`As If, I Am Totally Buggin’

“I’ve always had an affinity for video game arcades. Growing up in the 90’s I have fond early memories of “Spectrum” the dark, dirty arcade down the road from my crib in Northbridge. It was not a well-kept establishment but the flashing lights and erratic sounds made its dustier corners a moot point. Nowadays it’s hard to turn a corner pop-culturally without being reminded of those fond pre-adolescent times. Although the 80’s seems to be more in vogue currently, it is all reminiscent for me.” introduces photographer Cole Baxter his latest work to us before taking us on this little time travel.

“I shoot by decree with environmental light only, so with those confines self-set an arcade shoot was inevitably on the cards. Perhaps the last one-off arcade (basically just not Time Zone) in Perth is Leisure Island. So to capture that grit and dustiness that was the thin decorative cover of one of the bastions of my youth. Leisure Island was a no brainer to centre the shoot around.
The Muse, Sylvie Parsonage, personified the energy I was looking for to shine through in this photo series. Her look and attitude jumps right out at you even before there’s a camera lens framing her. Once we did commence the shoot I realised I’d struck gold right off the first shutter release.

“Nostalgia porn? Either way this Golden Age Thinking motif is sure to resonate with many a sentimental soul of having grown up in eras past.”

Sylvie’s comfort in front of the camera is ever-present, dishing out looks that perfectly characterize the mood I’d dreamt of for the outcome of this shoot.
The title being “As if, I am Totally Buggin’” are two utterances by the protagonist Cher from the 90’s era-classic Clueless. What this film means to me and a generation was a world of cool and today is a time capsule from a mood I felt invested into without ever being a part of.
To round off Sylvie’s look, style and gamut of poses personified the emotions I wanted to highlight through the lens amid the ambience of Leisure Island’s blissful, past-era drenched back drop. Nostalgia porn? Either way this Golden Age Thinking motif is sure to resonate with many a sentimental soul of having grown up in eras past.