Studio Anywhere: A Photographer’s Guide to Shooting in Unconventional Locations

15. Environmental Portraits

The direction I received from the art director was very specific: Make the scientist (or model portraying a scientist) look like a superhero. The shoot was for the American Chemical Society’s first-ever marketing campaign. No pressure, right?

So, how do I make a model looking like a scientist look like a superhero—without a mask or cape? Dramatic lighting combined with having the subject stare off in the distance, possibly looking for the next civilian in need of saving. Easy! Well, not quite.

Getting the Drop on Narrow Spaces

The next problem to be solved was how to implement that dramatic light in the narrow hallway where I needed to shoot. To create a bit of theatrical lighting, I knew that I wanted to light the ...