Meet Sam Cahill
From rap to punk, MGK has been stealing every eye on the scene, and a great part of that magic comes from his right hand, Sam Cahill, who turns every moment into pure visual gold.
Sam Cahill with mgk in the set for vampire diaries
Born in Seattle in 1997, Sam Cahill started sharing his photography on Instagram as a teenager and later studied film at the University of Colorado. From those early snapshots to full-scale productions, he’s always been drawn to capturing life in motion.
In the beginning, Cahill worked with artists like Jacob Sartorius, Johnny Orlando, Maddie Ziegler, and more. These early projects helped him sharpen his storytelling skills and learn how to translate personality, energy, and emotion into visuals.
For years now, he’s been Machine Gun Kelly’s right-hand man, working almost daily with the artist and shaping the visual identity that fans (including me) know and love. Their collaboration kicked off in 2019 with the music video for Bullets With Names, featuring Young Thug, RJMrLA, and Lil Duke, marking the beginning of a partnership that continues to this day. From there, they created the acoustic video for Bloody Valentine in 2020 and eventually toured together, with Cahill documenting MGK’s life on the road. This close partnership gave him a front-row seat to MGK’s world and the perfect perspective to turn those moments into something bigger.
Beyond music videos and tour photography, Cahill has also made his mark in long-form projects. He directed, edited, and produced Life in Pink (2022), the Hulu documentary giving fans an inside look at MGK’s life, as well as Machine Gun Kelly: Mainstream Sellout Live from Cleveland – The Pink Era (2023), capturing the live performance with his signature cinematic eye. These projects showcase his ability to turn real-life chaos into storytelling, a skill that earned him a nomination for Favorite Tour Photographer at the 2023 iHeart Radio Music Awards.
His latest project, Tell Me Whats Up, co-directed with Hunter Simmons and released on September 2, is a perfect example of Cahill’s knack for capturing raw energy. The video features fans during the famous MGK Day in Cleveland, showing the electric connection between MGK and the EST. Cahill’s lens makes those moments feel alive, showing the energy, loyalty, and excitement that make MGK’s fanbase so unique, a real family.
Beyond his visual work, Cahill is also stepping into entrepreneurship. He recently opened Strapped, a shop for camera straps, which is about to launch, and it’s safe to say we’re all excited to get our hands on them (well, at least I am).
From Seattle streets to festival stages and Hulu screens, Sam Cahill continues to inspire within the photography world. His work isn’t just about making moments look good; it’s about making people feel them.
Follow Sam Cahill on Instagram
