A Monochromatic Moment in Time Fashion Shoot

Discover how Karl created this striking monochromatic fashion image, ping-pong balls and all.

The concept for this shoot began with the styling: angular shapes and a colour palette limited to black, white and grey. The clothing choices influenced the hair, makeup and earrings, which in turn inspired the set design. In fact, the diamond frame at the heart of the shot became part of the concept quite late in the pre-visualisation process.

In this video, you’ll see Karl switch from a three-light setup to just two. He makes this decision in response to the various surfaces in play in the shoot – for example, the wet-look leggings adjacent to the matte texture of the top – each of which requires a different level of exposure. This becomes especially important as model Suzannah experiments with a range of poses.

You’ll also learn how Karl and the team conjured the illusion of the free-standing diamond frame. The styling techniques on display in this shoot are simple but effective, and easy to reproduce even on a tight budget.

Speaking of the ping-pong balls, watch the video to see the happy accident that led Karl to make them part of the shoot. It’s a great example of how staying flexible and spontaneous on set can bring about unexpected and exciting results.

 

What you’ll learn:

• Creative ideas for fashion photography
• Lighting setups for fashion photography
• Styling for fashion shoots
• Working with a fashion model
• How to use props in fashion photography

 

To see Karl and Tim build the diamond frame, plus some posing blocks and smaller frames, check out our class on ‘Building Studio Blocks and Frames’.

Please note that the post-production for this shoot will be released early September.