Arden's Day Out: Always Designing

I was talking to a woman the other day about my work. She asked about my past jobs and why I became a photographer. Afterwards she said, " Well, it all makes sense. You were a designer for Lord and Taylor's. You dressed mannequins and set up little scenes in windows. You are doing the same thing now but with you photographs."

This statement has stayed with me for quite a while. I thought that my various jobs all has start and end dates. Now I realize that one job does flows into another. I now create similar work with my photographs and cards. I love to set up scenes. Such as with my Holiday cards from 2009. I took my in-laws Adirondack chairs, my champagne glass and several props from my home and created what a perfect Christmas would be for me.

" Holiday Toast"

In 2007 I need a generator. I wanted to show what it would look like if Santa Claus took some time off and was skinny dipping. Kevin and I had a lot of fun making this card. We borrowed the Santa costume from his job, got Christmas lights and rented a generator. We lugged all of our gear down to the beach one evening in September until we found the perfect lifeguard chair.

We set up the scene and just starting laughing, because of all the people that were watching us. The residences, in the apartment building behind us, were on their balconies and pointing and tyring to figure out what was going on. I am sure they thought we were a little crazy, but I did not mind. I was having a create time creating this card.

" Lifeguard Chair"

Even when I creating photographs or cards that do not have an elaborate set up. I am always thinking about the final product. What it will it look like? What text can I use for the card I am about to create? Or how will it look all blown up, without any text, and framed in someones home. All this things I am visually designing. Not on mannequins this time, but on film.