High Tea Shoot

Recently I was involved in a photo shoot with my friend Dee, of Deanna Whtye Photography.  She had seen some advertising calling for photographs of Kustom Cupcakes' glorious little gems of sweetness.   Dee being the creative butterfly that she is envisioned a 50's inspired high tea featuring Kustom's cupcakes.

When Dee put the call out for people to be involved in the shoot... I asked her if she wanted model types... because I'm certainly not 16 years old, 180cm and 50kg.  But luckily for me that was not what she was looking for...  Fortunately I'm not one to shy away from being photographed.  In my late teens I figured out that if I tried to hide from a camera, I would most certainly take a bad picture, with a silly screwed up face.  And as an adjunct to this little morsel of knowledge… when I am scrutinizing a photograph of myself, I am probably the only one who sees flaws, because no one else is interested or looking for them!

When Dee put the call out and qualified that she was not looking for models per say... I jumped at the chance of being photographed by Dee – who is without a doubt an imminent star on West Australia’s photography scene.  She just has this way with a camera... it's kind of hard to explain without actually knowing her.  She is very charismatic and her enthusiasm is contagious.  So consequently you feel great about yourself... less self-conscious and more natural in front of her camera.  The result is relaxed and organic photos with a really authentic feel.  Nothing is forced about her photos and you can see her clients’ personality shining through the photograph at you.  She is self-taught, intuitive and passionate about her work, and I think this is why she is so awesome at her work.  I am such a big fan (gee could you tell by the love-fest she asks blushing); I wish I could have my wedding and children all over again so that she could do my photography.

So arrangements were made, time and dates set and cupcakes collected.  I arrived at Dee's house to find that the group of five "models" had diminished to three.  The other lovely ladies in the shoot were Natalie of Petite Bijou and Jennifer of Jennifer Birkhead Design, and Vivid Health and Fitness both extremely talented and accomplished in their own right.  Unfortunately our makeup artist who was one of the five to be photographed was poorly, so Dee took over this role as well.  She was a little ruffled but determined to see her idea come to fruition. 

After only minimal primping and preening, the three of us were looking like alluring pearled 1950's wives about to indulge in a spot of afternoon tea.  The cupcakes were moved into position and our delicate teacups were filled with tea because there is nothing more ridiculous than lifting an empty cup to your lips.  Champagne was decided against for fear the whole shoot would unravel into drunken revelry.  As the cupcakes were the focus of the shoot, Dee issued some direction about how to hold them, head tilting or sitting, but generally we giggled (like school girls) and chatted among ourselves as the camera clicked away in the background.

Finally it was time to actually take some photos of us eating the cupcakes. My mouth had been watering since first laying eyes on the cupcakes, so after an hour of cupcake foreplay... gazing at the cupcakes, smelling the cupcakes and handling the cupcakes I was more than ready to sink my teeth into the firm icing and soft fresh cake.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that my selected cupcake had a gooey peanutty centre.  Had it not been for the shoot I may have just gobbled my cupcake all up in an instant, but instead I was made to saviour it... taking delicate bites being careful not to smudge my red lipstick!  After two cupcakes, my eagerness to eat more began to wane... quite considerably in fact.  And by the third cupcake I was more than ready to smear it all over my face and be a glamorous 50's housewife, undone!

I had a fantastic time... Thanks to Dee, Kustom Cupcakes and the two other delightful 1950's wives – Jen and Nat.  I think our enjoyment of the shoot really came through in the pics, what do you think?