The Monarch

This portrait was made in a controlled studio environment, with the goal of documenting an exceptional full-body tattoo work while keeping the subject's personality at the center of the image.
The lighting setup is straightforward but deliberate: a single Godox AD600 with a 90cm deep parabolic softbox, positioned overhead in a feathered shower position to wrap the light across the body and follow the curves of the tattoo patterns. A silver reflector on the floor fills the shadows underneath, preventing the lower abdomen and arm from going too dark — critical here given the density of the ink.
The conversion to black and white was the main post-processing challenge: finding the right luminosity balance so the tattoo remains fully readable against the skin without blowing out the highlights. The mandala and ornamental patterns — including the large monarch butterfly centered on the chest — required a careful tone curve to preserve the fine linework.
Model: @l_papillondejour_ on Instagram.
Shot on Sony A7 IV — 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 60mm — f/8 — 1/125s — ISO 100