NASCAR's Corey LaJoie's Exclusive Barrel Pick at Jack Daniels Distillery - Behind the Scenes

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Written By Tausha Dickinson

In a recent collaboration, NASCAR driver Corey LaJoie and Julie Giese, the president of the Chicago Street Race, embarked on an exciting journey to the iconic Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. The experience was a perfect blend of speed, craftsmanship, and rich heritage, and I had the privilege to capture these moments behind the lens. During the exclusive tasting, they selected a barrel that will be transformed into a limited-edition Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Personal Collection. This special collection will be available exclusively in Chicago to commemorate the 2024 NASCAR Chicago Street Race. Special thanks to Jordan from TAKE 7 Productions for bringing me on board to capture portraits of Corey and Behind-The-Scenes. You can check out their amazing video here.

 
 
 
Three Jack Daniels Single Barrel whiskey glasses on a wooden tray
 
Jack Daniels Single Barrel Select bottle displayed on a wooden surface
Jack Daniels whiskey tasting arrangement with three glasses and a water glass on a wooden table
 
Tasting setup at Jack Daniels Distillery in a rustic room with a stone fireplace
 
 

Before Corey and Julie arrived, I needed to capture images of the setup in its untouched state. I used a two-light setup consisting of the Profoto B10x Plus and I was also able to utilize some of the video lighting for extra “ambient” light. The bottle shot, I used an umbrella camera right and the AD200 gelled with orange, shooting from behind the whiskey barrels.

 
 
Julie Giese and Corey LaJoie sitting at a table during a whiskey tasting session at Jack Daniels Distillery
Julie Giese and Corey LaJoie toasting with whiskey glasses at Jack Daniels Distillery
Byron Copeland conducting a whiskey tasting session at Jack Daniels Distillery
Front view of Julie Giese and Corey LaJoie sitting at a table during a whiskey tasting at Jack Daniels Distillery

The day starts off with Corey and Julie diving into a whiskey tasting session with Byron Copeland, a passionate guide at Jack Daniels who is also the Manager of Leadership Acceleration and Maturation Innovation.

For these images, I used two lights: one Profoto B10x Plus in a 46” Photek Umbrella and a Profoto D2 bouncing off the ceiling to fill in a little light. I captured some great images of Corey and Julie enjoying the tasting with the whiskey barrels in the background. This setup allowed me to quickly switch the 46” Photek Umbrella either camera left or camera right, depending on who I was photographing, and then I adjusted the D2 as needed. For the photo of Byron, I positioned the umbrella camera right and filled in shadows by bouncing light off the ceiling to camera left behind him. After picking their barrel, we were off to see how everything is made.

Throughout the tour, I captured lifestyle images using natural light in different indoor and outdoor settings. Many people who follow my work might not realize that I often shoot with natural light, so I wanted to share these shots to showcase the authenticity and vibrancy of the distillery tour, adding a personal touch to the visual story.

Corey LaJoie standing with arms crossed in front of the Jack Daniels Distillery building
Close-up of Corey LaJoie standing with arms crossed in front of the Jack Daniels Distillery sign

After a wonderful and very southern lunch, I asked Corey for a few minutes to capture some cool photos at the top of the hill. Assisted by Anthony Romano, my right-hand man from Anthony Romano Creative, we shot with only one small light, using the Godox AD200 and a 46” Photek umbrella to keep things light for Anthony. We took several different angles, showcasing the Jack Daniels logo in the background and capturing wide shots of the stunning forest area with blue skies. These images highlight the serene beauty of the distillery's surroundings.

 
Corey LaJoie standing with arms crossed in front of the Jack Daniels Old No. 7 tank

One of my favorite setups was quite spontaneous and resulted in some funny behind-the-scenes footage. As we were walking by the charcoal room, I noticed a really cool barrel and thought it would make a great shot. I grabbed Corey again and wanted to get a low angle. To achieve this, I ended up sitting on the ground (like a weirdo) to get the perfect shot. We shot this with just one light, using the Godox AD200 through a 46” Photek umbrella. The result was fantastic!

Corey LaJoie standing and smiling with whiskey barrels in the background at Jack Daniels Distillery
Corey LaJoie posing with whiskey barrels stacked behind him at Jack Daniels Distillery

At the end of the tour, I took a shot of Corey in the space where they keep the barrels stacked. The area was extremely dark, making it challenging to shoot with natural light. I was excited to grab a couple of quick images of him hanging out by the barrels… AND when I say quick, I mean QUICK, there was a whole heep of people who were waiting to walk through, so I had about 45 seconds for this shot. For this setup, I used one light, the AD200 in a 46” Photek umbrella.

This project was an incredible experience, blending the worlds of NASCAR and Jack Daniels in a unique and memorable way. Each image captures the spirit of adventure, the dedication to craftsmanship, and the joy of discovering something new. Special thanks to Jordan from TAKE 7 Productions for bringing me on board and for creating an amazing video that worked seamlessly with my photography. It was a pleasure to work alongside such talented individuals like Anthony Romano, my assistant from Anthony Romano Creative. I hope you enjoy the visual journey as much as I enjoyed capturing it.

 
Tausha Dickinson
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