Halloween is a good excuse for a personal project. The colours and mood suit the studio, so I asked my good friend Isabelle to work with me on a themed portrait shoot.
The Conception of a Halloween Studio Photography Project
The idea was a dark, moody set of portraits with a quiet Halloween story running through them, a step away from the usual and closer to spooky elegance.
Embracing the Chiaroscuro Technique
Chiaroscuro carried a lot of that mood. The word comes from the Italian ‘chiaro’, meaning bright, and ‘oscuro’, meaning dark, and the technique uses a strong contrast of light and shadow to give an image depth and a three-dimensional feel. It dates back to the Renaissance, and it was the key to the sombre look we wanted.
The Dance of Light: Employing Edge Lighting
To pick out Isabelle’s shape against the dark background, I used edge lighting. It lights the edges of the subject and leaves a thin glow that separates them from the backdrop, close to drawing the outline in light.
The Enigmatic Masquerade: An Ode to Tradition and Modernity
The prop mattered. We used a Dark Olive Green Forest Earth Medusa Woodland Demon Halloween Masquerade Ball Mask with Ram Horns, black with gold detailing in a baroque, rococo style. Its symmetry and craftsmanship became the centre of the frame.
Unveiling the Visual Tale: The Studio Session Unfolds
With the light, shadow and props in place, Isabelle’s poise did the rest. Smoke in some of the shots added to the mood, and each frame came together around the play of light and dark.
Reflections
This was more than a session. Working with Isabelle, after so many shoots together, gives me the freedom to try things, and that is what makes sessions like this worth doing. You can see more of my portrait work in the portraits portfolio.
Halloween always leaves a few sparks for the next project. Happy Halloween.
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