DIY Photography

Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

How I shot a nightmarish mirrored cat using strobes, constant light and gels

Jan 27, 2019 by Leon Yakobov 4 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

A few days ago I submitted a photo to the new DIYPhotography facebook group, I am very happy to share how it was taken. Feel free to join our community and submit your best shots.

Lately, I have been playing with color gels quite a bit. While this is something I enjoy, I felt I was falling into a repetitive pattern. I started looking for a way to grow above the technique and use colors to tell a story.

Like many good things, my chance arrived part via collaborating and part via accident. My partner in crime was Yael.di . She is an amazing cosplayer. She is also a kick-ass hula hoop dancer, but I digress. One of her customs caught my attention. It is a one-of-a-kind full-body mirror outfit (check it out here).  I thought that this outfit, combined with smoke and colors would tell a good mystery story. Smoke and mirrors, you know. Here is how we did it, or actually did not.

The original idea was to shoot Yael with dramatic light wearing her full-body mirror suit. This is what we planned and, this is what we set-up for. A few minutes before the shoot, Yael took this cat mask out of the bag and suggested a swap. Everything else still fitted in well with the theme, but this mask was so much more powerful and dark than the full body suit. I was hooked. We did a couple of test shots and the idea proved solid. The song “Pink Nightmares” started playing in my head and it was done. The mask it shall be.

Setup

For this photo, I wanted something dark, and I opted for a Red/Blue combo. Red is a strong warm color that is connected to fire and mystery, that would be the color that defines my world. The complementary color for this is the color blue. This works well in this context as a dark and menacing color.

The red light is coming from an old (but trusty) Godox QT600IIM strobe with a standard reflector placed behind the model and pointing towards the camera. The blue light is coming from an overhead boom equipped with a Godox AD600B, a 100×70 cm softbox and some blue gel. The final piece was three spekular core kits shaped into diamond form. I used the Expansion kit‘s gapless connectors to connect each side of the diamond, and hanged the structure from two C-Stands. (Love C-stands). To Wrap it up I spayed some Haze with a Haze machine to better separate the subject and add to the mysterious atmosphere. The Haze would make sure that not only the model will be colored, but the air around her will be colored as well.

Gear

  • Camera: Nikon D810
  • Lens: Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR (At 120mm)
  • Lights:
    Back/Rim Light: Godox QT600II with a standard reflector and red gel.
    Key Light: Godox AD600B With Extension cable, modified with a 100x70cm softbox with blue gel on it.
  • Trigger: Godox X1
  • Diamond shape: Spiffy Gear Spekular (3x Core kits + 4 expansion kits)
  • Haze Machine (Rental, Don’t remember the brand)

Post Processing

Post processing was kept to a minimum. The first step was to remove all the backdrop leftovers, like the C-stand arms. I then applied some grading, and finally added a bit of atmospheric smoke.

About the Author

Leon Yakobov, 29, is a commercial photographer based in Tel Aviv, Israel. You can see more of his work on his web site and follow him on Instagram and Facebook.

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

This photographer uses a mirrored disco ball to light up a VW Camper How to use coloured gels with studio strobes and softboxes The business of photography is always a constant hustle Photographer captures amazing photos of the Milky Way over the mirrored salt flats of Bolivia

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: gels, godox ad600, Leon Yakobov, photo break down, Spekular

« 13 confessions of an amateur photographer
13 tips for working with Photoshop curves in 2 minutes »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • Insta360’s new teaser says they’re entering the gimbal market
  • Users report blurry photos from Samsung Galaxy S23/S23+ cameras
  • Whale with severe scoliosis captured by drone video
  • Photographer builds 11-foot electronic waste skull to show Bitcoin’s impact on climate change
  • Fuji’x April X Summit reported to be cancelled

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy