Models and Blacklight Photography, Oh My!

The photographer community in Utah is pretty cool. Yes, there is competition between photographers for clients. However, many photographers put that aside and help each other out and give advise and some have organized meetups where photographers will teach a skill or something related to photography. And occasionally that means there is a group photo shoot.

The Utah County Co-op is based in Lindon and they meet once a month. This month there were models, blacklights, blacklight paint, and makeup artists. They did a stellar job organizing this. I’m sure you may have seen people sharing photos like this; there were a ton of photographers and models at the event.

Model in smoke from a vape

I had photographed a blacklight party a few years ago and it was a lot of fun. You can find blacklight paint online or locally and with blacklights that are powerful enough help set the stage. And it really helps to have a makeup artist. There were some who painted the models in the style of Avatar actors, felines, Dia de Los Muertos, and more.

Avatar themed paint and model under blacklight

If you were one of the models at the event and you want a copy of one of the photos… let me know.

Avatar inspired blacklight model

I think it would be fun to do these shoots again. I’ll have to go shopping for supplies and blacklights.

Colorful creations with blacklight paint

We did learn a few things. Using gelled lighting helped add some drama. We used a low powered LED panel with a red gel. We also found that dry ice can be cool but a vape pen works so much better! I don’t want to encourage smoking and vaping but this was a great way to create special effects for the photography.

Amazing blacklight paint artistry by makeup artists from Utah County

And it is a reminder that great makeup artists and great models can really make a successful photo shoot.

Romantic Avatar themed models

Models surrounded by smoke

Models under blacklight

Model painted in blacklight that looks like a stellar nebula

A model painted with blacklight paint and lit by blacklight

Dia de los Muertos themed blacklight paint

Feline inspired blacklight paint

Blacklight and a model

Asian themed blacklight paint

Avatar inspired blacklight model

This model had his eyelids painted to look like eyeballs