Behind the Scenes - Props

I'm not sure if you know this but some props are extremely hard to find, or if you can find them they are difficult to acquire. Because of this I spend a lot of time figuring out if something is worth buying, making, photoshopping, or giving up on altogether. It can be quite a difficult process. There have honestly been a lot of times where I just give up on being able to acquire my desired prop because it's either not feasible or it can't be found anywhere. But I think I have had more times where I've decided to make something work somehow.

My most recent example was with my burlesque series. Something I've been hunting for for ages is a giant martini glass for clients to sit in. I have found that in order to acquire one I either have to rent it through a prop rental or I have to be someone really famous with the founds to buy one, likely custom made (like Halsey). If you aren't familiar with my area I do not have a local prop rental and the closest I found was three states away. The rentals themselves are pretty expensive, not including the transport to get it here. However, I was shopping at TJ Maxx one day and happened upon a candle. In a martini glass. But why was this one so different from just buying a martini glass? Well it was bigger than a regular size glass which helps, but it was also made to hold a candle so the glass was thicker on the stem and base. Making it look like something a little more realistic to hold a person given the proper illusion techniques. So, sure enough I decide this was a prop to photoshop into the photos. I tried it and it worked out beautifully! I've attached photos of the before and after shots.

Another prop I wanted for this set was a giant moon. I brainstormed a lot of different options but the one that seemed the most realistic for me was to create my own and when I happened upon some beautiful silvery fabric I knew exactly what to do. Yes, it's foam, cardboard, and fabric but once again it photographed beautifully and did exactly what I needed it to do. Sometimes we just have to get creative and do a little DIY to get what we want. Sure, it's not as fun as actually sitting in a giant martini glass but the pictures are still fun and make you feel like you did anyways!