In which Supermom is a basket case.

[saffronhare]

And Superdad rocked. (Update at the end of the message includes a link to a photo now.)

This morning, the TCP got to go to a photo shoot. My agency needed to emulate some art, which pictured a very grubby-sad-hungry child, from a national campaign. Boss-lady was convinced that the two little princesses would be "perfect," so I allowed us to be finagled and agrnmn decided not to kill me for forgetting to ask about money.

At 9 a.m., agrnmnm, the three princesses (eldest was a long to "help"), and I arrived at the studio. With astoundingly little angst, more than a hundred photos were snapped. It's a good thing everybody else there knew what they were doing, because I was a wreck. It's an especially good thing our client didn't show up to witness the event, because then I would have been flattened by role conflict. I'll say it in public: agrnmn is a hero.

We've narrowed it down to three photos (one of Princess Sticky and two of Princess !Kaboom!) and plan to make the final choice for the campaign once we can see them laid onto the rest of the background art...probably within the next couple of days. Then, I get to write the copy to go with that art. It's much more emotionally stressful than I'd bargained for -- the photos are pretty stark, and the mythic reality is really messing with my head. The campaign is a custom thing we're putting together for Detroit (everything from carrier envelopes to newspaper ads to billboards along the highway), though other clients want to see it when it's ready, too. With any luck, we won't have any family in the cities where this rolls out.

It's hard to say whether the girls thought it was any fun (they were clearly more relaxed for the second round of photos), but I hear they really enjoyed their Krispy Kreme doughnuts on the way home. And, before I left the studio, the photographer wanted to keep extra copies of their releases and get our phone number to maybe call another time. Not bad, eh?

You can bet I'm going to get my hands on those photos. I'll try to post them here for the shock and dismay of aunties and uncles. Plus, we'll need them for Christmas cards!

UPDATE: Here's a link to the first proof. I first saw in on 11x17. Imagine it up on billboard. Headline (or something like this) = Everyone deserves a second chance. Not to mention a first one. http://pics.livejournal.com/saffronhare/pic/0000a0tq/g4

Comments

::blink::blinK::

[lightonthesill.livejournal.com]

I can only imagine...
regarding all aspects...the experience itself, seeing the photos (mythic reality and all)
On the up side...I bet either one could probably make some $ at this kind of gig.

Oof.

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

Just saw a proof of the first one with Princess !Kaboom! in it. Boss-lady walked into the room I was in and just turned it around for everyone to see. We all made a sound like we'd been punched in the gut. He'd pulled in a bit closer on her face, and added some more dirt and a bit of bruising. The other two proofs may be rolling in today (the artist is sort of fired up, I guess), so I may need to go puke by the time I've gotten through all three of them.

On the subject of $$, a few people have already spoken up: "They'd better be getting some money for this." So, we'll see.

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

Heh. Your kids are the cutest street urchins ever.

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

Just you wait. I'll try to bring a copy of this first proof along this evening. The other two won't be ready until Monday, I think. (Though we didn't expect anything until Monday...so who knows?)

I'm sort of vascillating between proud and horrified. Which I oughta get used to, with these kids.

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

So wait, they're taking pictures of two of the cutest kids in the bi-state area, and then Photoshopping them into lovably disheveled street urchins?

Your job is still weird. Can't wait to see the pics, though.

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

I say again: you say the nicest things.

No, we pre-disheveled them a bit -- with some clever application of charcoal/ashes. Princess Boredom also went to town with the super-hold gel. Plus, they hadn't bathed or brushed their hair in a couple of days. Mostly, after they put the pics onto the background they just photoshopped the bruising...

*eek*

[opaljax.livejournal.com]

Wow, that is scary. I'm glad I saw her later today, and she looked really cute in the red dress--hardly any bruises at all!! :D

[celticwhistlin.livejournal.com]

Mythic reality check... Princess Kaboom is cute, Princess Kaboom is cute...

[hekatatia.livejournal.com]

She is adorable! I can only imagine what it must be like for you to see them in this role *and* write the copy. Sheesh.

[lightonthesill.livejournal.com]

I'm fairly sure I will perhaps refrain from looking at the other two pictures... this one was a bit more than I could handle. Brought *instant* weeping. In fact, even thinking about it makes my eyes moist. Though it's also highly likely curiosity will get the best of me and I'll convince myself to look "for artistic purposes" etc. Ugh. iron_clad didn't want to look and after I did - told him it was best that he didn't.

[zylch.livejournal.com]

Wow. And ouch. First impact is impressive.

Second impact, and keep in mind that my perspective may be skewed because I've just been spending a lot of time in the Bay of Naples area: when I really look at it, I can see that she's actually pretty well-fed (certainly not fat, but also not doing too badly), and the dirt patterns & bruising look applied, not normally acquired. ::rereads last sentence:: yeah, skewed. There's no "normal" way to get that much bruising. Also can't imagine one of the Napoli kids having that sad look when they actually have the piece of bread.

In short, it looks like a great piece for the campaign, but I had no trouble seeing through the mythic when I took a moment. Also glad that you may be able to exploit the terrifying cuteness of your children in the future :-)