Photo Shoot Sneak Peek

Last week was a whirlwind, but in a good way!  The photo shoot took three full days of set-up, picture taking and clean-up.  It was so much fun but lots of hard work too.  Although I can’t show any pictures of the actual shots (they are beautiful!) which will be used in the magazines, I can show you a very small glimpse of what went on behind the scenes.

 Photographer John Bessler and Regional Editor and Producer for 

Meredith Publications, Donna Talley looking at the details of a picture

Every time I have the privilege of participating in a photo shoot I learn something new, and this time was not an exception.  Photographer John Bessler had been to my house a few years ago to photograph the basement for Better Homes and Gardens.  I was beyond excited when I learned he was coming back for this shoot.  He is such a professional, an amazing photographer and most important, a super nice person.  John was even kind enough to give me a few pointers on how to use some of the features of my camera while I was taking pictures of him and Donna at work!  (You will have to let me know if I was a good student or not based on the photos in future blog posts.)

A favorite part of the photo shoot for me is all the fresh flowers.  I have always said if I could afford one luxury it would be to have fresh flowers in my house all the time.  As you can see from the above picture, they pretty much took over my entire kitchen.

Donna on set-up day preparing a label

One of the observations I have made during my time watching photo shoots is that it is all the little details which really bring a photo to life.  Just like in decorating your home, the small touches you add make such a big difference.  Take for example, the label Donna is making in the above picture.  Everything for each picture has to be prepared and planned well in advance.  Donna has such a creative gift for making sure every tiny aspect of a photo is thought out – a talent I truly admire.

Unfortunately, I do not have a definite date as to when the stories will appear in print.  Sometimes they appear quickly and other times it takes months.  I will be sure to let you know if I get a heads up as to when they will be published.  As I mentioned earlier, the pictures are incredible.  I can’t wait for you to see them!