Behind the scenes of a photoshoot

Or three...

This is going to be a long one, and has been sitting in my drafts for almost a month while I gathered the energy to circle back to all of this content, so buckle up!

Over the Summer I thought it felt rewarding to schedule four photoshoots back-to-back since I had a handful of big projects all wrapping at the same time. Instagram is king for interior designers these days and I need content to feed the beast. To be fair my stylist did warn me against this, but being stubborn I booked them anyway, all on the heels of a trip and another major work event.

Checking out the shot upstate!

Reader (and designers amongst us): I do not recommend.

I did end up cancelling one, but the shlepping and stress I endured in the months of October and November have probably aged me in immeasurable ways. What’s done is done and I am so excited to have the final photography in hand soon.

Capturing a faux dinner party set up on the UWS

Anywho, I thought it might be exciting to pull back the curtain and give you all some insight into how the sausage gets made. It’s not all pretty (i.e. it’s all fake, we move furniture into weird locations and make a huge mess that sits right out of view of the camera, lol), but it’s some of the most fun I have in my line of work and such a joy for me to see the final result of what is often years of ideating, ordering, tracking, and installing. Plus I sort of need the shoot to push both the client and I to putting those last finishing touches (that actually make a HUGE impact on the overall design) into place.

Case in point, this apartment has lots of unique architectural niches, none of which were styled prior to shooting, but now they look great. I purchased the single stem vase by Simone Bodmer Turner and the sweet little ceramic gourd box is from Christopher Spitzmiller. The book and framed photo belonged to the client!

For my stylist, photoshoot prep is about hitting the flower market first thing in the morning to get the good stuff, and also shlepping a bunch of props from her inventory. It’s a huge undertaking!

I love when the flowers all get piled in the sink! From the East Side….

To the West Side…

And Upstate in the mudroom…!

But for me personally, it’s important to have unique things in each project, and I like the client to have the option to keep said things, so on my part, it really comes down to accessories accessories accessories. Therefore I do A TON of shopping prior to shoots.

Here are the places I hit up (kind of always, but specifically for these three shoots):

- Nickey Kehoe

- MOMA Store

- Clic

- KRB

- Il Buco Vita

- John Derian

- Hammertown

- Creel & Gow

- Orangerie

- Copper Beech

- Ark Elements

And here are some shots that really needed unique props to bring them to life - and in most instances, the clients kept these items once they saw them in place!

I found this funky green resin vase the day before the shoot

It’s all about the mix. I brought the Carved Leaf Tray, my stylist brought the vase, and my client had the books.

I love kooky accessories, like this tassel lighter from Rebecca de Ravenel that I found at Holiday On Madison right before the shoot. I also brought these candlesticks from my own inventory.

In this rec room, we picked up some Jelly Cat stuffies from the MOMA Store to create a playful moment - think outside the box!

This client had already purchased lovely John Robshaw quilts (my favorite) for all of her beds, but for the shoot I felt like the rooms were reading too similar (so many big white beds), so I picked up this floral quilt from Nickey Kehoe to add a bit of pattern / layering in the guest room. I love how it plays against the more geometric rug.

I am a passionate tabletop connoisseur, so I take less of a modernist approach to dining rooms (no single stack of plates for me), breakfast nooks and the like. I prefer a fully set table, lived in but elevated - as evidenced by the images below. In all of these I used the clients own sets of dishes and flatware and just layered in some special pieces.

My client on Park Ave has amassed such cool tabletop over the years. Basically all of this was hers but my stylist made a seasonal fruit plate with tones that picked up on the place settings.

The only thing I brought in here were the striped linen napkins and a couple of swirly bowls from Carolina Irving!

Mid table setting, but again, dishes were the client’s own, placemats were gifted to me by John Robshaw and work PERFECTLY here, and I brought in the glassware from KRB. It was a set of 6 so we faked it to look like 8 by moving them around for the shot!

Bathrooms are another place where other than towels and personal hygiene products, the client doesn’t usually have a ton to work with…

Swapped their terry hand towel for a pretty linen one (though this is the primary so in reality, they need something more functional). We also stole this leather tray from the bedroom and the rest of the props belonged to my stylist.

Not to give away too many of my stylist’s secrets but she always brings a bottle of Necessaire body wash and a sea sponge loofah for the shower because the packaging is simple and pretty and the sponge brings in some natural texture…

A little dressing room moment on the UWS with candle and glasses pilfered from client!

Finally, and I’ve already touched on this a bit, but whatever you can use from the client’s own personal collection is ideal and usually makes for a more unique mix.

I am absolutely obsessed with this wood heart box at my client on Park Avenue - isn’t it gorgeous? I just know this thing has years of history behind it. Things like this make everything feel a bit less brand spanking new, which isn’t a vibe I love.

Here’s an interesting tidbit. My parents were purging their own place and I found this weird bowl of balls made from a variety of stone specimens. I had the idea to use them at my Upper West Side project, which happens to be Natural History (and therefore Hall of Gems) adjacent. I stole a few and voila, see below!

Peep the marble balls making their appearance on the coffee table! Anything can be a prop, no?

I’ll sign off by saying I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the duo who make all of my shoots possible: my photographer Kirsten Francis and stylist Frances Bailey - two of the best in the biz. Shoots are a big undertaking, financially and time-wise so I think trusting that the vision of your team is aligned with your own is incredibly important. I know that these two always want to help me put my best foot forward!

Kirsten and I freezing our butts off upstate. Little did I know 10 degree temps were coming our way, lol.

If I can answer any photoshoot questions for you, please shoot me a note in the comments section and merry Christmas Eve to those who celebrate!