Highway of Endless Dreams – Evening Automotive Impressions in the Light of Colors!
Check out an idea for a portrait shoot with Quadralite Thea PRO RGB lights in a Grunge vibe! A new accessory can be a source of ideas! Spring weather is starting to favor outdoor shoots, so today we would like to show you a few ideas for […]
Check out an idea for a portrait shoot with Quadralite Thea PRO RGB lights in a Grunge vibe!
A new accessory can be a source of ideas!
Spring weather is starting to favor outdoor shoots, so today we would like to show you a few ideas for colorful photos whose mood will transport us to American highways straight from the 1990s! The Quadralite range has recently been expanded with functional, advanced Thea PRO RGB lighting panels, whose performance we decided to test in practice. That is how the idea for this shoot was born. We had a classic black Audi S8 at our disposal, which we decided to park near a multicolored illuminated bridge carrying an expressway. The main idea was to create atmospheric lighting with the help of creative tonal effects, so that the main subject – the model together with the car – would be emphasized by the colors generated by the LED lights, while the background would correspond with the theme of the photos. Using the convenient smartphone app for controlling the panels, we could easily match the lighting style to the colors in the background, in which the bridge shimmered. The foreground colors intertwined with picturesque Bokeh, giving the photos depth and at the same time creating the illusion of a place transported almost from another era. This is how we achieved an effect that brings to mind clear associations with American cinema characteristic of the 1990s, as well as the Grunge movement and alternative music.
Let film inspire you!
Each of us has encountered, more than once, a distinctive combination of colors that builds the unique atmosphere of a given scene. Today’s theme was borrowed from popular culture, referring to the “American Dream”. Photographers can often draw inspiration from cinema, not only through the plot of a given production, but above all through editing, lighting, and styling. Adapting individual film frames into photographic compositions can create visual connections to a fictional world we know in another form from the big screen. Today we want to show you how to create frames whose aesthetics David Lynch himself would not be ashamed to use in his films. We invite you to a guide with a set of tips on how to easily take photos straight from an American highway in the 1990s!
Proper preparation is key to successful execution!
We should start preparing for the shoot by scouting the location. It is worth choosing a place that will allow us to work freely and provide adequate visibility. It is also important to keep safety in mind, so that the road on which we decide to carry out the shoot is not busy, and our presence does not hinder the mobility of other road users. An earlier reconnaissance will allow us to become familiar not only with the scenery, but also with the lighting conditions that will prevail on the day of the shoot. Knowing the intensity and angle of the light will make it easier for us to choose the right lights and accessories to achieve the desired effects. We managed to find a secluded location where, in the background, trajectories of colorful illuminations stretched across the bridge carrying the highway. Props are also important for creating a cohesive theme – an indispensable element of our composition was a black, classic limousine from a past decade, fitting the canon of the aesthetic we wanted to reflect in the photos. The vehicle was a great complement to the theme, and at the same time, thanks to its neutral color, it did not dominate the frame or overwhelm the model and the striking lighting that we creatively used to build atmosphere in the photos.
Guidance for the model will ensure effective collaboration
Another aspect we need to take care of is discussing the shoot concept with our model. Thanks to this, the person posing for us will know what circumstances will accompany her during the shoot, so our work at the key moment will be significantly easier. Presenting a general outline of the photo ideas we want to create will help in choosing the right styling that fits the selected convention. For this shoot, we chose a leather biker jacket combined with a classic top, which strengthens the model’s image while creating attractive reflections and emphasizing the dynamics of the photos in a contrasting way. Leather clothing elements are a very rewarding material to photograph, because they give the styling shine and a specific, edgy tone. It is worth arriving at the shoot location well before the actual time planned for the photos. Extra minutes on the clock will allow us to set up and configure the equipment without stress, while also giving us a chance to arrange the scenery properly and capture a few attractive “behind-the-scenes” frames. We will have time to calmly take test shots and practice the individual set-ups planned for this outdoor photo shoot. As a warm-up, we will adjust the optimal settings, while the model will get to know the team taking part in the shoot and the very theme of our production. This way, we will avoid communication errors and ensure comfortable working conditions, resulting in valuable material!
