For the last four days, Vera and I have been at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. with photographer Jim Ryan of Greenville, South Carolina. Jim was able to garner access for us to photograph “behind the scenes” at the Biltmore House (and this was no small feat, as photography in the house is strictly forbidden!) It was an exciting opportunity and Jim made sure that we had complete access to anything we wanted to photograph. This was in itself a challenge; the Biltmore is absolutely chock full of the most amazing things, all personally collected by George and Edith Vanderbilt: priceless hand-carved furniture, 16th century tapestries, a library with 10,000 volumes, 65 fireplaces (each more interesting than the next), original paintings by Renoir and John Singer Sargent, and on and on. It really is overwhelming, and Jim and I had the arduous (but happy!) task of deciding just exactly what we wanted to photograph. We were helped immensely by the staff at the Biltmore, in particular Laura Overbey, Collections Manager. The entire staff was there to help in whatever way they could, thanks to Jim setting everything up in advance. Since we just finished shooting Tuesday night (at midnight) I don’t have any final images to show yet, but below are some images of us entering the house, and a few snapshots. A huge thank you goes out to Jim Ryan for coming up with the concept of us light painting in the Biltmore, and then making it happen. Thank you, Jim!
A shot through the van windshield, approaching the Biltmore House
Jim Ryan and me unloading equipment from “Big Blue”, the light painting van.
Me explaining to Collections Manager Laura Overbey just how small of an impact we will make.
A multiple exposure of me light painting inside the Biltmore House.
Viewing a capture just made in the Smoking Room.
Over three days (and nights) of shooting, we made 12 photographs, so stay tuned as I produce these images of this most amazing estate, which has never been photographed in this way! I can’t wait to see them, and I hope you will enjoy them!
