Outtakes from my last photoshoot.

I always like to show what was happening behind and around my photoshoots. Here are a few outtakes from the last shoot.

Here's the backside of Church Street Station. This exact corner is mentioned in Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. All the Townspeople gather here as they put up the first street light - purchased from Sears. With the overpass and construction it's not much to look at, but historic none the less.


If you look to your left you get the image above, not very attractive. However, if you take a few steps to the right you get this very historic looking back alley. The haze from the sun was in just the right spot to give the pic a very nice washed out look. This shot was taken with a Nikon D40 set to P+.03 with a flash dampener. This pic will be in a six page spread on my new collection in the April issue of Brink.




My boyfriend took this (and many other) snapshots from behind. You can see me, the model, and the make-up artist approaching the train. We weren't looking for a place to shoot, we were trying to get out of the freezing cold wind. Don't be fooled, it isn't always warm in FL. Here it was about 48 degrees.

The train is the famous Orange Blossom Special which ran from 1925 - 1953. Most people probably know it because of Johnny Cash who named his 1965 album album after it.


Here's a look at the shot. We worked the suitcase in to kind of give it that 'traveling' feel. Once again, it might look warm and sunny, but it was about 48 degrees and we had to fight with the wind. It took forever to get a shot where the model's hair wasn't blowing all over the place.









Another one of my boyfriend's candid shots, this one actually ended up being very useful. Here you see all kinds of clutter and unattractive stuff. I'm in front of the model with my trusty gold warming reflector. The make-up artist is helping to set up the shot. There's even a random pedestrian in the background, BUT, if you scroll down you'll see that, with a little bit of cropping, this turned out to be a good picture of the back of the jacket.



Here it is cropped. Luckily he was using a very high setting on the camera. This way I was able to crop it and still maintain decent image quality. I know this isn't exactly a great pic, but it shows the back of the jacket in action. It looks like the model is dealing with the hustle and bustle of traveling in the big city.












Speaking of the big city, sometimes working conditions are less than perfect. Here Dez Leto fixes the model's make-up just a few feet from a busy road. I gotta tell you, men just can't behave. You have no idea how many guys interrupted us by honking and yelling.



Many of the shots were taken in the garden at Orlando's Social Chameleon. Bret, the owner, saw us out front shooting and invited us back to check out the garden and it turned out to be the best spot of the day. If you're ever in Orlando and you want to see where the locals go for chow, this is a good place to start.

Here's our home base. Etoile boutique provided all the accessories for this shoot. Katie Reynolds was a big help too. Etoile is on Robinson St. in Downtown. It's now called the 'milk district' by some because the TG Lee plant is right across the street. On this strip you'll find skate shops, pool halls, indie record shops, and all kinds of fun stuff.

Should I Buy This Serger? Advice For New Sewers

I often get emails from new sewers asking for advice on buying a serger. I've done posts about sergers before, but I've never done one that specifically addresses buying your first serger. So here it is:

First off, this article is intended for novice sewers who have never purchased a serger and have very basic sewing skills. Advanced sewers have completely different needs so this article probably wont be applicable.

There are too many brands for me to go down the list and do an in-depth review of each one - besides, I've never used half of them. What I can do is give you some advice that will help out with the basics of the first-time buying process.

I tend to over-simplify things, but the way I see it you have two options. You can either buy a new serger or a used one.

Let's start with buying a new serger. For your first serger I think it's a good idea to start off with a cheaper machine. Yes, I said it. Buy a CHEAP machine to start. Have you ever searched for sergers on Craigslist or Ebay? You know all those high-end machines you see on those sites for half price? They all say, "perfect condition, only used once." Those people didn't start out with cheap machines. The truth is, most people don't turn out to be awesome sewers right away and they're not willing to practice. Be honest with yourself. If you're just starting out do you really need a $2000 machine? If you don't like it you're gonna have to sell it at a huge loss, whereas if you buy a $200 machine you can probably resell it for $150 (a very small loss) if you don't like it.

What kind of CHEAP machine should you get?
Get a Sears machine. Don't get me wrong, Sears machines aren't very good, BUT if you pay the extra $50 for the maintenance agreement you can take it in anytime for repairs and tune-ups. I will warn you: the guys who service these things are not very good at what they do so you'll have to take it in three or four times for each repair. But it's free. The Sears machine will cost you about $200 - the same as a Target or Joanns machine. But you don't get the maintenance agreement on the Target or Joanns machine.

What about all those other $200-$400 machines, should I buy one of those?
No. The Sears warranty is invaluable. The bells and whistles on the Super-EZ-Stitch-2000 might look cool, but when they break you're sure going to hate paying an average of $75-150 to get it fixed. As far as cheap machines go, it's Sears or nothing. Think about it this way: when you get that new machine home you're going to want to play with all the fun settings, and there's a good chance you'll mess them all up. If you bought the Target or Joanns machine - forget about it. It's done. The thing will sit in the closet until you pay someone to adjust all the settings or you throw it out. With the Sears machine (if you buy the maintenance agreement) you just take it in and tell them it isn't sewing properly. They'll reset everything for free and even replace parts if needed.

