Behind the Lens: Capturing Bahari’s 2025 Independence Collection Honoring Bahamian Culture
BAHARI BAHAMAS’ INDEPENDENCE COLLECTION ‘25
Bahari has built a reputation for launching monumental campaigns that captivate the nation—sparking excitement and long lines of eager customers rushing to get their hands on the latest designs. Independence Day, one of the most celebrated holidays in The Bahamas, also marks the brand’s biggest and most anticipated collection of the year.
Each year, Bahari masterfully reimagines its Independence designs, drawing inspiration from iconic Bahamian symbols, historic events, and cherished scenes from our past. This year was no different—and when the brand approached me to photograph their new collection, I jumped at the opportunity.
I was genuinely impressed by the designs. They’re not only visually striking but carry a depth and cultural richness that make them even more powerful in person.
Behind the scenes, the energy was high from the moment we stepped onto set. Models were being styled with precision, garments carefully steamed and adjusted, and the creative team fine-tuned every detail to make sure the vision translated perfectly on camera. The heart of the set was a massive LED wall that projected moving images of Old Nassau, layered with AI-generated vintage Bahamian scenes. That mix of nostalgia and innovation made the backdrop feel alive—almost cinematic.
This was only my second time working with consistent studio lighting, but with each shot, I felt more in control. It gave me the freedom to focus more on expression and body language—how to direct and position the models in ways that felt natural yet powerful. There were moments of spontaneous magic—quick laughs between takes, adjustments in poses that ended up being the final selects, and even a few goosebumps seeing how beautifully everything was coming together in real time.
What Bahari created with this collection goes beyond clothing. It’s a reminder of who we are as a people, where we come from, and what we continue to celebrate.
Leo Creary, wedding photographer models in editorial for his 30th birthday
Leo Creary, a gifted wedding photographer, called me very excited about his 30th birthday. In fact, every year, I shoot Leo for some occasion but turning 30 was a milestone for him, and he shared a few concepts with me. I’ve photographed Leo for years, and you may recognize our work together from shooting him and his wife Keva’s fantastic wedding in Bimini, The Bahamas. I enjoy working with Leo as he always gives me creative control for photographing him, and it didn’t take me long to come up with styling for the photographer.
I wanted a rugged background because Leo was going to be styled in some pretty dapper suits. A cream, pinstripe, and 3-piece suits, but there was one more piece missing. I thought a vintage Land Rover would have been perfect, and in my search, I could not find an owner willing to let me use their vehicle. So I moved onto plan b to source my dream SUV, a Jeep Wrangler JL. I called a buddy of mine who I knew would say yes right away…and he did!
Once we arrived at our location, I tested a few shots with artificial light, but I decided to shoot natural. I hadn’t shot natural for some time. I’ve become a strobe nut, and I’ve been shooting more studio work, but being outdoors in that fantastic location just sparked that in me. The area we shot at was primarily used for landfills, and the white limestone rocks bounced light all around me. It was heaven. I photographed Leo in and around the vehicle, trying to tell a story with the images.
Leo was natural, posing and moving his body to complement the lens. We did shots still, moving and took risks climbing the limestone to get great pictures from different perspectives. I loved how the images turned out. Please enjoy them below.
