I was going to call this post something like “and ace up your sleeve” but yeah, it’s a shot involving cards that I thought would make a good behind the scenes post.

Lighting plays a key role in determining the mood of a photo such as this so that’s the first thing to sort out before the shoot begins.

To give a contrasty yet flattering look I decided to go for a strong directional yet soft light for the model. The background was hit with a spotlight on the curtain - to compliment the theatrical setting. Read the full post for more details setting up lighting in two planes:

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