But I found this really neat-o machine on Ebay and the description says it's the same as a $2000 machine, but since it's made by a sister company they're selling for $199 - and it's new in the box: should I get it?
Okay, sure. Ebay sellers are usually the most honest people in the world. Just kidding. I'm telling you - stick with Sears for your first machine. If you get the maintenance agreement you'll get your money's worth out of it. Quit trying to find a better deal and just go with a Sears machine.

What do you think about used machines?
I think you can probably score a great deal on a used machine at an estate sale. Don't be afraid to haggle on the price. But, before you go shopping, get to know the name brands because, at an estate sale or on Craigslist, you should NOT buy a cheap-o machine. You can find a high quality name brand one for the same price as the crappy one. But, since you're getting such a good price I think you should invest a few dollars and take it into a local repair shop for oiling and adjusting.

Should I get a machine with all kinds of options? More is better, right?
To start out I think it's best to go with a more basic machine. You gotta walk before you can run. Keep it simple, learn how to use the basic features really well, then worry about the advanced options later. Superfluous features add to the cost and they add to the list of things that could go wrong. Remember, you're just starting out, be logical.

Do I need a 4 or a 5 thread serger?
You really only need a 4 thread machine. The 5th thread is an added option that most novices wont need. A 4 thread machine will serve as a great starting point for most beginners.

I didn't read the article, I just skipped to the conclusion. What's your conclusion?
Don't buy a new expensive machine. If you're buying new start out with a Sears machine, but be sure to buy the maintenance agreement. If you're buying used, don't buy a cheap machine, go with a good one. But be sure to get it serviced. Start out with a simpler 4 thread machine. You don't need an elaborate 5 thread right away.

They can't all be winners: Outtakes Jan 27 shoot

I like to show where I'm shooting so you can see that these aren't magical spots hidden from the public with perfect lighting. Cars drive by, guys stop and stare, people honk, and the sun get in the way (or worse, it disappears). Most of this week's pics were shot on the Rollins College campus. Most of the campus looks like this: beige buildings, street lights, palm trees, and champagne colored cars. I try to use something I call the 12 inch rule. Which is to simply concentrate on an area no more than 12 inches around the model. So if there's an ugly mailbox 13 inches to the left, no problem because you're only gonna shoot (or crop the pic) to show the area immediately surrounding the model.
I was so excited about this top. Unfortunately, we ran out of daylight and all of the pics I took were really crappy. I really tried to make this pic work. Aside from cropping and resizing I don't Photoshop any of my pics. Once you start messing with the image colors you change the way the clothing looks. Here the overhead light killed us. The model's skin is definitely not that color. So this one will have to wait. I'll re-shoot it the next time I go out and hope to get some better pics. You'd never know it by the model's face, but this was a very busy part of campus. Guys were opening and closing this big heavy door right behind me and it was loud and each time it opened there was a huge gust of wind - not at all ideal shooting conditions. Also, I know the hanging moss in the back makes it look all steamy and warm. Think again! It was about 58 degrees - not tank top weather.
Again, the palm trees and pond sure give the impression of a balmy Florida evening, but it's January and 55-58 is cold when you're not used to it. Don't get me wrong, it aint like Ontario, but for us, it's cold. The lack of sun really made this pic tough. If you look at my Etsy account you'll see more pics of this dress in the same location - except there's daylight. We fought with the sun waiting for it to fall into a position where we could shoot and not blind either one of us. I actually kind of like this picture. The crappy lighting and bleak flash make it look like something out of the American Apparel catalog - funny!.
Anyway, it goes to show, things are not always sunny in sunny Orlando.

Crappy Apartment Complex Photoshoot

Were these pics taken on a ranch? Maybe the park? Or maybe they were taken out in the woods next to a cute little pond? NOPE!!! This batch of photos was taken on the side of a very unattractive apartment complex on a dismal Sunday afternoon.

It goes to show that anyone can take decent pics with just a little effort and a good eye. I've noticed that lots of Etsy sellers have good intentions and try to take good pics of their products, but they fall victim to convenience. "it's too hot, it's too cold, it's too rainy, I don't have time, are all handy excuses. But what it all boils down to is: if you take pride in what you make you should also take pride in how you present it on Etsy.

You wouldn't know it by these pictures but this is the kind of place where two young girls really shouldn't be walking around with a digital camera. In fact, the reason we were shooting here was because the model lost her keys and didn't feel comfortable leaving the apartment unlocked. In addition to the bad location, it was also rainy, kind of humid and super windy. So we made the best of it.

I guess we could have shot the pics against an inside wall, but then we would have had very boring pictures. Instead we took the initiative to take a walk around the complex and find the cute ranch style fence and the retention pond. Before cropping there were crappy cars, beige walls, sidewalks, power boxes, light poles and all kinds of other ugly stuff.

As for lighting, we just had to tough it out and shoot between the clouds to get the warm sun glow. The wind was a bitch, you can even see it in a couple pics.

Don't think for a minute that I think these are professional pictures. What I do think is that they show the clothing and the model in an attractive way. They make the scene look better than it was in person. They also show that I'm proud of what I make and how it looks. I really hope that you'll be proud to wear these pieces.

