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- How a casual evening turned into a historic album cover
- Meet the woman in the photo: Lisa Hughes, unexpectedly famous
- Rick Kosick’s role: a photographer who stumbled into a classic
- Choices and misconceptions that followed the release
- The image’s cultural afterlife and why it endures
- What the band remembers and how they treated the moment
- Photographic details and design decisions that shaped the final cover
- From a single frame to decades of fan devotion
When Deftones’ 1997 record Around the Fur hit shelves, one photograph quickly outlived the era that produced it. The cover’s fisheye-warped image of a woman at the lip of a jacuzzi became instantly iconic. For decades fans wondered who she was and how that candid moment became a defining visual for a generation of alt-metal listeners.
How a casual evening turned into a historic album cover
The picture wasn’t planned in a studio. It came from a night of downtime while Deftones were recording in Seattle. Photographer Rick Kosick was along for the trip to document the band. He says his brief was simple: capture candid moments and have fun.
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During one of those late-afternoon hangs, Kosick noticed a woman sitting on a hot tub edge. He took a couple of shots with a wide-angle lens and left it at that. A few weeks later, one of those frames made its way to the record label.
Meet the woman in the photo: Lisa Hughes, unexpectedly famous
The woman is Lisa Hughes, a local who happened to be at the condo where the band stayed. She sat on the tub in what looked like underwear used as swimwear. Wet skin, sun glare, and a bellybutton tattoo helped create the photo’s raw, sunbaked mood.
Hughes says she did not know the image would end up on an album cover. She also rejects the label of “groupie.” Instead, she remembers being treated like a friend by the band while they recorded.
What Lisa has said about the notoriety
- She thought the shot looked cool from the start.
- She dislikes superficial criticism of her appearance.
- She prefers to be known as a real person, not a stereotype.
Her reaction has humanized the figure behind the legendary cover. That simple stance shifted the story from gossip to a person with a life beyond the photograph.
Rick Kosick’s role: a photographer who stumbled into a classic
Kosick accompanied Deftones to Seattle to shoot everyday moments and promotional imagery. He remembers the band in a loose, party-phase mood during the sessions.
After shooting, he handed over contact sheets and selections to the label’s art director. The team selected the hot tub frame with minimal manipulation. Designer Kevin Reagan later handled the album’s final layout.
Why the image worked
- Unstaged feel: it reads as spontaneous and intimate.
- Strong composition: the fisheye angle distorts and draws focus.
- Contrasts: sunlit skin versus shadowed elements creates drama.
Kosick said he felt excited when the label chose his photo. The decision validated the informal approach he took that evening.
Choices and misconceptions that followed the release
Once Around the Fur circulated, media and fans tried to assign a backstory to the woman on the cover. Rumors called her a model, a band associate, or a fleeting companion. That murkiness persisted until recent reporting.
A January 2026 article traced the origins definitively by speaking with both Hughes and Kosick. Their accounts clarified the straightforward truth: the cover sprang from a relaxed night among friends and acquaintances.
The image’s cultural afterlife and why it endures
The photograph did more than sell an album. It became a visual shorthand for late‑90s alternative culture. Fans often point to its candid energy as a reason the record still feels authentic.
Elements that contribute to the photo’s staying power:
- Relatability. It looks like a memory, not marketing.
- Textural detail. Sun, wet skin, and the tattoo give it grit.
- Ambiguity. The unexplained feet in the corner keep the scene grounded.
That balance between mystery and realism helped the cover become iconic. Listeners attach personal narratives to images like this, which extends their lifespan beyond trends.
What the band remembers and how they treated the moment
Members of Deftones have described the time as social and relaxed. They rented a condo near the studio and spent downtime there between sessions. The band did not orchestrate the shot. It was one of those small, human moments that later carried outsized meaning.
In later interviews and podcasts, band members and those close to the sessions confirmed the casual origin story. The choice to use an unpolished photo matched the album’s rawer musical sensibility.
Photographic details and design decisions that shaped the final cover
The image owes much to camera choice and framing. A wide or fisheye lens created the curved perspective. Harsh sunlight gave the subject a reflective sheen. In post, designers preserved much of the original edge.
- Lens distortion emphasized the foreground and warped the scene.
- Minimal retouch preserved the candid feel.
- Layout and typography were kept spare to let the photo dominate.
Conserving the photo’s rawness was a deliberate aesthetic choice. That restraint strengthened the connection between the visual and the music.
From a single frame to decades of fan devotion
For many listeners, the cover acts as a portal to a specific time and mood. It evokes summer heat, youthful recklessness, and the tactile feel of 90s alt-rock culture. Fan communities still reference the artwork in discussions about the band’s identity.
Lisa Hughes today acknowledges the image’s power. She appreciates that the photograph resonates, while also pushing back on reductive commentary about her appearance. Her voice helped shift the focus back to human dignity.
