Meet Cait!e
Girlhood, imagination, and honest moments fuel Caitie McCabe’s work—capturing the magic that brands want their audiences to feel.
“Girlhood is the heart of my work. As a kids’ photographer and director, I live in a world of imagination, play, vulnerability, and joy every single day. When creating my latest promotional piece, I wanted something that shimmered with that same energy—drawing inspiration from one of the greatest world-builders of our time: Taylor Swift.”
Caitie’s background in documentary work is the foundation of her visual approach. It taught her to be fully present, to guide rather than control, and to let moments unfold authentically. Whether capturing a quiet connection or a burst of playful energy, she brings an intuitive understanding of how kids move through the world. This allows her to create imagery that feels honest, emotionally resonant, and aligned with the tone brands want to communicate.
atedge: Your promo piece is seriously next-level. What sparked the idea for your Girlhood Box?
Cait!e: This project became the Girlhood! Swiftie Box: part photography showcase, part tactile art piece, and part digital playground. I wanted it to be more than a promo; I wanted it to be an experience.
From the beginning, my goal was not simply to share images but to create something people could feel. I wanted recipients to remember the box long after they opened it, to delight in it, to show their daughters, to keep it close. I was especially intentional about sending it to creative directors and brand leaders who were also parents of tween girls. At that age, there’s a fleeting window where everything feels magical and urgent. I wanted this project to give them a reason to connect with their daughters in a way they’d both remember.
AtEdge: Storytelling seems to play a big role in your work—much like Taylor Swift. How does that show up in your process?
Cait!e: For me, storytelling starts with authenticity. I give kids room to influence the creative direction so the images feel true to who they are. In this project, I invited the girls to shape their portraits around the Taylor Swift eras they loved most. Tween Swifties are full of opinions—and their energy made the work honest and vibrant.
Caitie partners with brands that prioritize the human experience.
Raised in small-town New York, her early curiosity about people and culture led her to study photojournalism, forming the foundation of her child-centered, emotionally aware approach.
atedge: Who was your target audience for this promo? And what was the response to it?
Cait!e: I sent the Girlhood Box to creative directors, brand leaders, and agency folks—especially those who were also parents of tween girls. That was intentional. At that age, there’s a small window to share something meaningful, and I wanted this piece to give them a reason to connect with their daughters in a way they would both remember.
The response was overwhelming. People told me it was the most creative promo they’d ever received and thanked me for bringing a sense of fun back into their day. Parents said their daughters immediately claimed the box as their own—exactly the reaction I had hoped for. One creative director even said it brought her to tears because it made her college-aged daughter feel 10 again.
Hearing that made every painstaking hour—cutting, gluing, packing, coding NFC tags, and obsessing over timing—completely worth it. That’s exactly what I wanted to create: something that sparked connection, nostalgia, and joy.
atedge: Any tips for other photographers creating a thematic self-promo?
Cait!e: Make it personal. Make it something you would actually be excited to receive. Think beyond the postcard. Ask yourself, what experience can you give someone that will make them feel your brand?
atedge: What parts of the ‘Taylor Swift’ theme were most important for you to bring to life?
Cait!e: Playfulness, nostalgia, and a nod to fan culture were essential, but above all, I wanted to capture the sense of connection Taylor Swift creates for her fans. The piece needed to feel like a tween’s personal journal—intimate, expressive, and full of heart—while still being refined enough to sit on a creative director’s desk. It’s the same balance I aim for when partnering with brands like Disney or Schwinn: emotionally driven storytelling delivered with thoughtful, polished craft.
