Contributors Gallery
Corrin Messing, Design Lead
Corrin graduated Rochester Institute of Technology with a Graphic Design and Marketing degree then headed west to spend several years at a Midwest design agency working with global brands CoverGirl, Olay and Pampers. In 2010, she relocated to Brooklyn, NY to join the incredible team at David Stark Design & Production where she became versed in every aspect of 'sky’s the limit' event design and experiential marketing. Corrin had a hand in every step of the design process from concept through production. She then applied this knowledge of design and build to visual merchandising and window display design for luxury brands and retailers such as Kiehl's Since 1851, Fresh, Anthropologie and Bergdorf Goodman.
After working with big brands for years in Manhattan, Corrin sought a new challenge and returned to the world of event design. As Creative Director of Starling, she worked seamlessly with popular Brooklyn venues, 501 Union and The Green Building, designing promotional materials, creating content and styling photo shoots. She was also responsible for the comprehensive brand development and design for Hasbrouck House and Butterfield, a luxury boutique hotel and restaurant in Stone Ridge, NY.
In 2016, Corrin took a leap moving across the country to the inspiring town of Healdsburg in Sonoma County, California. Amidst the redwoods, vineyards and top destination venues she lives with her painter/illustrator husband, Jake Messing, and their two young daughters, Goldie and Dia.
William Webber, Operations Lead
Khaki Bedford, Photographer
Khaki earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography at Savannah College of Art and Design in 2005 and shortly thereafter moved to NYC to work for the prestigious photojournalism agency Magnum Photos as a Digital Imaging Archivist. During her time there, she worked with some of the world's most iconic photographers including Martin Parr, Elliott Erwitt, Bruce Davidson, Danny Lyon, and Bruce Gilden (to name a few). After shooting several weddings for friends, she found her passion in an unexpected place and took the leap from her 9-5 job embarking on her Events and Portrait Photography business, Khaki Bedford Photography.
In addition to her more than 10 years as a sought after wedding photographer, Khaki has a keen eye for capturing the vibe of a space. This talent was recognized by a close friend in real estate advertising and she was quickly accepted into the world of luxury real estate in NYC as Neighborhood Photographer. Her photography captures what it feels like to be there as a living breathing space and sets her imagery apart from traditional photographs of neighborhood buildings. In high demand for this kind of work, Khaki travels nation-wide for her vibe-y lifestyle photos capturing the food, the culture, and the mood of these communities for luxury developers.
When Khaki is not on a project, she is shooting personal work with her Yashica T4 (with her first love - FILM). She loves traveling and spending time at home with her musician hubby and daughters, Lulu and Greta. She splits her time between her two favorite cities - Brooklyn and Nashville!
Kelli Dirks, Photographer
Kelli moved to Nashville in 2008 after receiving her degree in graphic design in her home state of Kansas. While spending her weekdays working at graphic design firms, Kelli was establishing her Nashville client base photographing weddings. The mounting demand for her photography enabled Kelli to leave her graphic design career and focus on her own business full time. The focus of Kelli’s photography has since transitioned to commercial and portrait work where she applies the quick thinking adaptive nature of wedding photography in conjunction with her savvy graphic design background. Her well rounded understanding of the creative design process enhances her approach for commercial clients.
Kelli’s fresh approach to commercial, advertising and portrait photography has led to her work with The Country Music Hall of Fame, Hatch Show Print, The National Finals Rodeo (NFR), Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), RiverHouse Artists, Shamrock Foods, CMA Fest, The East Nashvillian, Fanny & June, Elizabeth Suzann, Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe, Nicoletto’s and Answer. among other independent businesses and artists.
Kelli lives with her videographer husband, Caleb Dirks, in East Nashville with their dog Chloe. There they have spent the last decade lovingly renovating their home. An extroverted introvert, Kelli likes to retreat to cooking, reading, and hiking after exhausting herself seeing as many friends as possible in one week. She’ll absolutely take you up on Joe’s fries at Dino’s anytime you ask.