SO THE ASSIGNMENT WAS EASY TO CREATE THE QUINTESSENTIAL FALL TABLETOP STORY ON A BEAUTIFUL RANCH IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THE HARD PART? SHOOT IN JULY! (NO BUDGET TO FLY TO A DIFFERENT HEMISPHERE...) When I got the call, my first thought was to ring Gail Claridge, primo interior designer and owner of a beautiful horse ranch surrounded by citrus trees. We had not only featured Gail's design work in endless decorating magazines but she had also graciously lent us her previous home as a location for the fashion pages styled for Victoria magazine. This, below, was one of my favorite images from then... but that's a whole other story -- and blog post! Coming up with ideas for the tabletop was easy. Making a potpouri of cinnamon sticks and berries in old enameled pails... Floating votive lights carved into apples in a vintage galvanized tub... And creating a lush centerpiece of fall apples surrounded by amber-colored china and stemmed glasses... The fall leaves we scattered around were no problem-- not available in stores during July but I discovered a stash in my prop closet. We tossed them around before we shot each scenario... And used them to fashion garlands... ...and autumn wreaths. But what about the summer green boughs in the background? How do we get from this on the left to this on the right? By having our master photographer, Mark Lohman, to use his wondrous photoshopping skills -- And voila! From leafy green branches to golden fall ones! AND, NOW, THE LAST HURDLE... WHAT TO DO WHEN THE MAGAZINE WOULD LIKE A MODEL IN THE STORY BUT THERE'S NO MODEL BUDGET? No problemo -- I grab the boots brought as props for one of the vignettes... And jump in... Whatever it takes for a successful shoot! AND WHAT A LONG DAY! PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK LOHMAN...STYLING BY SUNDAY HENDRICKSON
CENTERPIECE, WREATH, VOTIVE APPLES AND POTPOURRI DESIGN BY MANHATTAN ROSE MAREK STORY EDITOR FIFI O'NEILL LOCATION COURTESY OF GAIL CLARIDGE INTERIOR DESIGN
30 Comments
Penny at Enjoying The Simple Things
9/25/2020 03:28:22 am
Love seeing behind the scenes!
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sunday
9/25/2020 11:46:51 am
Thank you, Penny -- there's so many stories to tell!
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Maggie Gulati
9/25/2020 01:13:24 pm
People don’t realize all the effort and the genius that goes into such a beautiful photo shoot. You are a miracle worker. As is Mark!
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sunday
9/30/2020 05:28:36 pm
Thank you, Maggie (and Luigi)!
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sunday
9/30/2020 05:29:25 pm
Yes! Our little getaway...
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Rita
9/25/2020 01:15:41 pm
What inspiration! Thanks so much - I’ll be floating votive stuffed apples this weekend. What a wonderful Victoria photo! That outfit!
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sunday
9/30/2020 05:32:01 pm
I know! That was my fav cover I did with them.
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Donna R Holton
9/25/2020 01:49:21 pm
LOVE your boots! makes me so home sick for our 1878 farmhouse in Ontario!
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sunday
9/30/2020 05:33:09 pm
I think those boots need to amble on up to that Ontario farmhouse this year, don't you?
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9/25/2020 02:20:57 pm
This is so creative and inspiring to see the magic behind the scenes. Thank you!
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sunday
9/30/2020 05:34:14 pm
Well, Reenie, comments like yours inspire ME to keep on inspiring you! Grazie.
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Manhattan
9/25/2020 02:27:25 pm
This shoot was turned out great! So glad we were able to fly the model in from Milano to help us out! ;)
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sunday
9/30/2020 05:35:03 pm
Very funny.
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sunday
9/30/2020 05:36:14 pm
Well, yes! It was YOUR vision, Chickie!
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Joyce
9/25/2020 04:33:29 pm
The model was the crowning touch to a great article!
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sunday
9/30/2020 05:37:06 pm
I agree! I hear there's really good genes in her family...
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Doreen McWhirter
9/25/2020 06:25:28 pm
Nice work and very cool creations by Ms. Hat!
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sunday
9/30/2020 05:38:33 pm
I KNOW! And Ms. Hat did a lot of the post production, too.
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Donna Norris
9/26/2020 02:26:48 pm
The little girl with the red shoes on the cover of Victoria magazine was my absolute favorite!!!
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sunday
9/30/2020 05:40:06 pm
Thanks, Donna!
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9/28/2020 06:24:48 am
Sunday...you could pull off a beautiful summer day on a gloomy winter's day!...you are truly the magician..so talented. Beautiful, beautiful setting!
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sunday
9/30/2020 05:41:00 pm
Thank you, Shirley!
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sunday
9/30/2020 05:42:27 pm
Su, did you notice that they're the same little red shoes that I used in the current shoot?
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Jayne McLeod
9/30/2020 07:08:51 am
How lovely ... You do pretty amazing work ! It brings a smile and such joy to my heart. Tthank you for sharing such beauty. Jayne
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sunday
9/30/2020 05:43:09 pm
Ahhhh, thank you, Jayne!
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11/15/2020 06:57:10 am
Spending a delightful morning catching up with you sweet Sunday. There could be no lovelier model for this glorious autumnal shoot. I so enjoyed your Eureka Spring posts. It filled me with so much wonderful inspiration. Have a wonderful week dear friend!
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10/17/2021 11:10:47 am
Sunday, I just saw this photo shoot. OMG. I can't get over it. You create magic. AND happiness. AND inspired us. That cover photo of Victoria--I kept all my issues from the late '80s until I don't remember when. But maybe 30 years...thank you for sharing the beauty that is you and that follow wherever you are.
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