Personal projects are always good fun, and I had a great time recently photographing Bella, the 12-year-old daughter of a close friend, for a Halloween themed shoot.
Steffi Bickers was our make-up artist for the day, and I think you’ll agree the results are pretty special. Steffi and I have worked together before, but it was lovely to see a different style from her this time. There’s a full behind the scenes video if you want a sense of just how talented she is.
Bella was a joy to photograph. She’s an artistic young person, and her dance experience really showed as she acted her way through each pose. The best portraits happen when the person in front of the camera brings a talent of their own, whether that’s dance or a sport, and this shoot was no exception. Her cat and Harlequin costumes were kept simple, which let her modelling and Steffi’s make-up take centre stage.
A Halloween theme was also a good excuse to bring out the smoke machine. Props like this can be tricky, as it’s hard to control where the smoke ends up, but it paid off. That extra element gave the photos the spooky atmosphere I was after. All in all it was a great day, and it felt like an early Halloween party.
This was a personal project, so we pulled out all the stops, but I work with a range of talented make-up artists and hair stylists who can help create the look you want. If you’re interested in headshots or portrait work, I’d love to hear from you. You can see the rest of Bella’s photos in my portfolio.
