Alphabet Portrait(s)

The assignment was to pick an alphabet letter out of a hat, find a person who held a job or career that started with that letter and make a few portraits of that person.


When I saw the hopeful "S" appear in my palm, I automatically thought, seamstress. I only knew of one. In fall 2010, I wrote a feature story about Shelley Banker, the owner of a vintage clothing shop in downtown State College, Pa. called the Rag and Bone. At the time, she had one other employee: a seamstress.


I strolled into the store last Wednesday evening with hopes that I had made enough of a good impression the last time I spoke with Banker and her seamstress. It turned out that Banker was camera shy, but Edna Rentschler, her seamstress, was not.


After two shoots - one in the shop and one in her home - I decided to turn these three photos in for the assignment:

Seamstress Edna Rentschler, of Boalsburg, Pa., threads a needle before sewing a dress at the Rag and Bone vintage clothing shop in State College, Pa. on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. In addition to working at the vintage shop, she does alterations for several clients in the State College area under her company name "Sew Sew Easy". Photo by Krista Myers

Edna Rentschler, of Boalsburg, Pa., alters a dress for the Rag and Bone, a vintage clothing shop where she works as a seamstress, in her home sewing room on Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. The purpose of the tattoo was to cover up a scar from a wrist surgery. Rentschler will be back in the operating room in a few weeks to fix a tendon in her wrist again.  Photo by Krista Myers

Edna Rentschler, of Boalsburg, Pa., looks up from sewing a skirt in her home sewing room on Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. In addition to working as a seamstress at the Rag and Bone vintage clothing shop, she does alterations for several clients in the State College area under her company name "Sew Sew Easy". Photo by Krista Myers

Here's one more for good luck:

I couldn't resist her dog, Gracie, but she kept her eye on my bulky camera during the entire visit.