Charlotte-based SouthPark magazine recently made its way down to Pinehurst for a style and travel shoot, and we got to tag along for the photoshoot and be tourists in our own town.
The morning of a photoshoot, everyone has the jitters. There was also rain forecasted for much of the afternoon, meaning the order of locations was also a bit up in the air — but luckily, we managed to miss the rain and explored Pinehurst through photographer Mira Adwell’s lens with models Elaine Metcalf and Carmen York.
Both models had never been to Pinehurst before. “I love it here,” Elaine said.
So why did SouthPark pick Pinehurst? Because a PGA tournament is being held in Charlotte and the September issue is centered around golf. “We thought this would be a good time to have a project in Pinehurst,” says editor Cathy Martin.
Whitley Adkins is the main stylist for SouthPark’s style section. Two years ago, she started taking the show on the road. The magazine mixes in a bit of history with the features to give you the full experience in their pages.
“We have awesome photography and there are so many great towns within driving distance to Charlotte,” she says. “I never wanted our travel section to look like an advertisement, I wanted to do something different. We came up with a fun way to merge style and travel to visually tell the story of the towns we visit.”
While bopping around to the different locations, the team ran into locals who live and work in Pinehurst, and incorporated them into the shoots. “I want to tell the most authentic stories and integrate real people into the shoots,” Whitley said. “I want it to be real but aspirational at the same time.”
Our favorite looks of the day came from Byrdie Golf Social Wear. Elaine and Carmen agreed the vintage-inspired golf wear was “adorable,” especially when the greens matched lots of the decor in many of the signature buildings in Pinehurst.
Mira says she loves the positive environment in Pinehurst, adding that “everyone is so accommodating.”
Hair and makeup for the models took an hour each. Then there were the eight outfit changes throughout the day. In between locations, we hopped on the Pinehurst Trolley, which thankfully is air conditioned. It was a chance for everyone involved with the shoots to chat and get to know each other a bit more — like making friends with strangers on an actual vacay.
Curious to see the results? See the online version of the feature Sandhills Sojourn here.
