Ultra Violet portrait shoot with Isabelle

A UV twist on studio portraits near Woodbridge, Suffolk

I’m always looking for new ideas to bring something different to a session, so when Isabelle and I started planning a personal project we knew it would be unlike anything either of us had done. The idea was to combine UV makeup with low light to create an unusual set of striking images. We got to work in my studio near Woodbridge.

Isabelle applied the UV makeup herself and was, as ever, great to work with. Working in the dark, we captured some genuinely mesmerising images. There were plenty of challenges along the way, but we took them on with a good dose of humour, and it remains one of the most enjoyable shoots I’ve done in a while.

It wasn’t without its hurdles. Applying UV makeup turned out to be surprisingly fiddly, and next time we’ll get a professional to do it. Shooting in near-total darkness also caused a few technical headaches, mainly with focusing, which the lack of light made tricky.

None of that dampened the day; if anything it added to it. I enjoy solving problems on the fly and learning as I go, and it’s a big part of why I want to do this again.

How UV portraits actually work

UV light is an invisible part of the spectrum. It’s absorbed by neon-coloured objects, or in our case face paint, and given back off as visible light. So what I was really capturing was the visible light bouncing off the paint, not the paint itself. To see those reflections we had to work in a dark room, which brought its own challenges and pushed my skills further than usual.

Difficulties aside, I’d happily do another shoot like this. There’s plenty of room to refine the method and take even better shots. It’s all part of the learning that keeps this work interesting.

Personal projects like this let me experiment and push a bit further while still creating strong portraits. Working with creative people like Isabelle makes it all the more enjoyable, and it’s a welcome change from the usual. You can see more of this kind of work in my portfolios.

If you’re near Ipswich or Woodbridge and want a portrait that stands out, do get in touch. My studio is a good setting to try something different. Whether you’re after a traditional headshot or something more unusual, you’re in safe hands, and I’m always happy to venture off the beaten track.