Sarah Loven X Spell “Oracle”

Well, can you believe I completely forgot to publish this blog post?! How crazy! Life always seems to be moving so fast, I can hardly keep up! And with Spell launching all of their recent new lines, this shoot feels like forever ago!

It was around this time in 2015 that I got to adventure to Tucson, AZ to shoot part of the Sunset Road Campaign for Spell Designs. And when they reached out again for their more recent collection “Oracle”, I was definitely on board! When I heard it was to be at Korakia Hotel in Palm Springs, I was even more excited. It was one of the magical places on my bucket list to visit, full of Moroccan beauty at every turn.

Day 1, we shot their campaign video, featuring the lovely model Luma Grothe, and partnered up with a great team to bring the shoot to life. We woke up early to 90º F temperatures, and a sun that fried you if you were in it for more than 10 minutes. By noon it was over 100º, and we pushed through with team effort to create the magic to be seen in photos and our film. With wet towels around our necks, umbrellas to keep us in the shade, and ice bags for our cameras as they over heated, we beat the Palm Springs desert heat and retreated to the warm (but slightly cooler than the air) pool as the sun set in the background of mountain and palm trees.

Day 2, the big team headed out, and our Ready Gypset Go crew stayed to shoot the follow up photos. It was just as hot, and impossible to bare standing in the sun for more than a few minutes before seeking shade. Even early in the morning before anyone woke up, it was at least 90º. But to be out and about and have the whole resort to ourselves was totally dreamy. Between the dizzying heat and the gorgeous views, I felt like somehow I’d woken up in a dream in a moroccan villa. The sun crept over the clay rooftops and cast palm tree shadows on the ground, and I felt perfectly in place draped in Spell’s new collection. Josh and I wandered around the sleepy villa, taking it all in and capturing tons of photos of every beautiful nook and cranny. (Check out my grand tour of Korakia!)

We pulled together with all our strength and skill, and wrapped the shoot by noon- the peak of the day and heat.  The ground by that time radiated like a clay oven, and burned my feet through my sandals, and even melted the sole of Josh’s shoe off! I’d never experienced such heat, except maybe in the Salt Flats of Death Valley. It was bliss to head straight for the moroccan pool, where we crashed under an umbrella to regain our strength, and munch on cheeses and pistachios.

I’ll definitely remember this place and the shoot vividly!