bts: Minnesota 52

In early May, I bopped off to Minnesota for a wonderfully whimsical book project: Minnesota 52: 16 Knits Inspired by the Road.

Megan Williams & Cori Eichelberger, aka KnitCahoots, were self-publishing their first book project . They'd reached the "whoaa...this is really happening and we need a photographer stat...and whateverelsehappens on a photo shoot, too". Fortunately we share a friend and top notch tech editor, Ellen Silva, of The Twinset Podcast, who made the connection.

We had to stop and scout this location: a sheep quilt painted on the side of a barn in Zumbrota MN.

Cori & Megan's theme is their  friendship and the knit-related adventures they've  had traveling between their homes, 100 miles apart, along Minnesota Highway 52. They wanted playful, small town locations that matched up with the spirit of their story, and their colorful designs.

So there we were, cruising along Mn 52 seeking locations. That's Cori and Megan on the right,  pre-enacting the cover image we shot 24 hours later-with much smoother light, you'll notice--on the left.  Here's how it looks on the book:

 I knew they both love color--especially Cori--and I knew they had a joie de vivre ---joie de knit? that had to be communicated but without going overboard into the "gee aren't we kooky" kind of pictures that try too hard. It had to feel real.

A rare instance where the overused cupped hands mitten shot actually works! Minnesota stone FTW.

We shot in  some small towns, a park, and a farm. 

Because you can't do rural Minnesota and not have a farm. (I urge you to play that for the sound effects)

And the, on the day of the shoot, the magic started happening right away.  We told our models--all part time models and full time scientists-- the shoot would be playful. Jo showed up just after dawn in the Pine Island Cheese Co parking lot with...her unicycle! She's wearing the Snow Thank You Sweater, which is high on my Want to Knit list . Don't you love the shoulder construction and lace, with the striped sleeves? It's designed by Megan Williams.

Nancy, the lovely woman who let us invade her farm, offered us various props....including a gosling. And a rabbit. 

FYI: Minnesota girls are not afraid of gosling poop dripping down the wardrobe, and a big armful of bunny is a welcome addition. That's Jen in the Nice-capades Sweater

We had a blast. Everyone pitched in...the authors hauled scrims, Ellen the tech editor became my photo asst, the models smiled and posed and looked beautiful  in wool all day despite some spring heat, and helped on set when they weren't posing.

It was one of those days when all the pieces came together and made the shoot match the spirit of the book. It's full of colorful, clever and very wearable designs----I tell you, Minnesota knitters are a whole 'nother scene of knitter, and these two are all in. I learned about SQ's  (sweater quantities of yarn) and VKN's (Virtual Knit Nights) where groups of knitters log in online, via  google hang out , enjoying  weekly knitting nights with each person in their own home spread far and wide. The Knit Cahootsters introduced me to a whole slew of indie dyers I didn't know about, and led me to a fabulous shoe store Luya Shoes, in the most unlikely location of Zumbrota MN.  I learned that Subway makes chopped salads as well as sandwiches, Walleye Pike is still delicious when freshly cooked, and Minnesota Nice is as true as ever.

Loved working with these ladies! I'm sure we made quite a scene--a photo crew shooting models and wielding 6 foot reflectors isn't seen everyday in rural Minnesota.   Anyway..... that's getting off topic. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry. I'll be casting on at least one, as soon as I get my queue in order!

i'm interviewed! on Kristy Glass Knits

Are you a
Kristy Glass fan?  I am thrilled that she invited me for an interview--she's such a joy to watch and a gifted interviewer. Check it out!




Warning: it's almost an hour long.  But we move right along from topic to topic - and she models some Drop Dead Easy Knits pieces in the most gorgeous way. 

Afterwards, settle in and watch some of her other interviews. I am telling you, she needs a regular show on HGTV. Someone get on that!

Meanwhile-
I have been here and there--but mostly there- for the past 6 weeks.
Back soon with links and tales and some fun behind-the-scenes.

tahki yarns behind the scenes photo shoot

In late October, I photographed the Tahki Yarns Spring 2016 look book , the Sea Breeze collection.   We're always working off season - so it was time to look springy in late fall.
That's the cover shot, above. We were flying through 17 outfits that day, working as fast as we could. It's magical when you're all running around like crazy changing clothes, fixing hair, looking for good angles and backgrounds and the wind to blow the right way and then -click- it all falls into place.  Also--I am so attracted to these half-poncho half-sweater quasi-shawl knits. You too? 

