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*Cassidy Marie at the Original Wellington Mall*

Back From Hiatus: A Latex Look in a Liminal Space with Cassidy Marie

Catching Up After a Busy Few Months
Hey folks! I’m back from a short self-imposed hiatus, and we’ve got so much to catch up on. The Florida Renaissance Festival came and went, and while I’ve finished editing all eight weekends I covered, I’ve only posted the photos from five of them here on the blog so far. In that time, I also went camping, joined a protest, spent time with family, hit a few parties and events—and of course, took a lot of photos. I’ll admit, it started to feel a little overwhelming. But after some much-needed rest, I’m on the other side of that wave and ready to dive back in and share some of my favorite recent work with you.

Introducing Cassidy Marie: From Muse to Creative Collaborator
For today’s post, I want to highlight one of my favorite shoots from the end of last year—a session with my longtime muse and creative collaborator, Cassidy Marie. Cass is actually the daughter of another friend and muse of mine, Shannon Marie (both adults, for clarity). I’ve mentioned before how much I enjoy photographing familial connections—cousins, childhood friends, siblings, even twins. But mother/daughter models? That was a box I didn’t even know I needed to check until I met Cassidy.

How We Met: “You’re Going to Want to Photograph Her”
Our first shoot was just over two years ago, after Shannon told me, “You should meet my daughter. You’re going to want to take her photo.” Now, I’ve heard versions of that before—usually well-intentioned friends hyping someone up—but Shannon wasn’t wrong. Not even a little. Since that first session, Cassidy has become one of my favorite people to photograph. I even featured a portrait of her in a recent group show at Propaganda in Lake Worth, FL.

A Rare Visit, a Special Shoot
Unfortunately, Cassidy relocated to the Atlanta area last year, so our sessions have become a little more rare—which only makes them more special. It had been a full year since our last proper shoot (which was our intentionally miserable Christmas-themed goth shoot), so I wanted to make sure we did something meaningful.

Exploring the Original Wellington Mall: A Dream Liminal Space
Enter: The Original Wellington Mall in Wellington, FL.

If you know my work, you know I’m drawn to abandoned spaces, natural backdrops, and anywhere with as few people as possible. But I also love liminal spaces—those strange, transitional areas not meant for long-term use. Hallways, stairwells, elevators... and yes, dead malls. There’s something inherently surreal about them, and that sense of eerie stillness makes for perfect photo backdrops.

Now, calling the Original Wellington Mall a “dead mall” is a bit of a stretch. It’s not abandoned—just quiet. It’s small, filled with local businesses and even a few government offices. But it also feels frozen in time, with 90s-era aesthetics, bizarre installation art, and literal antiques like grandfather clocks and vintage furniture just scattered throughout the common areas as decoration. In other words: my dream.

Surprising Hospitality and a Smooth Shoot
I usually prefer locations where I know I won’t be kicked out. So when Cassidy (in full latex dress), Shannon, and I walked in, I had no idea how long we’d have. But within five minutes, a security guard approached us—and I braced for the usual “you can’t shoot here.” Instead, he smiled and said another photographer had recently come just to shoot the space, and they loved the attention. He complimented Cassidy’s outfit. The older women playing cards waved at us. The shop owners smiled. We felt completely validated.

Bonus Stop: A Quick Visit to the Cemetery Waterfall
The shoot itself was a blast. Honestly, I don’t need to say much more—the photos speak for themselves. Cassidy is always effortless in front of the camera, and I was loving her new mulleted look. After wrapping up at the mall, I was feeling pretty spent, but Cassidy suggested we swing by our backup location: a nearby cemetery with its own small waterfall. We didn’t stay long, and I’ll share more about that spot in a future post—but it was a lovely bonus to an already magical day.

More to Come
Stay tuned, because I’ve got plenty more photos to share from the Ren Faire, recent events, and beyond. Thanks for sticking around. Let’s keep creating.