A Day with Kayla Harrison + Merab Dvalishvili Inside the UFC Institute for Thorne

Kayla + Merab at the UFC Performance Institute

Earlier this year I got to photograph two unforgettable athletes from UFC—Kayla Harrison and Merab Dvalishvili—for a Thorne campaign at the UFC Performance Institute. It was a full media day packed into one tight window, moving fast with a full crew and a lot happening at once. I knew going in it would be a demanding day, but the energy was effortless—everyone was there to create something real, and it felt like the kind of pace where you either rise or you don’t. Thankfully, with the experience I have as a Las Vegas Photographer, I rose.

Kayla Harrison smiling between training sets during a Thorne supplements campaign shoot at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas.

Close-up of Merab Dvalishvili mid-punch, photographed for the Thorne x UFC partnership campaign at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas.

Kayla Harrison seated on the mat inside the UFC Performance Institute during a Thorne campaign photo shoot in Las Vegas.

Fighters First, Always

I wouldn’t know much about the supplement science side, but I can say this much—Thorne Research was a pleasure to work alongside, and it felt like a brand the fighters already believed in, which always helps the pictures land. The vibe around the brand felt positive in the room, and when you enjoy the people you’re working with, you naturally want the work to reflect well on everyone involved.

No Slow, Just Flow

The pace was fast, but felt natural—less traditional setup, more of the same flow I’ve been part of my entire career as a Las Vegas–based portrait and athlete photographer. Tight timing, quick moves, lots of people operating with purpose, and me constantly adjusting to catch the real beats between the bigger beats.

Fighters dance through a fight, each in their own rhythm, and getting photos of them can feel like a dance too—predicting movement, adapting fast, and staying present enough to catch the punches, feints, and reactions as they happen.

Kayla Harrison seated on the red floor at the UFC Performance Institute with Thorne shaker and weights beside her during a campaign photo shoot.

Merab Dvalishvili posing beside UFC dumbbells during a Thorne supplements campaign at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas.

Merab Dvalishvili training with battle ropes during a Thorne campaign shoot at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas.

Kayla Harrison in fighting stance, throwing a punch beside hanging heavy bags during a Thorne supplements campaign at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas.

And it’s always a blast seeing the finished work used big across major social and brand campaigns afterward. One long day, real personalities, no overthinking. Just the job and the frames. I love being a Las Vegas Photographer!