The Widows from Waste: The Photoshoot Day

It was the last Sunday of July 2023, when the shadowy figures were seen haunting a ruin church in Pälkäne, Finland… But before the ghosts appeared at the tranquil fields, several things had already happened.

It wasn’t a particularly early morning, but early enough to cause an unexpected problem right from the start. That is, all the nearby stores were still closed, when the breakfast croissants were being hunted for the team! What a terrifying situation!

Luckily, the make-up and hair specialist, Pia, came to the rescue as she was making her way to the headquarters. With the freshly baked croissants in one hand and the tools of her trade in the other, she arrived just at the agreed time of 10AM. Almost exactly at the same time as the beautiful model, Susanna, stepped through the door. The other model, Thomas Alexandr, and myself were already there, preparing for the photoshoot day of The Widows from Waste collection.

The brushes, swipes, palettes, sticks, and a horde of other things were laid over the big table reserved for these curious tools of the beauty professional. With her calming presence, it was easy to sit back and enjoy the moment. Over the next two hours, the models were in Pia’s capable hands. Preparing the make-up suitable for the mourning ghosts and the hair to go with the theme as well as the headpieces of the collection, it was suddenly past the midday, and the photographer, Fiia, pulled over with the car.

The arrival of the photographer was followed by an intense scurrying up and down the flight of stairs. There were the garment bags, the bags of snacks and the drinks. There were the make-up and hair products for any fixing needed during the day. There were the extra shoes, a drone, quite curiously a pair of curtains, and what seemed like two broomsticks…

By the end, not all was able to fit in just one car, but that was already prepared for. The team started the engines with the power of a car and a motorcycle, of which the latter was driven by Thomas Alexandr. With the whole crew aboard, it was now time to head over to Pälkäne.

The ruin church of Pälkäne, The Church of St Michael, was built between 1400-1500 but the exact construction year remains unknown. The church was heavily damaged and completely plundered during the wartime in 1713. Other unlucky instances followed, leading the church to further ruin. The Church of St Michael was finally left as it was in 1839, when the new church was built.

Despite being roofless and in ruin, the place has stayed lively. It’s a protected monument, a place of many concerts and events, and it still hosts church services as well. The church’s effortlessly accessible location makes it a wonderful stop for any curious traveler, as it can be easily seen from the nearby road, with the serene stone walls standing alone in the middle of the even field.

As our photoshoot team took a turn from the road and turned to the dirt path leading to the church, we were indeed in luck. The location had but a few summer tourists admiring the place, and the fickle summer weather of Finland was indulging us with a blue sky. A few clouds would have been a welcome sight for the models covered from head to toe in black velvet, but the hot summer sun was certainly better than a sudden rain that would have turned the dirt and grass grounds to mud under our feet.

Fiia, the photographer, dived right into the work. The models wandered around the church one by one, or in pairs. There was a small, constant circle from the “changing tent” to Pia’s check-up, to Fiia’s camera, and back to the beginning again. The drone, flown by Thomas Alexandr while he was not modeling, soared over the church and swept across the nearby fields for the cinematic shots of the scene.

The time flew by as if on wings. When the shutter of the camera captured the final picture of the day, the team members had a full workday behind them. The hot day under a relentless sun was not the easiest to cope with, but everyone did a wonderful job. I could not have asked or hoped for more! Everyone had such determination and professionalism in their work that there wasn’t a second of doubt of the day to be a success.

I hope that all who helped me to bring the Widows to life that day -Fiia, Susanna, Pia and Thomas Alexandr- were left with a feeling of accomplishment and excitement, just like I was. I am thankful and full of gratitude towards you all. I hope that the pictures from this strange Sunday will bring you joy and good memories whenever you see them. They will always have a very special place in my own heart.

Sincerely, and filled with gratitude,

Iina