Zuzu's Photo Shoot

Photo by Mellisa Karlin Mahoney, courtesy of McCall's Quick Quilts magazine

Awhile back, Zuzu posed in the McCall's Quilting photo studio with her car quilt and tote bag ensemble. The quilt pattern is in the December 2013/January 2014 issue of McCall's Quick Quilts, and we just got our preview copies today. This isn't the exact photo used in the magazine, and it hasn't been cropped or anything, but isn't she cute? She loves to pose, especially when her Aunt Mellisa, textile photographer extraordinaire, is behind the camera. So, consider this a teaser. Once the issue has shipped to subscribers and newsstands, I'll blog about the project once more.

Did I mention she's cute?  :)

Studio Shoot Tomorrow

Mellisa Karlin Mahoney, getting the perfect shot

Today we're putting the final touches on getting everything ready for our monthly studio shoot. This is the day when we shoot how-to photos, flat shots of blocks and fabrics needed for an issue of the magazine, and products we're going to review in the issue. Makes for a busy day, but we have one of the best textile photographers in the business, Mellisa Mahoney, and we always have a lot of fun during shoots.Time to load up a cart with sewing machine, pressing and rotary cutting tools, and lots of fabric and products for the January/February 2014 issue of McCall's Quilting!

Secrets of a Quilt Magazine Editor

Tomorrow is our monthly studio shoot, when we photograph how-to pictures for an upcoming magazine issue. This time it's for December/January McCall's Quick Quilts (yes, that's how far ahead we work!). When I came to work at McCall's I had no idea I'd have to become a hand model, but all our editors do. We prepare the samples, and then our hands are photographed doing the steps needed for whatever technique we're teaching. Here, at risk of humiliating myself beyond repair, are the secrets I've learned over the years about hand modeling for quilting photos:

• Don't do any heavy gardening, grungy cleaning, or dangerous chopping, etc. for the few days before a shoot. Give your hands a chance to be relatively intact and normal looking. Like most of these tips, I learned this the hard way. I once cut a big chunk out of a finger the night before a shoot and had to have a hand stunt double!
• Do a fresh manicure the night before the shoot. Short nails and clear or light pink polish are best, as they don't distract a reader from the quilting action shown. Blood red nails = vampire quilting....not so good.
• Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. I like Crabtree & Evelyn's Gardener's Hand Therapy for super moisture and no shine or stickiness.
• Find a good cover stick that blends well with the skin on the back of your hand, and use it. Age spots (oh, my age spots), scars, freckles all cost money to have edited out of photos. The closer you can get to flawless skin, the easier on the folks who prepare the photos for the printer.
• Posing for the photos is an art in itself. Listen to the photographer and whoever is art directing the shoot. They can see things you can't from your perspective. As our photographer Mellisa Mahoney often says, "If the editor isn't uncomfortable, it's not a good shot." Twist yourself into a pretzel if needed...the cramps will pass, but the photo lives on.
• When in doubt about whether a shot is necessary, take the shot. They're easy to delete or not use, but almost impossible to recreate later to seamlessly blend with the other pictures.
• After the shoot, wash your made-up hands before handling any fabric or quilts. Don't ask me how I know to do this.

So, if you're ever called on to model for quilting how-to photos, you're all set. Me, I'm off to do that manicure...