The booklet is mostly knits with a couple crochet pieces, like that blanket/wrap on the left, designed by Doris Chan. It was warm for the season- lucky for me- but very breezy. We put the wind to work for us. Fringe with some movement slays me.

I'm also a sucker for a lifeguard station. You'd never know the model, Steph, was shivering a little, right?

You can see the rest of what we created from the Tahki link above or on Ravelry  Now, some BTS:
The day before the shoot, a few of us met in Long Beach NY. It may not be the most glamorous part of Long Island but it is super convenient, being just a little east of Queens and reachable by public transportation. There are miles of flat out gorgeous oceanfront beach, and off-season, plenty of parking. Plus, the vibe there is lose, we could just jump in.  Since we were shooting Spring as the leaves were gold and falling off the trees, we put a lot of energy into finding our setting- deciding on coastline, and then which beach would work for logistics like time and budget (oh those again).  The nice thing about a beach is, you don't know the season, except by the clothing. Plus, I admit it. I love a beach shoot.

My first task is scouting. That's Yliana, who works with me as a production assistant, standing in for the model in spots I think might work . Being my production assistant means before the shoot, she helps with general shleppage and organizing--and during the shoot, as a styling assistant. You have to have the right personality for a job that includes testing to see if it's possible to balance on the edge of the lifeguard stand while looking casual. 
I map out a route for the next day, using the best light at each location. We try to scout at the same time of day we'll be back to photograph, and use phone apps to predict the sun's path.  It makes a huge difference to know where the shadows are falling and if a building will block the sun at certain times of day.  Of course, sometimes it is sunny on the scout day and cloudy the next, for the shoot ....or the reverse. Location photography always throws me some curveballs. See those amazing sand ripples on the right? We were so psyched to scout them as a background.  Showed the scout shots to the client when he arrived, he was also psyched. But by the next morning, trucks had come on the beach and flattened out the ridges, pushing the sand into UN-photogenic piles closer to the boardwalk.

Back to our little Long Beach cottage airBnB we stayed in. It had the best bathroom with a big copper tub set in a tiled wall with a skylight. Deeply regret that I didn't get to use it! Instead we prepped-- Yliana worked on a rack for the wardrobe and helped the Creative Director steam out clothes and hang the pieces in order that we'd use them. I think I was laying on a sofa (um...prepping) and that yellow stuff that's artfully out of focus was a flower on a table, between us. yeah, that's right, artfully.

 The next morning, here's our gorgeous model Steph, leading the parade onto the beach--the makeup artist is on the left, and that's my photo assistant Ariana , and the fashion director, Conley, walking out holding a large silk on a  frame, to soften the sunlight. Harsh light directly on yarn is not great--but you can see there wasn't any cloud cover, and we needed to shoot all day, not just in the  delicate light early in the day.

Don't be fooled, they actually like me, despite the faces. On the far left, one of the former-ripples-now-sand -piles. The silk on the frame is just about going to lift the two of them off the ground in the wind. But you can see how it comes in handy, on the right. I'll be photographing from an angle that doesn't show the edges of the shadow --and also avoids that yellow truck. Where did that truck come from? Stuff like this always happens, a heavy equipment drives through the idyllic setting. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the problem solving aspect of location photography work. Studios are way more predictable , and I can enjoy that...but to me, it's not as fun as throwing in a little chaos.

The dance of a happy fashion director when we finished the last of 17 outfits that day--and the It Takes a Village group portrait shot of us all. I know I've said this before, but I have the best clients.

Behind the Scenes: the unplanned for

So, about that regular blogging.  I now have an editorial calendar for this blog. You'd think it wouldn't make a difference but it feels very...committed.  You should try it.   I'm rolling it out soon, including a  regular BTS (Behind the Scenes) feature, mostly fiber or fabric related photo shoots. Why not start today?

