Stavvy Goes to the Beach
Our main concept was to have Stavros Halkias swimming in the ocean off Coney Island. It felt perfect—joyful, visceral, beautiful, and funny all at once.
But as the scheduled date approached, there was a thunderstorm in the forecast. I kept hoping that would be one of those ten minute flash storms, but it didn't land that way.
As we drove toward the beach, the sky went completely dark—like night, even though it was only late afternoon. Pouring rain, with thunder and lightning. I thought, "This is it, total disaster."
I was in the back seat in my bathing suit with my camera on my lap, just waiting. Then I figured, screw it, I’ll scout. I got out with an umbrella, walked around the carnival area—people hiding under awnings, a few in bars—and I called my assistant and photo editor Hannah Whitaker. I said, “Let’s just do this. I think I see something ...”
Facing ruin, and hitting the photo shoot version of rock bottom, my mind opened, as well as my eyes. I looked around me, it was beautiful: a dusk sky and an empty amusement park. It was epic and delightful. Hannah saw it too, and encouraged us in a good direction.
Oscar Sanchez had made this incredible jacket out of dollar-store stuffed animals, inspired by carnival game prizes. It was strange and perfect. We shot for about 35 minutes—first in that suit, then another look on the rocks—and the top images of the day came from that stretch right after I thought that everything was ruined.
One can carefully plan out and set up a shot, but the best pictures have that spark of life—coming from something spontaneous and a little dangerous.
Top Image: Stavros Halkias on Coney Island Beach, August 2025. Stuffed animal jacket by Oscar Sanchez of Dry Cleaning Only.
Second Image: Behind the scenes, shot by Jake Parker.
Third Image: The shot where he isn’t nude.
Bottom Image: Stavros was easy going and gracious throughout, and always keeping the crew in stitches. We wouldn’t have gotten a fraction of these good images without his openness and good humor.