Not all photos are serious of course, sometimes it’s just fun to play around with some balloons and a box.
And that’s exactly what we did during this setup with our model Felisa and a box filled with balloons.
Add a screaming pink background, some more flat lighting and voila.
But because it’s always more fun and easier to see the lighting setups in a video, we also did a small “How did I shoot this one” video about this setup.
A while ago I saw the Smoke Ninja during a trade show and immediately loved the bubble effect.
In a previous blogpost I already played with the Smoke Ninja.
At that time I did not yet know how much bubbles would be usable and how many shots I needed to create a final result I would like.
The ideas was to just shoot a few images against a black background and add them together in one final shot. Mainly because we only have one machine which is of course a bit limiting when you want to shoot a full body model, however… in all honesty the smoke ninja gave me much more bubbles than I expected.
So for this session we are using a great backdrop from ClickBackDrops, and if I need to add some extra smoke from another shot it would be so little that it’s easy to do.
Because video always works best for lighting, let’s take a look at the behind the scenes videos in which I also explain the lighting setup and how we got the smoke.
And of course the results.
If you also want to visit a workshop, visit fotografie-workshops.nl
The workshops in our studio are in Dutch, but when we know a few weeks in advance we can switch to English.
You can also book a 1:1 online workshop if you are not able to visit our studio or another location.
Today we had a real movie star in our studio!
Felisa as Harley Quinn, complete with a big hammer, because Harley likes to smash things.
But how to create an image as if she is standing outside with a structured wall and adding some nice contrast?
When you want a more filmic look instead of a great portrait, other things are important in the shoot compared to a portrait.
It’s about the whole mood and atmosphere of the image.
In this setup I’m creating a mix between a photo and a movie scene by using some more top down lighting and of course lighting effects from a strobe from the back.
Of course, it helps if you have a great background like the Urban Arrow, graffiti from Click Backdrops.
In this video, you’ll see how the scene is lit, with a gridded softbox from the front and a blue accent light from the back for some extra lens flare.
Why blue?
Check the video.
You’ll see some behind-the-scenes scenes and the results.
But first the results.
And one without special effects, for the contrast 😀
As a passionate guitarist—and more importantly, a creative photographer specializing in model shoots with flash and vibrant colors—I’m always up for a fun challenge. In a recent workshop themed around motion, I decided to push my usual photography boundaries and dive into the world of long shutter speeds in this blog about creative guitar photography
And I always like to challenge myself. I don’t often use long shutter speeds. I decided to use this in a workshop about motion.
As you all probably know, I love guitars, and also play myself as often as I can.
You may have noticed guitars appearing in my photos from time to time. I often use my guitars for those shots. It also, of course, gives me an excuse to buy more, but don’t tell Annewiek.
You’ve probably spotted guitars in my portfolio before. They’re not only a creative element—they also serve as a great excuse to expand my collection (shh, don’t tell Annewiek!). Normally, I shoot guitars solo or let models use them, but for this session, I wanted to capture something radically different: dynamic guitar performance combined with light movement.
I wanted to create an image where you saw the motion of someone playing guitar and follow the play with lights.
One of my all-time favorite guitarists is Steve Vai, and he recently did a session very similar to this, so I thought it would be fitting to select my vintage Ibanez Jem 777V BK for this. This is a Steve Vai signature guitar.
For the lights, I’m using small LEDs with small elastic bands on my fingers.
Playing guitar is one thing, but playing with LEDs taped to your fingertips is a workout in itself (you’ll hear it in the video 🙃).
The trick is, of course, a long shutter speed and not using white lights, but only the colors.
We recorded a short video tutorial explaining the setup and how you can recreate this effect at home. The results are both creative and achievable with common gear.
Interested in hearing my music, too? Find me, Frank Doorhof, on your favorite streaming platform.
👉 Click the image below to watch the full video tutorial on Long shutter speeds: creative guitar photography—including stunning final shots!
Read another blog about movement with Nadine and LED lights