This morning  a sweater kit  I shot for Zen Yarn Garden  went live. It's fun when these pop up, always a surprise treat. Have you seen their yarn? Pretty fabulous. This is Serenity   a superwash merino/cashmere blend (thought you'd ask). It feels divine, and looks even diviner, if that is a word.
I'd be lying if I said this shoot was easy. We had trouble aligning schedules. Then, it rained. One of the few rainy days all summer. Nasty, gray, stormy- not pretty, misty, delightful rain.  I had permission to shoot at the Madison Beach Hotel and hated to waste it, so off we trotted. The sun came out, yay-- but  it started setting, like, immediately. And I wasn't loving the background options--the waterfront was dotted with romantic sunset watchers, wandering into my image. The nerve!
Then I noticed a bicycle  left along a dune fence, the rider probably wandered onto the porch bar for a drink. It matched the sweater! I love when when that happens. A little extra sumpin' sumpin'. 

It is Rosh Hashana , the Jewish New Year,  tonight. I'll take this moment wish you - whether you celebrate or not--a sweet year filled with happy accidents.

anatomy of a knitwear photoshoot

 I was blabbing with a friend about my activities leading up to a photo shoot for Green Mountain Spinnery last week, and she was surprised at all the stuff going into it. I thought maybe you'd like to know, too?  We haven't done the final editing, so consider these a peek.

Looks like a simple photo, right? Here're all the parts:
•  The design itself:  the Gulfoss sweater, by Cap Sease.  (The sweater link is to their existing image, on Ravelry.  I am updating their look.)
• The rest of her wardrobe. I shopped for the shirt (borrowed & returned after the shoot). I was a teeny bit obsessed with finding plum & white gingham. The jeans & boots belong to the model, who brought 4 pair of each that day,  at my request.
•  Karen, my model, is a real person.  Yes, she looks like this. I know, it is unfair.  She's an acquaintance I've been keeping in mind in case the right sweater came along for her.  I recruited her and her hubby for the shoot.  (It took a bit of persuasion).
• Her hair & makeup, by Jill, my super talented makeup/hair/groomer wizard. She knows what she is doing. Everyone looks like a best version of themselves-  fabulously natural. 
• Her hairstyle--in the weeks leading up to the shoot, I collected images on a Pinterest board with the feel, or detail, or  textural combination, or pose, that related to this shoot in my imagination. A styling moodboard.  I sent a link to the board to Jill, who figured out how to do the fishtail braid just right for sweater modeling (stylish, outdoorsy , and doesn't block the sweater yoke!).
• The location: I spent a day (plus some)  driving and stomping around sites that were close to each other, had good colors or textures for the background, fit the theme I was imagining, checking where the light was falling, and not too far from our homebase where changes and makeup (and warming up) were happening. Scouting is more time consuming than you'd think.
•  Posing- well, you need to direct the scene. Otherwise the most important details of a sweater might get lost.  I was trying to get the yoke to appear against the upper color of the boat, to sort of frame it.

Pretty sure this won't be the select for the scarves, but it's good for my post. Love these two!

The shopping and wardrobe can be the hardest for me . What you put together, and the little details,  can totally change the look of the knitwear. Which is why it is called styling. I like coming up with the ideas or the themes,  but I just don't like shopping that much.  If there is budget, a photo stylist does this important task. I love photo stylists. Like, here, both models are wearing pairs of my boots. I shopped for the shirts, and the bracelets and earrings were a combo of borrowed & shopped for.  Giuliana (on the left) is wearing a  pair of vanilla jeans that belong to Yliana, on the right. Both are freeeeeeezzzzzzing.

You can tell  the temperature by how the client, Margaret from Green Mountain, is dressed. And she is a Vermonter! It.was.so.cold. The shawl went to my queue, stat.

So, when I scouted, there was a beautiful sleek horse next to one location,  who just wanted to be petted and nuzzle me. When we were shooting, instead of my loveydovey, there was a grizzled older horse in the pasture--and I'm not so sure he's into knitwear fashion.

• • • • • • • • •

Two comments about links and a (literal) footnote:

If you click on the Green Mountain Spinnery link in the first 'graph, you'll find some really excellent stretching /PT advice for sore wrists and handstress on their front page.

