Behind the Scenes at an EPIC Aztec Photoshoot!

Behind the Scenes Epic Photoshoot

The Behind the Scenes EPIC Photoshoot video was filmed with two Mexica dancers that I work with on my workshops. We decided to create a short behind the scene (BTS) film where I explain each step in the process – from planning to location scouting – so you could see what goes into a photoshoot like this.

Plus you get some pretty awesome footage from the Aztec dancers as they got ready for the action sequences! Enjoy!

Highlights

– Planning
– Concept
– Sketching ideas
– Shot lists
– Color theory
– Location scouting
– Test shoots
– Indoor and outdoor light setups

Check out Instagram for more awesome Behind the Scenes videos from my workshops.

Like what you see? Register for one of my upcoming Cultural Photography workshops! You could be taking photos like this!

Behind the Scenes Photoshoot Video Transcript

Missed something from this Behind the Scenes EPIC Photoshoot video? It’s all in the transcript!

Introduction

I’ve wanted to shoot a fight scene since, well, since the first time I photographed a Mexica warrior. But the idea got shelved because of other projects we had on the go. But we were killing time one day and saw the trailer for the recent adaptation of MacBeth – and OMG – the visuals in that film just blew me away. I fell I love the with the monochromatic color grade and I just had to try something similar.

Moodboards

When I’m planning a complex shoot like this, Iq normally start with a mood board. It gives me the chance to cast a really wide net in terms of inspiration and then slowly hone in on something that feels unique.

For this shoot, I settled on a style that I hoped would look like – something between – a superhero film, a comic strip and that MacBeth film. A weird mashup.

Shots Lists & Sketching

Next came the shot list. This is a technique used in cinematography to plan out scenes. Basically, you sketch each scene you want to shoot. I don’t always work this way, but as I wanted a narrative arc to this photo series, it made sense here.”

The plan was to start with character portraits for each warrior, then a photo of them meeting, followed by a mix of wide and tight shots of the battle itself.

Location Scouting

Once we had our sketches done, we set out to find the perfect location. Which we had decided should be a flat area with short grass (for foreground interest) and wide expansive views of cloudy skies we get this time of year.

Test Photoshoot

The testing phase was particularly crucial for this shoot for a few reasons. For one, I’d never shot a fight scene, so we had to really think through the choreography to make it look natural.

I also wanted to capture the entire fight scene in camera – so without adding FX later in post. That meant we had to figure out how much haze would be needed to make two people fighting look like they were in the midst of a bigger battle.

Next up in the testing phase was lighting. Now I wanted really dramatic lighting on the models, but I also wanted smoke everywhere. And smoke acts like a light diffuser.

So there was a lot of trial and error as we moved our lights around trying to get the balance between hard light and atmospheric smoke just right.

What that really meant was two grown men and a dog got to playfight with sticks for a few hours.

So there are definitely worse jobs!

Studio Photoshoot

We decided to split the shoot between my studio and our outdoor location. I decided to do the character portraits in the studio because I’d have more control over the lights and smoke. I also like starting a shoot with the easy shots as it gets everyone excited that things are going well.

Once we were happy with the portraits, we packed all our gear and headed out to the outdoor location. Now the spot we chose was visually perfect for our concept – the only issue was it was 30 minute hike through the jungle. Which is not much fun in the summer heat, especially with all our gear. But what can I say, location matters.

We only had a short window of time to shoot the fight scenes. Basically golden hour and a bit into twilight. So the plan was to jump straight into our shot list. But then Dan noticed our Mexica models doing this Matrix style move and we were both like – wow, we need to shoot that!

And I’m so glad we did because that shot ended up being one of my favorites! If there is a takeaway here is that having a plan is essential – and boy to i like plan! But when you’re working with other creative people, sometimes you need to go with the flow.

Outro to Behind the Scenes EPIC Photoshoot Video

I hope this BTS video was useful – or at least entertaining! If you want to join us for our next Aztec workshop you can DM me or just visit jpstones.com