darker mood

I had an idea for a darker photoshoot for a while. My usual style is what you might call bright and light. I wanted to use more dramatic lighting with an edgy theme.

I considered an outside shoot, but I didn't find a location I was happy with. It had to be somewhere I could control the natural light or modify it either with reflectors or flash. Without an assistant this can be difficult. Maybe I'll try a shoot with an assistant next year.

Now that autumn is here, outdoor shoots are much harder, it's cold and likely to rain. The theme of the shoot was moody, not cold and unhappy.

In a studio I can work slower, more deliberately. I don't have to worry about bystanders and equipment, bags etc are safe. There is always somewhere for the model to change, this can be a big problem and consumes time when you're out and about.

Natasha arrived well prepared. There is always a get to know you period when working with someone new. I meet her at the local station, so by the time we reached the studio everything was relaxed and the shoot flowed really well.

The studio, Murder Mile was darker than I had expected. The flash system had modeling lights so there was no problem focusing. It did mean the lighting was very controllable. I had planned to use two lights at a time and gels, but in the end I used one light for each set with either a ten inch reflector or beauty dish. Keeping it simple was definitely the best way to go. I was able to just light Natasha with the background almost black. Most of the outfits were also black; but shiny so standing out from the background wasn't a problem. As I edited them a realised a lot could be better converted to black and white.

Looked great in colour too

The studio had a cage, it was too heavy to move and was a bit hemmed in but we couldn't resist using it. It did mean full length shots were out; I think it still delivered.

The exceptions were the sparkly dresses. Treated to the same lighting they remained in colour. See above and below.

And the coat Natasha arrived in. It was too photogenic to ignore.

My wife saw the pictures and remarked how different they were to my normal style. Reinforcing how successful the shoot had been.

I am so pleased with what we achieved, I'll be returning to the studio, with Natasha again.

Please add your address to my mailing list, or click the follow button to be kept informed about future posts. 
Follow me on twitter. 

Leave a comment about this post. I would really appreciate your thoughts on this or any blog post.

For more of my work, go to my Facebook page.

and 

website