cole buckhart
Graphic Design | photo | video
Below you will find a collection of my professional creative work along with some personal passion projects and fan art. I have worked on projects in design, photography, videography and some motion graphics capacities.
dj method
Live @ USMNT friendly vs mexico
This project captured DJ Method’s halftime performance during the USMNT friendly against Mexico at State Farm Stadium. Playing a 10-minute set in front of nearly 60,000 people, the moment sat at the intersection of sport, music, and live spectacle, with no margin for error and no opportunity for a second take.
I handled both photo and video coverage of the performance, working quickly and intentionally in a high-pressure, live environment. The focus was on translating the energy of the stadium and the intensity of the crowd into visuals that felt immediate and immersive, rather than simply documenting the moment.
I also edited a highlight sizzle that distilled the performance into a tight, high-impact piece, designed to capture the scale, pacing, and atmosphere of the set. The edit prioritized rhythm and movement, matching the visuals to the energy of the music and the crowd response.
The still photography leaned into scale and emotion, capturing the contrast between DJ Method on stage and the sheer size of the crowd surrounding him. Framing, timing, and perspective were all used to emphasize the magnitude of the moment while keeping the focus on the performer.
This project reflects my ability to operate confidently in fast-moving, high-visibility environments, capturing moments that can’t be recreated and shaping them into visuals that feel as powerful as the experience itself.
Winter park
mary jane 50th anniversary campaign concepts
I partnered on a small, focused team to develop a 50th anniversary campaign concept for Winter Park’s Mary Jane mountain.
The work spanned campaign identity, out-of-home awareness concepts, and branded merchandise, all anchored by a visual system that honored both the history and the reputation of the mountain. From the start, the goal wasn’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It was about capturing why riders keep coming back to Mary Jane: the unforgiving terrain, the grit, and the pride that comes with surviving it.
I led the development of the campaign’s look and feel, including a series of anniversary badges designed to feel earned, not decorative. Each badge balanced longevity with intensity, reflecting both the milestone and the brutal conditions that define the mountain’s culture.
These marks were built to scale across merchandise and swag, giving skiers tangible ways to commemorate the anniversary.
Alongside the campaign work, I designed the visual identity for the pitch deck itself, making sure the presentation carried the same adventurous, no-frills energy as the mountain and its riders. The result was a cohesive concept that felt authentic to Mary Jane, visually confident, and ready to live across multiple touchpoints.
Intuit
Montana mex customer spotlight
This project centered on telling an honest, grounded story about chef Eduardo Garcia and the place that shapes his work. Created as a customer spotlight for Intuit, the film follows Eduardo through his kitchen and across his land in Montana, focusing less on product and more on process, resilience, and identity. The result is a documentary-style piece that feels lived-in, personal, and rooted in the landscape that defines his brand.
The video went on to win the 2023 Communicator Award of Excellence.
I helped direct the video from pre-production through post, shaping the narrative and visual approach to feel authentic rather than polished or promotional. The interviews were designed to feel conversational and unguarded, while the b-roll focused on real moments in Eduardo’s kitchen and on his land.
In post, I edited the piece, handled color grading, and completed sound design, leaning into a moody, cinematic palette that supported the story without distracting from it. The lighting, pacing, and tone were intentionally restrained, allowing the environment and Eduardo’s voice to carry the emotional weight of the film.
Alongside the video, I shot still photography to support the campaign, capturing Eduardo in the same documentary spirit. The imagery is moody, cinematic, and dramatic, emphasizing texture, light, and place over polish. These photos were designed to feel cohesive with the film while standing on their own across digital and marketing use.
This project reflects my time working and living in Jackson Hole, as well as my deep familiarity with and passion for the Great Mountain West. The landscape isn’t treated as a backdrop, but as a character—one that shapes the people, work, and stories that emerge from it.
melvin brewing
photography & graphic design
This project combined photography, promotional design, and collaboration on a large-scale commercial production for Melvin Brewing. The work leaned into the brand’s unapologetic personality, blending bold visuals with cultural references that feel playful, intentional, and distinctly Melvin.
