Northern Elm
When the Reilly Brothers formed Northern Elm, they didn’t just start a band—they created a story. Rooted in folk-rock and shaped by Chicago’s edge, their music feels like walking into an old house you’ve never been to but somehow know.
Liam plays lead guitar and vocals with a fiery precision, while Evan, the quieter of the two, grounds each song with warm harmonies and nuanced bass lines. Together, they have this rare musical chemistry that can only come from a shared history.
 |  |
 |  |
Brothers in Rhythm
You can feel their bond before you even hear it. They finish each other’s sentences—not in a cliché way, but in the way that comes from years of playing basement shows, writing late-night lyrics, and fighting over the last slice of pizza after gigs. At the shoot, that dynamic came through effortlessly. One would crack a joke and the other would roll his eyes—but when the camera was up, they moved in sync like they were playing a song together.
The Studio Challenge: Making Intimacy Look Loud
We shot everything in my studio on the West Side. I wanted to create a visual mood that echoed their sound: textured, grounded, and a little raw. The challenge was getting the lighting just right—something that felt intimate but still carried the energy of their performances.
After a few tests, we landed on a combination of low, warm key lighting with a soft rim light behind them. It gave the space a dusk-like quality, like golden hour inside. The tones hugged their features and brought out the kind of emotional depth you usually only hear in their songs.
A Moment That Stuck
There was a point in the session when Evan picked up an acoustic guitar just to warm up his fingers—and Liam, unprompted, began to sing one of their unreleased tracks. No posing, no setup. Just two brothers, slipping back into music without even trying. I didn’t say a word—I just clicked the shutter.
Later, that candid shot ended up being the one they used for their new single.
Where the Photos Live Now
Since the session, the images have become part of Northern Elm’s identity. They’re on their new tour posters, in Spotify visuals, and even featured in a Chicago Reader write-up. It’s always wild to see a moment you quietly captured go on to live its own life in the world.
 |  |
 |  |
Closing Thoughts
This wasn’t just another shoot—it was a reminder of what photography can do. It freezes the intangible: brotherhood, rhythm, trust. And for two guys whose story is stitched into every lyric they sing, it felt like we caught something real.
