Photo Styling and Bitey Little Horses.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at 10:08AM One of the photo shoots for Weekend Sewing was at a place called Warrups Farm in Redding, Connecticut. As I walked around the grounds during my pre-shoot scouting visit, I was introduced to Abby, a spotty little miniature horse whose reputation preceded her in the form of a handwritten sign stapled to her fence. "PLEASE STAY BACK" it warned, "FEMALE HORSE MAY BITE". The crooked lettering seemed to send a foreboding message of its own, as though its author had just lost a few fingers and was frantically trying to warn others by penning the sign with his teeth or toes before losing consciousness.
Not believing for an instant that Abby meant any harm at all, I made this sketch. It shows the shot that I hoped to get for the Town Bag project, and implied that the best of purses could double as a feed bag on a weekend.
When the day of the shoot arrived, this was one of the shots I really looked forward to getting. Sadly, like many many seemingly solid ideas for photo shoots, it did not work. Abby, apparently, prefers leather goods to fingers. My first mistake was putting actual grain in the bag, which as any good photo stylist will tell you, was not at all necessary. I think that Abbys sign should be re-thought, perhaps to read something like "IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, THIS HORSE WILL EAT ANYTHING THAT SHE CAN PULL THROUGH THE CHICKEN WIRE THAT WE HAVE FRANTICALLY TACKED UP OVER HER FENCE, WHICH IS A LOT MORE THAN YOU MIGHT THINK POSSIBLE." Or something like that.
It became clear to us that we needed to rethink this shot. We broke for lunch and I sketched this (below), thinking that we could get a nice shot of the scrawly sign and Abby's maniacal little gaze through the fencing. What I had not anticipated was Abby's level of commitment. I would hang the bag and take two steps back, she would make a dash for it and I would have to wrestle it from her little bared buck teeth. I gave up after two or three tries.
I imagined having to explain the situation to Melanie the following week when she got the pictures from this shoot. "Where are the Town Bag shots?" she would ask. "The Town Bag has been eaten by an adorable but alarmingly ferocious miniature horse." I would say. And the long silence that followed would be the sound of my photo styling career ending.
Which is how we ended up with this:
Tomatoes rarely bite, and are always ready subjects.
Here are a few more sketches from our shoot at Warrups Farm and the shots they led to:
To see more images from Weekend Sewing, visit the gallery here. To see a picture of Abby and her barnyard friends, go here.
Reader Comments (10)
Browsing through your gallery made me really want to go out and buy Weekend Sewing even more - I thought the wrap skirt was great, but those dresses are simply phenomenal!
One of my favorite things about weekend sewing is the awesome photos. I have got to get some more supplies to make that bag.. is wonderful!
Love your book!
Need I say it? Never work with children and animals. lol
It would have been a fabulous shot if you had had a cooperative horse! The skirt shot is great. It really highlights the skirt. What a fun job you have. Good work!
This made me laugh out loud! Not an easy feat before 8 AM! Jolly good show, Heather. I've ordered your book and can't wait for it to arrive.
Heather,
Where I could find the fabric that you used for trapeze sundress?
Thank you.
the orange floral was a print that I did years ago for Free Spirit, I am fairly sure that they have discontinued it, but hopefully I will be able to bring it back some day...
OMG - Silver Spring was (it still is) so much closer than Baltimore...
(Baby with the Heather Ross quilt at Atomic books...)
I love your blog, and love the photos! Its really funny too. I've even been reading bits aloud to my husband (as he does the dishes - poor him, lucky me). Looking forward to visiting regularly.
Oh, I love how your sketches preceed the photos! =)
And Abby seems so adorable, albeit a little fiesty! =D