The Concept: Female Boxer Shows Her Bruised face
A portrait of a female boxer showing her bruised face. I created this portrait in collaboration with make-up artist Lidia de Tena. For a while I had the idea of photographing a model interpreting a female boxer. My goal was to create a series of conceptual portraits using realistic makeup to create bruises and blood. However, I didn’t just want the boxing gear (gloves, clothes, bandages, etc.), I wanted to create a more realistic illusion.
For the makeup work I contacted Lidia, an Amsterdam-based make-up artist. I had seen her work before and I thought she would be perfect for the project. I told her about the idea, we discussed the details and developed a plan for it. The model for this project was my friend Myriam.
Setting Up the Scene
For this dramatic portrait of a female boxer my intention was to keep things as simple as possible. I wanted to focus the viewer’s attention on the character itself. To achieve this I photographed the model in the studio using a dark, plain background. I wanted to remove any unnecessary distraction from the scene. The lighting setup consisted of a relatively large softbox mounted on a strobe. I used a paramount lighting approach to position the key light. Using this approach I placed the main light in front of the model and slightly above the eye level. I used a second light source to light the background. This was positioned on the camera’s right hand side.
The mood of the scene was enhanced by Lidia’s outstanding, simplistic yet powerful makeup work. Her realistic bruises and blood on the face of the model created an excellent illusion. As for the pose I wanted the model to stand with her back to the camera, as if she were walking away.
Model: Myriam
Browse other photos in this series: Female Boxer in Boxing Stance, Bruised Female Boxer Clenches Her Fists and, Strong Woman Keeps On Fighting