Good morning, my friends. As usual, before we start, I want to thank you for your constant support, for reading my articles both through the newsletter and here on the blog.
I’ll never get tired of saying how important this is to me, and how much I appreciate the time you choose to spend reading my words.
Today I want to tell you about a set I worked on together with Lorenzo, a photographer friend of mine, and Sara, the make-up artist I’ve been collaborating with for quite some time now. A few weeks ago—or actually, more like a couple of months ago, to be honest—Lorenzo called me. He had this idea for a set, something a bit unusual, and he wanted to talk it over to see if we could come up with something fun and intriguing.
It all started from an image he saw in the 2017 movie The Mummy, where the actress had these glyphs painted on her face. Something very theatrical, with a strong impact.
So we met at his studio to throw down a few ideas. The original concept was simple: neutral background, lights, and let’s go.
But then, while talking, we thought: why not add a few more elements?
I remembered that the studio had a smoke machine, which could create an even more atmospheric and dramatic mood. Maybe even adding some colored lights in the background to give the whole scene an extra punch.
And that’s when I said: “You know, this kind of set would be amazing outdoors, maybe in some abandoned or ancient place, with a bit of mystery in the air.”
His eyes lit up. He told me: “I have this beautiful cellar.”
We went down to see it, and honestly, it was a hit. That space unlocked the whole idea. So we decided to split the shoot: part in the studio with lights and smoke, and a few final shots in the cellar.
For the make-up we called Sara, who was super excited too. Working with her is always a pleasure: she’s full of great ideas and very, very talented. At that point, make-up was defined, photography and scenography as well. The last missing piece was the model: Serena, who happily agreed to join us.
On the day of the shoot, while Sara and Serena got ready, Lorenzo and I set up the lights and the studio. Once everything was in place, we started with a few shots to break the ice. And then I thought: why not try something different and play with long exposures?
Something a bit blurred, haloed, adding even more mystery to the images. And honestly, I like the results a lot.
I always say this: a photoshoot is not just a bunch of individuals doing their own part. A photoshoot is teamwork.
And in fact, while looking at the shots together, we thought about adding even more impact simply by wetting Serena’s hair. The result was completely different: the mood shifted, becoming stronger and more intense.
In the end, we brought home a series of shots that I really like. It was, once again, a very interesting collaboration, because with Lorenzo there’s always something to learn: light management, positioning, set creation. He has many years of experience, and it really shows.
And beyond photography, there’s always the company: lots of fun, lots of laughs. He’s a great person, and working with him is always positive, creative, and productive.
So enough chatting for now: I’ve given you the gist (with a few details here and there) of what this set was like. I’ll leave you with the photos, and I hope you’ll enjoy them.
Take care and talk soon!