Celebrity Podcasts and the Best Super Bowl 60 Pre-Party | Behind the Scenes Photography
San Francisco Event Photography with iHeartMedia
In the days leading up to Super Bowl 60, the energy in San Francisco was electric. Media outlets, celebrities, and podcast hosts from across the country gathered for the excitement surrounding the big game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
I had the opportunity to photograph three different events over two days for iHeartMedia, capturing podcast recordings and celebrity events tied to Super Bowl weekend.
Rachel Recchia, Joan Vassos, Trista Sutter and Ben Higgins
I’ve been photographing events for iHeartMedia for nine years, and every assignment brings a new mix of personalities, excitement, and behind-the-scenes moments.
Bachelor Nation at Radio Row – Moscone Center, San Francisco
The first event took place on Thursday at Radio Row inside the Moscone Center, where I photographed a podcast recording featuring several beloved members of the Bachelor and Bachelorette franchise.
The group included:
Ben Higgins
Trista Sutter
Joan Vassos
Rachel Recchia
Joan Vassos, Trista Sutter and Ben Higgins
Radio Row during Super Bowl week is always buzzing with energy. Media crews, athletes, celebrities, and podcast hosts all gather in one place, creating a fast-paced and exciting environment to photograph.
Capturing podcast recordings like this is always fun because you get to photograph both the behind-the-scenes conversations and candid moments between hosts and guests.
Rachel Recchia, Joan Vassos, Trista Sutter and Ben Higgins
A Pre–Super Bowl Party in Sausalito
Later that evening I headed across the Golden Gate Bridge to Casa Madrona Hotel in Sausalito for a pre–Super Bowl celebration hosted by iHeartMedia podcast hosts Lala Kent and Ambyr Childers of the podcast “An Unlikely Affair.” It was extra special because this lovely location was in the neighboring town where I live, so my commute home was EASY! =)
Casa Madrona Hotel and Spa, Sausalito, CA
This event had such a fun and relaxed atmosphere. Guests could enjoy a variety of creative and wellness-inspired activities, including:
Custom hat making
Jewelry making
Tarot readings
Mini spa treatments with manicures and hand and neck massages
Lala Kent, Ambyr Childers and Ben Higgins
It was the perfect blend of celebrity podcast culture and creative self-care, and it made for some wonderful candid photographs throughout the evening.
Amy Robach and TJ Holmes
Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes are the hosts of the iHeartMedia podcast Amy & T.J., where they share candid conversations about life, relationships, and current events. Both are longtime broadcast journalists who spent many years in television news before launching their podcast together. Their show offers a more personal and unscripted look at their perspectives, and their chemistry and have quickly built a loyal audience.
Lala Kent and Ambyr Childers
Hosts of the iHeartMedia podcast An Unlikely Affair. Both women are well known in the entertainment world—Lala Kent from the hit Bravo series Vanderpump Rules, and Ambyr Childers as an actress recognized for her roles in shows like Ray Donovan and You. Their podcast brings together candid conversations about relationships, personal growth, motherhood, and life in the public eye, all with a mix of honesty, humor, and friendship.
Rachel Recchia, Annaliese Puccini, Joan Vassos, Lala Kent, Ambyr Childers, Ben Higgins and Trista Sutter
Ben Higgins, Joan Vassos, and Rachel Recchia are all well-known members of the Bachelor franchise. Ben starred as The Bachelor in Season 20 and has remained a fan favorite, now hosting the popular podcast Almost Famous. Rachel Recchia appeared on The Bachelor before becoming one of the leads on The Bachelorette, where she shared her journey to find love with viewers across the country. Joan Vassos recently made history as the very first Golden Bachelorette, bringing a fresh and inspiring perspective to the franchise and quickly becoming a beloved figure among fans.
Trista Sutter, a Bachelor Nation fan favorite, was the very first Bachelorette in the history of the franchise. After first appearing on the original season of The Bachelor, she went on to star in The Bachelorette, where she met her now husband, Ryan Sutter. Their love story became one of the most memorable in the series, and they’re still together today.
Trista Sutter and Annaliese Puccini
Back to Radio Row – Amy & TJ Podcast
The following day I returned to Radio Row at the Moscone Center to photograph Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes, hosts of the iHeartMedia podcast “Amy & TJ.”
The atmosphere was buzzing with anticipation as media outlets and fans prepared for the upcoming Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium.
TJ Holmes and Amy Robach
Photographing podcasts during big events like this means capturing a mix of live recording moments, candid conversations, and the overall excitement surrounding the event.
TJ Holmes and Amy Robach
Amy Robach
Nine Years Photographing Events for iHeartMedia
I’ve been fortunate to photograph a wide variety of events for iHeartMedia over the past nine years.
Some of the highlights have included:
iHeartRadio Festivals in Las Vegas
iHeartRadio Jingle Ball, Los Angeles
Podcast recordings at the iHeart Studios in Los Angeles
And most recently, a weekend of podcast events in Lake Tahoe in 2025 (which I’ll be sharing in another blog post soon)
One of my favorite parts of these assignments is capturing authentic, candid moments of celebrities and podcast hosts enjoying themselves behind the scenes.
The images from these events are shared with the celebrities so they can use their favorite photos on social media and promotional materials.
After nine years of photographing these events, I can say one thing for sure — it never gets old. There is always something interesting happening, and it’s always a joy to document the excitement.