Rain—is there anything more frightening to a photographer when you have a photoshoot scheduled for the day? I stood at the window inside Shindig Alley, watching the raindrops pummel the streets of downtown Philipsburg. With permission from the store owners, Kevin and Ronni, we planned on doing indoor photos, but we hoped to venture outside as well.
Yet, if our only option was to work indoors, Shindig Alley is not a bad consolation prize! Within its glass walls, gorgeous vintage clothing can be found, ranging from the early 60’s to the 80’s. A plethora of shoes, accessories, and decor are displayed on shelving, and the furniture is every collector and Hollywood movie set designer’s dream! Joel and I were like two kids in a candy store, giddy with excitement over every selection. Ronni, a vintage lover and down-to-earth kind of gal, truly knows her stuff and styled our high school model, Willow, from the 60’s mod era, head to toe—all the way down to the go-go boots. I immediately thought of the Austin Powers film series—“Yeah, baby!”
Conveniently, the hair salon, Leslie & Co. Downtown, resides next door to Shindig Alley within the old, historic building. Art lover and hair stylist, Sam Martell, created the perfect 60’s bump and sleek hairdo like something out of a vintage Vogue. And Samantha Garcia, a highly sought makeup artist within the community, drew inspiration from the fashion icon,Twiggy.
Eventually, the rain died down, and after photographing inside the store and a quick clothing change, we took to the streets and alleys with Willow’s 60’s purple Mustang. It’s such a sweet ride—way better than the beater I drove around in high school! We finished up Willow’s photoshoot, blocking North Front Street for an epic car shot and playing around the backside of a dilapidated building.
Despite the rain, it truly was the perfect day! And you know what? We couldn’t have asked for more perfect timing either. You could say it was a divine gift from above. Thank the Lord! But before you scroll down to see the photos, we also need to thank everyone involved:
Model: Willow Phillips (Cool name, huh?) And this isn’t her first modeling/Instagram influencer gig! She regularly models for Shindig Alley and is a prom promoter for Formalities by Tracina Fisher.
Venue & Wardrobe: Shindig Alley – Find them online www.shindig.com, Instagram @shindigalley, and Facebook. Owners Kevin and Ronni are AMAZING people and have an eye for vintage and fashion! Visit the store in person:
Shindig Alley
200 N Front St. Suite 101
Philipsburg, PA 16866
Makeup: Samantha Garcia (Instagram @samanthajgarcia)
Hair: Samuel Martell, from Leslie & Co. Downtown (Find them on Facebook and ask for Sam!)
Leslie & Co. Downtown
200 N Front St. Suite 105
Philipsburg, PA 16866
Photographer: Andrea Knepper
Lighting & Post Production: Joel Knepper
