On Making Work

Posted in Fashion ReportageTagged , ,
Share on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterPin on Pinterest

I’m always happiest when I’m on set. Collaborating with creative people, spending weeks prepping, sharing the vision with the models and watching the hairstylist and makeup artist transform them all while the stylist creates magical looks for that quiet moment on set is where the dream becomes realized in front of the camera. For me, capturing that moment is the greatest high in life.

By now you know Kevin, Kelly & I collaborate on many creative projects with the Lincoln heritage Cinemagraphs being the most recent. Weeks before a shoot we start the brainstorming sessions where we flesh out the vision and we all get on the same page. What is the story we want to tell? How do we want people to feel when looking at it? What do we want it to look like in the end? We build our team and get to work model casting, renting props, equipment, location scouting, testing, and fittings.

I’ve always shied away from having behind the scenes photos taken of our process but now I want these candid moments to remember this time in our career. They’re a visual diary of our life’s work. Our studio assistant snapped some stills throughout the day of the cars, the props, prepping for shots and watching for that one moment to live forever.


For Lincoln we decided to shoot it upstate in Hudson, New York. Our friend Holly has an amazing family estate they let us use as a staging area for the models, hair & makeup, cars, equipment and props.

Kelly brought many old suitcases from her personal collection and we also rented extra options for the back seat of the pre-war shot. My favorite prop rental places (so far) in the city are Lost & Found Props and Eclectic Props.



The crew sets up the first shot. We had generators, modeling fans, smoke machine, scrims and reflectors ready for when the models walk on set.


Kelly found this amazing fringe from the 60s that our model Sierra brought to life spinning in circles while the crew finished prepping for the shot.


Late into the night we played beat jazz to capture the feeling of the generation and get our models to really move to the music!

  • Amazing to see you all behind the scenes! Thanks for sharing and you are always inspiring

  • Anita Senesi

    Thank you for sharing these moments with us 😉

  • Arzoo Amer

    This has to be one of my favorite posts thus far! Love being able to see the work behind the scenes and to see how much work truly goes into making a shot/cinemegraph look as effortlessly perfect as it does! Keep up the amazing work and thank you for sharing!

    • So glad to know! I’ll try to think about more ways I can show how we work and start a discussion about the technical part of photography.

  • CiaoChessa

    I love this series you shot with Lincoln and I especially enjoyed this behind the scenes look at your process. I feel like the process behind creation is so private for me but I’m always curious to see how other photographers prepare – particularly bc my work is so different than shooting on a set. And I think it’s fantastic for you to document for your personal archive bc it will be amazing to see how different or similar it will be 10, 20, 30 years from now as you continue to work!

    • So true! As far as production goes, we run a very small crew and keep the tech pretty minimal so we can focus on the work until we can build up to a bigger team to help us do bigger shots. But it’s all a learning process, it’s all about growing. I want how I work to change every year as I change. With that said, there is still nothing like taking a film camera out by yourself for a long walk capturing life so pure and beautiful, right?

      • CiaoChessa

        It is absolutely all about growing in all aspects! And yes, even though with every year we’re (hopefully) wiser as we evolve it’s nice to know that your foundation is there and that somethings never change…like that need to just go out and walk with you camera, film or otherwise.

  • arnold_kate

    Love this series for Lincoln. I was hoping you’d do one from the 70’s – my first car was a 1976 Lincoln Continental handed down from my step-father. White with blue plush interior and an 8-track! I’ve been rather nostalgic for that big boat recently.

    • I know! I’m dying to shoot the 70s. I have the PERFECT hair and makeup tear sheet, it’s killing me! Fingers crossed we can do this again. Obviously, I should start collecting 8-tracks just in case!

  • irene

    such a fantastic work!! you have an amazing job

  • Melissa

    Just goes to show you put a lot of work into your photos – more of a reality check for us people who think it looks all so easy.

    • We are supposed to make it look easy so we can take you to the fantasy we are trying to create in the final images 🙂

  • Simply amazing! Seeing the final shots, it can already be seen how much heart goes into each and every shoot. But to see the behind the scenes…really puts it all into perspective for those who think a photog just comes and snaps a photo or two.

  • NesYesC

    Thanks Jamie &Kevin !The Power of Natural!Natural beauty is an all pervading presence.

    The universe is it’s templ.

    It unfolds into the numberless flowers of spring.

    It waves in the branches of trees and the green blades of grass.

    It haunts the depth of the earth and the sea.

    It gleams from the hues of the shell and the precious stone.

    And not only these minute objects but the oceans,the clouds,the stars,

    the rising and the setting sun all overflow with beauty.

    The power to appreciate beauty not only increases of happiness

    it enlarges our moral nature.

    Beauty calms our restlessness and dispels our cares.

    Go into the field or the woods,spend a summer day by the sea or the mountains,

    and all your little perplexities and anxieties will vanish.

    Listen to sweet music, and your foolish fears and petty jealousies will pass away.

    The beauty of the world helps us to seek and find the beauty of goodness.

  • Naomi

    Love that first photo! Your passion for your work really shows in all that you’ve shared with us through this blog. I admire how you’re able to do what you love and inspire so many people by doing it! It sure looks like a lot of work though, haha. I guess I never realized how much planning and equipment goes into a photoshoot. Anyway, I’m glad you decided to open up to behind-the-scene photos and letting us take a peek. It’s great to see how the magic happens; it’s almost as fun as seeing the finished product. [;

    • Glad to hear it, I wasn’t sure anyone would be interested. I’m going to try to do more posts about photography and how I work personally, I guess this was dipping my toe in the water. 🙂

  • Laura

    Amazing photos !

    New post up on my blog, check it out : http://www.thestilettoholic.com/2012/12/04/eanie-beanie/

  • I love this!!! Thank you for sharing behind the scenes! You have a beautiful fascinating life!

  • Abe

    The link is not working. If anyone is interested in seeing the Cinemagraphs, they are here: http://lincolnmotorco.tumblr.com/