This has been a beautiful deep & truly unbelievable journey. I am so grateful to the many people who made it happen.
Sam Backhaus: Photographer extraordinaire who has single-handedly taken every single photograph on this website. She is my hero. Her vision, artistry, steadfastness ... watching her work has been an honor and privilege. (Contact info will appear at the end of this).
Jenny Lynn Belton: Art Director (friend) – This is, in truth, Her project. She has organized pretty much everything and Sam & I have gone along for the ride. Jenny is a force to be reckoned with. She is perfectly organized, sees everything before it plays out and I am so grateful she has willed this into reality.
Tim Pugh: Back-end Website & POS Shopify professional (friend & neighbor). Tim lives near the store & the strangest thing – whenever we had a question needing an immediate answer - he just appeared ... really, every time.
The Talent
Roman: Hair for our "Flash Pages" & Shana’s bio (best friend). He did not style the hair for the product shots. The morning of the big "Flashpage" shoot (those are the header photos for each collection) Roman showed up a 7:30am and helped me smudge, say prayers, set up, and then did hair for 9 hours. So grateful every day for my brother!
Krissy: Model (friend) Her calm-gorgeous energy just permeates everything. She also taught us about Insta and apps for photo editing – my goodness – she is a jewel. How she had time to spend so many days with us we do not know, as she & her friend own vintageroundup.com, she works at Flowerkraut in Hudson, NY, as well as flower farms, helping with horse rehabilitation, and much much more.
Rosy: Model (and friend for over 30 yrs). When I asked Rosy to model I also asked her go deep. I wanted a strong woman over 50 who could bring in the feeling of elders who sit in the North and would she be my Queen model for the day. She did do this. (Work is as she would say is "professional cat herder," she is also a writer, editor, motorcycle enthusiast, ice cream aficionado, etc)
Paige: Model (Sam B’s fiancé) Paige brought elegance, calm, a simplicity and focus to the shoot. She is so easy going and lovely to work with. I would like to learn from her. (local realtor, caretaker of horses, etc)
Mounanou: Model (son of a friend of the family) I was not at this shoot – but it is clear he brought cool, fun, & playful energy to the shoot. He was supposedly shooting his own Insta in the store while the shoot was happening which had Jenny and Sam cracking up. Namu is a musician, actor, artist, and professional model should go on this list I think.
Shiloh: Model (& friend of the family). Shiloh is the cat’s meow! It’s like she brings the dance music into the room when she enters. She is funny, vulnerable, ridiculously sexy and well I would definitely put my money on her in a boxing match! And goodness she was a trooper in a tiny tank top in the freezing cold for hours! (Environmental specialist at Albany county Department of Health)
Raquel: Model (& best friend of Shiloh) Raquel is gorgeous through and through. She is one of those people that the whole room quiets when she enters. She brought a calming but big & full sultry air to the shoot. (Digital marketing executive, assistant psychic to her Lakota Spiritual Advisor/Psychic Mom, & Life Coach)
Tabitha: Model (old family friend) brought the sunshine on the dreary day of the shoot. It is truly like the sun shines out from her. And she brought her daughters who swam in the indoor pool and lightened everyone’s mood (especially when their grandmother’s dog fell in the pool. Tabitha waited for 6 hours before we were ready to shoot her collection. (Kindergarten teacher & mom!)
John: Model (Sam B’s brother) sweetly signed up to help us last minute. John brought male energy into a pack of busy running around getting shit done women. We are already deep in the shoot and basically grabbed him, dressed him and ordered him around. He was a great sport! John is an actor.
Behind the scenes thank yous
Lucinda (best friend): Invited us into her home and onto her land for the shoot. And her daughter graciously welcomed us at 7am.
Peggy: (my mom) cooked the crew lunch and had tons of snacks. It was delicious and made everyone feel so cared for.
True (my son): was The Runner from 7am to 8pm. Having just recently received his driver's license - he loaded and dropped, and ran for basically everything and anything morning til night.
Dave: (Jenny's husband and my dear friend for over 25 years) lent us his calm cool demeanor, loaded in all the racks of clothing, ran the power cords, etc etc at 7am then broke it all down that night.
Jason: (my husband) who was gathering speakers and extension cords, and everything else one could imagine they'd need and loaded it in my car the night before the shoot. And has been witness to my 14 hours days at the computer.
Duffy: (Mother of Shiloh & Tabitha & dear friend for 18 years) has been the sounding board every time. Thank you!
Contacting Photographer:
Sam B Photography Info@samb.photography (her website is currently under construction - and you can imagine she has a crew lined up to assist her in any way she needs) However - you can email her and she will send collections & examples: Portraits, weddings, events, and much more (such as um thousands of product shots - but she won't send those!)