Presidential Portrait

I was aware from the outset that this shoot was higher stakes. With Maurie McInnis soon to be inaugurated as the new President of Yale University, access would be limited. To prepare, I offered to visit her office and adjacent locations a few weeks ahead of time, as I wanted to maximize every second of shoot time.

That early location scout proved pivotal. We identified several promising backgrounds, but more importantly, it signaled to the President’s team a high level of intent and engagement—from both myself and art director Jeanine Dunn. They responded accordingly: we were granted access to key spaces and met with a spirit of partnership.

Our session took place just one week before President McInnis’s inauguration—a moment of heightened visibility for Yale and, more broadly, for elite academic institutions in the U.S. The second Trump administration has been critical of major universities, particularly those where campus protests against Israel have drawn national attention. While Yale has not been a central focus, its prominence makes it vulnerable nonetheless.

President McInnis was gracious, grounded, and easy to photograph. In front of the camera, she projected charisma and an unexpectedly youthful energy, notable given her deep and distinguished background in academia and university leadership.

During our final setup, I mentioned having just seen a documentary on John Singer Sargent. Directing her toward the vintage doorknob, I brought up his signature use of hands to convey narrative and stature within a portrait. As a scholar of art history, I knew she’d understand the reference—but I could tell her mind was already turning toward the next meeting on her schedule. We took a few final frames and wrapped soon after.

Top Image: The Yale Alumni Magazine celebrates the inauguration of President Maurie McInnis. Design by Jeanine Dunn.

Second Image: A BTS moment photographing the cover, BTS photo by Frankie Christie.

Bottom Image: President McInnis, Yale University, March 2025.