Teacup Ballet

I've been playing in the studio this week photographing some new goodies for the shop. A range of "fortunes in a teacup". When I was little my grandmother would read my tea leaves, there was magic in that cup, and so in these, vintage teacups filled with sweet vintage haberdashery and ephemera.


I love this photo "Teacup Ballet" by Olive Cotton, one of my all time favourite photographers taken in 1935. The photo evolved after she purchased some inexpensive cups and saucers from Woolworths to replace the chipped mugs no longer suitable for visitors. The angular handles reminded her of ballet dancers and this led to the idea of creating a photo to express a dance theme.


Fashion shot, Cronulla sandhills 1937. Olive would accompany her then husband, Max Dupain on photo shoots, her role being to assist with the model's makeup and change of costume, she took this photo as Max was photographing an evening dress for his client, David Jones.


Another favourite, "Girl With A Mirror" taken by Olive (whose portrait by Max is pictured to the right) in 1938 of a model waiting to be photographed by him.