Garden of Ink

Drew Baptiste. An extraordinary model, transforming the human body into a canvas and living masterpiece. His many tattoos sprawl across his skin like a garden in full bloom.

What an inspiring person to shoot with. As the photographer, I found myself continuously discovering new images and strokes of ink, inviting to decipher the hidden meanings and symbolism behind each design.

The light setup

As the primary light source for this shoot, I used a Profoto B10 plus with a small deep umbrella and diffuser, positioned slightly above eye level as the key light. To balance it out, I used the Profoto A2 as a fill light with a magnum reflector and grid on the opposite side. Additionally, another A2 points at the background to create a dynamic ambiance. By moving this background light around and even blocking half of the light source in some of the photos, I was able to create different light shapes behind the model, adding a touch of magic to the entire composition.