handcrafted modern/outtakes/zeisel

Here is another bit of shelving filled with Eva's past designs. You really get an idea of just how much she designed, but notice that the shelving is her designs as well.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/zeisel

A couple of weeks ago Eva Zeisel celebrated her 104th birthday so I thought it was time I shared a couple of outtakes from her country home. As I mentioned in Handcrafted Modern, I was most surprised by her home because of the feeling of Old World Europe downstairs. There were very few hints of modern Zeisel design until you reached the upstairs studio. I especially loved the piano with a healthy collection of old vinyl LPs.

take a breather and give thanks/

I am taking the advice of this sign and taking a bit of a breather until Monday. Lots of editing to catch up on and a little trip to Indiana next week to prep for. Have a wonderful holiday.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/wright

I'm not sure this qualifies as an outtake. This was the last shot I took at Russel Wright's home. It was late in the day and I noticed this idyllic little red house (or maybe a barn?) as I was loading my car.  I had one shot left on my last roll and the mosquitoes were starting to get a bit too interested in me. I noticed the light coming through the trees and shot this really quick. But as I look at it now, I appreciate how it reminds me what type of environment Wright's house is in.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/eames

Here is something you will never see that well unless you get inside the Eames House, and let's face it...few do. I didn't even notice this until the second day of shooting. One of Josef Albers' Homage to a Square hangs in the entry way. I have to say this Albers looks like none I have ever seen. The paint seems to be applied much rougher than the ones I have seen in museums. I can just imagine Albers smearing on the paint with a palette knife.

On another note, I wanted to mention a really nice interview with me on the Design Faith Blog. It was my first time I was ever interviewed in person and I fear I gabbed his ear off. Somehow Kenny edited it down. Take a look! I think it turned out well.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/eames

I thought I would continue on with outtakes from the Eames House. This chair was sitting in the corner of their bedroom. I moved a stack of Charles'shirts there (the ONLY thing in the house I was allowed to touch). Charles shirts were custom made and each shirt has a different button on them. You can see these two have a silver button, but they are subtly different. I just love this attention to detail. His initials were sewn in each shirt as well.   

 © 2009 Eames Foundation

handcrafted modern/outtakes/eames

So this one is a little different. I had a little equipment failure during my shoot at the Eames House. But honestly, look at how beautiful the messed up roll turned out. Not right for the book, but there is something good here. You don't get this with digital.

alviso, ca

The other day I found myself in Alviso, CA. I remember a long time ago there were a bunch of landlocked boats there and for some reason, I felt like seeing if they were still there. I didn't find them, but I found these odd structures...I guess they are to stop people from going into the wetlands. They just seem so odd to me, but in a really good way...

handcrafted modern/the secret portraits

I just shot this portrait of John  Kapel a couple of weeks ago. John's was another of the homes that was just so rich in detail, I never got a chance to properly shoot his portrait until I stopped by to give him his copy of Handcrafted Modern. Love this shot and my favorite piece of his artwork is hanging on the wall behind him.

handcrafted modern/the secret portraits

I love this portrait of Jens Risom I did for an article in Dwell magazine a couple of years ago. This was in his backyard. We decided that a sweater change would be nice (he was wearing a bright red one) so he brought out 5 of his favorite cashmere sweaters and I chose the color I thought would work best with this setting. Perfect, no?

handcrafted modern/the secret portraits

I am really excited about this portrait of Irving Harper. I shot this October 15 of this year, when I brought him his copy of Handcrafted Modern. I feel like this really captures him well. Isn't he a handsome devil?

handcrafted modern/the secret portraits

I shot this portrait of Erica Wilson and Vladimir Kagan at the end of my shoot at their Upper East Side Apartment. Vlady was insistent on wearing these salmon color pants because he knew they would look great with the colors in his living room and especially his Frank Stella. The only thing was that they were womens pants and they were a touch on the tight side. He was rather hilarious, but he was completely right. The pants kind of make the picture for me. But maybe it is because I still have a chuckle when I think of him insisting "They will zip!!!"

handcrafted modern/the secret portraits

I love this portrait of Jens Risom in his bedroom. He had a wonderful view out his window of the New Canaan Nature Center. As I was leaving the day I shot this, he and his wife, Henny, wandered down the little trail in his back yard for a walk there.

handcrafted modern/the secret portraits

I thought I would finally show some of the portraits I did while shooting Handcrafted Modern. So many people have asked me why I did not photograph the people. The fact is, I did for a couple of them. My intent was to do portraits of everyone who was still living in their house, but with a couple there just wasn't the time. But while delivering the books the homeowners I finally finished up the last two that I wanted to do. This one today is a shot of Irving Harper and his wife Belle sitting on the porch enjoying a late summer afternoon. I shot this one while I was there photographing the house a couple of years ago. There wasn't time to do a formal portrait because his house was so rich with details, I was shooting for two days solid. I grabbed this shot as I walked by the porch window.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/harper

One more from my visit to Irving Harper's place a couple of weeks ago. This is a view from the second floor of the barn with the hay doors open, to let in some light.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/harper

Well, I guess this isn't really an outtake. I promised myself I would shoot more in Irving Harper's Barn and during my trip to New York a couple of weeks ago, I did. I visited Harper to give him his copy of Handcrafted Modern (which he loved, thank goodness) and I shot a few more rolls of film in his barn. I was so excited to pick up the film because of this shot. I was not sure if what I was seeing would read on film...but it did! Look at that crazy reflection on the floor!!!

jb blunk/

Quick shot from my phone at JB Blunk's home last week. No one ever saw all the pictures of his books I took. Lots of Jung on those shelves...

jb blunk/scrap chair

Another wonderful Open House this weekend at the JB Blunk Residency, this time for photographer Beatrice Pediconi. More pics of the studio tomorrow. Last week I was up at the residency shooting the Scrap Chair for an upcoming museum catalog and I ended up doing a couple of unorthodox shots that I really like. This is one of them. And as I was shooting, I noticed something I had never noticed before on the chair....JB's "signature".  Love it.