Monochromatic: More Than Just Matching Outfits

This year’s Monochromatic theme in my Student Model Program was all about exploring the power of color in a new way. It wasn’t just about matching outfits to locations; it was about creating an editorial, fashion-forward aesthetic. My goal was to move beyond traditional portraiture and create images that were both striking and artistic.

Finding the Perfect Palette: Inspiration and Preparation

My primary inspiration for this theme came from an Instagram photographer whose work I admire. Her monochromatic shoot sparked the idea, and Pinterest became an invaluable tool for both myself and the student models. The visual examples on Pinterest helped them understand the concept and choose their outfits, while also fueling my own creative vision. I provided style guides and mood boards to help them prepare.

Three Unique Monochromatic Shoots

Three talented student models participated, each choosing a different color to explore. This required extensive location scouting to find places that perfectly complemented their chosen hues.

Makayla’s Blue Dream: Makayla chose blue, and we found the perfect backdrop at the Ionia fairgrounds. The blue metal barns were ideal. While the blue was darker in person, exposing for Makayla and some subtle adjustments in Lightroom brought out the vibrant blue in the photos. The open shade on a bright sunny day helped avoid harsh shadows. The biggest challenge was the size of the barn and the condition of the grass in front of it.

Meghan’s Earthy Tones: Meghan opted for brown, and we revisited a location I’d used two years prior. I love challenging myself to create fresh perspectives even in familiar places. By changing angles and poses, I achieved a completely different look. Meghan naturally gravitates toward smiling, laughing photos, so I incorporated that into her editorial poses.

Neveah’s Dramatic Black: Black proved to be the most challenging color. I finally found the ideal backdrop – dark windows with black frames on Main Street in downtown Ionia. The biggest hurdle was the reflections in the glass. In post-processing, I desaturated the colors in Photoshop to minimize these distractions.

The Creative Process

I provided guidance on posing and expressions, aiming for an editorial feel. I find that combining verbal explanations with visual demonstrations is the most effective way to communicate my vision. While I encouraged a more serious, editorial look, I also allowed for natural smiles and laughter to shine through. I used prompts for movement to create dynamic shots.

For lighting, I used natural light as my main light source, maintaining my signature clean, bright, and true-to-color style. I use Lightroom for basic editing and color correction, and Photoshop for more detailed work like removing distractions. A final action in Photoshop ensures consistency across all my images.

My favorite part of the Monochromatic theme is the location-scouting process. It pushes me to see familiar places in a new light and often leads me to discover hidden gems. Seeing the models’ reactions to their final images is always rewarding.

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The Student Model Program

The program is designed for middle & high school students (6th-12th grades) as a fun way to get their portraits taken by a professional photographer, feel like a model, and have a unique experience.

Students who apply are active on social media and are involved in school activities and their community. They have reliable transportation and have good time management skills to participate in 3 photo shoots a year.

Student Models have special Senior Portrait Pricing, receive cash referrals, exclusive themes, discounts on prints, digital images, products, and mini sessions. They have opportunities to earn Model Points, which can be applied to images or sessions.

The Student Model Program offers a variety of locations, poses, and a mix of individual and group photos with the other models. Student Models also gain confidence and learn time management and communication skills by working with a professional.

Ariel Lynn Photography | Senior Portrait Photographer | Ionia, MI