Neon Nights

Recently I've wanted to do a shoot using only coloured gels and thankfully I got my chance, if you see my other blog posts you'll see that I recently purchased the new Broncolor Siros L pack and I have to say that they made this shoot a lot easier that it would have been without them.

This shoot was a busy one and so we didn't have much time for behind the scenes images, so we have put together some sketches of the lighting setups which I will explain below. This shoot which was to be called 'Neon Nights' was shot with model Anja and Georgina Davies who did the hair/makeup and styling. The idea for this shoot was to start out shooting in a hotel before heading outdoors as it got darker to capture some night time shots.

The first set up we did was in the hotel rooms lounge area, as this was the first shot of the day it was still bright outside but I wanted it to feel like it was night time and so we placed one strobe off camera right, angled downwards and covered with a magenta gel facing the model, we then placed another strobe also off camera right, angled downwards but covered with a blue gel, this strobe was set so that it would shoot light across the background whilst also creating a bit of a rim light for the model. The final and main light to this set up was placed off camera left, using barn doors with a grid so that we were able to control the spill of light keeping it on the model and not the background. For this strobe I did not use a gel so that I could retain some of the natural skin tones.

Here is a behind the scenes image along with a sketch of the full room set up, below that is the final image.

For the second set up we moved to the bathroom where the Broncolor lights really came in handy. In the bathroom there were no plugs and I wanted to have the door closed luckily because the broncolor strobes are wireless and run off a battery this was not a problem. The bathroom had a lovely glass sink which allowed me to place one of the strobes directly underneath it blasting light upwards illuminating the model, some of the sink and walls. The second strobe was placed outside the bathroom, covered with a blue gel and blasted through the door which was diffused glass allowing a soft light to fill the bathroom.

Here is a sketch of the set up along with the final images. For the second image the light outside of the bathroom remained the same but the strobe underneath the sink was held high up, off camera left and directed at the model.

First bathroom set up

Moving to the bedroom three lights were used for this set up. The first light was placed off camera right and used the barn doors modifier again, this strobe was also covered with a purple gel. The second strobe was placed off camera left and covered with a blue gel, for the final strobe I used a snoot to really focus the light onto the models face and body without effecting the environment.

Below are some of the room images including a sketch of the set up.

By the time we finished this set it was dark enough and we ventured outdoors to a few locations to get some outdoor images.

For these outdoor shots I used only a speed light covered with a small, light purple gel, the rest of the light came from the neon lights in shop windows and street lamps.

Here is a sketch of one of the outdoor shots including the final image.

Check out the full editorial below, there are more set ups however I did not want to overload you with sketches :) so hopefully this will help give you an idea of what was done to make the other images you see below.

'NEON NIGHTS'

Model: Anja Kuligowska

Hair, makeup and styling: Georgina Davies