Wear Many Hats Episode 62 — Allister Ann

Hey everyone it’s Rashad and this is Wear Many Hats presented by Dahsar where we talk about your main gig then we talk about your side hustle.

Allister Ann is a photographer that started her documenting career shooting The Civil Wars and then was the personal photographer for Kenny Chesney. Two musicians I’m not into but she has shot my favorites, Dolly Parton, Butch Walker, Chelsea Wolfe, Jenny Lewis, Adele and Reggie Watts.

I stumbled upon her work after having friend of the pod Matt Maust and viewing her sick photos of Cold War Kids which was also featured in a Cold War Kids music video. Found her work through a friend of the pod, Kamtin, from The Chain Gang of 1975 as well.

She’s also a music video director and has directed videos for John Paul White, Dan Auerbach, and The Shelters.

This is not a photography podcast, we’re not going to be nerdying out on Rollieflexes, Rolexes or who’s in our Rolodexes.

Please welcome Allister Ann to Wear Many Hats

How’s it going Allister?

Before I said that last part of not talking about Rollieflexes, you flex with your Rollieflex selfies I must say. But I know that feeling all too well.

I remember when I did this big job and money came in, I went into Bottega Venetta and was trying on this Nylon jacket 1/1 and took a pic with it with my Contax T3. I’m not sure what I was flexing on more. The camera or the jacket.

It’s like yeah we don’t post to main our iPhone selfies, well I’m guessing you have an iPhone because this is an iPhone only podcast.

But yeah I love the Rollieflex selfies for sure. My good friend Garvin from Philly shoots with one and he takes great pics with it. Honestly, when I hear people shoot with them, I go…That’s a true photographer for sure.

Don’t you also shoot with a Contax?

Where are you based?

I was watching the music videos you directed and I must say, they’re all weird and fun. Catchy. Just like Los Angeles.

LA is so weird.

I’ve read interviews of you before this and you compare yourself as a musician where they have “made it” and the time and hard work it took to get there. I’m not going to lie there are so many terrible musicians and photographers.

Selected Clients

So you’re selected clients include Sony Music, Universal Music Group, Capitol Records, Sub Pop Records, Asthmatic Kitty Records, Easy Eye Sound, so I’m guessing you work with a lot of record labels.

Ok so I’m a so called musician and just got put on the scene. Let’s go through the process of shooting a novice for the music industry. What would I have to do?

Do you like shooting in a studio or on location or on the road more?

When you’re not shooting

When you’re not shooting what do you like to do? What is there to do in Nashville or LA that you like bopping around too?

Hats OFF

Hats off to you on all these things that you do, for some Wear Many Hats Dahsar solutions would love to cross paths with you and shoot sometime.

Ending

If you were to get a chest tattoo quote in olde english what would it be?

Plug your socials where can people find you?

Till next time this is Wear Many Hats presented by Dahsar and I’m Rashad Peace!