Aurora's Second Session

The second session with Aurora took place just over two weeks later, in the studio. As much as I appreciated and enjoyed the work we had done in the small white room, Aurora felt that the work was not exactly what she was looking for, so we decided to explore the possibilities that a lighting studio provided. The major difference between a lighting studio and a space with available light is that in the studio, you have the full flexibility to arrange the light as you wish - the drawback of this is that everything that the images comprised of his created there's very little to draw upon from inspiration besides what is in front of your camera.

35mm infrared film

I've had several models recently comment on how different it is to work in the studio compared to modeling outdoors, or indoors with available light. Aurora seemed feel that there was very little difference between the two environments and worked just as to happily in the environs of the studio as she had in my house with available light.

35mm infrared film

Where I had used the white room in my house to give the images we made a delicate, intimate feel, in the studio I concentrated on Aurora's figure by using a black background to isolate the body in the frame. My standard lighting approach, with a soft light to one side, and a hard light to the other, worked well with the pregnant figure and prove to accentuate both the curves and swell of the body.

35mm infrared film

Overall, the contrast between the indoor of our first session, and the studio work two weeks later is quite striking. This isn't rooted in a change in Aurora's comfort level, but in the difference in the atmosphere of the two spaces. I think part of my reoccurring frustration with studio photography is rooted in my continually returning to a standard approach to lighting and framing. I won't go as far as to say that this revelation is new, but it certainly will provoke some thought when I return to the studio in the coming weeks and months. As an evolution of our first session, it is a wonderful compliment to our initial images.