Oh—the night shoot! Again, like the greenhouse photoshoot I mentioned in a previous post, it’s something that we’ve always wanted to try. Especially since we heart our off camera lighting and really wanted to show what we can do. So in true J&A Photo fashion, we decided to go for it, and boy, are we more than thrilled with the outcome! 🙂
Since we were already in the process of planning our senior stylized photoshoots for the season, we thought it would be the perfect time to attempt this photographic feat. But this style and scene doesn’t work for just any person or wardrobe. You gotta have that bold, confident personality to be able to walk around a college town at night and pose for photos. That’s why our model Madi was the perfect choice. Already a fun, gregarious girl like herself, she was the perfect fit for our downtown dusk and night photoshoot! Plus, she LOVES fashion and is not afraid to express herself through it.
So before you move on to see the photos, I must discuss the pros and cons that accompany photographing at night. For the pros, there’s not an urgency to get your shots in before sundown because you have PLENTY of night. In fact, starting at dusk was truly a magically time to capture those first photos of the evening. You really can’t go wrong with that amazing light. Also, because we work with a lot of flashes, we can basically create any light that we want anywhere. It’s so freeing! A chainlink fence in an empty parking lot with a dumpster, I admit, wouldn’t be any photographer’s first choice for a location. But slap on those lights and play up those flares, shadows, and highlights—boom! That fence and dumpster just turned into my new favorite place to shoot!
Speaking to the cons, not every spot will be magical if it doesn’t already have some interest in the lighting. So stick to the areas where there are already traffic lights, street lights, or lighting from store windows to blur in the background and play with. That way there’s more to the area than just darkness. In addition to this, I must tell you that there is the potential to cross paths with the night crowd when you strolling around town at 9 or 10 pm. So be prepared for the random comments, cat-calls, and public drunkenness—sorry to say. Unfortunately, when you live in a college town, you see lots of that, especially when school is in session.
But despite the alcoholic socialites and dark alleys, we absolutely LOVE our first night shoot and would do it again in a heartbeat! Check out the photos below and see for yourself. Does a night shoot speak to you, or are you more of a daytime dweller?
But before you scroll, a very special thanks goes to…
Model: Madi Meeker
Makeup & Hair: Codi from Beauty and the Blush, Instagram – @beautyand_theblush website – www.beautyandtheblushllc.com
Wardrobe: With the exception of the accessories, the whole outfit was completely from Madi’s closet!
Location: Downtown State College, PA
Photographer: Andrea Knepper
Lighting & Post Production: Joel Knepper
