Body paint photography / 21 photos

Amelia in body paint in Minneapolis, lit with three LED panels

Hours of body paint on Amelia, a small backdrop in a Minneapolis apartment and three LED panel lights.

Model: Amelia / Body paint: name lost, is this your work? / Lit with 3 LED panel lights / Shot on Fujifilm X-T4

Minneapolis, MN

Show up after the hard part

By the time I got to the apartment in Minneapolis, Amelia had already been getting painted for hours. There was a small backdrop, I brought 3 LED panel lights, and my job was the easy one: photograph what Amelia and the body painter had spent all that time making.

I lost the body painter's name when I got rid of my Instagram, but they were very talented, and these photos wouldn't exist without them. If this is your work, or you know whose it is, please get in touch so I can credit you properly.

Amelia in purple, pink and gold body paint, fingers resting at her cheek, against a black backdrop — Painted HoursFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.2 / 1/500 s / ISO 800

Amelia seen from behind in swirling purple, pink and gold body paint, looking back over one shoulder — Over the ShoulderFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/2.8 / 1/50 s / ISO 800

Amelia looking back at the camera with a painted hand at her shoulder, with black space filling the rest of the frame — First LookFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.8 / 1/125 s / ISO 800

Close view of the brushwork in purple, teal and pink body paint across Amelia's torso, gold paint on her hand — BrushworkFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 75/1.2 XF / 75mm / f/1.2 / 1/1250 s / ISO 1600

Amelia looking down with one painted hand on her hip, showing teal, purple and pink body paint with gold on the hand — Hand on HipFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 75/1.2 XF / 75mm / f/1.2 / 1/1100 s / ISO 1600

Amelia wearing a jeweled crown with one painted arm raised to her head, looking at the camera — CrownedFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.6 / 1/170 s / ISO 500

Full-length view of Amelia in a crown, seated on a draped block in full purple and gold body paint — ThroneFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 13/1.4 XF / 13mm / f/1.4 / 1/240 s / ISO 500

Three panels, one small backdrop

All of the light came from 3 LED panel lights. You can see one of them blowing out the left side of this next frame. I kept most of the shoot on a Viltrox 27mm, wide open or close to it, with a 75mm for details and a 13mm for one full-length frame.

Amelia in a crown beside a blown-out LED panel light glowing at the left edge of the frame — Into the PanelFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.2 / 1/680 s / ISO 500

Amelia in a crown with one foot up on a draped block, a painted arm stretched out and pointing — PointingFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.2 / 1/300 s / ISO 500

Close portrait of Amelia looking at the camera, with a gold crown blurred in the foreground — Crown in FocusFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.2 / 1/250 s / ISO 400

Amelia holding a gold crown up in painted hands and gazing off to one side — Holding the CrownFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.2 / 1/250 s / ISO 400

Amelia seen from behind with one knee up on a block, hair in a bun, a painted arm reaching over her shoulder — Painted BackFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.2 / 1/250 s / ISO 400

View from behind of Amelia's painted hands crossed over her shoulders, gold on the fingertips — Hands on ShouldersFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.2 / 1/250 s / ISO 400

Amelia kneeling in a crown on reflective plastic sheeting, one hand on her hip and the other at her chest — Kneeling QueenFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.2 / 1/250 s / ISO 400

Close view of Amelia in a jeweled crown, looking back over a shoulder painted purple, pink and blue — Crown and ShoulderFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.2 / 1/250 s / ISO 400

Stay out of the way

When someone has sat through hours of paint, the photographer's job gets simple: light it well and stay out of the way.

Got an idea that takes this kind of commitment? Read the model call or get in touch.

Amelia in a crown sitting on reflective plastic with knees drawn up, arm resting across them — Seated on PlasticFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.6 / 1/125 s / ISO 400

Amelia in a crown reclining on one elbow on reflective plastic, the other hand raised to her head — ReclinedFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.6 / 1/125 s / ISO 400

Wide view of Amelia in a crown lying on her side across reflective plastic against a black backdrop — At RestFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.6 / 1/125 s / ISO 400

Abstract close-up of curves of purple body paint with streaks of gold and pink against black — Purple AbstractFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.8 / 1/125 s / ISO 640

Amelia on hands and knees on reflective plastic, leaning toward the camera in full body paint — ForwardFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.4 / 1/125 s / ISO 640

Amelia leaning toward the camera on reflective plastic, her gaze steady and hair falling loose — Holding StillFujifilm X-T4 / Viltrox AF 27/1.2 XF / 27mm / f/1.4 / 1/125 s / ISO 640

Palette

Five colors pulled from these photos. Click one to copy it, then go make something.

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