NICK SPARKMAN

CLIENT: ORION BREWERIES
PRODUCT: ORION PREMIUM DRAFT BEERS
Photography: Nick Sparkman
CONCEPT: NICK SPARKMAN
CREATIVE DIRECTION: NICK SPARKMAN


Orion After Dark

Shot at a private, invite-only afterparty hosted by Orion Breweries at No Smoking in Los Angeles, this series captures the intersection of product, people, and cultural atmosphere. The images blend fast-flash documentary energy with stylized, editorial moments. a hybrid approach designed to result iN a set of images that feel raw, OF THE MOMENT, and undeniably CULTURE-FORWARD.

*Sukeban (スケバン/助番) is a Japanese term meaning 'delinquent girl', and the female equivalent to the male banchō in Japanese culture.  The usage of the word sukeban refers to either the leader of a girl gang or the entire gang itself and is not used to refer to any one  member of a girl gang.

Yonekawa, Akihiko. Beyond Polite Japanese: A Dictionary of Japanese Slang and Colloquialisms, 2001, pages 26–27. ISBN 978-4-7700-2773-3.

Special thanks - JEFF WEST, NO SMOKING BAR

COMMISSIONED TO DOCUMENT A PRIVATE AFTERPARTY HOSTED BY ORION BREweries in partnership with a local sukeban collective, this project captures the intersection of japanese subculture and LOS ANGEles nightlife.

i approached it as both cultural documentation and branded storytelling; blending flash-heavy candid energy with stylized product moments.

The aim was to show Orion in its natural habitat.

NOT AS a product, staged for ads

but as something shared in real social spaces.

The creative direction leaned into the rebellious, high-style energy of the sukeban presence, blending it with the curated chaos of Culver City’s art district denizens.

direct flash and minimal staging were employed to retain authenticity while emphasizing attitudes, feelings, and moments.

ORION’s presence is woven throughout: cold cans passed between hands, perched on dimly lit tables, and punctuating scenes with subtle placement that feels lived-in. The crowd; a collision of cultures and subcultures. Shot on location at No Smoking Bar, I captured over 500 frames in a 3-hour span using my camera, off-camera flash, and ambient cues. Select moments were loosely directed, but most of the storytelling relied on instinct and observation.

This project lives at the intersection of brand and editorial - a proof of concept in how lifestyle moments and product imagery can coexist without compromise. It’s a visual language built for brands that want presence without pretense.