Dreamy Angel Photoshoot
The idea, lighting plan, camera settings, and gear behind the viral lake shoot.
Let the location change the plan
Jackilyn and I are always dreaming up ideas. We wanted to create something angelic and surreal, but we didn't have access to a studio. Instead of forcing it, we leaned into the limitation and decided to shoot at a lake.
That decision made everything more ethereal. We shot in Arizona during winter, when there were fewer people around at night and everything was quieter. Our photographer friend Zack Placencia came to shoot, carry gear, and brave the cold water while setting up lights.
The setup
Dream FX for soft highlights and glow, plus a Starburst FX for radiant points of light.
Lightweight foam angel wings that absorbed and reflected light beautifully.
Blown-out angel
We started on the rocks. I used a Godox V1-C flash in manual mode at full power. That intense output created the blown-out glow, while the Dream FX filter softened highlights and made the light bloom.
Flash sync speed
I kept the shutter at or below 1/200s, then adjusted ISO and aperture to balance the exposure. That let the flash illuminate the full frame and kept the light clean and consistent.
1/1 — maximum output
1/200s on the Canon R6 Mark II
The lake scene
Zack brought a C-stand with boom arm into the lake. We mounted a Neewer MS60C behind the subject for the glowing outline, then added a second light at lower power to bring back detail.
Neewer MS60C at 80–100%, behind the subject on a C-stand in the lake.
Neewer MS60C at 50–60%, enough detail without losing the glow.
Fog from a portable machine pushed the atmosphere over the edge. Once it rolled in, the Starburst filter stayed on for every frame.