We’re excited to share our latest “Try This” column in Richmond’s R. Home magazine.
For this three-page feature we offered a collection of backyard entertaining ideas. As usual, the real challenge came from shooting months in advance—like hunting down holiday decorations in the wrong season or, in this case, photographing a not-yet-blooming backyard in March.
To maximize greenery in the shots, we worked with the photographer to position the patio table where evergreens could fill the background. That placement made sense in the close-up that ran in the magazine, but the behind-the-scenes image shows just how unusual the table’s location was. See that left leg sitting in the mulch?
We swapped our usual black patio chairs for white indoor chairs to create a lighter, more summery look—an approach that would actually work for a dry summer gathering. That said, the ground was far from dry. It had rained for three days before the shoot, and we ended up using our rain date after the first scheduled day was washed out. With moist grass and a picnic scene, we laid down layers of cardboard under the borrowed picnic blanket to keep it clean before returning it after the shoot.
People often ask how our columns are created, so here’s a quick overview. The editor-in-chief contacts us with the theme for an upcoming issue—topics like travel, architecture, or holidays. For this piece, she requested ideas for outdoor parties and gatherings in anticipation of a May issue. After receiving the theme, we spend a few days brainstorming and pitch several concepts back to her. For this story, we proposed a patio table setting and a casual picnic layout, along with a list of styling suggestions, such as using a cake stand filled with fruit as a centerpiece.
We also suggested cheerful cheese labels to add charm to a picnic…
…and using a metal silverware caddy filled with ice to chill and serve cold beverages.
From our brief descriptions, the editor-in-chief chose her favorites and approved the column concept. Then the shopping begins. We request items “on approval,” which means stores know the pieces are for the magazine and will be returned in mint condition. Once supplies are secured, we schedule the shoot. The photographer comes to our house where everything is staged. It’s usually just the two of us and the photographer—no prop stylist or lighting crew—so we often improvise to manage glare or keep props in place, sometimes holding up a sheet or crouching out of frame to steady something while photos are taken. It’s always rewarding to see an idea go from a pitch to a printed spread a few months later.
We also like to do a trial run of our styling ahead of time. Finding out a setup is too crowded or sparse while on set is far more stressful than catching it during a practice layout. For this issue, we rehearsed the arrangements on our dining room table while it poured outside.
And here’s the finished spread—our cheerful magazine feature. Thankfully, the unusual table placement and the cardboard layers under the picnic blanket are invisible in the final layout. All borrowed items were returned the following weekend, though it was a little sad to say goodbye to that fun striped picnic blanket.
That’s how our outdoor entertaining article came together for R. Home. We’ve already shot another column scheduled for July—such a fun theme—so stay tuned for that one.