Since its launch in 1993, the Got Milk? campaign has become one of the most recognizable advertising initiatives in American history. Originally created by the advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners, the campaign was designed to promote milk consumption in a way that was memorable, playful, and culturally resonant. The signature milk mustache portraits, shot by photographers including Annie Leibovitz, paired celebrities, athletes, and everyday people with a humorous, relatable visual motif: a glass of milk and a creamy white mustache.
At the center are two men: Eric Weiss, the photographer who captured the pulse of New York's cultural heyday, and Tomek Maćkowiak, a Bay Area craftsman dedicated to reviving the tools of film photography. Their collaboration is not just about nostalgia. It is a meditation on memory, patience and the tactile joy of film in a digital world, reminding us that slowing down can be the boldest act of all.
An employee manning the front desk explained that it was the only place in the area for customers to have photos taken for their Aadhaar cards, biometric I.D.s issued to almost all of India's adult population. Sometimes, the employee mentioned, people came for portraits to mark special occasions or holidays. Sheth's interest was piqued. "Are you expecting people today?" she asked.