Like a Circus, Featuring Wardrobe by Madisigns

Wardrobe: Madison Sayes at Madisigns
Stylist: Chantelle Alvey
Photographer: Wendy Hurst Portrait

Models:
Erin Dobbins (Marionette)
Kayla McKay (Harlequin)
Kirsty Stalder (Peacock)
Madi Beckstead (Tight-Rope Walker)
Madison Lindgren (Lion)
Melissa Nicole Meldrum (Fortune Teller)

"What's the last crazy thing you've done?" 

It's a question one of my favorite photographers, Benjamin Von Wong, asked at a conference where he presented. At the time I watched his presentation my answer was vague: I popped a smoke bomb firecracker at a public park during no-firework season. It was risky, coy and created one of my favorite images to date. But now my answer is more specific: THIS SHOOT.

The Idea

I'm a spontaneous kind of person and like to coordinate shoots last minute. For some reason it appeals to my crazy side. But as fun as that is, sometimes I really want to take my time to think things through. Sure, I know photoshop and can create elements that aren't there, but being immersed in the fantasy and taking more time in the photographic process is really where my heart lies. It was time to take my photography experience to the next level. 

Since this was about pushing my own limits, I chose something I love but have never actually been to: the circus. Anything that pushes limits and uses nonsense to inspire imagination catches my attention and I could think of nothing better than the circus. Or at least the idea of the circus. I chose Wheeler Farm as a location, which has big open spaces, a forest and random farm equipment everywhere. And for clothing I turned to the one person I knew already had everything I could ever need: MADISON SAYES. 

I've known Madison since third grade. Back then we sat on a curb giggling about cars passing by and exchanging stories about all the things our 8-year-old selves found funny, and as the next years of filling up coloring books and crafting for fun during summer months can attest, one thing was always clear: Madison was always an artist. It just took me longer to find my groove. Fast forward 25 years and we're still just a simple pair of old friends having fun with our craft--which is why she's the first one I called. 

When she started having kidney problems as a young adult, she needed something to pass the hours on dialysis. Coloring books lost their appeal. Movies and puzzles got boring. That's when she rediscovered her enjoyment for drawing geometric patterns on graph paper. Patterns turned to colors, which turned to templates, which can now be printed onto almost anything you can think of (like flasks, which I might need after this shoot). Most recently: leggings, dresses, skirts, and scarves perfect for a modern vintage circus.

Basically I called the right person. 

Sure, I designed a few smartphone background images to go with our modern vintage circus theme (available for personal use download at the end of this post!). Yes, I composed the music for the behind-the-scenes video of our shoot. It's true that I formed a Facebook group to keep in touch with my creative team members a month in advance and bombarded them with updates and pictures of random props made in my basement. I'm not obsessed...I'm passionate. AND SO WAS MY TEAM.

That doesn't mean I didn't have fears.

What if nobody comes? What if too many people come? What if I can't meet expectations? What if I can't pull off good imagery? What if other photographers are better than me? Is it worth my time? What if nobody likes the result? What if people copy my ideas?

Calling out my fear helps me remember to follow the advice of a man named Deri Llewelyn-Davies, a mountain climber who was on Mount Everest the day of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal: "F*** the fear--it's not real anyway."

What if nobody comes? It'll make a great self portrait.
What if too many people come? I'll make it work.
What if I can't meet expectations? Who's doing the expecting??
What if other photographers are better than me? What if a snake sneaks in the back door? WAY more important. Wait, what?
What if people copy my ideas? The world needs more circuses anyway.

Besides wondering what the proper plural form of the word "circus" is (circuses? circi? circusi?), the rest was pretty simple. 

What made this shoot so crazy?

Wardrobe, Masks & Props

No, we weren't working out in the world's fanciest fitness wear and makeup, we were making art! The longer our prop list got, the more ridiculous it started to sound. Fabric, clothes, safety pins, giant basket, trampoline, croquet mallet, ukulele, hula hoop...

Kirsty Stalder prepares makeup for her blue peacock costume.

Once on location at our local historical farm we had a few usual and unusual obstacles to overcome. A Girl Scout day camp moved into our prep area. Unexpected sicknesses knocked out two participants the day before. The desert sun. Two geese attacked a duck before our very eyes. (I'll let you decide which are "usual".) We had models flipping playing cards through the air, jumping through hula hoops, pretending to make other models balance on a tiny rope. Jumping, balancing, dancing, giggling...basically it was like a real circus. At least, my idea of one. 

Chantelle Alvey styles Madi Beckstead's hair.

Hair by Chantelle Alvey

She turned a model's hair into lion's ears. How can that not be classified as crazy?

Crazy Passionate People

I used to collect pennies and quarters. Now I collect passionate people, because passionate people care about the details. And in art, details are what make the fantasy come alive.

If I can create a "circus" with workout gear and a few post-processing tricks, anyone can. That means you, too.

Group Shot (missing Chantelle Alvey!), Madison in center

Left to Right: Madison Lindgren, Kayla McKay, Melissa Meldrum, Erin Dobbins, Kirsty Stalder, Madi Beckstead

Like a Circus

All geometric-patterned wardrobe and masks available for purchase at Madisigns

Model: Erin Dobbins, Wardrobe: Madisigns, Photo: Wendy Hurst Portrait

Model: Erin Dobbins, Wardrobe: Madisigns, Photo: Wendy Hurst Portrait

Model: Kirsty Stalder, Wardrobe: Madisigns, Photo: Wendy Hurst Portrait

Model: Kirsty Stalder, Wardrobe: Madisigns, Photo: Wendy Hurst Portrait

Model: Madi Beckstead, Wardrobe: Madisigns, Photo: Wendy Hurst Portrait

Model: Madi Beckstead, Wardrobe: Madisigns, Photo: Wendy Hurst Portrait

Model: Madison Lindgren, Wardrobe: Madisigns, Photo: Wendy Hurst Portrait

Model: Madison Lindgren, Wardrobe: Madisigns, Photo: Wendy Hurst Portrait

Model: Kayla McKay, Wardrobe: Madisigns, Photo: Wendy Hurst Portrait

Model: Kayla McKay, Wardrobe: Madisigns, Photo: Wendy Hurst Portrait

Model: Melissa Meldrum, Wardrobe: Madisigns, Photo: Wendy Hurst Portrait

Model: Melissa Meldrum, Wardrobe: Madisigns, Photo: Wendy Hurst Portrait

Here's a speed edit video of one of the images from this shoot. (I composed the music too!) :)

And as if I didn't get carried away enough with this modern vintage circus theme, here are those free smartphone backgrounds I mentioned earlier, to be used for your personal use and enjoyment. (Click the one you want to enlarge and save.)

What will your mind see today?