Jill McCracken at Ghost Hit Recording
I first heard from Jill back in April of this year, though I hadn’t yet listened to the music. I was thrilled to learn that their band would be recording at Ghost Hit Recording, a studio I’d been curious about for a while but hadn’t yet had the chance to visit. Jill McCracken is based in Boston, while I’m out in Western Massachusetts, and I loved that we were able to collaborate in such an impressive Western Mass space.
When I agreed to take on both the recording session and portraits later that month, Jill and I immediately started brainstorming. We exchanged texts of unreleased tracks (top secret!) along with outfit ideas, giving me a feel for the vibe that was envisioned: film-inspired, vintage tones, direct flash, warm yellows and oranges, and a grainy, '70s aesthetic. That mood shaped everything we did, and I think we absolutely crushed it.
When I walked into Ghost Hit, I was greeted by the owner and operator, Andrew. We exchanged a “Nice to finally meet you… unless we already have?”- one of those funny small-world moments. We realized we’d worked with so many of the same people, and I was genuinely excited to finally experience the space for myself.
We documented candid moments during the recording process and roamed around the building for more stylized portraits. This shoot pushed me outside my usual natural light comfort zone and opened me up to new creative directions. It was such a fun and inspiring day.
Jill recently switched things up and dyed their hair blonde though, so I’ll need to track them down again to capture some fresh moments. And oh, the tunes I’ve been streaming are awesome and I’m itching to catch a live show sooner than later.
