March 9, 2013: The Hassles of Shooting, Old Rickety Steps and Italian Vogue

A few years ago I had the crazy idea to drag an old television set out to the beach. My vision was sitting in front of the t.v. with my husband, while the sun rose in the middle of it's gutted screen. Not too daunting a task, right? Turns out this project became one of the biggest hassles of all the images I have taken.

Step 1: Find an old t.v.
I learned quickly that the cool rounded televisions of the 50s and 60s were not up for grabs at the local Goodwill (or the neighboring Goodwill, or the Goodwill across the state, or online...). It took months before I stumbled across that perfect t.v. in a local antique store. It was bit more expensive than I anticipated but worth it considering how much gas I spent scouring the state for one. I picked up the television, loaded it in my car and nearly sideswiped every car in Winston-Salem. (Sorry about that fellow drivers!)

Finally found my perfect set.

Step 2: Gut the T.V.
The hard part was over right? Hardly. Finding a repair shop that would even touch an old tube t.v. was impossible. No one would gut it for me. My dad saved the day and removed the contents within 30 minutes. Thank you Dad!

Step 3: Take it to the beach
My husband and I were already planning a beach trip for our anniversary. Since the coast is quite a distance from our home, I planned on doing the shoot while there. We woke up before sunrise in our "outfits" and lugged the t.v. down these stairs. Thank you husband!

The tretcherous stairs!

Step 4: Take the picture
Ok, the t.v. was purchased, gutted and carried down rickety old steps to the shore. We were sitting there just before sunset in our outfits. Everything was in place; now we wait.

and wait...

and wait...

and, is that the sunrise over there? No, that's a ship.

and wait...

(turn head to the left)

oh no!!!!

The sun rises in the east right? Well, yes, but NC beaches are a little tricky. We were down in a divet where the sun rises over a random sand dune. To get to a beach where the sun rises directly over the ocean we would have to go to the Outer Banks (quite a drive). Being the impatient person that I am I knew I had to shoot this today!

So I thought fast. We turned the t.v. around, ran and got "in" the screen. The result is the image below. Often a shoot does not go as planned, but something just as good if not better results. I love this image and that we are part of the show. Life is better than anything on television.

Tune In
© 2011 Heather Evans Smith Photography

Two years later the image is published in the February 2013 issue of Vogue Italia. And while I didn't get that sunrise in the t.v. set pic that I had originally wanted, I got something better. Italian Vogue isn't too bad either!

Me holding the February 2013 issue of Vogue Italia.

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October 4, 2012: A Slow Sink

A few weeks ago I finally made time for a beach vacation (though a short one) with family. But of course I never head to the beach without my equipment. This was my second beach shoot this year and another is in the works for next month. The beach is about a 5 hour drive. Not bad, but certainly not convenient. I take every opportunity to shoot there when I can.

I had this idea in my head for most of the year. At first I was going to shoot this in dirt. Summer rolled by, dry spells made the dirt harder and a fire ant attack persuaded me to go another route. Sand seemed to be the logical answer.

My niece has always been a big supporter of my work and did not hesitate to model for me. We headed out right before sunset. My only instruction to her was, "You will wear an old dress and be half buried and sandy and dirty". She really didn't seem to think that was a big deal. I love my models! I posted before about how it takes a village to raise a photographer. With my niece lying in the surf and my sister-in-law chasing fly away reflectors, this had never been more true. I thank them both!

Below is my favorite image from the shoot. 

A Slow Sink  © 2012 Heather Evans Smith Photography

 I also really loved the swirl around her in this photo.

© 2012 Heather Evans Smith Photography

Not always easy getting the shot. My niece dodging waves and my sister-in-law chasing a runaway reflector.

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July 3, 2011: Tune In

Life is better than anything on television. (Or at least it can be, if you turn it off long enough to give it a try.)

This is the first of a new series I am working on; combining technology with nature. This idea had been in my head for awhile, it was just a matter of finding the right TV (which wasn't easy), then the right person (thanks Dad!) to gut it, and finally hauling it to the beach (thanks husband!).

Stayed tuned...

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September 24, 2010: Summer's End

Fall has officially started but I am not ready to say goodbye to Summer yet. The heat, definitely, but the feeling of new beginnings and growth, no. Autumn is starting to tap on my shoulder and winter isn't too far behind. Time to grasp on to those final days of warmth and green before it sleeps for awhile. There was one more beach trip to squeeze in. It was sunrise before the masses came out. The water was warm as we walked out together. "Does it make you feel better than I am getting soaked too?", I asked. She said, "Yes".

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