Behind the scenes

This week my husband Dan took the last two photos for my upcoming book, Listen to the wool. Two days later I finished the last of the 20 chapters in the book. There is still lots left to do, but 130+ photos and 20 chapters are pinch-me-in-the-arm real.

In a Substack essay a few weeks ago I wrote about all that lies behind a photo – the people we meet and the experiences we have. There is so much to be grateful for that will never be shared with the world, at least not in the book. Today I share some of what has been going on behind the scenes of writing and photo shoots.

Lace curtains and nectarines

We have been taking photos for the book since last October. In the beginning mostly of sheep on road trips to sheep farms, but in the summer all the other photos. We rented a log cabin for ten days and took a lot of photos there. The surroundings offer lots of different settings and backgrounds. I was set on taking all the photos outdoors, and we succeded. Apart from one motif that was and should be indoors.

The light in the Swedish summer is magical, even though the weather can be quite challenging sometimes. Dan prefers to take his photos in overcast weather – the contrast between light and shadow can get too sharp in the sun. So, on sunny days I have shielded the photo objects with cardboards, blankets and lace curtains. Wind may be a challenge too, the same curtains have been used as wind protection too. It takes some imagination to find these solutions at home and even more in rented cabins.

We took some photos in a nearby national park where we like to hike. I wanted a photo of spinning and preparing wool on a rock in the forest and Dan was up for it. I saved an empty plastic trough for nectarines from the recycling bin, it was perfect for transporting prepared wool without squishing it in my backpack!

Backgrounds, clothes and hair

To have some variation in the photos we looked for different backgrounds. Trees, fields, barns and wooden floors worked perfect. Sometimes Dan wasn’t happy with a fence or a tree that would annoy in the picture, so we worked a lot with placing the photo objects higher. I have sat on a folding chair on top of a lounge chair and we have raised tables onto yoga blocks. I have carried spinning wheels around the photo locations a lot!

I also wanted different clothes in the pictures I was in. Not out of vanity, but rather for the variation in the photos. Also in case Dan wasn’t satisfied with the contrast between the yarn and my top. I walked around with different sets of clothes and a few options of hair pins and scrunchies in my pockets to be able to quickly change. Anything for the arts!

At home we took a lot of photos on our balcony. It is large and convenient when it comes to carrying props around. We have a foldable photo studio that we have used a lot. It worked surprisingly well. In it we could angle the objects for a comfortable position for Dan and pin them up on various props for a variety of backgrounds.

Pins! I wanted to cut fabric for a sewing project at the cabin, so I brought the necessary fabrics and tools from home. And I am so grateful for the pins. Lots of wool has been pinned onto log cabin walls, cushions, fabrics and blankets to avoid wind disasters and cranky backs and knees.

Planning

I kept an image chart where I noted what images I wanted for the book and what the point of each image was. I had ideas of how I wanted the pictures to look. Mostly it worked, sometimes we found a better solution together, in some cases we ended up with an unplanned photo instead of the one I had prepared for. We abandoned only one of my ideas, since it would require a camera Dan didn’t have a access to, but the one we chose instead was an unplanned one, and a lot better.

In the book I describe the main breeds whose wool is used for spinning. I wanted to have all of these represented in at least one photo – of the breed itself or as wool in one of the steps from fleece to textiles. I had it all noted in my image chart. When I realized I had succeeded I was so pleased. Until someone mentioned a particular breed and I realized I had missed it. I contacted an owned of the breed and she quickly sent me a tuft of wool so I could include it in a photo.

Working together

We have had so much fun together! Dan is such a star when it comes to taking photos of my spinning and he knows what I want. I am the client and he the artist, while at the same time I am the artist too, and object in some of the shots. During the more still life style motifs (things not moving) I am his assistant and advisor while he lets me know what is possible.

We have played a lot with angles, props, backgrounds and contrasts and always found the best solution together. I may have an idea of a picture and Dan know what is possible technically and artistically from his perspective and with the equipment and skills he has.

After the photo sessions we have sat down together to look through the images, narrow them down and pick a favourite for each shot. I tell Dan what is most important to focus on in each picture and he tells me what he wants to convey artistically. Just talking through the choices helps me a lot in deepening my understanding of what needs to be clear in the pictures.

Writing

Ever since I wrote my book proposal I have been writing before work on the 2–3 days a week I worked from home, plus on weekends. I took an extra long vacation this summer and have been writing between two and three hours every morning. In seven weeks I have written the last six chapters.

Some writing sessions have been smooth and exhilarating, others more towards exhausting. Words have flowed, got stuck, I have danced, meditated and walked through blocks and conundrums. The chapter summaries I wrote for my book proposal have been the backbone of the whole project. Every time I have finished a chapter, a sweet summary has been waiting for me with lots of links, ideas and stuff to elaborate. This has been, and is still, a beatiful ride.

I will keep editing and tweaking until my deadline on October 1st. After that I will hand my book baby to my publisher with trembling hands and await their verdict. I have no idea what will happen next, but I believe I am in good hands. I am very proud of this book!

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Happy spinning!

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• Read the book Knit (spin) Sweden! by Sara Wolf. I am a co-author and write in the fleece section about how I spin yarn from Swedish sheep breeds.
• I am writing a book! In the later half of 2025 Listen to the wool: A why-to guide for mindful spinning will be available. Read more about the book here.
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• I support Centro de textiles tradicionales del Cusco, a group of talented textile artists in Cusco, Peru who dedicate their work to the empowerment of weavers through the revitalization and sustainable practice of Peruvian ancestral textiles in the Cusco region. Please consider supporting their work by donating to their causes.