in appreciation of photo assistants' labor: sept post 2

This being the eve of Labor Day Weekend here in the US, I have to take a moment to appreciate the freelance photo assistants who work with me. Man, do I appreciate their labor! It's not just the luxury of having extra hands, a stronger back than mine and more eyes on a photo shoot. I simply wouldn't be able to do my job. 
(Above, the photo assistant is NOT shown--but instead, the reflectors and diffusers and light absorber that he was juggling for the day, shown with Jill Draper, on a photo shoot for her last week)

I used to need photo assistants with  technical expertise in electronic lighting, because that's what we worked with on every photo shoot. These days, the electronic lighting plays a much smaller role, and the photo assistants need to be good at wielding reflectors, seeing the effects, and keeping track of wardrobe, and making sure I don't try to carry heavy things and hurt myself, and a million other details, and not to mention, be interested in the subject of knitting and yarn. Or at least know how to look interested. An assistant who looks bored to tears on a shoot does not make a good impression.  It's not an easy job.
Above: Yliana, who works with me in a few different roles, turning the corner of a very narrow room into a totally reflective light asset by hanging a reflective cloth and squinching up in the corner with a flexible reflector. It was super uncomfortable physically, but it was perfect for the shot we wanted to get.

I seriously appreciate anyone who works for me. I hope that the beautiful places we get to work at--or the quirky ones, or the ones that are usually off limits  but we get access--- make up for the less-than-pleasant parts of the job. Above, between takes at  Locust Lawn, a Hudson Valley historic house, with Jill Draper, while shooting for her last week. 

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As for this weekend, I'll be laboring at making the costumes and float for our annual neighborhood parade entry with friends, praying the hurricane/tropical storm veers away from us, and working on my entry into this year's pie contest (tart division, thankyouverymuch)  too.
PS if you have a killer tart (sweet not savory) recipe, spill now!

To give you a sense of our level of commitment: last year's float was Clam Bed-- we rode on a bed on wheels, in our PJ's, in home made foam clamheads (there were 8 ro so  people, this is just a glimpse) . This year, there's sparkly fabric involved, that's all I'm saying.