Creating a Marilyn Monroe Inspired Fine Art Nude Photo - Video

Fine Art Nudes is one of the things I love most to photograph because there are no limits on your creativity. I can collaborate with my model to create something truly artistic and beautiful.

The image shown here was taken during my in person Fine Art Nude workshop (???? https://lindsayadler.photo/fan-workshop) and was inspired by Marilyn Monroe.

While my lovely and talented Burlesque model Bryona isn’t blonde like Marilyn, we’re still channeling that vintage pin-up look, just brunette style!

????Lighting

The main light is here I one of my favorite modifiers (and not just because I co-designed it with Westcott lol) because of how it can create really hard crisp light.

If you look at vintage photographs many times you’ll notice they are using a hard light source. This is because they were using hot lights, specifically Fresnels which created very poppy, high contrast lighting.

Since this is a rather concentrated light there were areas that were darker than I liked so I introduced a medium umbrella with diffusion as my fill.

Lastly, I added a third light for the background that had a 20 degree grid just to create a little separation between the model and the background.

Of course the set played a big role in the execution of this image. I purchased some red velvet curtains and used them as the backdrop as well as draping them over the couch for the model to sit on.

I loved the result and the lighting straight out of camera, even with zero adjustments: 5:23

???? Post Processing

For post processing I darkened down the curtains a bit so that the model would pop a bit more and desaturated the image overall.

For retouching, you can see that the biggest changes were to the background. What I wound up doing was grabbing a plate from another shot where I didn’t have those shadows hitting the background and added that in. We could have left the shot as is, but this extra step made the image look a lot more polished.

Here’s the final: 8:12

???? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the final outcome. Drop a comment below!

???? Next Fine Art Nude Workshop: https://lindsayadler.photo/fan-workshop
???? All upcoming workshops: https://lindsayadler.photo/workshops


???? Camera Settings:

✅ 1/200th
✅ F/5.6
✅ ISO 400

???? Gear Used:

✅ Canon EOS R5: https://adorama.rfvk.net/JxzdE
✅ Canon 24-70mm: https://adorama.rfvk.net/z9JXm
✅ Profoto D2: https://adorama.rfvk.net/qvB7y
✅ Westcott Optical Spot: https://adorama.rfvk.net/P0r7rY
✅ Profoto Medium Umbrella: https://adorama.rfvk.net/aQEYj
✅ Profoto Medium Umbrella Diffuser: https://adorama.rfvk.net/xAmXd
✅ 20 Degree Grid: https://adorama.rfvk.net/nvn0A
✅ Profoto Air Remote: https://adorama.rfvk.net/W3o5G
✅ Avenger D600 boom arm: https://adorama.rfvk.net/XRdAG
✅ Savage C-Stand: https://adorama.rfvk.net/J1ZW2
✅ Tethertools Tether Cable: https://adorama.rfvk.net/avr5q
✅ Savage Seamless Coral Background: https://adorama.rfvk.net/oeo6be

???? For more Fine Art Nude techniques check out my class The Intro to Fine Art Nude Photography: https://lindsayadler.photo/fan

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