Choose continuous lighting – it will make your work easy and predictable
Usually, flash lighting is used for this type of shoot, but we decided to use continuous lighting, which makes it easy to mix ambient light with artificial light, allowing even beginner users to monitor the effects in real time. By using LED lights, we are guaranteed that the exposure will be repeatable and that we can easily choose the exposure parameters in our camera. The live view function found in modern DSLRs and mirrorless cameras allows us to control the lighting conditions in real time, along with the changing colors, while higher ISO sensitivities are not a challenge for their modern sensors. In addition, if several photographers are working on the shoot, we do not have to worry that we will interfere with one another while capturing images by triggering flashes alternately and accidentally changing the light settings. Working with Thea PRO RGB (in 300 and 600 versions) panels, we set them up to emit individual colors in “color chase” mode, or we rely on the theory of complementary colors – this will allow us to achieve a variety of effects. As the main light source, we use a Quadralite Atlas LED light fitted with a Flex Octa 120 modifier, which provides soft illumination of the model’s figure. As supporting lights creating a colorful glow inside the car, we set up mobile Quadralite Thea RGB 150 LED panels so that they are not visible in the frame. Now all that remains is to set the camera to continuous shutter release mode and capture the riot of colors painted around the photographed subject. It is really simple, and the result can make a stunning impression.
The right Color Grading will create the atmosphere in the photo
The theory of complementary colors will help us choose the right colors. Looking at the color wheel, it is easy to assess which colors will create attractive gradients together. In general, the rule is that we choose two shades located more or less opposite each other on the diagram. Quadralite Thea PRO RGB lights allow you to emit light in any color, so with two devices we are able to create the right Color Grading characteristic of individual shots.
To give the photos a futuristic, neon atmosphere, we used blue and red. Lights from the Quadralite Thea PRO RGB series are available in two versions with different power output – 300 or 600 – which translates into the ability to create both a key light and a rim light. The dedicated control app for Android smartphones makes operating the devices and achieving the desired effects in an intuitive way even easier.
A fast standard lens will be your ally
A neutral and versatile perspective gives you freedom when composing frames. Combined with a high maximum aperture, we do not have to worry about achieving correct exposure in difficult lighting conditions. The shoot was carried out using an Irix 45mm f/1.4 lens, which allows you to include a slightly broader context than the classic “fifty”, while offering a unique look for the shots we captured! It is worth mentioning that this lens is very sharp already from its fully open aperture, thanks to which we not only ensure the right amount of light reaching the sensor, but also create fairytale-like Bokeh that gives the photos a three-dimensional quality. Smoke and unfavorable weather conditions were not an obstacle and did not expose the equipment to the risk of damage, because the lens is perfectly sealed, allowing freedom of operation even in difficult circumstances, so we do not have to worry about our precious gear!
Make some smoke around the camera
Wanting to emphasize the colorful beams of light more strongly, we reached for smoke flares, which made it possible to arrange an atmospheric scene. The mysterious and dark mood builds an atmosphere that will hold the viewer’s gaze for longer and help the photos stand out, while the color casts generated by Quadralite Thea PRO ensure a truly cinematic mood that is incredibly easy to achieve already during the shoot – without the need to spend many hours later in graphics software.
Editing will give the photos their final character
We shot the photos in RAW format to obtain flexible source files that would allow for a bit of retouching intervention without quality degradation after conversion to JPG. To give the photographs their final polish, we allowed ourselves small experiments with the sliders responsible for HSL (Hue; Saturation; Luminance). Post-production was not complicated or time-consuming, because the Quadralite Thea PRO RGB panels ensured the right colors in the base files, while the Quadralite Atlas LED light illuminating the model generated soft light at a temperature of around 5600 Kelvins, providing a natural skin look. To enhance the warm-toned effect, we “introduced” a warm tint into the brightest parts of the image during editing. The Irix 45mm f/1.4 lens also made the task easier, delivering a sharp image almost free of optical flaws. In the end, we achieved results that exceeded our expectations!
Creative imagination can let you set off on your dream journey with your camera today!
Pandemic circumstances are not conducive to long-distance travel, but thanks to properly arranged photo sets, each of us can set off into a futuristic world from another era. By taking photographs with the right equipment in nearby scenery, we travel through time, creating expressive illustrations straight from star-studded cinema!
