Heirloom photographer elevates common keepsakes
Ticket stubs, a set of keys, a pair of jeans, a faded airline boarding pass, a marriage proposal scrawled on the back of a receipt, worn-out work boots and muddy tennis balls: These ordinary but dear items are among the keepsakes photographer Shana Novak has dignified through photography and captured on the pages of her addicting book “The Heirloomist: 100 Treasures and the Stories They Tell” (Chronicle Books, April 2024).
Warning: This book could make you never throw anything sentimental away again. But that’s not the point! The point is to find those few poignant items in your life and elevate them.
Now, you’ve heard me say that it’s not the stuff, but the stories behind the stuff that compel us to cling. Well, Novak’s book illustrates exactly that. In fact, I almost didn’t get this column written, because the striking pictures of these everyday items and their tender stories so absorbed me.
Of the 100 items featured, most belong to workaday folks, but some belong to celebrities. A library ladder chock-full of books portrays a passion of writer and activist Gloria Steinem. A bronze sculpture of a pregnant yogi that model Christy Turlington felt moved to buy when she was pregnant foreshadows the nonprofit dedicated to maternal health the fashion model would start years later. The dust-laden desert boots that TV journalist Bob Woodruff was wearing in Iraq when an explosion injured him represents a unique moment.
Most of Novak’s heirloom photography, however, happens beyond the book. Also known as The Heirloomist, Novak makes it her business to photograph cherished keepsakes clients send her.
“My job is to make something seemingly ordinary feel magical,” she said.
Whether whimsical or sobering, all of the photographed objects once hung on the wall have the same effect. They beg viewers to ask, “Why?”
Fascinated, I called Novak to learn more:
Q How did you get started being a chronicler of people’s memorabilia?
A When my grandmother was around age 90, she was feeling her own mortality, and started telling me pretty cool stories of the many interesting things she had kept, like the metal plate that had once been implanted in her leg after a golf cart ran her over. She stored that in a closet right next to her fine sterling silverware. When I heard these stories, I did what I do. I started taking pictures.
Q How did you get your start in the photography business?
A I have worked in photography, in both fashion and advertising, for 15 years alongside some of the best food stylists, prop stylists, veteran photographers and giants in the industry. I learned a lot on the job. Moving into heirlooms just happened. Now people from all over the world send me their stuff. I’ve photographed about 1,500 heirlooms.
Q What do you call an heirloom?
A An heirloom can be anything, expensive or humble, as long as it tells your story, a story you want to keep alive for generations.
Q If you had a litmus test for choosing an item to memorialize, what would it be?
A Does it make you want to smile? If something makes you feel nice and warm and fuzzy, that’s what we want. I like to help people bring something to life that deserves to be on the wall instead of in a drawer or closet, and that will make them feel happy every time they look at it.
Don’t feel pressured to memorialize something that doesn’t speak to you, or that makes you feel sad or stressed. For instance, if military medals from a family member who died in service make you sad, it’s OK to keep those a box.
Q What are some of the most common items you shoot?
A I get a lot of pregnancy sticks. That’s always fun. I also get teddy bears in the worst condition.
Making a really loved stuffed animal look charming can be challenging. Matchbooks are popular. Most get thrown in a drawer, but, if you brought home the matchbook, it probably represents a special moment. Oh, and lots of cowboy boots. They’re among my favorite objects to photograph. They are tall, and proud, and so textural. They just speak.
Q What’s one of the more unusual objects you’ve been asked to shoot?
A About two years ago, a husband asked me to photograph an Oreo-flavored McFlurry as an anniversary gift for his wife. The ice-cream drink was his wife’s favorite treat. When he proposed and presented her with a ring, they were sharing a McFlurry. So, we went out and bought six Oreo McFlurries to find the prettiest one.
Q How does someone go about having you photograph an heirloom?
A Customers can go online and get a price by telling me what they want photographed and how large an image they want. Price ranges from $750 to $5,000, but usually the price is around $1,000. I photograph the object and email a few versions for the client to approve. I then send the final photograph printed on archival paper and rolled in a tube. Framing is on the client.
Q The items in your photos have so much dignity. How do you use photography to elevate them?
A My photographs are reality-based. No touch-up. The most we would do is remove lint. Texture is big. We want pictures that are dimensional with a lot of contrast. Whether working with a T-shirt or a teddy bear, you want the shadows even and happy. Strobe lights help make colors bold.
Q How important is knowing the back story?
A I like to know what’s important about what I’m working with. However, sometimes I just get an heirloom in a box with a note that says, “Work your magic.” Then I let the object tell me how it wants to shine.
Marni Jameson is the author of seven books including “Rightsize Today to Create Your Best Life Tomorrow,” “What to Do With Everything You Own to Leave the Legacy You Want,” and “Downsizing the Family Home.” You may reach her at marni@marnijameson.com.