Photographing Thomas Pheasant at home

Designer Thomas Pheasant at home in Washington DC

A couple of months ago I was being interviewed on the SAID podcast with Jane Dagmi, and at the end of the talk she asked me who some of my favorite designers were. At the top of my list was Thomas Pheasant. Ironically Jane had recently interviewed him for her magazine and I decided to put the wheels in motion to get her to connect us.

A chance trip to DC was planned for a family celebration and I decided to schedule the shoot with Thomas. Everything fell into place with a few short emails and I was all set. Driving to his home I remember being a little nervous, which is strange, I’ve been shooting high profile designers and clients for years, even stuck in an elevator with Giorgio Armani once snapping his portrait, but never felt nerves before. Maybe it was because I had willed this to happen and didn’t want to fail, or let myself down somehow.

All the elements I could ask for were in place, it was a gorgeous day, the sun was hitting the right part of the house when I pulled up, and to top it off he is a PRO. So my job would be easy. After a bit of chit chat and scanning the rooms for a good spot to work, I felt like I had stepped into his instagram feed. His home is everything you would imagine it to be, and it is flawless. Homes like his can create chaos in minds like mine because the visual experience is almost too much to take in, and the options for shots are endless. Luckily he had some great ideas, and the light in the front of his home was perfect, so we stuck to his entry and formal living space to maximize the light.

Someday I would love to explore the rest of the home, and document his space, but feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet and photograph a design hero of mine. Thank you Thomas for the time, and sharing a piece of your home with the world.