the marion house book

Prop styling is relatively new to me although I’ve been watching from afar for awhile. Right after Henry was born I worked with a food stylist for about 18 months or so prepping the food in advance and helping her out on set. At almost all of these shoots a prop stylist would be present. It’s far to say that I was always absolutely blown away by the amount of props these women (it’s was almost always women) would bring. Tables upon tables upon tables full of plates, bowls, trays, fabric, cutlery, flowers, serving spoons, and on and on.

So when The Globe and Mail (one of Canada’s National newspaper) asked me to style a fall picnic for them I knew I had my work cut out for me. The direction I was given was “Hunter’s Chic” – plaid blankets, wood cutting boards, wicker picnic baskets, enamelware and other items appropriate for a fall picnic.

I was also asked to bring in a patch of grass and some fall foliage so it appeared as real as possible! Late the night before the shoot I was outside in my my backyard in the pouring rain digging up a two foot patch of turf and scouring the back alley for leaves that had started to turn autumn colours.

Working along side me was prop and food stylist extraordinaire Sasha Seymour (she acted as a food stylist on this shoot).  I think her work is absolutely incredible and to be working with her was a dream come true. Sasha has a real love for patina and manages to always add in a touch of the old to every shoot.

Her menu for the picnic was: creamy cannellini bean soup, hunter’s sandwich, roasted curried cauliflower salad, cornmeal cake with walnuts and concord grapes and a buckshot. For all of the recipes check out The Globe and Mail website.

I have to say that working on images like this is a real joy. To be able to collaborate with like minded people and create these moments is something I take great pleasure in.