My Photoshoot

So I mentioned in passing that I did a photoshoot last week and that I would tell all about it once the photos were up. Well they are so now I will!

I was very lucky to get the opportunity to be featured in a Canadian magazine called "Toro" in their "Toro Woman" feature. It was pretty flattering since they don't usually feature authors. My publicist was the one who organised the whole thing, and I have to admit I was a little nervous. Excited, but you know, nervous. I'm not exactly used to being photographed. Well at least, not for glamorous photoshoots.

Fortunately everyone else involved was very used to the process.

So I arrived at the studio with my publicist first thing in the morning. I had already met the photographer, Franco Deleo, the week before, and we had got along well. This helped to relieve some of my nervousness. He's a total sweetie, and a fantastic artist, totally check out his site. Anyway, he was already setting up with his assistant, and after the makeup artist (the granddaughter of Bernice Thurman Hunter, the one I talked of in the post below) and stylist showed up, I was promptly put into the makeup chair.

I think I was in the chair for over an hour, but it was understandable. The makeup didn't take too long, but curling my hair definitely did. You see, my hair is straight. Very very straight. So straight that it takes a heck of a lot of work to get it to take a curl, and to keep a curl. I also have a fair bit of hair. It's not uber thick, but because there is a lot of it looks like it. The makeup artist used a curling iron and so going piece by piece took a good while. But that was okay. It looked awesome in the end, and was nice and warm during the process (the studio was a bit cold).

My amazing makeup artist working very patiently with me.

Then it was the stylist's turn. We'd already chatted over the phone so she knew my sizes. We tried on a few dresses until we agreed to start with a black one. Now this is the neat part. I've always known that the clothes on models gets pinned to fit them perfectly (think that scene in Lost in Translation when Bill Murray's jacket is all clipped at the back and he goes to the hotel bar like that), but still . . . translating that concept to reality hadn't really clicked until that moment. It's so cool. Because the dress fits you perfectly and all those bulges and bits you think can never be hidden, miraculously vanish. And the stylist was so good at it too, it took her like three seconds to do it.

In my perfectly pinned black dress on set. Note the fabulous shoes that are one size too small for me!

So then it was time to take the pictures. Let me tell you, modeling ain't easy. Okay it isn't like a day down in the mines or anything, but it is physically surprisingly exhausting. You have to hold your body in contorted poses, while trying to make the whole thing look effortless and relaxed. Whenever there is a moment's pause the makeup artist comes over to do touch ups while the stylist is asking you to lift your body so she can straighten the skirt. I did one set of pictures where I was standing with one knee up on a trunk, and had to hold that position for forever. When I stood upright finally my left leg was shaking. My last outfit (the one I had been dying to try because it had a cool hat) required I stand in four inch heels, and I barely wear any heels ever so I was a bit teetery. I honestly have no idea how women can wear shoes like that in real life. It's one thing to stand still on place, but walking? Dude.

It was also just really neat to get to play dress up. I loved my sort of 50's pin-up look, especially the brooches that the makeup artist fastened into my hair. The film noir dress had pockets so I totally went all Katherine Hepburn in my mind. But the backless sweater dress was by far the most comfy.

What I also found so amazing was the difference between what the set up really looked like, and what appeared in the final photo. In the black and white shoot with the hat, Franco was standing only a few feet away from me, but in the pictures it looks like there is quite some distance between us. The pictures of me with the trunk, and the ones with the sweater dress are taken in the exact same spot, but look like two totally different locations. And the whole studio was, while not tiny, not exactly vast. But you don't get that sense at all, of all the people standing just off camera. Of the behind the scenes film crew who was there as well (when the video is posted I will of course post about it).

All illusion.

All awesomeness.

I'm not sure if I will get an opportunity like that again, but I do hope so because I learned so much even in that one experience. Well, even if I never do, at least I have the pictures. They will be with me forever.

If anyone is interested in reading the article that went along with the photoshoot you can read it here. It was really great fun chatting with the guy, and he audio recorded the whole thing. Which is why at times it may appear in the interview that I was rambling . . . because I was!

Staring into a trunk. I like to think it's a treasure chest, goes with the theme of my writing. The lighting in this picture is awesome. Franco actually had a lamp in the trunk, it wasn't photoshopped or anything later.


In the comfy sweater dress. You can't tell in this photo, but my knee is killing me, pressing into that same trunk!


1950's pinup look. The brooches in my hair were rather heavy. But awesome sparkly!



Maybe my fav picture. Love the hat, love the dress, even love my pose. And love love love me some pockets! Check out some of the other shots though to see them heels!

More pics here!