How did I stay sane during the pandemic?
While the world shut down I moved back to Iowa to spend time with my family. During that time I bought a 1971 Chevrolet Impala and used it as my daily driver. The quiet streets gave me an opportunity to turn my small town into the perfect photo op. My goal was to highlight the awesomeness of the car: to showcase its power and personality.
My role in the project: art direction, model (lol), wardrobe design.
Introducing Leroy
Living in a small shed off of I-80, this 50 year old American muscle machine was hiding a big block 400 v8 engine. I drove it home, not knowing if the 4 different types of tires it was wearing were going to explode on the interstate. At least the radio worked.
I spent the summer of 2020/21 scouring vintage clothing shops looking for the perfect attire for these shoots. Those red heels were found at a Goodwill, they were a size too small but we powered through. Worth it. That iconic tasseled jacket was found at a shop in my town called The Atomic Garage. It’s known for being a go-to for halloween costumes if you want to dress as a “70’s girl,” but that summer I learned it also rents out authentic vintage clothing, such as that jacket and those easy-to-miss striped Wrangler jeans. Those last three photos were taken at two locations: the middle was in front of one of those diners that still serves milkshakes in metal shakers and the other two were shot at an abandon gas station that, for whatever reason, has yet to be torn down.