A few weeks ago, I photographed the brand new Hamilton Elementary School in Moline, Illinois. This shoot was unlike any I have done before and I was slightly intimidated. Shooting a space as large and creative as an elementary school takes concentration and problem-solving to produce the exact composition and lighting I want.

During the pre-planning stages of the project, I knew that the story behind this project needed to be told by the students. Legat Architects and I decided that due to the size of the school, we needed more than just a few students scattered in the empty halls; we needed a crowd.

Once we reached that decision, we coordinated and planned with parents to have approximately twenty students the day of the shoot. Because the children were so excited for their modeling debut, their energy and cooperation made the shoot fun for everyone involved. Their excitement helped capture the spirit of Hamilton Elementary and the images turned out great!

Legat Architects, Russell Construction, The Moline School District, and I want to thank all the students, parents, and teachers that not only made this shoot possible but also successful.