Swim + Skin
Swim + Skin
in Studio
in Studio
Team
Part One taking place in Seattle, WA
Seattle
Photographer
Seattle / LA
Torrey Merritt
Agency: SMG
Seattle
5'9"
Rhea Rea
Producer / CD
Seattle
Sophie Griot
Hair & Makeup
Seattle
Jordan Hafford
Photo Assist
Seattle
Jeeny Chung
Los Angeles
Photographer
Seattle + LA
Film + Digital
Torrey Merritt
Agency: LA MODELS
Los Angeles
5'8"
Elissa Burns
Agency: NEXT LA
Los Angeles
5'10"
Viktoria Pomoranev
Hair & Makeup
Los Angeles
Mariana Flores
Photo Assist
Los Angeles
Riwone Choi
Product + Silhouette
Silhouette
High Key BG - Silhouette foreground
Silhouette
Product Glow
Graphical
Portra 800
RZ67 ii
90mm
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Gradient/Glow/Silhouette
Still
Still - Gradient/Glow/Silhouette
16mm
16mm - Motion Ref
16mm
16mm - Motion Ref
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Product + Body
key
Backlight or rim only on body — creates pure silhouette edge. Separate small source illuminates product.
Backlit
Fill
None on body — any fill destroys the silhouette read. Let the form be absolute.
None
BG
Small focused source — snoot or grid — aimed only at product. Creates glow against the dark body shape.
Focused
Note
800 half to one stop under — halation on product highlight will be beautiful. Let it happen.
P800 / -1.0 EV
key
Backlight or rim only on body — creates pure silhouette edge. Separate small source illuminates product.
Backlit
Fill
None on body — any fill destroys the silhouette read. Let the form be absolute.
None
BG
Small focused source — snoot or grid — aimed only at product. Creates glow against the dark body shape.
Focused
Note
800 half to one stop under — halation on product highlight will be beautiful. Let it happen.
P800 / -1.0 EV
Product + Skin
High Key BG - Sculpted Foreground
High Key
Product Active
Hands in Frame
Portra 800
RZ67 ii
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Gradient/Glow/Silhouette
Still
Still - Gradient/Glow/Silhouette
16mm
16mm - Motion Ref
16mm
16mm - Motion Ref
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Product + Body
key
Large soft source, high and slightly to camera left — wraps product and skin without flattening.
High Key
Fill
Bounce card or very low power fill — preserve shadow depth on skin, keep product reading clean.
Subtle
BG
High key white or near-white seamless — let the skin and amber product be the warmth in frame.
Clean
Note
Portra 800 at -2/3 stop — shadow density will add weight without losing highlight detail in the liquid.
P800 / -2/3
key
Large soft source, high and slightly to camera left — wraps product and skin without flattening.
High Key
Fill
Bounce card or very low power fill — preserve shadow depth on skin, keep product reading clean.
Subtle
BG
High key white or near-white seamless — let the skin and amber product be the warmth in frame.
Clean
Note
Portra 800 at -2/3 stop — shadow density will add weight without losing highlight detail in the liquid.
P800 / -2/3
Warm Editorial
Straps / Fabric / Summer / Fashion Layer
Fabric Texture
Golden Skin
Wet Hair
Negative Space
Portra 800
Macro
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Gradient/Glow/Silhouette
Still
Still - Gradient/Glow/Silhouette
Still
Still - Gradient/Glow/Silhouette
Still
Still - Gradient/Glow/Silhouette
16mm
16mm - Motion Ref
16mm
16mm - Motion Ref
key
Mix of hard light and soft overhead. Raking or side light — brings out fabric texture and dimensionality of hardware against skin.
Top Down
Fill
Clean soft source — body reads clearly. Color of swimwear pops against neutral BG.
Sculpted
BG
Can go off-white and slightly dimmer. Should feel grraphical. Many frames will have full skin tones.
Graphical
Note
Verita 250D candidate for the full figure frames — test against 800 to see which gives cleaner fabric color read.
P800 / -0.3 EV
key
Mix of hard light and soft overhead. Raking or side light — brings out fabric texture and dimensionality of hardware against skin.
Top Down
Fill
Clean soft source — body reads clearly. Color of swimwear pops against neutral BG.
Sculpted
BG
Can go off-white and slightly dimmer. Should feel grraphical. Many frames will have full skin tones.
Graphical
Note
Verita 250D candidate for the full figure frames — test against 800 to see which gives cleaner fabric color read.
P800 / -0.3 EV
Product + Face
High Key BG - Silhouette foreground
Close
Cream Swatch
Contour
Eye Contact
Portra 800
EOS 1V
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Gradient/Glow/Silhouette
Still
Still - Gradient/Glow/Silhouette
16mm
16mm - Motion Ref
16mm
16mm - Motion Ref
16mm
16mm - Motion Ref
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Product + Body
key
Beauty dish or large soft box — clean but directional. Slightly above eye level, central to slightly off-axis.
High Key
Fill
White V-flat close in — enough to open shadows without killing the dimensionality of the face.
Subtle
BG
Beauty-adjacent stylistically with crisp white. Warm gradient/off white as secondary.
Clean
Note
Mix of high key with tonal mid point right in the skin tone range plus box speed and under.
Box / -0.3 EV
key
Beauty dish or large soft box — clean but directional. Slightly above eye level, central to slightly off-axis.
High Key
Fill
White V-flat close in — enough to open shadows without killing the dimensionality of the face.
Subtle
BG
Beauty-adjacent stylistically with crisp white. Warm gradient/off white as secondary.
Clean
Note
Mix of high key with tonal mid point right in the skin tone range plus box speed and under.
Box / -0.3 EV
Product Still Life
Product Only / Quiet / Considered / Cinematic
Fabric Texture
Golden Skin
Wet Hair
Negative Space
Portra 800
Macro
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Gradient/Glow/Silhouette
16mm
16mm - Motion Ref
Still
Still - Product + Body
Still
Still - Product + Body
key
High key, diffused — product reads clean, label legible. Shoot into white seamless. Simple and brand-usable.
Assorted
Fill
Backlit — bottle becomes luminous, liquid glows. More editorial than commercial but the shots that get talked about.
Intentional
BG
Bright off-white tones, soft gradients, warm + cool grey tones.
Gradient
Note
160 on 6x7 for clean product work. Test 800 for the backlit option — halation on the liquid will be the moment.
Mixed
key
High key, diffused — product reads clean, label legible. Shoot into white seamless. Simple and brand-usable.
Assorted
Fill
Backlit — bottle becomes luminous, liquid glows. More editorial than commercial but the shots that get talked about.
Intentional
BG
Bright off-white tones, soft gradients, warm + cool grey tones.
Gradient
Note
160 on 6x7 for clean product work. Test 800 for the backlit option — halation on the liquid will be the moment.
Mixed
Let’s create Something Together
Let’s create Something Together
Let’s create Something Together