Hot Angel Photo Shoot – Lighting setups explained

A little behind the scenes and explanation of our lighting setup for those wondering how it came together!

A 80cm x 120cm strobe with blue cellophane in front of the outer baffle, prepped cautiously on a ladder on top of the pergola. This gives off a blueish light, perfect for the night lighting we wanted to create.
A 80cm x 120cm strobe with blue cellophane in front of the outer baffle, prepped cautiously on a ladder on top of the pergola. This gives off a blueish light, perfect for the night lighting we wanted to create.  We wanted to create a rim light coming from high above slightly from the back.  This would create an angelic effect around the model as if the light were from the heavens.
Testing the top lighting
Here’s the effect of the blue rim light from above the pergola. And our very charming and talented pyrotechnics man Vijay, without whom none of this would have been possible.
Setting up the source of fire
We ripped the top off a garden citronella oil burner which you can get from your local hardware store for about $5. It was perched on top of a ceramic pot. A funnel filled with fine cornflour (the cornflour was passed through a sieve to make it very fine) was placed against the base of the fire pointing upwards.
Dark Angel Photo Shoot - Lighting Setup Take 1
This was one of our first takes with the lighting and photo setup. Looking good, Sean.
Dark Angel Lighting Setup
Now we decided, we wanted a bit of red in the flames to add a bit of heat and interest. This would also mask the parts of the cornflour dust cloud that hadn’t burned (shutter pressed too early) or had already burned (shutter pressed too late). The WHITE cornflour would be given a RED tint. A speedlight with a red gel was placed at the base of the flame pointing upwards.
Dark angel photo shoot - Behind the scenes with model Katrina McCloy
Shooting through the flames, we managed to create the effect that the angels were actually burning. Model: Katrina McCloy
Dark angel BTS with Katrina McCloy
An outdoor shoot doesn’t come without challenges. Not only was our gear splattered with mud, so were our models feet! Model Katrina McCloy being a great sport!

The Final Images

Model: Alisha Fitzpatrick Makeup and Hair: Lisa Robb Photographer: Zhi Lee
Model: Alisha Fitzpatrick
Makeup and Hair: Lisa Robb
Photographer: Zhi Lee
Model: Katrina McCloy Makeup and Hair: Lisa Robb Photographer: Zhi Lee
Model: Katrina McCloy
Makeup and Hair: Lisa Robb
Photographer: Zhi Lee

 

Creative Portrait lit with Fire and Red Flash Against a Black Backdrop. By Zhi Lee
Yours Truly, Your Creative Man Zhi Lee
  • Aperture: ƒ/5.6
  • Camera: Canon EOS 6D
  • Focal length: 32mm
  • ISO: 100
  • Shutter speed: 1/100s
Zhi Lee

Award winning NZ wedding, travel and portrait photographer. Creating images for the enjoyment of others really gets me going. It is through photography that I get to connect with people and express a little bit of creativity.

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