via here. (You can find the credits there as well)
If you follow me on Facebook or twitter, you probably already know this, but a photo shoot I created along with an insanely talented group of individuals is up on Style Me Pretty. You can read more about it here, but the whole concept I wanted to create was a modern, architectural shoot that revolved around the colors and "feeling" of air plants. Something entirely different from anything any of us had seen before.
(Why air plants? One, I wanted to show something modern besides a succulent. Two, from the first time I saw an air plant, I was captivated by how ethereal they were, while at the same time remaining structured and modern. I also fell in love with their color palettes. The various blues bleeding into indigos and lavenders; desert greens highlighted by pops of pinks and oranges- it looked like each plant was individually watercolored. A concept that we all know I adore.)
If you have a moment, I would love for you to go check it out and let us know what you think.
I'd also like to take a moment to talk more about each of the vendors that made this possible.
First, Jaimie Cohen of Estoria Social. Planner extraordinare, Jaimie was completely on board the moment I started talking to her about "a modern air plant shoot I really wanted to do but hadn't found the right people to do it with." Not only was she supportive of my whole concept (and excited about it) but she also did a great job with contributing unique vendors, organizing timelines, recruiting her friends as models, etc. It was wonderful to have a planner working with me that I could trust to bring together various vendors and ideas to make the concept come to life. So although I've said it before, thank you so much, Jaimie!
Renee Brock was our photographer and she did such a phenomenal job. I met Renee roughly a year ago at a networking event and have wanted to work with her from the moment I got home and viewed her portfolio. Her work is so beautiful! And if that isn't awesome enough, she is also a blast to work with- very easy going and upbeat, but is also incredibly talented and professional. She arrived early, worked through lunch (I actually had to make her a plate and follow her around to get her to eat) and took hundreds and hundreds of photos to make sure she captured everything from every angle (which we then edited for 3 hours in her living room a few days later.) If you are looking for a photographer, this is your girl.
We worked with two florists in order to get this perfect. Amy Osaba, a lovely person that I'm honored to call my friend, created a breathtaking bouquet made up of all kinds of flowers and large brightly colored air plants that brought a wild quality to the shoot (and mimicked the intricate bodice of the wedding dress.) For all of the various air plants and succulents, we had the incredibly talented Kurt of Southern Succulents. Kurt showed up with crates and crates of plants and tons of glass and stone vessels and stayed with us throughout the day getting everything perfect. He brought life to the fallen tree, added an organic quality to the white, sculptural wall outside, created these magical glass orbs filled with plants that we hung against steel encased windows, not to mention created beautiful, one of a kind boutonnieres. Oh and that amazing centerpiece? I created a faux steel beam from balsa wood and he filled it with an array of mosses, succulents, and delicately blooming air plants. I think the photos of it are beautiful, but it was absolutely breathtaking in person.
Chef Drew at Endive surprised us all when he created a mouthwatering feast for the shoot- complete with individual creme' brûlée cups, cheese platters, roasted vegetables, lettuce cups, and miniature tacos (which tasted AWESOME) just to name a few. (Probably one of the best lunches ever.) A huge, huge thank you to him, Reese, and Carol for letting us take over the space and being so incredibly hospitable and accommodating. (Speaking of Endive, not only is the food spectacular, but the space itself is so beautiful. Between the polished concrete floors, the exposed brick walls, the steel encased windows, the steel beams- it's a dream. I would beyond recommend Endive for any event you may have.)
Mao of Four Inch Fold supplied all of the props and added a ton of special styling touches to the shoot (like the bunting she made on the spot from an architectural book or her very own blueprints and renderings she tied with gold ribbon for a specific shot.) All of the furniture- from the "drafting table" to the card catalog-was from her studio (and is for rent!) but also the gorgeous vintage gold rimmed plates, the fans, many of the books, the mid century chair... the list goes on and on. And not only is Mao incredibly talented, but she's one of the nicest people you'll ever have the pleasure to work with. Even after getting a flat tire on the way to the shoot, (she had to do multiple delivers in her truck since the trailer was out of commission) she still arrived wearing a smile and ready to help. Go check her out here.
And of course, I have to mention our amazing models Allison and Everett Steele- friends of Jaimie's who are actually married in real life. Dolled up by Vance West of The FIXE (who did an exceptional job with their hair. Thank you so much!!) these two just exude love and fun. A little history on them- they eloped six years ago in Vegas and never really got to take wedding photos. Being able to create a "wedding" for them (complete with a creme brûlée "cake") and gifting them with wedding photos was by far the best part of an already amazing shoot. They are so in love and such fun to be around. I know I speak for us all when I say it was such a pleasure getting to hang out with them all day.
And lastly, (but definitely not least) another thank you to Annette Thurmon of Chaivaro Couture for supplying us with one of her amazingly beautiful gowns for the shoot. I've worked with Annette before (she's a doll) and per usual, her dress was perfect!
So again, a HUGE thank you to every single person who helped make this shoot possible. I won't be able to say it enough, but you all are so incredibly gifted and I'm honored to have had the chance to work with and get to know each of you.
