Hello, we are Claire and Jeremy…
THE PACIFICO MOMENT
It’s not the adventure itself, It’s the “yes” to whatever happens next.
Thank you for considering us for this campaign. We’re excited to work with Pacifico again. The brand’s photography has always felt very close to our own visual language: authentic, perfectly imperfect, almost candid, and full of a genuine sense of joy.
We’ve pulled images from our archives that capture that feeling. Every photograph was directed and captured by us, and together they show the kind of world we want to create for Pacifico.
The Pacifico moment isn’t the adventure itself. It’s the “yes” to the detour, taking a different route, or chasing whatever looked epic around the next bend.
We’re interested in that fleeting window when the activity pauses and people take it all in. Friends gathering at a hidden swimming hole before the next jump. Reconnecting at a mountain overlook after a long drive. Catching their breath after a ride. Arriving somewhere that feels discovered rather than planned.
The adventure gets you there.
The moment is what happens when you stop and realize you want to stay.
Double Vision: Two photographers. One group of friends. Two ways into the moment.We shoot as a team, which lets us stay inside the moment while seeing it from different perspectives.
For Pacifico, imagine a group of friends spending the day around a hidden swimming hole, river, lake or rocky stretch of water. They’re not posing for the camera. They’re hanging out, talking, jumping in, drying off, passing around a Pacifico and figuring out what to do next.
While one of us might stay close to the group, the other can roam around the edges of the scene, finding the moments happening just outside of it.
One of us might capture everyone gathered around the water, while the other catches two friends sitting on a rock talking. One sees the jump. The other sees everyone laughing about it afterward. One finds the landscape. The other finds the hand reaching into the cooler.
We like to shoot with one camera tethered and one free to roam. The tethered camera keeps us connected to the main story, while the roaming camera can move quickly and instinctively, catching those little moments when people forget about the camera.
The result is a fuller picture of the day. Not just what the friends are doing, but what it feels like to be there with them.
We share a style, but we don’t always share an angle.
We want to feel like we were there.
We think the best photographs feel spontaneous and happened-upon, so we immerse ourselves in the day with the talent and let things unfold naturally.
With a group of friends around the water, that might mean jumping in with them, sitting on the rocks, playing music, telling jokes, or simply hanging out until they forget we’re there.
We like to get close. Really close. We shoot from within the group, looking for the little interactions and expressions that make the moment feel real.
The laugh between friends. The look before someone jumps in. Someone catching their breath after a swim. A Pacifico being passed around. The conversation that has nothing to do with the shoot.
We want to create the kind of energy where people stop thinking about being photographed and start enjoying themselves.
Everything should feel like it was photographed by someone sharing the same moment, not someone standing outside of it.
Good people. Good chemistry. No one taking themselves too seriously.
It all starts with great talent and a great casting agent who can help us find the right people for the world we’re creating.
For Pacifico, we’re looking for people who feel like they actually enjoy being together. Friends who can hang out around the water all day, get a little wet, make fun of each other, jump in, dry off and keep going.
We like people with personality. People who are comfortable in their own skin and don’t take themselves too seriously. The kind of people who can make each other laugh without trying too hard.
We encourage prospective talent to bring friends or family members they already have a natural connection with. This often opens the door to people who may not consider themselves actors or models, but who have exactly the kind of natural presence we’re looking for.
We also keep a roster of past talent and invite them back to new castings, often encouraging them to bring friends along. It creates a more relaxed environment from the beginning and lets us build groups around real relationships.
The more comfortable people are with each other, the less we have to direct. And that’s when things start to feel real.
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The Power of Detail.
The right people, the right place, and nothing too perfect.
The people we work with behind the camera are just as important as the people in front of it. After more than 15 years of working on large campaigns, we’ve been lucky to build a production team of people who know how to make a world feel real.
For Pacifico, that starts with the locations.
We’re looking for places that feel discovered rather than designed. The kind of places you might find after taking a different road, following friends somewhere, or deciding to keep going a little farther.
The Baja coastline in the brief feels like a perfect example. Rocky coastline, sand, desert vegetation, driftwood, boulders and weathered textures. Somewhere people might actually spend a few hours together, watching the water, sharing drinks and figuring out what comes next. Not a pristine resort. Not untouched wilderness. Just a really good place to be.
We could find that feeling in Baja itself or in Southern California. For us, the exact coordinates matter less than finding the right character.
The same goes for the bar and park environments. We want places with some history and patina. Weathered wood, concrete, tile, mismatched furniture, mature trees, natural paths, a little wear. Places that feel inviting without feeling overly designed.
Wardrobe should have that same quality. Casual, lived-in and individual. Swimsuits, shorts, sandals, faded tees, layers and personal pieces that feel right for the person wearing them. Nothing too coordinated or too editorial.
Every detail should feel like it belongs to the people and the place.
We’ll keep the frame clean enough for the story to breathe, but we don't want to remove all the character. A cooler that's been used all day. Towels thrown over rocks. Shoes kicked off by the water. A weathered chair. A little dirt on the ground.
Those are the things that make a place feel real.
We want the world to feel like it was already there, and we just happened to show up.
How Day19 does product
The product can be the hero without taking us out of the moment.
This isn’t a traditional product shoot. We want the product to live inside the lifestyle world while still getting the attention it deserves.
Sometimes that means bringing it right up to the lens, with the friends and the environment unfolding behind it. Sometimes it’s sitting in the foreground while the group hangs out around it. Sometimes the product is sharp while the people fall softly out of focus behind it.
We like finding these moments organically rather than making the product feel pasted into the scene.
We’ll shoot a range of perspectives and distances within each setup, from tight product moments to wider photographs that put the bottle or can right in the middle of the experience.
The friends, the location and the activity give the photograph its feeling.
The Pacifico should always be easy to find.
Letting everyone work their magic
We have tremendous trust in our food and beverage stylists, and we give them the creative freedom to work their magic. They are true experts in their field, bringing a wealth of knowledge, skill, and artistry to every project. We love watching them transform ingredients and drinks into stunning visual experiences that elevate our shoots to the next level. It’s inspiring to see them in their element, doing what they are so passionate about. Their dedication and creativity add an incredible depth and authenticity to our work, and we are grateful to have them as part of our team.
Here’s a commercial we recently directed and shot stills for. It was inspiring to watch our food stylists practice their passion, making the dishes look incredibly delicious! Their expertise and creativity brought the food to life!