Indie Design Mood Board

SEE WHAT HELPS ME THINK


Sometimes my head is just too full of ideas to hold everything so I use this simple board and push pins to help gather my thoughts. Here's a look at some of the things I'm thinking about for my upcoming designs and how they inspire me.
Starting at the top left corner and moving clockwise:

I like the photo of the gal leaning against the pole because of the warm sky and sand. I know it's probably colder where you are, but Florida has a way of being the coldest place on Earth (for Floridians).

Next you'll see some individual cut outs. There's nothing really sublime about any of these. I just found a few things I liked over the last few months and posted them. It's kind of like highlighting in a textbook.

The Banner Pilot 'thing' is actually a hand screened LP sleeve that was given to me by Brian at Kiss of Death records. I cut it to about seven inches and stapled around the sides and now use it to hold important papers - I took the papers out for the photo because they looked kind of messy.

Next, in the top right corner is the rotating color wheel. I don't care how well you know your contrast and analogous colors, this is a very useful tool - get one.

Below the color wheel are a couple of Jo-Ann's coupons. You never know when you're gonna need a new pair of scissors and 40-50% off will sure help. Keeping them on the board reminds me that I have them.

Under the coupons is a free pamphlet on grommets I got at Jo-Anns. It's free knowledge, why not grab one? I've also got a bunch of pins jumbled up there and a few fabric swatches from my Fall collection.

The pattern is really cool. It's from the 60's. I generally don't use patterns, but I really liked this one. I tried using it and, like many commercial patterns, it didn't fit me right. One of these days I'll make the necessary changes.

You can just barely see a postcard from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Some people like the pyramids, some like France, I like South America.

Next you'll see some sheet music. You might have guessed, from all the guitars in my pictures, that we're pretty musical over here. I've started playing the fiddle. Some people call it a violin, but I play the fiddle. The sheet music is a popular Irish jig called the Swallow Tail Jig.

At the bottom left you'll see more pics that I like. I mostly like the lighting. I'm always doing photoshoots, and am in no way a photographer, but I like to try to add a little something extra to my pics.

Finally, in the middle, you can see a set of my own illustrations. They're nothing fancy, but in school you gotta learn to do it, so I try to draw stuff out from time to time.

There you have it. That's what's making me tick at this moment. I change this thing all the time. I'm always looking for new things and ideas. If you design anything I recommend you try using one of these things.

Funny thing about burgundy

It seems like burgundy and olive green are the two most unpredictable colors. I've been making my rounds to the local shops and none of them want to take anything in olive green. Ironically, I think olive green is one of my best selling colors. It has also happened (more than not) that when I drop off a batch of olive green pieces (against the boutique owners' advisement) they sell out.

Even stranger is the response to anything I make in burgundy. People ask for burgundy non-stop: they want everything in burgundy, but when I give them what they want in burgundy no one buys it - go figure. Case in point are my burgundy wine dresses with lace trim. A couple weeks ago I made a run of these dresses for Etsy and they disappeared. I even had to list one as a custom listing and do a special order for another. I also brought a batch in to my local shops and they sold just as well. This week when I put a new run up on Etsy they're just not moving.

Similarly, my inbox has been flooded with emails asking for my butterfly top in burgundy. Someone even went so far as to sketch it out and ask for it. So I made a size run for the locals. They did pretty good here in town. Keep in mind, no one locally asked for these. I just made them and put them out and they sold. Conversely, they have not been selling online, despite all the requests. This could be due to the photo, but I can't be sure. I might re-shoot on a live girl to see what happens. As of right now I'm calling it the burgundy mystery. I hate to put it that way since it's such a nice color and so many people look so good in it. It really should be a sure thing.


I kinda did some poking around and found that burgundy was one of the top selling colors for cars in the 1990's - yuck! I feel like burgundy interior gets hotter and dirtier than any other color. The pigments in dark red paints fade much quicker than other colors when exposed to excessive sunlight. Maybe I should have tried selling these pieces back in the 90's.

Regardless of popularity, mystery, or anything else, I really like burgundy. I'll probably continue to work with it for a long time. If you have any thoughts or observations on the color as it relates to clothing or anything else feel free to contact me.

1960's Swatch Book Turned Into Recyced Purses

I just got my hands on a big book of swatches from the 1960's. The swatches are split between coarse burlap and light cotton shirting. Each piece is now about 10 x 10 inches - I'll get to that in a moment. As you can see from the pics they are too cool to let them go to waste - no matter how small. There are about 50 squares in the batch, and of those about 40 will work for small clutches and purses. I'm dying to get these made, but at the same time I wanted to show you that inspiration can come from the most unexpected places.

The woman who gave these to me thought they were trash. When I took them I didn't have any ideas. It wasn't until my boyfriend did me the "favor" of washing them - which frayed the edges, and shrunk them to 10 x 10 that I got the idea for small clutches.

I can't wait to get started on these. If you plan on going to the Atomic Holiday Bazaar in Sarasota this weekend Dec 12-13 look for them at my table. Otherwise you'll just have to wait 'til I get back for me to put them up on Etsy.