O boy; I was lamenting the fact earlier this week that there was no photography-related peg for the new Eames stamps, which was a bummer, because I'm a sucker for that lounge chair. But I was wrong! Apparently photographer Sally Andersen-Bruce was indeed involved in the production of the stamps, putting together both the structure of playing cards, and photographing the furniture.

This article explains it well; here are excerpts:


"Local resident and renowned stamp photographer Sally Andersen-Bruce spent three weeks assembling vintage playing cards into skyscrapers, cottages and pyramids to find the right image for one U.S. postage stamp in a new 16-stamp commemorative series.

Her photographs are used on two other stamps in the series, which will be released to the public Wednesday.

Artist Derry Noyes, who was commissioned to do the set by the U.S. Postal Service, hired Andersen-Bruce to build a structure with a deck of playing cards the Eames couple designed. They have illustrations of animals, vegetables and minerals and abstract patterns on them."

"In the past 20 years, Noyes and Andersen-Bruce have worked on nine different stamp projects, including holiday ones that had Andersen-Bruce bake more than a thousand cookies to find the right one to photograph and to search the country over for the perfect Santa Claus ornament.

Noyes said Andersen-Bruce's final design for the new series needed to show how the playing cards go together without losing the 'richness' of their patterns and designs. It could be neither too simple nor too complex.

She knew Andersen-Bruce would get it right.

'She is very thorough, and she goes the extra mile,' Noyes said. 'She doesn't just do one or two takes. She does 15 to 30 takes. Every angle and every variety you can possibly imagine. And then we winnow it down to what works best. If it doesn't work, she'll go back and do it again. She's amazing that way.' "

"After constructing the house of cards, Andersen-Bruce photographed it and submitted the proofs to Noyes, who created the stamp design and added the typography. Her other photos were of Eames furniture.

Andersen-Bruce said she is proud to again have her work immortalized by the U.S. Postal Service."

Did you know that there are stamp photographers!? Here's some more of Andersen-Bruce's work. Puppies, kittens, dolls! I'm overwhelmed.






And might I add- the splash page of her website is just too amazing:





See more here!