Cap Sease, who designed that Icelandic influenced cardi,  is the author of the best selling Cast On, Bind Off, which is linked to her name, You ought to own this book!

and finally, the boots on the left that Giuliana are wearing, are mine courtesy of Ann of Purling Swine and The Village Knitter. Ask her for the story behind them, it's a good one.

entubed: our tv field trip

Today's Photo Heavy Monday comes from our Craft Activism field trip to WTNH, the TV station in New Haven. They invited Joan & me to tape a segment for  CT Style, a mid day talk show. Totally fun. I'll stick our segment in at the end, so you can watch it if you have 5 minutes . 

Raises the question: do you need curly hair to be associated with Craft Activism? Um, hells yeah. 

The set, before we decorated it with our books. Noting what our host was wearing, we accessorized her. 

Tell me she doesn't look awesome in the Ocelot scarf (project in the book, y'know).

True story: while Joan helped Stacey and Beth get set to model for us, I went to go check my makeup. WTF? My shirt was on inside out-and no one told me? Caught just before I made a total ass of myself. Yay for the ol' confidence.

 

Our good fortune: the other guests were a cooking segment, from Leon's.

 

Guess who had Prawns-or were they Langostinos-  in a Spicy Tomato Sauce ?  Yum.

All in all, very fun and kind of funny. Neither Joan nor I are used to being in the spotlight but neither of us is uncomfortable on set, either.  I'd hoped to flourish the Fussy Cuts blanket so I had it in my lap , giving me an FDR'ish forbearance. Don't believe me? Check it out:

Craft activism: wtnh.com

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Curious about upcoming book events? Look over on our CraftActivism blog.

 

strike a pose: Rhinebeck style

ADDED 10/15/12  : Rhinebeck Style photo shoot project returns this year,  2012 to the Ny Sheep & Wool Festival.
 Stop by and strike a pose. DETAILS HERE

 added 10/10/11 **PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS FROM LAST YEAR, 2010 !! 

I'm not doing the photo thing this year, 2011,  but maybe next?  I WILL be at Rhinebeck, but this year I'll be a civilian, and  booksigning for my new book Craft Activism, 2:30-4 on Saturday and 11-12:30 on Sunday, in the authors barn. Stop by & say hi! (I'm a bingo square too).

as for the photos--I hope, I may, get to edit & post them before they are officially one year old. Its a crazy life!
 __________________
So..here's my little brainstorm. Last year I dragged my white backdrop to the Common Cod Fiber Guild's indie knitwear design fashion show in Boston, and see what happened. (it's 2 1/2 minutes long, sorry it's a bit of a slow loader- and there's music , so hit your mute key if you're at work or near sleeping babes)

The wonderful organizers of the New York Sheep & Wool Festival folks are giving me a space to set up my backdrop at Rhinebeck this weekend and you (and you and you and you.....and your alpaca too) are invited to pose for me. Show me what.you.got!

For years I've been thinking it's a shame not to document all the fine fibery fashion seen at that fair and I decided this is the year to do it. Where else can we wear so many layers of handknit & feel like part of the community?

Weather permitting I'll be there for sure Saturday and  probably Sunday monring too. I'll tweet my location so follow my twitter feed  & you'll know where I am--or else look for a white backdrop.

Fun, yes? See you in your wooolly best. I can't begin to tell you how much I'm looking forward to this.  My talented friend & trusted co-conspirator Maryse is helping me out for a while, if anyone else who knows how to wield a reflector wants to hang out and volunteer for an hour, I would be super grateful, just shoot me an email.

•

the one way trip scarf

The last of the gifts, cast on in New Haven, takes exactly the time of a heavily trafficked holiday eve drive to DC to knit. As long as someone else is at the wheel (thanks Dave).

I've been seeing a scarf similar to this all season, with a designer name on the tag. It seemed too easy, And besides, I obviously have some kind of deconstructed/destroyed mojo going on.

