Savanna Ruedy is a rad, talented lady in our community, and we were lucky enough to hire her for a recent Friends NYC shoot. She’s originally from Minneapolis and is now our neighbor in Brooklyn. Her photography includes fashion and still life imagery. Her colors and lighting are striking and bold, and her quick instinct in capturing the essence of Friends NYC made our hearts soar. We caught her last weekend while she was upstate on a skiing trip (a perfect pandemic hobby!) and found out a few things about this inspirational photographer. Sprinkled throughout her answers are images from the shoot. Be ready to stan.
F: How did you come to shoot for Friends NYC, and what was your inspiration?
SR: I know Janine Lee (Friends NYC employee) and was actually shopping at the store when I saw her. We talked and I was telling her I'd love to shoot for Friends! We made it happen. My inspiration was all things 70's and 80's with a modern twist. I saw colorful lighting and drapery to accentuate the products and romanticize them for Valentine’s Day.
F: You are a friend of Friends on many levels! Since you are also a shopper, what items are you loving these days from our store?
1) The Neon Rainbow Beaker (picture above from the shoot!)
2) The Pink Crystal Night Light
3) The Wild Unknown Tarot Deck and Guidebook
F: Great picks! Back to your art… how does photography fit into your daily life?
SR: It runs my daily life. :) It's truly my passion and means everything to me. I'm thankful everyday for it.
F: Who/what are your biggest artistic inspirations?
SR: My friends push me to always be better and challenge myself. Also photographers like Petra Collins, Adrienne Raquel, and Nadia Lee Cohen.
F: We love that! Our name is Friends, after all. We find that it is our friends who inspire us all the time, too. This is a rough time, and we don’t know how we’d get through it without our community. On that note, how has the pandemic changed your work?
SR: It's actually helped me to take a step back and slow down. It's also helped me discover what is important to me when it comes to what I make. I want to be inclusive and I want people to see a diverse representation within my work. I want to expand people's mind on what they think of when they think of beauty.
F: Friends supporting friends. It’s truly the way to live. In that supportive vein - are there any photo Instagram accounts you think people should check out?
SR: Yes! Here are seven! @nadialeelee @adrienneraquel @petrafcollins @chantar @colewittter @__sydneyclaire @lydiahudgens.
F: Awesome. New things to follow and obsess over. We also love YOUR Instagram account, by the way. So, what gives you hope for the future in these times?
SR: I am hopeful because I know that my art will always be here. I am also hopeful because of this community of artists I have around me.
F: Words to live by! Thank you, Savanna. Keep on rockin’ with your big open heart and community spirit. We look forward to watching your career flourish and take great pride in your artistic touch on our goods.
