A Nantucket Branding Session for Kids’ Pajama Line Tiny Tuckets | by Nantucket Photographer Kristen Swain

It had been a little while since I’d photographed a branding session for a kids’ brand when all of a sudden this spring, as I was gearing up to make my annual move to Nantucket, three opportunities popped up pretty much all at once. Two of them didn’t work out for logistical reasons, but I was so thrilled when it started to look like I’d be able to make things work with Tiny Tuckets, an absolutely adorable Nantucket-based (and themed!) kids’ pajama brand. They were getting ready to release their summer collection, which features the sweetest print with hand-drawn sketches (courtesy of the very talented Illustrated by Jenna) of classic Nantucket imagery (think Brant Point lighthouse, the flowers at Old North Wharf, a basket of hydrangeas). I would 100% buy these if they made an adult version (hint hint, Tiny Tuckets), but in the meantime, I’m looking forward to gifting these to friends and family with young kiddos.

John and Ashlee, the brand’s founders, were unable to be on island at the time of the shoot, having recently welcomed their second child, so they asked me to not only photograph the shoot but coordinate it, which I was more than happy to do. Side note: John and Ashlee created Tiny Tuckets when their first child’s skin wasn’t tolerating cotton fabrics very well. Ashlee, with experience as a Nurse Practitioner in dermatology, found that bamboo fabrics provided much-needed relief for their little one’s sensitive skin, and decided to create a kids’ line that “not only wraps our little ones in luxurious softness but also champions sustainability and hypoallergenic qualities.” Who doesn’t love a multi-mission-driven brand?

The coordination I handled for this shoot involved recruiting child models, coordinating a date that worked for our kiddos’ parents, collecting and distributing the wardrobe items so the kids could arrive dressed and ready to go, and choosing some ideal locations to use as a backdrop to complement the pajama design. And, in preparing for our session, I noticed that not only does the summer collection artwork include Nantucket’s unofficial animal mascot, a golden retriever (IYKYK), but Tiny Tuckets also happens to sell dog bandanas, so I added my own two pups to the mix as canine talent. (I’m biased, but I think they both look extremely handsome in their Nantucket red and hydrangea blue accessories. Let us know what you think – they’ll let you rub their bellies in exchange for attention and compliments.)

We ended up working in three different locations for this shoot, most of which took place on a scorchingly hot and bright day at the end of June. Because of the heat and blinding sun, we started among the cottages in ‘Sconset — one of the few places to find shade on island in the mid-afternoon. Our youngest pajama model, Greyson, was just 6 months old, so it was extra important to not overdo it with him. He ROCKED his first modeling gig, and I will most certainly be turning to him again for future opportunities.

Next up was Old North Wharf, where the hydrangeas were about to reach their peak. The flowers were struggling a bit in the relentless heat, but if you’ve been to ONW, you know that there’s plenty of charm there even beyond the abundance of that purple, blue, and pink eye candy we get to drool over for a few weeks every summer. Greyson joined us there as well, and got to meet our next set of models: 7-year-old twins and their 4-year-old younger sister (who happens to be my birthday twin, so naturally we’re BFFs now). We hugged what little shade we could find at the Wharf and then quickly made our way to Juice Bar to round out the afternoon. The kids’ orders for anyone curious: triple chocolate mountain, blackberry, and mint chip. All in cones, for the fun (and mess) of it. Capturing these littles enjoying their frozen treats while they perched on an open bench outside the Whaling Museum was definitely one of the highlights of the day for me personally.

Our third set of models had to meet on a different day, so we decided to arrange for a morning shoot at one of the north shore beaches. I brought my pups along for this one, hoping to catch some sweet interaction between doggy brothers and human sisters, but we didn’t quite have enough hands on deck to make that happen. (If you’ve ever tried to take photos of a single off-leash and distracted dog, not to mention two, you understand.) But I’m thrilled with what we captured on Day 2 of shooting nonetheless. I was so glad we actually made our way to the water for some splashing in the surf. The perfect way to wrap up shooting for this incredibly fun project.

You can find Tiny Tuckets online at www.tinytuckets.com, and in stores on Nantucket, including Peachtree Kids, Murray’s Toggery, and Four Winds.

AUGUST UPDATE: TT sold out entirely of their first round of stock, so they’re restocking to try to meet the demand. The second round of their Summer Collection is on presale now, and will ship around September 15. So get your butt moving! 🙂

A Nantucket Branding Session for Kids’ Pajama Line Tiny Tuckets | by Nantucket Photographer Kristen Swain