Tony motioned to the bartender, lining his empty shot glass next to the other. I sipped my drink in small bitter bursts. My wish was that each photograph reflected who the chef was at the moment they stood in front of me. This was a relief from executing clients’ and art directors’ visions. I had imposed no rules upon myself for this project, no must-dos. I would ask each of them the same six questions and then photograph them. All around me, chefs were coming out of the kitchen and becoming hot-shit celebs. Tony’s would be one of 50 images in a project meant to mark a moment in history. I was shooting for My Last Supper, my first solo book. Tony Bourdain might have been known as a badass and truth speaker but he was always early. Besides, I was so close, not far at all to the photo studio in the West Village, and look, all I had to do was place a thumb under the masking tape on the butcher paper and I could hold it all together. I could have splurged for a taxi, or asked for an assistant to meet me, but I was still in the business of proving myself to the world by trying to do it all myself. “That says, ‘I'm always late' or ‘I'm really optimistic,'” according to Bohnert, “but you'll remember getting that card.The moment I walked out of the butcher shop I realized how slippery and wide the bone was. New Year's: Want to stand out from the crowd? Send a New Year's card. An artistic landscape from that blockbuster trip, a sunrise picture from your deck or the wreath that hangs on your door can say just as much. No people: You don't need people to make a personal photo card. If you want to make it feel a little bit more “holiday,” trim it red and green or add candy-cane stripes. They want to see you when you feel happy and at your best, Bohnert says. If your best photo was from your summer vacation, share that with your friends. ![]() The family will probably come off as less stuffy and more playful.ĭon't feel limited to a pine-tree background. Outdoor setting: It's often the easiest shot, has the best light and it'll probably have the most easy-going feel, Bohnert says. Pets: As much as he'd like photo cards to show every member of the family right down to the goldfish, Johnson warns that pets can steal the thunder, so mind the pecking order and how that comes out in the picture. Antler ears, Santa hats and fake moustaches: “The joke has to be an obvious joke,” Chaney says. “You can tell a lot of stories this way.” “It's the quick fix if someone is away at college or for grandparents who want to show all their grandkids,” Bohnert says. Gallery: Using multiple photos can bring a family together, even if it's hard to get them together in one room. “You'll look like you belong to the same family but that you have your own style.” She suggests everyone wear something in the same color family or have one matching accent piece. “It can say, ‘We're very traditional,' it can say, ‘We have a sense of humor', but it also can convey that you don't have a lot of creativity.” Coordinated clothes: “Matching outfits can do a couple of different things,” San Francisco-based photographer Jennifer Chaney observes. If there's too much clutter in the background, it'll be tempered, and will neutralize clashing colors. There also are practical reasons to use a black-and-white image. With the traditional trappings - those Fair Isle sweaters, plaids or snowy landscapes - your message is one of a classic, timeless holiday greeting, he says, while something sleek without clutter is more sophisticated and subtle. Black and white: This is either nostalgic or modern, says Johnson. “I want my card to say to my recipient that there's a new year ahead and a lot to look forward to.” She envisions her own card this year to feature a natural, woodsy setting with fresh greenery. If you like a strong, polished look, consider browns and grays mixed with black, suggests Mai, who hosts Style Network's “How Do I Look?” White, for example, is a way to “hit the reset button” and convey a change, either in look or lifestyle, she says, while peach or blush tones say “romance - that you're feeling lovey dovey.” “Color is what will jump out of the envelope first.” That means not only the background and text but also the hues of your clothes or the setting, says TV style adviser Jeannie Mai. Sometimes it's the frame shot just before or after the posed photo that better captures the real family dynamic. ![]() Her advice: “You want a photo that is ‘in a moment.'” You'll know it when you see it, she says. The right photo will look different for each family, and likely will be a different type each year, says Meg Bohnert, card stylist for Shutterfly, the online photo site. So are you the traditionalist who lines the family up in front of the fireplace? The goofball who each year dresses up her Chihuahua in a new sequined frock? The proud parent who wants to show off the family's football star and best ballerina on the same card?
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