Pattern: One Way Trip
Yarn: mixture of heavy worsted leftovers, including recyled sari slk. I used some Brown Sheep, some Farmhouse Yarns Andy's Merino, some Araucana naturwool Chunky, some Noro mystery yarn, and some Green Mountain Spinnery.
Dimensons: approx 6" wide by 63" long
Needles: size 10us

Cast on 24 stitches of sari silk, knit 10 rows.
*Switch to another color leaving a 2.5" tail at edge, and cutting the sari silk with a 2.5" tail. Knit 20 rows.
Join sari silk, leaving a 2.5" tail on it and cutting a 2.5"tail on the finished color . Knit 3 rows of sari silk.*
Repeat from * to   halfway point. Knit  a 4 row section of another color, Knit 3 rows  sari silk .
Resume following repeats between* to  almost to desired length, end with 10 rows of sari silk.
Finishing: cut a several  5" sari silk pieces, knot them doubled with some of the single yarn ends where the sar slk rows fall spaced on long sides. Knot other yarn ends at their base, creating decorative pieces along side.

I'm not one to wax poetic on the joys of garter stitch but I was happy knitting this. Maybe because of making my deadline for it as a gift, maybe because it distracted me from the traffic and the increasingly neurotic geriatric dog pacing & woofing in the back,  with pursuant teenage complaints over dog breath issues. Or maybe I liked using up the leftovers? Who knows.

I'm not sure if it's a win or just patchwork weird . A good project at the end of a challenging year; using up odds & ends & leftovers, putting them together in the hopes that it'll start next year pretty. Happy 2010 !

getting gifty, a last minute knit

A  moment of knitting alchemy. A simple pattern + a specific yarn + a deadline = something really wonderful.

 

Destroyed Cowl (Ravelry link,)  in malabrigo worsted, the indescribably hued Pearl Ten

Ironically, I hit this gold when sister Lulu requested something gray for her Chanukah gift. Gray? really gray? we do not normally do gray. She likes the stylish, I figured the infinity scarf, an endless loop that may be doubled as a cowl and is all the rage, would work

A quick knit: a provisional cast on, knit the skein in stockinette until almost out of yarn, drop a few stitches along each edge, kitchener the the ends together. Hold breath while unraveling dropped stitches. Admire the strip of stockinette transformed into a drapey, lovely piece* that shows off the kettle dyed subtlety.

This could easily be the gift you knit over the weekend. Simple enough to socialize while churning through it, and small enough to take along while traveling.

I left Lulu a voicemail warning her: if we don't get together very soon to exchange gifts, she may never get this one. Seriously.

* model disclaimer: self portrait, so not my metier. Just go with me here and believe in the possibility.

Tomorrow on the getting gifty train: what to buy the photographer in your life.

3 glimpses

Still putting the final touches on showing the whole Make Mine Local indie fiber fashion experience from the Common Cod Fiber Guild. You know, fixing the collar and getting the ID's straightened out for the models & designers.

Until then just this little peek.

Back soon with the real deal.

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You can enter to win the Harry Potter audiobook giveway until midnight Wednesday Nov 18th, leave a comment here.

you've been volunteered

My niece was drafted into being photo assistant and subject for some swift dramatic lighting tests just before the models and their fab fiber designs posed at Make Mine Local last Friday night in Boston .( I'll show and tell them tomorrow. Or maybe the next day.)
It's not that she minded helping me out for the night. She just didn't have any choice.

I know how she feels. My neighbors have decided we will have a knitting group and I will teach them how to knit worsted weight socks. Or ....whatever. This has been the buzz on the beach, half jokingly , for the last few summers, that we'll have a knitting society in the fall. Never happens. Just found out I've been drafted, Thursday night is our first gathering.

Not that I mind.

Still time to enter the giveaway for the Harry Potter audio book. Go ahead, leave me a comment here.

goings on of note

This Friday evening (tonight!) in Boston, the Common Cod Fiber Guild is putting on Make Mine Local, a fashion show of area indie fiber fashion design. Shannon Okey was the juror and will be there in person to emcee.( Her blog. ) There'lll be some live music and plenty of interesting knits.
I'm going to head up there to photograph and wallow in fibery creativity.

It'd be great to see you there, its at MIT, 50 Vassar Street, 7 pm.
But if you can't make it -- you can see us thanks to a live streaming feed.
That should be nothing to yawn at!