Editorial Photo Shoot for National Oil and Lube Magazine
This spring, I had the opportunity to photograph an editorial feature for National Oil and Lube Magazine. The assignment took place inside a Valvoline Instant Oil Change location right here in Lexington, Kentucky—a fitting setting, since Lexington is also home to Valvoline’s headquarters.
The shoot combined a mix of candid action photography with carefully staged portraits. My goal was to capture the authentic, friendly and professional energy of a working service bay as well as clean, polished images of the team members who keep things running smoothly. From oil changes in action to strong editorial-style portraits, the images highlight the professionalism and personality of the crew.
I spent some time with the service center manager, Cody Perkins, chatting about eastern Kentucky, cars, photography and more, to build a quick rapport before asking him to take center frame for some relaxed portraits. The assignment editor asked for me to get some portraits for a potential cover shot, so simple, clean background might work best, but to experiment as well if anything caught my eye. You can see my two submissions for cover below, along with the final as it appeared on the magazine.
The final photographs were published in the magazine’s spring 2025 issue, which you can view here: National Oil and Lube Magazine – Spring 2025.
As a Lexington, KY-based commercial and editorial photographer and filmmaker, I specialize in creating dynamic imagery for brands, publications, and businesses—whether that’s on location, in a corporate setting, or capturing the real stories behind the work being done.