06 Jun Hot Tub in January: Brittany | The 1,000 People Project
The 1,000 People Project is an ongoing portrait series focused on authentic expression, one person at a time, a thousand humans in total. It’s about photographing real people as they are, without performance, without pressure, and without needing to fit into a role. Just presence, personality, and truth.
This session features Brittany, who became the second official portrait in the 1,000 People Project. She technically started out as my sister-in-law, but she’s long since been promoted to just sister. That title isn’t something I give out lightly. Brittany is one of the most supportive people in my life and in my work, and every time I’m testing new lighting, building a new concept, or doing something slightly unhinged, she’s the first one to say yes.
Brittany is also a special education teacher, which makes complete sense if you know her. She has this rare combination of being both incredibly grounded and deeply warm, while also being hilarious and easy to be around. Photographing her is always relaxed, effortless, and fun, and she brings a calm confidence to everything she does.
On a cold January afternoon, we decided to do something I had never done before: photograph someone in a hot tub outside in the middle of winter. Brittany stepped out like a queen, got into her bathing suit without hesitation, climbed into the hot tub like it was the most normal thing in the world, and settled in with her warm drink and winter hat, completely unbothered by the freezing temperatures around her. We joked the entire time while I worked through angles and compositions, trying to capture the feeling of the moment.
From a photography perspective, this session was surprisingly challenging. White snow, pale water, bright steam, and winter light all blend together, and the camera naturally wants to flatten the entire scene into one bright wash. The goal was to create an image that felt the way it looked in real life, cozy and surreal, warm and wintery all at once. Steam rising into the cold air, soft light, and Brittany’s calm presence in the middle of it all.
It was cold, chaotic, and absolutely worth it. I’m so proud of what we created, and I’m grateful that Brittany was the one who helped kick off this project so early on. This is exactly what the 1,000 People Project is meant to be: real humans, real moments, and the kind of portraits that feel like a memory.
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