Sometimes, a subject’s outfit dictates the lighting before I even touch a strobe. That’s precisely what happened here. Abi turned up in this stunning faux-fur coat, and I knew immediately that a standard high-key setup wouldn’t do it justice. This was all about texture, depth, and mood—so I went for something a little more dramatic.
The Plan
Rather than a bright, punchy background, I wanted something more subtle. A grey-toned background would complement the coat while keeping the focus entirely on Abi. The great thing? The background is actually just the white studio wall—but by controlling the light, we turned it into something much darker and moodier.
The Lighting Setup
I used a single Elinchrom FIVE for these images. With the Rotalux 1m square sofbox and grid on the front, we were always going to have stunning light.
Here’s how I set it up:
1. The Key Light – Controlled Softness
The main light is a softbox with a grid positioned slightly to Abi’s right. The grid is the secret weapon here—it stops light from spilling onto the background and keeps the illumination focused solely on Abi. That’s how we turned a bright white wall into a rich, dark grey. The result? Abi stands out with beautiful contrast, and the texture in the fur really pops.
2. Negative Fill – Deepening Shadows
On the left side, I placed two black-faced boards, sometimes called negative fill boards. These absorb any reflected light instead of bouncing it back, meaning the shadows on that side deepen. This helps shape Abi’s face and adds texture to the fur.
3. Subject & Background Positioning
Instead of placing Abi right against the background, I pulled her forward, away from the wall. This ensures that almost no light from the softbox spills onto it. Combined with the grid, this technique transforms a standard studio white wall into a much darker, moodier backdrop—no need for seamless grey paper!
Shooting & Posing
I shot this on my Nikon Z9 with a 70-200mm f/2.8, set at F/10 to keep everything crisp. The longer focal length allowed me to stand at a comfortable distance while still compressing the background beautifully.
When it came to posing, I didn’t want anything too rigid.
So I asked Abi to imagine it was cold (not too hard in the UK) and to snuggle into the coat. The studio was actually at about 23degrees Centigrade so she was beginning to sweat!
Either way, this kept the images feeling authentic. I fine-tuned angles as we went, waiting for those perfect little moments where her expression and the light clicked into place.
The Final Shots
The results? A gorgeous, moody set of portraits that feel rich and tactile. The fur has fantastic depth, the lighting sculpts Abi’s features beautifully and the slightly darker background seems to add drama – at least to me.
What I Love About These Shots:
- The controlled contrast–negative fill keeps the shadows deep, adding shape and dimension.
- The texture in the fur– Every…