Clay Cook

I don’t shoot editorial as often as I used to, but I still love it. It’s where I started, and there’s a freedom to it that’s hard to replicate.

A selection from a recent editorial for Market Watch on the ground of Buffalo Trace Distillery. We spent a frosty morning wandering the distillery, documenting the quiet rhythm and craft behind the scenes. We also had the opportunity to photograph legendary Master Distiller Harlan Wheatley. It’s always fun swapping stories and talking bourbon shop with people who are so deeply ingrained in the spirit of Kentucky and its history

2025 wasn’t about acceleration—it was about recalibration. Becoming a new Dad while running a commercial photography business shifted my sense of balance, replacing the single-minded focus I once relied on with something more layered and human. Slowing down created space for reflection and connection, while also forcing a rethink of time, energy, and ambition. Prioritizing my wellbeing became less about doing more and more about alignment—about shaping how I show up for my work, my family, and myself with greater care, communication and clarity.

As I look ahead to 2026 and 15 years in photography, I’m carrying forward a steadier mindset rooted in presence, vulnerability, and gratitude, grounded in the understanding that progress doesn’t always look like momentum. Still here. Still curious. Still learning.

This year, my team and I captured over 75,000 photographs and dozens of hours of motion for clients like Tempur-Pedic, Maker’s Mark, Baird and Kentucky Tourism. Walk with me as I review my photographs and memories of this past year. ---> https://www.clay-cook.com/blog/2025-review

We closed out 2024 photographing a 2025 summer campaign for Tequila Herradura. Over a single day, we captured product and talent across two custom-built sets—including a full studio recreation of a Mexican cantina. The creative direction called for a warm, sun-drenched atmosphere—rich in orange and brown—to complement the cocktails and evoke the spirit of an evening in Mexico. Fortunately, my previous travels through Guadalajara provided a visual memory bank to help bring that mood to life with authenticity. I couldn’t have done it without my incredible team—this one took a village, and I’m proud of what we created together. BTS to follow!

Photography: Clay Cook
Re-Touch: Jordan Hartley
Creative: Chad Buehner
Agency: PowerScoppechio
Production: Stuart McWhirter Kelsey Forren
DIT: Adam Mescan
First Assistant: Jonathon Chi
Third Assistant: Zachary Browning
PA: Léandi Knox
Hair & Makeup: Lambsey Reeves
Wardrobe: Olivia Braun
Prop & Production Design: Sara Rounsavall
Food & Beverage Styling: Fabiane Lash
Crafty: Sandy Hack
Talent Agency: Heyman Talent