d never go back:
Probably Miami. I found it quite boring. 2 visits there were more than enough.
La Butte aux Cailles, Paris.

Romantic Hideout in Giardino di Boboli, Florence.

most memorable trip in 2 sentences or less:
Barcelona. I can still hear the rattling noise of the Tapas’ small plates, mixed with people’s laughs while walking on Mallorca Street in Gracia. Looking up just to see the Casa Milla and other beautiful buildings. I will do it again in a heartbeat.

Street Art, Brixton London.
Brixton, London

how do you prepare for a trip?
I’m not a big planner. Once I decide on a location, I first check the weather to make sure there are no monsoons, flooding, snowstorms whats so ever. Then I either get a Wallpapaer City Guide to take with me and read an article or two in one of the Travel magazines or blogs I follow. I also looking for locations where I can find Graffiti and Urban Art, and I usually contact Graffiti blogs/tours for that area. Then the rest is up in the air. I let things happen and reality to surprise me. It never fails.
Paris
Table for two, Paris

how do you record your travels when you’re traveling?
Tons of photos, both with my camera and my iphone. I also write some notes to myself about places/restaurants/bars/shops I liked and would like to go back.
Nassau, the Bahamas. just 5 minutes before a rain storm.
Nassau, the Bahamas. This image always reminds me of the movie ‘City of God’.

what is your favorite thing to photograph in a new place?
Since I follow a lot of Street Artists and interested in documenting Graffiti in different places, I am very happy when I find a great Graffiti wall or a nice Mural. I also work on an ongoing project called ‘Intimacy under the Wires‘ where I shoot laundry. So when I come across a laundry hung outdoors and blowing in the wind then I must take this snap shot.
Laundry in Venice

on an average, how many pictures to you take on a trip?
Oh wow, probably hundreds, but also it depends how long is my trip. The first two days I always snap a lot, and then I slowly calm down and become more selective.
An entrance to a garage in Barcelona.

Venice

what’s in your “designer travel kit” ?
Nikon D90, 2-3 lenses, 4 memory cards, my iphone and its great photography apps for my project ‘My life in Polaroids‘ and I usually write my notes in the ‘notes’ section of the Wallpaper city guide.
Nassua, the Bahamas

what do you do after a trip? how long after a trip does this happen?
I usually download my images to my computer at the same day or a day after. But when I get home I start editing the images and then create albums on my facebook page, write a blog about it, and update my website if I get a REALLY good shot. It usually happens in the next few days after I’m back. Afterwards, I’m getting too busy and start working on other projects.
Window Shopping in Piccadilly, London.

favorite souvenir/thing to bring back?
Photography books, Graffiti and Urban Art books (don’t mind its language) vintage postcards or a good pack of dark chocolate.

LINKS

• Portfolio: sivanaskayo.com
• Intimacy Under the Wires
• Urban Art
• My Life in Polaroids
• on facebook here and here
• on flickr

The Artist’s rest, Soho, New York.

Boarding Pass is a weekly column exploring the creative ways people travel.