This shoot came together last-minute. The model texted saying she had a strong look ready, and once I saw the floral afro and vibrant styling, I knew it was worth dropping everything. We found the backdrop—a bold, textured painting—in the hotel lobby, and the colors matched her look so we used it.

I used one Godox AD400Pro with a softbox to the right of the model. The goal was clean, directional light that highlighted her cheekbones and the texture in the hair and flowers without flattening anything. All lighting is artificial—no natural light influenced the shot.

Gear Used
• Sony A7R V
• Sony 50–150mm f/2.0 GM (shot at 50mm)
• f/6.3, 1/250 sec, ISO 100
• Godox AD400Pro + softbox

The challenge was controlling saturation. With intense colors in the wardrobe, makeup, and background, I had to balance everything so her skin tone stayed natural and nothing overpowered the frame.

Color & Post-Processing
I focused on selective HSL adjustments to deepen the blues and yellows while preserving skin tone. A light contrast curve added shape, and I reduced clarity in the background to keep the focus on her face. Subtle dodge work around the eyes finished the look.