Go Behind the Scenes of Megan Rapinoe’s Legacy Photo Shoot
It’s hard to fully capture the career of someone as iconic and legendary as Megan Rapinoe in just one photoshoot. Her excellence on and off the pitch is simply unrivaled. She’s well known across the world for many things – her creative play on the field, cheeky goal celebrations, advocacy and activism efforts and her bold sense of fashion, to name a few. Upon the announcement of her retirement, it was clear that something special and out of the ordinary would be required to celebrate her legacy, and longtime OL Reign photographer Jane Gershovich was up to the task.
Jane G has been documenting the Reign since the team’s inception in 2013, making her one of the few people to be with the Reign through all 11 seasons. As an original, her commitment to the team and expert storytelling developed over 11 seasons, making her the perfect person to take on the challenge.
“I think the most intimidating part of this shoot was figuring out how to honor someone like Megan. Her career has been so well documented, so I really just wanted to come up with an idea that she would appreciate, and our city and fans would appreciate. I feel like it was really important to think outside of the box for this shoot.”
Jane G used her vast knowledge of the team and Rapinoe’s historic career to produce a concept for the shoot from start to finish. The idea started out broad – she knew she wanted to incorporate the team’s jerseys from the last 11 seasons but wasn’t immediately sure where to go from there.
“I wanted to encapsulate the history of this team while also using something central to Pinoe’s identity. That's when I was introduced to dan. It was kind of serendipitous how things developed from there. I knew I wanted to put together a coat and dan was available and willing to collaborate on the project.”
She continued, “Throughout this process, the word that kept coming to mind was ‘bookends.’ I just wanted to make sure that we honored the Reign’s journey in these photos, reflecting not just the team we are now, but every step of the way. From Memorial to Lumen, we’ve all been through this together, including Megan.”
dan McLean, a local fashion designer, was tapped to take on the challenge of creating the garments that would be featured in the photoshoot. McLean, who rarely follows sports, knew of Rapinoe not for her stunning play on the field, but rather her advocacy and activism, as well as her bold sense of fashion.
“Honestly, it was quite a difficult project, but it didn’t feel that way because the team was so easy to work with,” shared McLean. “Megan was a dream to work with because she was really excited about the project and basically gave me the green light to do anything I wanted with the design. From there, Jane sourced all of the jerseys we needed, which was no easy task.”
McLean’s studio turned into what she could only call “Reign chaos.” Jerseys lined the studio and weekend excursion to see the Reign play made it easy for McLean to become engrossed in the project. Though the jerseys were the clear centerpiece of the jacket, it’s the attention to detail that took the project to the next level. Crafted from a thrifted 1980’s trench pattern, the base of the jacket came together with a thick wool material that McLean had been waiting to use for years.
“My partner told me she’s never seen me work so hard on a project before. I can’t even begin to describe how invested I was in this project. It felt bigger because it was for Megan Rapinoe, but also carried the weight of everything that this team stands for.”
From changing a standard set of sleeves to sheer puff sleeves, to creating a pair of silk pants the morning of the shoot, McLean’s attention detail took this project from concept to one of a kind, avant-garde jacket and pants duo.
While dan crafted the garments, Jane G began to coordinate the shoot, using Memorial and Lumen as shoot locations.
“I knew that dan was creating a masterpiece with both the jacket and pants, as every element was so thoughtfully crafted, so I was able to turn my attention to the details of the shoot,” she said.
Few are privy to what goes on behind the scenes of a photoshoot, often assuming the photographers simply show up to take photos. However, determined to make this project extra special, Jane G took great care to lock in every last detail, from lighting and backdrop from technical assistance and additional photography support.
"I wanted to make sure that this project was worthy of the legacy that Megan Rapinoe has created. I didn’t want to just show up and take photos – I couldn’t. We had to overcome complications, last minute changes and rescheduling, so it was a lot, but I feel like the final product really reflects the vision I had and all of the hard work that went into making it happen."
For McLean, working on this project was a surreal glimpse into a world she’s never known before.
“To be seen and heard of from my art is amazing, no matter what scale it’s on. To be able to collaborate with the Reign and make something for Megan was unreal. I’ve had friends work with other sports teams before and their experience was nothing like mine. It’s true that the Reign is more like a family. Everyone is so accepting and great to work with.”
In contrast, Jane G’s experience with the team is what made this experience extra special.
“I’ve been lucky enough to document this team and Megan for such a long time and develop a trusting relationship with them. Photographers often walk a fine line between paparazzi and storyteller, so I’m honored to have the opportunity to fully tell her story with this team and grow alongside them.”
See a full photo gallery of behind-the-scenes photos from Jane G’s photoshoot below.
This project would not have been possible without:
Garments Designer: dan McLean (@danmclean)
Producer & Photographer: Jane Gershovich (@janegphoto)
BTS photos: Catie Bergman (@catiebergmanphoto)
Hair: Kristin Heitkotter (@kikihaircutter)
Makeup: Joanna Simkin (@joannasimkin)
Assist: Jason Cohoon (@jasoncohoon), Steve Schmidt (@coachsteveschmidt) and Alejandro Sanchez Ochoa @alejandrotakesphotoss
Digi tech: Brian Jones