Indeed, the project brought her to various locations in Brattleboro, from eateries to retail establishments to rooftops, where she captured scenic panoramas. But Fletcher’s favorite stop was Miller Farm, an organic milk farm in Vernon, Vt. with 160 cows-in-residence.
“The day I did the photo shoot was beautiful with great light,” said Fletcher. “I wanted to stay there all day, and in fact I didn’t feel as though I was on a time schedule when I was there. The owners were amazing and patient, and took so much time to talk with me about the project.”
They also introduced her to a kind, four-hooved soul: Whirl, a Holstein dairy cow soon to bear a calf, who took a few moments from her busy day at Miller Farm to pose for Fletcher and the farm’s staff, who she said became instant collaborators. Armed with a wreath and a sprinkle of faux snow in addition to her camera equipment, the team staged the shot with a board in front of Whirl to keep her in one spot without attaching a halter and provided grain whenever the star seemed peckish.
“She took a little while to get interested, but once she was, Whirl walked right into place. Her ears came forward and she looked into the camera… it unfolded the way it should, and happened organically.”
The result was imagery now appearing in a suite of holiday-themed advertisements for BSL’s Local Rewards program, which awards a total of $250 worth of gift cards or certificates purchased from featured local businesses each month to Local Rewards checking account holders who meet the necessary requirements.
The bovine affectionately known as ‘Whirl Girl’ can be found in print and online and on various social media networks, where she’s gaining fans interested in her modeling skills as well as her impending delivery; her calf is due in late December.
“I’m really proud of Miller Farm and that it’s being showcased in this way,” said Fletcher. “There are a lot of farms here in the area, and originally all we wanted was a picture of a dairy cow. What we got was a lot of insight into what goes into farming, and photos that show Brattleboro’s real, down-to-earth side.”
For more information,visit the new Local Rewards websiteor follow the bank on Facebook, Twitter, andInstagram. View more of Kelly Fletcher’s photography here.
~ Jaclyn Stevenson
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