Yesterday’s industrial high fashion photography session was an unforgettable experience, held in the heart of a cotton gin after ginning season. If you’ve ever been in one, you know it’s not the typical photoshoot location – but this gritty environment served as the perfect backdrop for a high fashion photoshoot. The combination of urban fashion photography and the raw, industrial setting created a striking contrast that made the models’ beauty pop.
When choosing creative photoshoot locations, the environment plays a huge role in the mood and overall aesthetic. The cotton gin’s dark and rustic interior presented some challenges, but that’s where creative problem-solving in photography comes into play. I immediately adjusted my camera settings to work with the available natural light. With an ISO of 400 and a shutter speed of 1/30 second, I was able to achieve a great balance between exposure and a sharp depth of field at an f-stop of 7.1.
For this fashion photoshoot, lighting was key to creating the right mood. I set up a hair light flash with a 5” reflector and grid, aiming for an f-stop of f/8 to highlight the models’ features with a soft glow. The main light was a 28” beauty dish, strategically placed to the side of the models and raised to create flattering shadows. This combination of lighting techniques helped bring out the best in the models while keeping the industrial backdrop in focus.
As a photographer, behind-the-scenes moments can often make or break a shoot. One of the fun surprises of the day was when the photographer next to me used a fog machine. As the mist slowly spread across the scene, it created an unexpected yet cinematic look, turning the images into something out of a movie. The fog added a soft, ethereal quality to the group photoshoot, giving it a subtle, moody atmosphere.
By the end of the day, I had an abundance of stunning shots from this industrial photoshoot that I couldn’t wait to edit. After some careful post-production work, I’m excited to share these images with you. Below are some of my favorite finished pieces from the session.
Model Jennifer Jonez
Model Kaden Richardson
Model Caylie Sebesta
Model Braileyskye Covington
Model Maranda Kutach
Leave a Reply