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Photographer and children's book author, Tracy Leshay, puts the focus on photography in children's books - spotlighting notable titles with photo illustration.

A Focus on Photographically-Illustrated Children's Books #5

6/6/2016

8 Comments

 

The Secret Life of Squirrels & Merry Christmas Squirrels!, Nancy Rose

Recently, a leader of LA’s SCBWI Westside Writer’s group told me about a photographer named, Nancy Rose.  Laurie said that all of Rose’s fictional tales featured real squirrels in images that were not photo manipulated.  I immediately pictured the work of early-1900s-pre-Photoshop photographer, Harry Whittier Frees (a photographer to be discussed here soon).  His subjects were fully-clothed animals - mostly kittens and puppies; I was sure I'd now see dressed-up squirrels.  

Surprisingly, The Secret Life Of Squirrels and Merry Christmas, Squirrels!  are actually quite different.  Using a digital camera, Rose captures the natural curiosity of  squirrels without capturing them; wild squirrels visit her hand-made sets, do as they please, and all while remaining outdoors in nothing but their own fur coats.  Like a squirrel herself, Rose hides nuts in  dioramas that, not only coax squirrels to search for them, but position the squirrels within Rose’s storyline; a squirrel might look as if it is doing laundry - pulling items out of the drier, but it is actually searching for a strategically placed nut.  It can take 30, and in some cases, 100 shots to get the one image Rose wants.  In the end, though, it’s a win-win-win; there are nuts for squirrels (and the occasional blue jay), pictures for Rose, and smiles for us.

 Harry Wittier Frees got his book deal after a successful line of picture-post cards led to newspaper exposure.  For Rose, almost exactly one century later, a viral Flickr post brought enough press to catch the attention of an agent.  The  images of both seem too incredible to achieve without any digital trickery.  Thus, their images cause many to wonder, “how?”   In fact, Rose is often asked if the squirrels  are pets or stuffed.  Unlike Frees, Rose lives in an age where it is easy to be open and share one's techniques.  Rose's social media posts continually document her latest projects.  Followers can see Rose create her dioramas out of wood, clay, toys and found objects from her home in Nova Scotia.  They can watch as finished sets are placed on her outdoor deck, and then enjoy as very lively visitors are videoed and photographed coming to explore them.   

 Rose has said she only uses Photoshop to clone out nut shells that may result in her images, and to add texture to her backgrounds when needed.  Caldecott honoree Mo Willems too reportedly removed small details like trash cans and “ugly” air conditioners for the neighborhood images in the Knuffle Bunny books.  That got me thinking about an interview where Willems discussed having to remove the store signs as well.  A major challenge to making a photographically-illustrated book is if permission is needed to use an image.  When creating She Yelled.  I Screamed…She Pulled my Hair!, I deleted logos and brand-related images from my daughters’ clothes .  Since Rose has used so many miniatures, I asked her about this.  She felt the lack of  licensing issues contributed to why her publisher liked her homemade sets.  In fact, she now avoids anything that is “labeled and branded” but adds:
​“The cool part about making my own props is that it shows a younger generation that you can make things yourself using recycled materials,
​and I have received lots of photos of things kids have made, which I really love to see!” 
​
I  regret not asking Rose if she had the squirrels sign off on consent releases.  I can just imagine Mr, Peanuts, The Secret Life’s biggest star, sitting in a Rose-made lawyer’s office negotiating his tough terms.  Hopefully, Mr. Peanuts won’t be lawyering up anytime soon, and these books will remain available everywhere; they truly are enjoyable for all and likely to stand the test of time. ​
​ Nancy Rose’s next book, The Secret Life of Squirrels: A Love Story, can be pre-ordered now and is due out in December 2016. ​​
Photographically-illustrated The Secret Life of Squirrels by Nancy Rose. For more photographically-illustrated picture books, visit www.tracyleshay.com/blog



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Photographically Illustrated, Merry Christmas Squirrels! by Nancy Rose.  For more photographically-illustrated picture books, visit www.tracyleshay.com/blog

8 Comments
Mirka Breen link
6/7/2016 08:38:04 am

When I was growing up there was a series of photographic children's books about children from all over the world. Because these were photographs, I felt I knew them and they were my real companions. I think this is an interesting concept and am excited to find your book. Nice to see other books here, also.

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Tracy Leshay
6/7/2016 10:19:11 am

Thank you Mirka! These types of books are a bit challenging to make, but, I agree, children like seeing real kids in their stories. When I looked for photographically-illustrated books for my children, they were so difficult to find. In time, I hope this site becomes a place to more easily find new and old. I just wish I had time to research and share more quickly.

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Vijaya link
6/7/2016 09:06:30 am

I love these books! So cute!!!!

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Tracy Leshay link
6/7/2016 10:20:46 am

Nancy Rose is the goddess of squirrels :)

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Laurie L Young
6/7/2016 11:33:10 am

Thanks for sharing this, Tracy. It's fascinating how these books are made!!

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Tracy Leshay
6/9/2016 01:24:35 pm

:)

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Nancy Rose link
6/9/2016 08:08:41 am

Thanks so much for your well-written article Tracy! I have learned so much from your pages about other books illustrated with photos. Your writing is so delightful and I have been developing a list of books to look for....if I ever get out of my yard LOL Every time I plan a squirrel photo shoot I am captivated by the desire to get THE perfect pose so I spend a lot of time hanging around my kitchen with my eye on the props on the deck. So now my kitchen has become my workshop. God bless patient, tolerant husbands who come home for supper and only find a bowl of paper mache or a pile of twigs and some glue.

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Tracy Leshay
6/9/2016 01:19:56 pm

Nancy, it was a lot of fun, and by the way, sounds like your husband gets fiber-filled...not to mention the snacks always available out back.
:)

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