CASE STUDY: INSTAGRAM x GLAMOUR MAGAZINE
In 2015, Instagram commissioned Price to create an on-site portrait studio at the Global Women’s Initiative Summit in Dallas, Texas, in partnership with Glamour Magazine. The assignment would involve photographing some of the most powerful women in the world—including high-profile activists, humanitarians, philanthropists and politicians, as well as a number of First Ladies from around the world—with Michelle Obama scheduled among them.
It was both a dream job and a high-stakes challenge. Price would need to build a world-class portrait studio without seeing the space ahead of time, working with powerful subjects with particular preferences and very short time schedules. The photos would need to be selected by the Glamour Magazine team and published in real time, leaving no opportunities for retouching and no room for mistakes. Everything had to be perfect in-camera.
Working with only the dimensions of the private room, Price and her team specced out a studio with an aesthetic appropriate for the event, from color to lighting to furniture, shipping everything to Dallas prior to the event. They chose a lighting style that would look “perfect” in camera and flattering on the subjects.
The day of the shoot, Price photographed 30 high-profile subjects from around the world. While Michelle Obama had to attend via teleconference due to an emergency meeting with the Pope, the roster remained extraordinary. After each subject went through hair/makeup, Price had about five minutes with them in the studio. A digital station allowed the Instagram team and Glamour editors to select photos during the shoot, often in conjunction with the subjects' PR teams. Within minutes, they'd send the final select to the magazine as Price prepared for the next subject.
Mid-event, Price was informed she'd also be photographing a former President—typical protocol for security reasons. The secret service later commented it was the most fun they'd ever seen the former President have during a photoshoot.
You can view the full shoot on Glamour.
It was both a dream job and a high-stakes challenge. Price would need to build a world-class portrait studio without seeing the space ahead of time, working with powerful subjects with particular preferences and very short time schedules. The photos would need to be selected by the Glamour Magazine team and published in real time, leaving no opportunities for retouching and no room for mistakes. Everything had to be perfect in-camera.
Working with only the dimensions of the private room, Price and her team specced out a studio with an aesthetic appropriate for the event, from color to lighting to furniture, shipping everything to Dallas prior to the event. They chose a lighting style that would look “perfect” in camera and flattering on the subjects.
The day of the shoot, Price photographed 30 high-profile subjects from around the world. While Michelle Obama had to attend via teleconference due to an emergency meeting with the Pope, the roster remained extraordinary. After each subject went through hair/makeup, Price had about five minutes with them in the studio. A digital station allowed the Instagram team and Glamour editors to select photos during the shoot, often in conjunction with the subjects' PR teams. Within minutes, they'd send the final select to the magazine as Price prepared for the next subject.
Mid-event, Price was informed she'd also be photographing a former President—typical protocol for security reasons. The secret service later commented it was the most fun they'd ever seen the former President have during a photoshoot.
You can view the full shoot on Glamour.
