LED100D Daylights -by Ewan Mathers

"Pixapro LED100D Daylight lights in use

Some time ago I decided to change from using traditional studio flash units and move over to LED continuous lights.  I wanted to get LED’s that were an equivalent to my old system so that I could carry on using my collection of soft boxes, beauty dishes and shoots.  After doing some research and a visit to The Photography Show at the NEC I discovered Pixapro LED100D daylight heads and these came with the standard ‘S’ type fitting – perfect!

I have been using this for over a year now and found them to be excellent for the work I do in the studio and on location.  From time to time I arrange a shoot that is just for the fun of it so when I was asked by a model friend of mine for some pregnancy ‘bump’ shots I arranged a little something special.  I contacted Charlotte Madhoodi, a make-up artist and body painter, and gathered some props to create a kind of woodland bower in the studio in which to sit the ‘Earth Godess’ Oona.

Holly Booth, a photographer friend of mine, assisted in setting up the shot and props while Oona was painted with the world on her tummy. The painting took quite a long time and I was aware that Oona would not be able to model for too long as she was quite close to giving birth.  All in all the actual shooting time was about 20 minutes but in the end we got the shot!

All of this was lit by the Pixapro LED 100D’s.  I had one in a large soft box, with the front grid removed, to the front right and turned up full.  Above Oona, on a boom arm, was another light in a snoot to focus the light down onto her hair through the wood.  Quite a simple set up against the black backdrop and one that I have used often.

Here is the final image – and the best news is that this has been selected to feature in the next edition of the Pixapro catalogue!"

Credit: Ewan Mathers - Website: https://ewanmathers-photography.com/