This shoot started with a simple idea: create something bold using colour and contrast alone.
I messaged my friend Kyle and asked if he fancied being a model for the day while I tested out a new lighting setup. I’d been wanting to experiment with RGB lighting for a while — not just as a background gimmick, but as a proper creative tool to shape tone, texture, and emotion in a portrait.
What followed was an afternoon of light play, camera adjustments, and some very moody, very cinematic results.
Instead of relying on natural light, I used two fixed RGB LED wands to control everything from colour temperature to atmosphere. I adjusted camera settings as I went — trying different white balances, exposures, and shadow depths — until the shots started to hit the kind of mood I had in mind.
These photos ended up darker than what I normally shoot, but that was completely intentional. I wanted to explore how light can transform the subject. The colour of Kyle’s skin and hair shifted dramatically depending on the lighting, and even details like his ear tunnels picked up unexpected glints and reflections, adding a sculptural element I hadn’t anticipated.
This shoot was a reminder that less is often more. No complex set-ups. No studio tricks. Just colour, shadow, and creative curiosity.
Here are five shots that capture the look I was going for.
With deep reds and shadows, this image feels like a pause in a music video — a mid-thought moment. I loved how the upward gaze and rich tones made the frame feel both sharp and soft at once.
This one leans into contrast and shape. I used green and purple light to exaggerate the shadows, which gave the image a sculptural, almost otherworldly feel. The tones clashed in a way that made the image pop.
Bathed in deep red and violet, this image feels like a still from a dream sequence — cinematic, stylised, and deliberately ambiguous. There’s something powerful in the way the shadows hold their shape while the colour steals the focus.
This shot feels like a digital ghost — caught somewhere between a sci-fi dream and a neon nightmare. The green dominates, while the faint touch of purple adds just enough unease to keep you staring. Minimal, surreal, and oddly hypnotic.
This one stood out for its warmth. The soft golden light meeting a cooler blue gave a richer, almost vintage tone. It added contrast to the colder palette of the other images — a final unexpected twist.
Final Thoughts
This RGB shoot was all about experimenting with mood through colour. No themes. No deep concepts. Just a chance to see how light alone can shape a portrait — how it can soften or sharpen, warm or chill, reveal or hide.
Working with fixed RGB lights and minimal kit helped me stay focused on what really mattered: shape, tone, and atmosphere. It was a back-to-basics approach that opened up new creative ideas I’m already excited to build on.
Shot on the Nikon Z6 II with RGB LED wands (stand-mounted).
No filters. No overlays. Just colour, captured in-camera.
Thanks to Kyle for stepping into the light (literally) and helping bring this concept to life.
— Dan (Studio DJC)
Studio DJC 