I designed a series of awareness posters for Melvin’s Thaiger Style IPA, a campaign that fused the brand’s hip hop–influenced attitude with Thai-inspired design elements. The challenge was balance: honoring the cultural influence without slipping into parody, while keeping the work loud enough to cut through in retail and social environments.
Typography, color, and composition were used to create high-energy pieces that felt expressive and modern, while still clearly connected to the product. The posters were built to stand on their own as eye-catching visuals and to scale across multiple placements and formats.
In addition to the design work, I captured photography that supported the broader campaign and brand presence. The imagery focused on character, texture, and attitude rather than traditional product polish.
I also assisted on a large-scale commercial production, contributing to the execution of a high-visibility shoot and gaining hands-on experience within a fast-moving, collaborative production environment. This project highlights my ability to move fluidly between design, photography, and production, adapting to the needs of the moment while keeping the creative vision intact.
New West Knifeworks
branding, design, photo & video
This project represents the full range of my creative capabilities, spanning brand development, graphic design, photography, and video. Working closely with New West Knifeworks, the focus was on building a cohesive visual system that reflected the craftsmanship, precision, and personality behind the brand, while remaining flexible enough to live across digital, video, and physical touchpoints.
I developed the core look and feel for New West Knifeworks’ visual brand and layouts, grounding the system in clean, sharp graphics that mirrored the precise lines of their Japanese-inspired knives. The design approach was intentionally restrained, allowing form, detail, and material to take center stage.
Solid color backgrounds played a key role in the system, giving the brand’s signature, colorful knife handles space to stand out without distraction. The result was a visual identity that felt modern, confident, and deeply connected to the product itself.
In addition to New West Knifeworks, I developed the look and feel for their sister brand, MTN Man Toy Store. This visual direction leaned into a more rustic, Jackson Hole–inspired aesthetic, using textured papers, warm natural colors, and a handmade sensibility that contrasted with the sharper, more refined knife brand while still feeling connected.
I helped direct, shoot, and edit a series of YouTube videos designed to both showcase the knives and provide real value to the viewer. The content ranged from product reviews and close-up demonstrations to cooking, plating, and kitchen skill tutorials led by professional chefs around Jackson Hole.
The videos were structured to feel educational and approachable, balancing product storytelling with practical instruction and authentic expertise.
I provided both product and lifestyle photography, capturing the knives in use as well as in controlled studio environments. A key focus was documenting one of New West’s knife makers during the process of hand-forging a blade, highlighting the craft, precision, and human element behind each piece.
These images were built to support marketing, web, and editorial use while reinforcing the brand’s emphasis on quality and process.
miscellaneous Design work
This section is a collection of concept designs, fan art, and passion projects that reflect my more instinctive, entertainment-driven creative style. Much of this work is shaped by a lifelong connection to sports, music, and pop culture, where energy, emotion, and storytelling matter as much as execution.
These projects often move faster and looser than client work, giving space to experiment with ideas, visual language, and tone. They serve as a creative outlet, but also as a testing ground, influencing how I approach larger campaigns and polished commercial work.
Commercial
Photography
This body of work spans sports, outdoor adventure, commercial, and lifestyle photography, with a focus on capturing real moments and natural energy rather than staged perfection. Whether working in fast-paced environments or controlled shoots, the goal is always the same: images that feel honest, dynamic, and intentional.
Influenced by time spent working throughout the Mountain West, this work reflects a deep familiarity with movement, landscape, and light. The result is photography that feels grounded and cinematic, built to support brands and stories without losing a sense of authenticity.
Video Work
This section brings together a wide range of video work, including music videos, motion graphics, travel films, interview-driven spotlights, drone sizzle reels, and sports-focused projects. While the formats vary, the throughline is clear storytelling, strong pacing, and visuals that serve the moment rather than distract from it.
My approach to video balances structure with instinct. Whether building a piece from interviews, motion, or gameplay, I focus on rhythm, tone, and clarity to create work that feels intentional and watchable. Each project reflects a hands-on role from concept through edit, with an emphasis on craft, energy, and emotional pull.
