Tan Embroidered Maxi
I have been following the traveling blog for a very long time and have always wanted to participate. I joined several groups only to have them fall through which was disappointing. What’s the old adage? “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” I decided that I should create my own traveling dress group. I’m so lucky to have an amazingly talented group of photographer friends from all over the world and I knew they would be the perfect people to ask. We all met online several years ago and have been fast friends ever since. I presented my idea to them, and the response was overwhelming. So many people wanted to participate. We decided to split into several different teams. I offered to be the team leader for this group and we decided on this pretty, elegant tan embroidered maxi dress from Joyfolie.
The dress was already in my possession so I was the first one to go. It was spring time and much to my dismay, we were having an unusually wet spring in Nevada. It rained every day that I was scheduled to have the dress. I was running out of time, so I was trying to come up with ideas for a rain photo shoot or trying to find an indoor location somewhere. Then, one lucky day as we were sitting at home, the rain took a pause and the sky cleared. I grabbed my daughter Lily, put her in the dress and did a quick hairdo as we jumped in the car. We also grabbed her pretty white guitar that her grandma had just bought for her 10th birthday. I had to think quickly and find somewhere close because it was nearly sunset. We stopped at Red Hawk golf course near our house in Sparks, Nevada. One of my favorite things about this neighborhood are these little tree lined walkways between the rows of houses. We started there and took a few photos of her walking and twirling. We ended up at edge of the golf course where there was a pretty willow tree and a great view of the mountains. It turned out to be a beautiful evening and I loved spending those sweet moments with my beautiful girl. I sent the dress on. I was so excited to see how everyone else’s photo shoots would turn out!
Jennie Upham (Team Leader)
Location: Sparks, Nevada
Did anyone else feel like it rained the entire first half of the year this year? I did. Every time I tried to get out and shoot, another rain storm would hit and then there would be mud everywhere. Since this project involved a travelling dress that didn't belong to me and that needed to be shot by several other photographers, mud just wasn't an option ( although truth be told, I'd love to do a mud shoot so hit me up if that's something on your bucket list).
This dress was a tiny bit small for my one daughter and a tad large for my second daughter. Isn't it funny how sizes always seem to vary so much? Once the rain had finally taken a break long enough for me to feel comfortable taking the dress outside, we raced up to Zion National Park. We took a short, less popular hike (who knows why it’s less popular, it’s BEAUTIFUL) and both girls used the canyon as their own little private dressing room and had a blast! This dress was amazing! It was light and had all the flow every photographer dreams about and it was easy to move in. I wanted to give a huge shout out to Jennie Upham Photography for putting this thing together and for allowing me to be a part of it.
Sarah Jackman
Location: Hurricane, Utah
Daughters: Bree, age 7 and Lexi, age 12
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The dress arrived to me in the Pacific Northwest just in time to catch the beautiful late blooms of spring. My daughter fell in love with the dress instantly and couldn’t wait to do the shoot! The evening light was gorgeous at the botanical gardens and we channeled a series from the days of Jane Austin. Unfortunately, the mosquitoes were also out in force that night and Marin came home with more than 10 mosquito bites! As itchy as she was, she later said, “Mom, getting these photos was worth it.”
Cindy Richey
Location: Seattle, Washington
As soon as this dress was decided upon, I was excited to try to have it while our family was on vacation at our family’s constant beach spot. My daughter and I were thrilled when we opened the package to see how beautiful this dress was. It fit her perfectly, and I must say we were both sad to mail it off to the next person. While I was initially interested in taking it to the beach (it would’ve been beautiful there), I was apprehensive after receiving it to get the lace and tulle sandy. So we explored an abandoned hotel on the side of the highway that has always intrigued me. Then we went to one of the most beautiful golf courses in the area. I knew that I was the only one of my friends to have this dress in the southeast part of the United States, so I wanted to capture it with the gorgeous Spanish oaks that line the driveway leading to the Caledonia clubhouse. My daughter has turned 13 since we took these photos, and I’m thrilled to have captured these classic photos of her during this fleeting time!
Dawn Rogers
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Daughter: Kate, age 12
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I received the dress the day before the fourth of July and was really excited to finally have it on hand. Nothing could have prepared me for the beauty of this dress—the beautiful point d'esprit mesh overlay, the embroidery, and the remembrance of an ancient era. Naturally, I decided to use a cottage that was built in the yesteryears as the backdrop for my photographs—none other than Queset House and Queset Gardens, located in North Easton MA. The property is a historical stone house of English-Gothic style, which is named for the stream that runs through the property, its sloping lawns, and the pathway that leads to the restored Italianate Queset Garden.
My model, Veronica, was such a joy to photograph. I love that she embraced twirling and swirling in the dress and at the same time held her composure and acted aloof to fit the scene. All the while I was photographing her, I was reminded of scenes from Romeo and Juliet. The dress and details on the bricks and the Italianate garden just sent me back to the play.
I had an amazing time photographing this dress and feel so honored to be a part of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Frock! Our group consists of amazing artists and I can't wait to see how the dress inspired them.
Seraphine Wanami
Location:Randolph, Massachusetts
When the dress arrived, it gave me a very "Anne of Green Gables" vibe. I knew exactly who I wanted to model it and where (my own woodsy backyard at sunset!)...so I found a great hat to match it, added a simple necklace for a pop of color, and called Cora. Upon learning she was not available until the day before I needed to send on the dress, and even then, for only a very short window of time, I got nervous about weather or illness and put a backup plan in place with Emma. We met up at a beautiful spot in Harpswell, Maine, and explored some shots by the water and among the wildflowers. Emma is petite but a little older than Cora, and she carries herself with a maturity that didn't quite give me the innocent naiveté I was envisioning. Nevertheless, I fell in love with this first shot of Emma - her sly glance made me think "well, maybe this more of Anne of Avonlea...", and I was relieved to know I had a good session to draw from if my original plan couldn't happen.
Weather and all other factors DID cooperate for me to execute my original vision with Cora, and she did not disappoint at all! We got our "classic Anne" shot right off the bat, then took off the hat and had some fun dancing and twirling barefoot in the grass, as I imagine Anne would if she were to visit my home. The resulting image from the twirling took my breath away even just on the back of the camera. Just ten minutes after we walked into the yard, I had everything I had hoped for!
Meg Davis
Location: Brunswick, Maine
Models: Cora, age 10 and Emma, age 12
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Artist and Photographer since 2013, specializing in Fine Art Portraiture for Wall Art located in Vancouver, WA, USA.
