Anima

Spill the beans - hows it been done?

"Spill the beans - hows it been done?"

Not sure what you mean.

Technical information is listed. I had to use a 3.0 ND filter to get the exposure managable so I could use my beret as a shutter for approximately a two-second exposure with the lens wide open using ISO 400 film. The Verito lens just glows wide-open so to get there I had to block a lot of light with the ND fitler -10 stops to be precise.

She was wearing a mask and wig. But, it is a straight shot and contact print from the negative.

Now the weird thing is that the shot was taken on Memorial Day a few years back. We drove 3.5 hours to get to the location. It was miserable weather, mid-50s all day, with cold drizzle and rain the entire day. After driving around, drinking coffee in restaurants, hitting antique shops, etc., and waiting for it to clear for several hours, which it never did, we decided to just get wet and have a go at it. We hiked back into the woods about 1.5 miles and every time the model would start to disrobe, some hiker or lost couple would come up over a ridge. What anyone else was doing way out there on such a miserable day, who knows?

Anyways, I was composing this shot under the darkcloth when I saw something move in the corner of the frame. I peered out from beneath and told the model "someone is coming." And there was- some guy on crutches- looked a lot like Ernest P. Worrel from the old "Got Milk" TV commercials - bib overalls and cap, leg in a cast - hobbling towards us soaking wet. Well the model, doll mask and all, naked as the proverbial jaybird, did a 180 and whipped around the tree to see who was coming and I swear the guy almost had a coronary. He let out a gasping "Oh Sweet Jesus!" and hobbled away up a hill as fast as he could.



Joe

I'm a real fan of your work and I was browsing the pix when I came across this funny story. I'm still giggling. But it wasn't him. Jim Varney died a few years back, God rest his soul. Know what I mean Vern?

Great image; glad I saw this via Random.

Worrel was a genius. "Ernest Saves Christmas" is an annual holiday event at our home.




Gotcha.

Beautiful image! Great story. (on another pass through 'random')

Whos Vern?

Vern was apparently Ernest's unseen neighbor in the commercials. According to wikipedia:

"Vern" was never seen or heard, and the spots were structured in such a way as for the viewer to fulfill that role, as Varney looked directly in the camera whenever Vern was addressed. Ernest's seemingly pointless conversation with Vern (which actually was less of a conversation, and more closely resembled soliloquy due to Vern never responding) inevitably rambled around to a favorable description of the sponsor's product, followed by his signature close, "KnoWhutImean?"