Race Expectations Flip

As a photographer, you never know what will resonate with people - Michele Bachmann, Chris Farley, Trump - and now this recent shoot from Oprah magazine.

When the issue hit the stands with my pictures on race, I wasn’t prepared for was the level of interest and passion they received. Upwards of a dozen interview requests came in from all over the world, including CNN, Mic.com, Flare, NextShark, and The Huffington Post. Becoming a spokesperson for race in America was not a role I was seeking, but I was honored to be part of this provocative and relevant conversation and I hope this came across in the finished pieces.

One thing I told each reporter was that the concepts for the pictures came from magazine and production teams. A couple stories reflected this, but many did not, so I want to do so here.

Photo Director Christina Weber was the primary driver of the aesthetic on set, and I was grateful for her input. Photo Editor Scott Lacey was my main point person and a joy to work with. As well, we were lucky to have Art Director Jill Armus, whos suggestions always make the pictures better. I was so thankful that master Prop Stylist Jared Lawton and his fantastic team were available to work on this job - it made all the difference. Always a pleasure to have top Wardrobe Stylist Stephanie Tricola around, and I’m also aware of the valuable expertise of Hair Stylist Mark Anthony and Make Up Artist Hiroshi Yonemoto. Of course I’m held together by my top-notch photo team: Michelle Watt, Sharone Zobali and Benjamin Travers. A note of thanks to Claudia Galindo and Picturehouse for the beautiful post work on the images. Much respect to the talented talent in front of the camera, whose performances really brought this story to life.

Curiously, I learned more about race, and the various takes on it in America, from reading the comments on the various social media platforms than from the shoot itself. The dialogue was fascinating, and I think, good and healthy.