Paint & Liquids
Paint and liquids have been part of my photographic repertoire since I first began shooting in the studio. I’m obsessed by the organic shapes that paint creates when dissolved in water, and even though I shoot in very controlled conditions, it’s fascinating the way these forms evolve entirely beyond my control.
Sometimes delicate and velvet-like, at other times rubbery and almost cartoonish. Some forms are loose and luxurious, like intoxicating vapors; others cascade like rampant floral growths. Each is unique and unrepeatable.
And then it’s gone forever.
With my Color Cloud series I wanted to capture these ephemeral sculptures so that they might be appreciated by others, beyond their fleeting moment of existence in the studio.
The Importance of Developing a Personal Vision
I do commercial work by choice: I love the process of communication and collaboration with the client; hearing what they have in mind; helping them to realize their vision.
Yet I studied fine art and documentary photography as part of my undergraduate degree. And of course, I tried all kinds of photography at the start of my career; fashion, sports, portraits, kids, performing arts…you name it. But I soon realized that I work better when photographing smaller objects; from the size of lipstick up to a human head.
Following this revelation, it became clear to me that my real passion is for shooting cosmetics. It’s like my eyes see cosmetics in the same way that another photographer might view a landscape, or approach a portrait or fashion shoot; looking for the perfect pose and angle; staging my subject, and giving it personality.
Brands and AD agencies seek photographers who are capable of bringing a distinct look to each of their projects. So rather than trying to cover a wide range of genres, it will help you to stand out from the crowd if you have a unique style as an artist. You need to clearly present your vision, to persuade your potential clients that they should take this photographic journey with you. Personal works play a very important role in this.
Shooting the Color Cloud
I’d say that my personality is a mix of the quite analytical combined with a more easy-going side, and this is perhaps reflected in the way that I work. So although I usually have a very good idea of how I want a shoot to turn out before I start, I prefer to leave the last few miles of the shooting open for experimentations. And it’s in this final a few miles where the real magic happens.
But it’s no use wishing for magic if you’re not prepared for it when it occurs. And in photography, being prepared means a combination of clear ideas, careful planning, and reliable equipment. This is where Broncolor lights play a very important role.
To shoot the cloud-only photos, I set up a water tank against a black velvet backdrop, and then ran two Pulso G heads from a Scoro A4 pack. One head was placed low down on the floor, to the front-left of the tank, and pointing up at an angle of roughly 45 degrees. Then I positioned the other so that light would enter the water from overhead. I also used some Vpanels and barn doors, to avoid any unnecessary spill of lights to be reflecting on the glass surface of water tank.
[Top view]
[Side view]
