Editor’s note: Photographer Carianne Older grew up dreaming of working with Playboy, even though she wasn’t sure what that would look like. But once she discovered her love of photography, it all started to come together. We look back at some of her most memorable Playboy Plus shoots and talk to her about her longtime love of Playboy.
Playboy: How did you get started shooting for us?
Carianne: My dream has always been to do anything with Playboy when I grew up. I grew up watching the TV show, and my parents were just very into Playboy, and all that it stood for. So growing up, my parents were very cool, they always put me on to what cool things were happening in the world. So I was always very into Playboy as a teenager and throughout college and growing up. Playboy is its own thing, and always has been.
I’ve been doing photography for seven years professionally. When I got into it, I was like, “Oh, wouldn’t it be cool if I was (to) shoot for Playboy one day?” Because I was doing a lot of lingerie stuff and with sex workers and burlesque dancers, and just people in that space. So when I moved to Los Angeles, I told, literally anyone with an ear that I wanted to work for Playboy. I wanted to shoot for Playboy. And I just kept saying and I’d post it to my Instagram story, and I’d tweet about it, and write it down anywhere. I’m a big believer in manifestation.
So I just kept saying it, and then finally, the right person heard me and connected me to someone at Playboy. I’ll never forget. I was in Florida visiting my family, and my one of my best friends was there, who was also visiting my family at the time (and then a couple years later, we shot for Playboy together). We were sitting around the dinner my dining room table. And my family is very spiritual, but we’re not religious. And we all held hands, saying “Please let Carianne’s meeting at Playboy go well”, because I had scheduled a meeting, I finally met the right people. And so the New Year hit, and then I went in and they had a presentation of why they wanted to work with me.
And so I’ve been working with every facet of Playboy [since]. I’ve done merch shoots. I did the bunny costume resurgence. I’ve done Playboy Plus. I’ve done over 20 shoots with some of the biggest stars, like Violet Myers. One just went viral. And I shoot the events. I shoot people for Playboy, Centerfold, you name it. I’m very excited the magazine’s coming back, because my next goal, which I know will happen, will be a cover.
Playboy: Who would you love to shoot, both in general and for Playboy?
Carianne: In general, I’d love to shoot Kyle MacLachlan. I’m obsessed with him. I’m a huge Twin Peaks fan. And then for Playboy, I’d love to do someone like Chappell Roan. That would be really like, oh my. She’s having a moment right now. And also, I love everything she stands for.
