THE D’AMELIOS

I remember getting the email to shoot elevated unit for The D’Amelio Show on Hulu … and I was like “who?” I googled Charli D’Amelio and remembered that I had heard about her — she was the girl with the most followers on TikTok. I love being involved with new things and being on the cutting edge of pop culture so I was definitely in even though it was my first non-editorial job during Covid. I don’t know what I was expecting but it ended up being such a fulfilling, heartfelt experience. Most of the producers were women. The camera crew, who typically treat the on-set photographer like the plague, was super kind and inclusive (I also admired the way they setup their frame). I definitely didn’t expect to cry on set because of plot points … but I did. The family and the girls really let it all out and spoke so openly about their struggles with mental health while being in the public eye. It felt like such an important moment. Being a mom and an ardent girl’s-girl, I grew to feel protective of them. When they had big wins, I wanted to shout and pump my fist with a YESSSS. There were a ton of technical challenges — trying to shoot while not getting wet or pulled out to sea, standing on my feet for 10 hours a day with a mask and gear, super dark lighting — but maybe the toughest was not being able to talk. I related so much to the family and it was a struggle to stay quiet and be a fly-on-the-wall with my cameras. And then after we wrapped, I was so excited to be asked to shoot the gallery and key art for the show. I can’t wait to see what they all do with their lives and I hope I get the chance to work with them all again. BIG FAN here.

One of the things I really admired was how much Dixie loved her fans and how to shared the art they made with her photos. So when the show launched, I loved seeing her fans do the same with my work. Seeing them promote the show with my artwork was fun, too.

Weighted-down & masked up to cry, cheer, laugh, shoot & try to stay quiet (and stay out of the way!)