A single light from overhead, with barndoors to contain it, made exactly the kind of eerie shadows I wanted for this “bust” of a bald female. The heavy, directional shadows also allowed me to hide some details I didn’t want showing, while still allowing for full-frontal nudity.

Using a single overhead strobe at high power with barn doors, I was able to create very long, dramatic shadows and a great deal of light fall-off. The big features and deep creases in this particular mask play well with the dramatic light to create a particularly eerie effect, which is served by the anguish in the pose.

Here is an example of what I mean when I talk about symbolism and choice of subject. Rather than choosing some heavy-handed method of spelling things out, I opted for a subtle combination of details which can work together to create a general theme without forcing a specific message. With a little help from the title, this image should bring the same themes to mind regardless of who views it.

Fun things happen every time you get new gear. This weekend, I got a 6-foot diffusion panel — something I’ve wanted for a few months now — and yesterday I got a chance to break it in, though perhaps not in the way the manufacturer had intended.

I don’t know what it is, but there’s just something about naked women holding fruit that really tends to carry strong undertones and thought-provoking implications. I guess we have The Bible to thank for that.

No people or animals were harmed in any way during the creation of this photo.

Partly inspired by the Daft Bodies clip on YouTube, but mostly the twisted ends that my mind often leads to when faced with a drier vent, some aluminum foil, HVAC tape, and a couple fire hoods. Sooner or later is was going to come to this.