Q. My girl is 3, my boy is 5. They both wear glasses. We are doing a 1 hr photo shoot and I like the old fashioned/ rustic style. Any ideas on how I should dress them/props? Answers with links to pics of costumes, etc, would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
A. It depends on exaclty what era you wish to copy and exactly what sort of photos will be shot. Strict Portraits or more candid, situatuinal photos.
As for props. I suggest going to your local thrift stores, secondhand stores and antique stores (though antique stores are often pricey) and look for vintage toys. For boys, it all sort of depends on what your littleboy is in to. Old metal firetrucks and model cars work well, as do old stuffed animals that they like. For girls, contemporary cloth and rag dolls can be timeless. Items used for playing dress up work well for photo shoots as well (mom's large sunday hats, strings of fake pearls, dress gloves) if the little girl enjoys that. If your children like to read, old children's books are veyr easy and cheap to come by and make for great photos. And even if you can't find authentic old books, Little Golden Books are still published to this day and look the same as they did 60 years ago. They are bout a dollar apiece and can be found at any book store with a children's section or Wal*Mart.
Non child-related props would include flowers (pretty though a bit cliche), garden tools (depending on location), hats, and ANYTHING that your children are fascinated by or like playing with. That's the big thing, it shouldn't be forced. What do they like? Bring them along when you are looking for props and follow their lead.
For clothing: keep it simple. Try not to use patterns or anything obviously trendy and stay away from anything with obvious fasteners or brand names and logos on it. Stick to nice dress clothes. You're little girl should wear a nice, simple dress (something white or light colored will show up well in black and white photography, also it's fairly timeless) with nice simple shoes (something old fashioned like patent leather would look nice). The little boy should be dressed in lighter colors as well - preferably a button up dress shirt and dark colored pants (I wouldn't be tempted to use a tie or anything suitish. Just go with SIMPLE) His shoes should also be classic looking (black leather tie ups would be good). If this isn't possible, than have the photographer to avoid having their feet in a shot (they should be able to handle this) or have them go barefoot if the location and weather safely allow.
If you can, leave your daughter's hair down without bretts or fasteners as this will date the photo as newer. If it has to be up and, if she would be willing, try using a little hair product or bobby pins instead.
Their glasses will pose a problem as glasses change with fashion and will give away that the photo isn't very accurate in it's portrayal of "old-fashioned" photos. Also, in most older photos (say Victorian era-1950s) children didn't appear wearing photos for the large part until around middle school age.
Lastly, the best advice I have for making retro/old-fashioned/rustic/contemporary photos is to keep it simple. Try to narrow down a time-frame you have in mind and see what you already have that would have been around at that time.
Tips for building our home and furnishing?
Q. Hi guys,
We are first time owner/builders and I am wanting some tips that the builders/architects and anyone that is making a profit won't tell you.
Just basic tips on getting good deals with things like furnishings and anything in general really.
We aren't after the cheapest thing in the shed but if we can some how find the essentials that are still top quality at a cheaper price than that is fab.
Hope I am making sense.
Many thanks.
A. Think you need to spend a lot of money or hire a decorator to have a home that looks like a photo in a decorating magazine? Think again. You can have a great-looking home on a budget, and decorating your rooms yourself rather than contracting with a professional not only saves money but also ensures that your "signature" will be on those rooms. These 10 simple rules will get you started.
1. Break the rules. You can mix plaids, florals, and stripes, but do it carefully. Choose a pleasing color scheme-for example, red, khaki, and sage green-and make sure that everything you choose for the room falls within that scheme. The colors will provide a unifying theme without making your room look like you picked an entire suite of furniture and accessories from one page in a catalog. Things don't need to match; they just need to complement each other.
2. Spend your money where it counts. A good couch will last years longer than a cheap one, so if you're going to sit on it every day, spend some money on it. Choose a neutral color and a classic style so that it has some staying power and accessorize with trendy items in bolder colors that you can change out when they start to look dated or you get tired of them.
3. Fill in with bargains. End tables from thrift shops or unpainted furniture stores are fairly inexpensive, and their look can easily be updated or tailored to your taste with inexpensive paint or stain.
4. Repurpose used items. I bought a large cedar chest at a thrift store for $50 to use as a coffee table. It's great for a small space-at various times, I've used it to store Christmas decorations, sewing supplies, and extra bedding for guests. It was badly scratched when I bought it, but I used brown paste shoe polish to fill in the scratches, and it looks great. Look for used items that are cosmetically damaged but structurally sound.
5. Consider "knockdown" furniture if you're the least bit handy and can operate a screwdriver. We found a wonderful table for one-third of its original price at an end-of-season sale that was perfect for our eat-in kitchen, but it didn't come with chairs. We found some chairs that complemented the table perfectly at an online retailer for $119 for a pair. It took my husband an hour to put together four of them. They look great and are very sturdy. The same chairs would have cost two or three times that much at a furniture store.
6. Visit thrift stores for unexpected finds. These places are a great source for baskets, vases, frames, curtains,books, and other accessories. Placing a basket of books next to the couch and a throw across the arm of an overstuffed chair will make a room look lived-in and comfortable rather than sterile.
7. Accessorize to create the look you want. Our plain red slip-covered couch became instantly cozy when we put striped throw pillows in the corners and a plaid flannel quilt over the back.
8. Go for the layered look on your bed. Resist the urge to buy a "bed in a bag" and create your own unique collection of linens. Mix and match striped, solid, plaid, and floral sheets and top them with a solid color comforter. Add lots of pillows and finish off the look with a blanket or throw folded and draped across the foot of the bed. If your bed is beautiful, you can get by with inexpensive lamps and bedside tables.
9. Avoid boring. Paint is relatively inexpensive and can bring a room to life. Even real estate specialists, who love the word "neutral," are now promoting the "new neutrals"-for example, gray, mocha, pale yellow, sage green, etc. These colors give a room personality, and paint color is one of the easiest things to change if you want a new look or decide to sell. Off-white is safe but not very interesting unless it's a backdrop for lots of bold furniture, rugs, and artwork.
10. Above all, make sure everything you keep or buy works toward creating the look that you're trying to achieve, whether it's a shabby chic cottage or a contemporary urban loft. Even "eclectic" is a look, and eclectic doesn't mean hodge-podge.
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