Photographers recall ‘sacred’ shoot with Dolly Parton at childhood house

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Photographers Sebastian Smith and Anna Haas photographed Dolly Parton on the porch of her childhood house with the coat of many colours her mom made for her by hand, the primary time she had ever been photographed with the coat.

The 2023 shoot was for Parton’s e-book “Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones,” curated by Rebecca Seaver, Parton’s niece.

Smith mentioned he started working with Parton after being launched to her crew by music supervisor Danny Nozell, who he met by way of artist Electra Mustaine. Smith mentioned Nozell appreciated his work, resulting in extra shoots for his group and finally the chance to {photograph} Parton.

Smith introduced in Haas, who has assisted him on shoots for years. Haas mentioned she grew up listening to Parton’s music.

Shooting the coat of many colours

Smith mentioned the photographs taken that day are among the many most important Parton photos ever captured.

“For me personally, I think looking at all the iconic Dolly images, I feel like the images that we captured that day are top 10 iconic that nobody else has ever been able to capture like that,” Smith mentioned.

Haas mentioned being on the childhood house, situated in East Tennessee, felt acquainted as a result of she additionally has household from the world.

“For me, it just kind of felt like I was just sitting with another girl from Tennessee, you know, who remembered where she came from,” Haas mentioned. “I think everyone on set was really reverent and understood what an exceptional opportunity this was, and how rare it was to get to be in that space with her.”

Smith mentioned the crew waited for Parton earlier than photographing her with the coat.

“You just kind of want to let Dolly do her thing for a second and sit back and don’t take pictures, but just wait till she’s ready,” Smith mentioned.

Working with Parton

Smith and Haas every labored with Parton a number of instances. Smith mentioned he labored together with her about eight or 9 instances, and Haas mentioned she was on set together with her thrice.

Smith mentioned Parton commonly requested about his household.

“Anytime I saw her, she was always quick to ask how my family was doing, ask about my son who she had met before, ask about, you know, how’s my wife doing? And really, like, ask how I was doing,” Smith mentioned.

Haas mentioned Parton thanked her personally after her first shoot aiding Smith, though she was serving to transfer lighting tools.

“I was a nobody and there were probably a hundred people on set and she came up even to me at the end to thank me, you know, and that’s just kind of the person that she was,” Haas mentioned.

Haas mentioned Parton insisted on taking a photograph with everybody on set after every shoot.

Reflecting on Parton’s influence

Haas mentioned that regardless of Parton’s fame, she made individuals really feel like a part of her household.

“As large, larger than life as she was, as iconic as she was, as world changing as she was — at the end of the day, being around her, you just felt like, oh, she’s just a person like me,” Haas mentioned.

Rebecca, Parton’s niece, was additionally on set for the shoot. Haas mentioned watching their relationship reminded her of being together with her personal aunts.