Today was a whirlwind, but packed with activities that were good for my creative soul.
Photo shoots are one of my favorite aspects of my job. If you read my very, very early posts, I share how much I love “playing magazine”. I loved that I had an excuse to take pictures of pretty things and share them. And I have never grown weary of it!
Today’s shoot was for an “apple orchard picnic” table for HGTV.com. It was hot and humid outside, which detracted a bit from the fall feeling we were trying to evoke, but we had apples on the trees and a partly cloudy sky, so it was pretty close to perfect. Thankfully, you can’t experience temperature through a photo! Just imagine the air is crisp.
We’re a few weeks away from full-blown apple season, but our local farm stand did have a few varieties of apples and pears. I live right in the heart of hundreds, maybe even thousands, of acres of orchards, so it was fun to take advantage of that for work.
I will tell you that living in an orchard town has completely ruined all out-of-season “grocery store” apples for me. I never had a love affair with apples (as I do with cherries, mangos, and grapefruit) until I ate apples that were picked just days before. Totally different experience.
Anyway, while I was getting the produce, I also picked up local apple cider to fill some vintage soda bottles (which happen to be local, too)…
…and apple cider doughnuts to fill an ironstone compote…
I’ve been doing a ton of design work lately and it was good for me to step out of that for a couple of hours. Even though I am loving the design work, variety suits me and keeps me from getting too “stuck in my own head” so to speak.
Speaking of the design work, I will hopefully be able share more of what I’ve been up to soon.
In other news, the new floor is installed in the studio and it looks great. I need to do some clean-up tomorrow, but I am so excited to have a dedicated area for photo shoots without an orange floor!
It’s the little things in life…
You NEVER cease to amaze me, always so creative!!
Do you ever sleep?? lol
Hello!! Love this, all so fall and fabulous 🙂 do you have a source for the table cloth? I must have it for Thanksgiving!! thank you so much ❤️
I LOVE IT
I’m gonna need one of those doughnuts right now please. 😀
I read your blog everyday. You are amazing and inspiring.
Very evocative … A beautiful fall tableau. Love the variety of colors and textures.
Oh it looks so beautiful and just makes me want to head right out to the orchard for a picnic! Makes me *almost* excited for fall to arrive. 😉
one look at that basket of apples and pears and I thought,”Yes, I’m ready for fall.”
I am fiercely holding onto summer because after fall is winter, my least favorite season. Plus summer flew by! Your picnic shoot is lovely.
I love those napkins, are they some I can order?
Oh the doughnuts! How in the world do you get so much done?
My favorite season and you are capturing beautifully! You are inspiring!
Love your work, as usual.
I am impressed by your attention to detail. For example, apple cider donuts. They really could have been any flavor at all, and we’d never know. [I’m assuming there’s no accompanying recipe, in which case the flavor would be important. : ) ] But it probably has a powerful affect on you as the artist in that it contributes to the authenticity of the shoot.
I’m SO ready for Fall, cooler sweater-weather, and all the lovely decor and colors of Autumn! 🙂
The unique blue and green Fall table-setting is beautiful! I love every item on it! How do you get apples to hang by twine on your darling apple garlands???
First just a word to Denise, above: If you think about it you will know why the donuts had to be authentic. It’s because Marion and Kriste were planning to eat them after the shoot! Don’t you think? Am I right, M & K? I bet they were delicious with the cider!
It’s a very nice group of Fall images, Marian and Kriste. Perfectionism has its place. Photography is one of its places. If you are a perfectionist, and I include myself in that category, your desire for things–including people– to live up to your standards or vision can really get you in trouble and cause a ton of conflict with others. You can be a thorn in people’s sides. Nothing is ever good enough for you. What I’ve learned over many years is that there is nothing wrong with perfectionism. BUT, you must employ it in the right places, usually not in relationships. That realization was a real aha moment for me. I was free to be a perfectionist to the nth degree with my photography or with my sewing and needlework, but I had to step into a different pair of shoes when dealing with people–co-workers, family, children. Or I had to discern what endeavors were really worthy of perfection. An example might be sewing a kid’s Halloween costume. It’ll probably be worn once and most likely get dirty or torn. Best to just go for “good enough” in some cases. Make sense? End of Comment!
Would have loved to ponder and examine every aspect of this post, I’m sure incredible effort was poured into every photo frame, but alas the ads and pop ups prevented my doing so! I, “get’, why they are there, but it takes all pleasure out of viewing, what I’m sure was a beautiful photo shoot!
There are many ways to avoid pop ups. Try using a browser that allows “reader mode”. This is what I use on my iPad. I use a blog reader named Feedly and it allows this feature. It makes all the difference.
Thank you for the suggestion, I tried, Feedly, and it looks great! Is there a way to view the entire post, I could only get a preview?
I was cutting up a watermelon yesterday for my parents and was telling them that there was a new, early season apple that a local orchard had tried out this year, but our favorite, Ginger Gold, would be arriving soon. I then admitted that I adore apples. In New England apple orchards were a vital part of life, when water wasn’t always as clean or reliable as it might be. The movement to bring back old fashioned types of apples has been a wonderful development and I am always on the hunt to try new flavors. There is nothing like a fresh apple! Plus cider and donuts, made right at the orchard. One of my favorite rituals with my children and a cherished memory for them is going to the orchards to either pick or just buy the wonderful fruit.. Oh, and apple crisp with a crumble topping of oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter.
I love the fall season but it means that winter is coming and it does last way TOO long, here in Maine.Oh, well, must take it the bitter with the sweet., plus this summer, while wonderful, has been a bit too hot for me.
so pretty! The orchard near us sells apple cider donuts too! yummy! can’t wait to take the kids apple picking.
Also that tan and navy plaid is fabulous. 🙂
Always so creative! Love the table setting!
Makes me want to make pie!