“Tangled Up in Blue”: A Lifestyle Campaign for the Bob Dylan Center
In 2022, CreeseWorks, led by photographer and cinematographer Christopher Creese, collaborated with The Bob Dylan Center, a museum dedicated to Bob Dylan and his influence on music. This partnership aimed to honor Tulsa's rich cultural heritage through a creative fusion of music and visual art.
How do you photograph merchandise without it looking like merchandise?
That was the creative challenge when the Bob Dylan Center approached me to develop a campaign for their expanding merch line. The goal wasn’t just to showcase products—it was to build a world around them. One that felt grounded in Tulsa, steeped in Dylan’s mythos, and authentic to the cultural spirit of the Center.
The Challenge
The Bob Dylan Center needed a library of candid lifestyle imagery that would:
Visually complement their brand’s cool-toned digital presence
Feel rooted in the surrounding Tulsa Arts District
Give each product a lived-in, real-world context
Support promotional efforts across e-commerce, social media, and internal marketing
In total, the ask was 27 distinct items, with at least 3 images per item—captured and delivered within a one-month timeline.
The Approach
Instead of treating the merch as the subject, I built stories around it.
I leaned into the cool tones of the brand palette—deep blues, gray-blues, and slate—to ensure the merchandise felt native to their campaign visuals.
Shot entirely on location in and around the Bob Dylan Center, the images were grounded in the community and cultural fabric of the Tulsa Arts District. I used a tailored mobile kit to move efficiently between sites while maintaining full creative control over light, mood, and framing.
As photographer and creative director, I handled every part of the process:
Scouted locations that echoed Dylan’s legacy and the Center’s visual tone
Pulled visual references from Dylan’s discography, album covers, and archives
Cast models who embodied a candid, authentic vibe
Shot both lifestyle portraits and clean studio product photos
Edited and delivered a cohesive set of assets tailored for digital and physical retail use
The Outcome
The final library included over 80 images that brought the Bob Dylan Center’s merch line to life. Each photo was carefully color-graded and styled to feel native to the Center’s visual identity while evoking a narrative grounded in place and personality.
Featured across the Bob Dylan Center’s website, storefront, and promotional materials
Created visual cohesion between product, environment, and culture
Contributed to brand visibility by placing the merchandise in real-world use, increasing resonance and relatability
Conclusion
The partnership between CreeseWorks and The Bob Dylan Center exemplifies how art can honor both past and present. Through this creative endeavor, both entities contributed to a meaningful commemoration of Tulsa's musical history.
