The Photographer ft Jaime Thompson
The Bahamas has a way of blending relaxation with refined style, and this series captures that duality: lightweight linen shirts unbuttoned just enough to catch the breeze, vintage cameras casually in hand, and accessories that nod to both culture and confidence. There’s an undeniable rhythm in these images—a dance of golden sunlight, patterned tiles, and palm shadows moving in sync with Jamie’s effortless energy.
Model: Jaime Thompson
Location: Pink Palms Bahamas
Clothing: KS Moses
Styling: Delano Sweeting
Timepiece: Bahamas Watch Exchange
Jewellery: Island Cache73
MUA: Gail Clarke
Female Model: Michelle Louidor
Planning a photoshoot can feel overwhelming—there are so many moving parts to get just right. For me, everything has to align: the model, clothing, styling, team, and location all need to complement the concept I have in mind. With this shoot, I knew I wanted to feature a male model since my portfolio has very few men. I also knew exactly who I wanted as my muse.
Jamie—pronounced "hi-may"—is a 6'4", 230-pound CrossFit athlete. We met not too long ago on a client shoot, and when I reached out to ask if he’d be interested in collaborating, he didn’t hesitate. I shared my vision, and he was instantly on board, excited to participate.
Some locations do more than serve as backdrops—they bring a scene to life, setting the mood and shaping the entire aesthetic. That’s precisely what happened with this shoot. The Pink Palm, with its soft pink walls, crisp sunlight, and tropical charm, created an effortlessly timeless setting. I had been eyeing this location for a while, waiting for the right concept. When I called the owner, she gave me a list of available dates, and I jumped at the earliest one!
All the clothing was sourced from KS Moses, a local men’s boutique. I collaborated with them to select different pieces, which my stylist, Delano, expertly curated. I called on Bahamas Watch Exchange to source Jaime's timepieces to add another level of luxury. We also incorporated accessories from Island Cache, a Bahamian-inspired jewellery brand, to complete the looks. The result? A seamless blend of island ease and timeless sophistication.
The Bahamas, my home, seamlessly merges relaxation with elegance, and this series embodies that blend: airy linen shirts casually unbuttoned to welcome the breeze, vintage cameras held with effortless grace, and accessories that honour both culture and confidence. My aim was to capture the many facets of a photographer—their look and styling—and how they work within a single editorial.
Olde Town Lady: A Historic Collection of Modern Day Portraits.
OLDE TOWNE LADY is a series that brings the stories of different generations of Bahamian women out of the shadows and analyzes how they collectively contributed to the culture and traditions that are common and upheld in our Bahamian society today. We aim to theorize and construct the historical knowledge of Bahamian Women through Oral Histories and Creative Interpretations.
Francine Russell in “Olde Town Lady”
OLDE TOWNE LADY is a series that brings the stories of different generations of Bahamian women out of the shadows and analyzes how they collectively contributed to the culture and traditions that are common and upheld in our Bahamian society today. We aim to theorize and construct the historical knowledge of Bahamian Women through Oral Histories and Creative Interpretations.
These women existed in everyone’s family, but their narratives are often overlooked and under-valued. They carried out the underappreciated and undermined labor that was key to sustainable development and the well-being of the family and community. They also protected and transmitted the cultural and social heritage of The Bahamas, with hopes that their labor and stories were not in vain.
Francine is a Co-Principal of The Heritage Partners - a professional services agency specializing in Heritage branding, research, and management.
SHE’S ROYAL
However, to put on a more dignified or elegant appearance. slaves had to fend for themselves. A large part of the small sums of money earned through extra work or selling produce went in purchasing a pair of shoes and at least one set of decent clothing for dances, funerals, or church-going...for the women, a dress and petticoats of good East Indian cotton, a colourful handkerchief for head ties.
Islanders in the Stream: A History of the Bahamian People. Vol. 1, from Aboriginal Times to the End of Slavery. Athens, University Of Georgia Press, 1999.
CHURCH LEADER
Despite the predominance of men as priests and pastors, all churches provided opportunities for women to participate, enhance their respectability, and even lead. In the Anglican and Methodist churches alike, women outnumbered men as Sunday school teachers, and they were invaluable in organizing annual bazaars, fete, and other fund-raising functions.
Craton, Michael, and Gail Saunders. Islanders in the Stream: A History of the Bahamian People. University of Georgia Press, 1998.
BLACK WOMEN SUSTAIN COMMUNITIES
Far fewer women worked as plantation laborers, and most of the men became transients, living in barracks or strange villages during crop-time and being unable to form permanent or stable attachments while women provided the only permanence and stability for children.
Craton, Michael. “Changing Patterns of Slave Families in the British West Indies.” Journal of Interdisciplinary History, vol. 10, no. 1, 1979.
SHARING AND BARTERING
As in Africa, marketing played a large part in the lives of all black New Providence “villagers, and most of the vendors were women. Some sold vegetables and fruits from door to door, others from small stalls outside their yards, at the end of their lanes, or in Grant’s Town small formal market.
Craton, Michael, and Gail Saunders. Islanders in the Stream: A History of the Bahamian People. University of Georgia Press, 1998.
SUBSISTENCE FARMING
The slaves themselves (of whom three-quarters lived at Clifton) had twenty-two family allotments, totalling sixty acres, well planted in-ground provisions. Though much of the area on each farm was "white land" or swamp, and the slaves' provision grounds were not in the best locations, it was possible for a family to sustain itself through the labor of the women and children alone, and the more industrious families produced considerable surpluses for the market in Nassau. Islanders in the Stream: A History of the Bahamian People. Vol. 1, from Aboriginal Times to the End of Slavery. Athens, University Of Georgia Press, 1999.
FROM FIELDS TO FORTUNE
Similarly, the more fortunate and industrious slaves would boast a pitiful handful of extra possessions and marginal luxuries: scissors and dressmaking materials, some specialist tools, a glass or two, and some chinaware (some of it cracked or chipped and passed on from the master), a mirror, combs and trinkets, and a store of clay pipes (which were smoked by women and men alike when they could). Islanders in the Stream : A History of the Bahamian People. Vol. 1, from Aboriginal Times to the End of Slavery. Athens, University Of Georgia Press, 1999.
SEE THE FULL GALLERY
WATCH THE BTS VIDEO
SHOOT CREDITS
Model: Francine Russell
Photographer: Scharad Lightbourne
Stylist: Shan Oliver
Dress Designer: Theodore Sealy
MUA: Ruth Ash Rolle
Hair: Jamell Dawkins
Video: Tony Williams
Video Editor: Craig Walkine
BTS: Rayandra Nairn
Kid Model: Dane Marshall
Male Model: Ricardo Hepburn @DR3amMEdia
Contributors: Dru Hepburn / Maria Hall
Special Thanks
The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas
The Heritage Partners
UB Art Students