In a blend of creative flair and eco-conscious design, photographer Trevett McCandliss of McCandliss & Campbell worked with Wainscot Media to go bold with imagery inspired by David LaChapelle's surreal vibes for Holo Footwear's ad campaign. Using photo collage, Trevett shot models, sneakers, and props, then added found images like sky backgrounds to craft fantasy environments that showcased Holo's unique, eco-friendly sneakers as art and landed Gold in the Graphis Photography 2024 Awards.

By: Trevett McCandliss, Co-founder & Partner, McCandliss & Campbell

Holo Footwear is a company that combines cutting-edge design with eco-conscious materials. They wanted us to create images that stand out from the average sneaker company. The goal was to make a bold visual statement by pushing the boundaries of sneaker photography and creating a visual experience that is as memorable as it is unique. 

The owners shared with us that they loved the surreal world that David LaChapelle’s classic photographs depicted and wanted to infuse that energy into the photography. We studied LaChapelle’s fantastic work and devised a plan to create photo collages that we hoped would captivate the attention of the viewers. 

To achieve this, we planned a studio shoot in NYC. We shot two beautiful models with a wonderfully creative crew. The funky hair, makeup, and colorful wardrobe harmonized perfectly with the unique sneaker designs. We then shot still life photos of some of the sneakers and the many props we had brought to the studio. All these images were essential for creating the layered, imaginary scenes we envisioned. We combined them with some found photos and graphics to create surreal, visually exciting scenes. 

The client was incredibly happy with the result, which turned out even better than their original expectations. Holo Footwear’s vision of making a bold graphic statement was fully realized. We were very grateful to work with such a visionary client. This project is a testament to the power of collaboration and creativity.

We were honored to win a Graphis Photography 2024 Gold Award. It is very meaningful to us to have our work recognized by Graphis, which we hope inspires other creatives. We have looked at Graphis for many years to gain inspiration ourselves. In fact, Nancy used to go to the mid-town library in NYC and pour through the Graphis annuals when she was a design student at The School of Visual Arts many years ago.

McCandliss and Campbell is an art direction and design team that creates award-winning designs by combining innovative typography and conceptually driven fashion photography. Their clients include brands and fashion magazines.

They have received over 400 design and photography awards from Graphis, the Society of Publication Designers, the Type Directors Club, Print, How, Communication Arts, Creative Quarterly, and a German Design Award for Excellence in Communication Design. McCandliss and Campbell are honored to be included in the elite circle of Graphis Masters in both the design and photography categories.

Nancy Campbell is a School of Visual Arts graduate with a BFA in graphic design. She has worked at numerous magazines, including Harper’s Bazaar, Mademoiselle, and YM.

Trevett McCandliss received his BFA in fine arts from Syracuse University. He studied painting at the New York Studio School and graphic design and photography at the School of Visual Arts.

McCandliss and Campbell have presented their work to students and professionals in the United States and Europe. They have served on design and photography juries for The Society of Publication Designers, Graphis, and Communication Arts. The duo has taught master classes to an international roster of professional art directors and designers.

Trevett recently served as the vice president of The Society of Publication Designers. McCandliss and Campbell teach typography and editorial design at Kean University.

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