“Did you know the sun in Sweden only sets for a few hours a night in the summer?
I landed in Stockholm 24 hours before the & Other Stories shoot to photograph the first mainstream fashion campaign featuring an entirely trans cast and crew and I was completely jet lagged and out of my mind. Nina Poon (the make up artist), Love Bailey (the stylist) and I had never met before, but we found each other in the hotel lobby and spent the day together. We tried to be tourists and see the city, I brought out my copy of the Caitlyn Jenner Vanity Fair that had been released that morning and we posed for photos “with Caitlyn” around town, forced ourselves to stay awake to get on Swedish time. The next morning we met models Hari Nef and Valentijn De Hingh in that same lobby for breakfast, and went off to work together.
There is something to say about collaborating with other trans people on an artistic level that I’ve experienced throughout my career – an instant connection and understanding – yet with more conversation, less explanation and a whole bunch of feelings. Getting to shoot Hari and Valentijn with Nina and Bailey behind the scenes was a moment I’ll never forget… Although I probably would’ve forgotten it if I didn’t take these polaroids because, you know, jetlag! Here are some of my favorites from the shoot day, in-between moments that I’m glad I have memories of.” Amos Mac
“Right before the first shot of the day! This moment was the start of the first look and I was nervous at first but I knew that this was going to be something beautiful right as I saw Valentijn and Hari next to each other, arms and legs crossed, waiting. I got chills. It was time!” Amos Mac
“First looks! Checking out the girls while they check out the monitor after shooting the first look. I always get so nervous when models see the photos I just took but they seem entertained!” Amos Mac
“If there’s one thing inside the & Other Stories atelier that I was obsessed with besides the natural light and tiny plants, it was this gorgeous fainting couch. Who wouldn’t want to have a spell on this beauty?” Amos Mac
“Hi Rose McGowan circa Doom Generation.” Amos Mac
“When I saw the wooden house frame looking thing where Stories kept their lighting equipment I knew it would be a perfect shooting area for this Valentijn! I removed all the equipment and had her jump in.” Amos Mac
“Selfie break time with my slather sister @harinef.” Love Bailey
“One of my favorite moments on set. Sonja, the daughter of someone who worked for & Other Stories, visited the cast and crew. She’s a young trans child I was told that she was the inspiration for the entire collection and campaign. We were able to chat with her mom for a bit, and although Sonja didn’t speak much English, you could tell she was so excited to be around trans adults. It was a touching moment.” Amos Mac
“That moment you realize the importance of inspiring trans youth. When I found out that Sonja is transition at age 6, my heart melted. It was in that moment I knew that my purpose on set was something beyond myself.” Love Bailey
“A moment of reflection. I like the calm in this image. Despite the high energy and tight schedule we were on, a photo like this feels like it came from a completely different day, or dimension.” Amos Mac
“Hi Taylor Swift circa 1989!” Amos Mac
“Totally trans album cover.” Amos Mac
“One of my favorites from the whole Polaroid series. A quiet moment with Hari toward the end of the day.” Amos Mac