Spotlight: Greg Miles for Dita Eyewear

BY 18 October 2021

The style of New Orleans blends the mysterious and musical. As the birthplace of Jazz, the city offers a timeless sound that matches the cobblestone streets and wrought-iron balconies that have endured for centuries.

Greg’s NOLA Style

Photographer Greg Miles has lived in New Orleans for the last 20 years. He has perfected the art of capturing the dark and moody tones that originate in this special city. In a recent assignment for Dita eyewear, Greg brings his distinctive visual style outside of the city and across the country, creating an enchanting environment for his lifestyle and product photography.

Woman wearing sunglasses, blonde pin curls, and silver cocktail dress lays on table in front of two men in suits and glasses shot by Greg Miles for Dita Eyewear

When Greg first moved to New Orleans, he dove into the city’s eclectic music scene to capture portraits of jazz artists whose energy set the tone for the musical city. He used his experience with these artists to inspire some of the moody sets and backdrops used for this campaign.

Man in sunglasses and blue suit sits in front of piano with one hand touching the keyboard, shot by Greg Miles for Dita Eyewear

The Shoot

Greg traveled to California, to the coastal town of Laguna Beach, to stage this retro-styled shoot. The inspiration for the shoot blended Greg’s experience in the New Orleans jazz scene with the feel of an underground speakeasy.

When we discussed the project, the idea was to have a New Orleans retro and electro-jazz vibe, which is not easy to find in LA.

Woman with strawberry blonde pin curls and red lipstick holds cat-eye glasses. She is topless, but is wearing 1920s accessories and covers her chest with one hand clad in long black satin gloves. Shot by Greg Miles for Dita Eyewear

With red velvet curtains, silk gloves, and fur accessories, Greg worked with the stylists to recreate a set that highlights a romanticized version of the prohibition era. Partly due to popular culture and literary references like The Great Gatsby, most people associate the era with illegal drinking venues, luxurious lifestyles, and dangerous parties. Greg’s concepts play off the nostalgia for the era while showcasing the eyewear in a way that is elegant and timeless.

It was an incredible team and each person was a creative force who made the shoot a complete pleasure.

Man in glasses lays on lap of woman with sunglasses in the back of a dark limousine shot by Greg Miles for Dita Eyewear

The Experience

Due to the shared vision of the team and collaborative efforts they took on set, Greg found himself wishing he had more time to play with this unique concept and atmosphere. While the dark contrasting tone of the images is consistent throughout his work, he doesn’t often get the opportunity to create the feel of another era.

The shoot went extremely smoothly, and my only regret is that I didn’t have more time to photograph the project.

Woman in sunglasses, red lipstick, and fur coat in front of red velvet backdrop shot by Greg Miles for Dita Eyewear

Part of why the shoot went so swimmingly is that Greg and the client were aligned on the project’s overarching aesthetic. This enabled Greg to retouch the images quickly in post-production.

I was able to color grade and retouch the pics to my liking and was so happy to see that the client shared my vision.

Man and woman in black tie apparel and sunglasses lay on black leather couch shot by Greg Miles for Dita Eyewear

For Greg, this project allowed him to produce more of his singularly provocative portraiture, which he has developed through many years of working with the thoughtful artists of New Orleans. In collaborating with other creatives, he appreciated the opportunity to play with his quintessential style in this fun and engaging assignment.