Halloween is always one of my favorite times of year to get creative, and this month I had a blast collaborating with makeup artist Diana for two themed shoots. One day she transformed into a stunning Sugar Skull, and another she became a fierce female version of Chucky.


Diana first sent me photos of the Sugar Skull outfit she planned to wear, along with her makeup reference. From there, I spent some time gathering inspiration to plan my lighting setups and overall mood for the shoot. I wanted each look to feel unique while staying true to its character.


I chose my Savage Universal fashion grey background for its versatility… I could keep it dark for contrast (as in the left photo below) or use color gels on my lights to add vibrant pops of color (as in the right photo). After a few small adjustments to my lighting placement, camera angles, and posing, we captured the final shots!

sed one Profoto B10 strobe on camera right with a bare bulb and a zoom reflector to light my subjects and limit the spill of light on the background. RIGHT PHOTO: A Profoto B2 with an optical spot was placed on camera right to light the face, two Profoto B10’s with strip softboxes and pink gels on either side behind the subject to light the background and act as rim lights, and behind camera right was a Profoto B1X with a large double diffused umbrella and a blue gel to lift the shadows.

For the third Sugar Skull look, I wanted to create a cinematic scene without relying heavily on props or digital backdrops in post. I found the perfect solution in a Halloween Forest Graveyard background from Amazon… it was the ideal element to complete the scene.


Diana and I are obsessed with the turnout and we hope you enjoy it just as much!

A few days later, it was Chucky’s turn in the spotlight and choosing my Savage Universal primary red backdrop was an easy decision. I’m naturally drawn to a monochromatic color palette; it’s visually soothing and helps create a clean, cohesive aesthetic.


I must add, Diana always puts incredible thought into her Halloween looks. She’s meticulous about every detail, from doing her own makeup to styling each outfit, selecting the perfect wigs, and choosing just the right accessories to bring each character to life. Her attention to detail truly allowed these photos to shine.