The Art of Reilly
Through the halls and rooms of the Columbus Museum of Art stood works made by human hands—paintings, sculptures, digital prints, and more.
And amongst them, another—a human figure. The essence of art appreciation, a mind of design, an eye for life through a different lens.
‘The Art of Reilly’ is a photo project I imagined that showcases Art within Art. I wanted to create an iconic character who embodies the elements we admire while walking through the light and shadows of a gallery, treasuring the works around us, taking away the elements we love so dearly, and making them part of who we are.
‘The Art of Reilly’
“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.”
The Backstory
The Art of Reilly Moodboard
I started imagining this photoshoot in the winter of 2022—it wasn’t until this summer that I brought it to life. Sometimes good ideas become great when they sit in your mind a little bit longer… kind of like fine wine.
I was inspired by moody, rich and romantic color tones; old film photographs; shadow textures; and the iconic works of Annie Leibovitz portrait photography.
When I was finally ready to create this piece, I already had the model in mind. I partnered with my friend Reilly—a designer and artist herself. I knew she was the perfect fit for the role I envisioned because of her appreciation for the arts. She’d embody the energy and emotion needed to connect with the art museum around her.
I had a shot plan ready to go, locations picked out, poses imagined. When we stepped through the front doors of the museum, the ideas settled in my mind and we started capturing each moment with care.
I like going in with a plan as a starting point, but even more, I like letting that plan melt and reshape itself. I like the new ideas that pop into my head as I’m going—I let my mind pivot and sway and wander. I also enjoy the collaboration with whomever I’m photographing—the imagination does wonderful things when more minds are involved.
Reilly helped me bring my vision to life and truly made this project a work of art with her “Mona-Lisa-esque'“ smile.
S.
From my creative planning deck.
From my creative planning deck.
Photographs are by Stephanie Snyder documented on Sony a7iii and edited using Adobe Creative Cloud.