A Game of Phone Tag


This photoshoot took a long time to get done. The biggest obstacle being that we just couldn't get our schedules to work. Kaylee was a NICU nurse at one of the hospitals in Lubbock, so her schedule was already pretty difficult to work with. Also, she was training to be a bodybuilding model, so her remaining schedule was fairly full as well. After about 6 months of phone tag, and schedule juggling, we finally got a date set.


This shoot with Kaylee was several months in the making, in that it took us months to find a time for us to do the shoot. Our schedules just kept changing on us, so it took 6 months for us to finally find a day and time. 


The location was a place I wanted to use for a shoot for a long time, the Cotton Court Hotel, a 1930s-era inspired hotel with authentic Texan culture and historical items on display. The rooms were large, but cozy, with an old-timey fridge and decor. I definitely recommend the place if you ever get a chance to visit Lubbock.



The Team

Its funny, because Kaylee reached out wanting to work with me, usually its the other way around. Kaylee is a female bodybuilder and fitness model in Lubbock, while also doing her day job as a pediatric nurse. Her confidence just beams out of her in her smile and her eyes. The next goal was to find a good venue. Per Kaylee's request, she asked for me to find a make-up artist for the shoot, and I immediately knew someone to reach out to. I had heard of Allyssa from other photographers, and had seen some of her work, and I knew she would be the perfect person for the job.

Zack Morris

photographer

@zmorrisphoto

Kaylee Spear

model

@fitnursekaylee

Allyssa Densford

make-up artist

@allyssa.densford

The Venue


While I was going to and from work, I had seen an area under construction near my office, so I kept note of it so I could check it out once it finished. I found out that it was a boutique hotel called The Cotton Court Hotel. I did a little research, and I saw that it was going to have a rustic aesthetic mashed with 50s & 60s Americana-inspired decor, creating a vibe I like to call Texicana. This vibe was perfect for the shoot I wanted to do. I reached out to the hotel, and they were more than thrilled to let me use their facilities for the shoot.

Photo courtesy of Cotton Court Hotel

Cotton Court Hotel | Lubbock, TX

The Day of the Shoot


We got to the hotel, checked in, and got set up. While Kaylee was getting ready, I was doing some planning. It was late afternoon, so we were getting lots of sun pouring into the lobby's massive array of windows, and that's where we began the shoot. The eclectic western aesthetic contrasting with Kaylee's slim black dress made for some very good low-key styled photos. I spent most of our time using this outfit, just because it worked so well with the setting, and I didn't want lose the good light. Eventually, though, we moved on to the second outfit: the Red Dress.

The Day of: Part II


Once Kaylee was ready, we went back out, and we even ventured out to the courtyard. At that time, it was early spring, and it was really cold that day, so I was very quick with our outside shots, so we didn't freeze to death. The Red dress definitely stood out, but unfortunately, I ran out of time, so I had to head home, and I didn't take as many shots as I would have liked in this dress, but I still loved what came out of it. The silhouette shot is actually one of my favorites, since it shows slight glimpses of her, but it has such a nice contrast of shadow and light

The Original Concept


These shots were the original reason this shoot came to be. I wanted to do a Halloween-inspired spooky candlelit shot set, and the photos did not disappoint. These shots came out incredibly well, with the background being completely drowned out, leaving Kaylee as the focus. Absolutely incredible.

Publication


I had been on a streak of publishing my work at the time, and a shoot like this needed to be seen. I submitted through Kavyar, a collection of publishers you can submit your work to, and Luxe Style accepted my submission, and had this shot in their travel issue. Still super proud of this, cause it was a recognition of the work we had put into this shoot.

Looking Back


There are photoshoots that you look back on and see your career changed. This shoot was one of those moments for me. I got a small idea of what it was like to be a professional photographer with a team, coordinating on a set. I definitely liked the feeling of being a professional photographer, now I just wish I could have the budget of one...Maybe someday. Now Kaylee was an absolute professional, she did an amazing job with this shoot, and I appreciate her patience in trying to find a workable date. This shoot was 6 months of working things out, but it was worth it in the end.