The concept for this image came from a fitness model who wanted to move away from the standard gym and fitness photographs and create something with a little more attitude and story. The result was an “Apocalyptic Fitness Model” concept built around a 1969 Camaro, an industrial location, and four carefully placed lights.

The image was created with a four light setup: a strobe illuminating the background, a blue gelled light positioned beneath and near the car to create the colored atmosphere, a softbox serving as the key light, and a secondary strobe at low power to gently open the shadows on the opposite side of the model.

There was considerably more planning behind this image than what may initially appear. I had a friend bring out his ’69 Camaro, coordinated the shoot at a busy train station in Connecticut, and had police on scene because of the location. Additional approvals were also required because the rifle being held by the model was a real firearm, although it was unloaded and contained no ammunition.

Beyond the cropping and basic exposure, brightness, and balance adjustments, very little was done to the final image. At the time, my editing skills were nowhere near where they are today, but discovering what tools like Dehaze and Clarity could do helped bring out the atmosphere, texture, and contrast that were already captured in camera.

That is ultimately why this image feels like such a fitting entry for a Minimally Edited contest. The drama, color, atmosphere, and overall look were created primarily through concept, location, lighting, and execution, rather than extensive post-production.

One of my favorite images—not simply because of the photograph itself, but because of everything that had to come together to make the photograph possible.