Tulip Court — Creative Introduction
Each year, Albany’s Tulip Court is introduced to the public — but rather than relying on a basic portrait, I treat that moment as a creative opportunity.
This project uses visual storytelling to introduce the Tulip Court as part of Albany’s cultural fabric — tied to tradition, craft, and community.
For this shoot, I developed and styled a full bakery-themed concept, turning the introduction into an immersive, narrative scene.
Meet the Court
The concept.
Theme: A Tulip-Inspired Bakery
Instead of a standard backdrop, I built an environment that felt lived-in, playful, and intentional — inspired by the tradition of baking, springtime, and the detail behind the Tulip Festival.
The scene included:
Real tulips
Tulip-shaped cookies
Tulip cookie cutters
Milk in a glass carafe
Eggs and egg cartons
Powdered sugar (a gluten-safe alternative due to allergies)
Sprinkles, measuring cups, and baking tools
Rolling pins and prep surfaces
The setting blurred the line between a studio and a real working bakery, giving the shoot warmth, texture, and story.
Collaboration
Local small business Pretty Bake Shop created custom tulip cookies for the shoot, reinforcing one of my core goals:
using creative direction to uplift local entrepreneurs while amplifying Albany tradition.
This turned the shoot into a micro-ecosystem:
Local city tradition
Local small business
Local creative direction
Local talent
Purpose.
This wasn’t just a styled moment. It solved specific challenges in how the Tulip Court is presented:
Moved away from generic, pageant-style imagery
Gave the Court a story and a setting
Made the introduction more shareable on social media
Connected tradition to modern, creative culture
Elevated the visual quality of the Tulip Festival brand
It reframed the Tulip Court not just as participants — but as a living part of the festival narrative.
