A few weeks ago, I posted on Threads asking people to tell me about their dream or fantasy photoshoot, and I said I’d choose someone and actually bring their idea to life.
This was the one I chose.
Precious wanted something inspired by one of Nadine Lustre’s photoshoots, and the moment I saw her and the peg, I just felt like it was such a perfect match. The earthy mood, the bare skin, the wildness of it. I could already imagine how I wanted to photograph her.
So we made our own version of that world.
And nope, we did not magically find a tiny forest inside my studio in Cainta. 😂
The entire set was built using fake moss, flowers and greenery. We covered and layered everything until she started looking like she had been taken over by nature.
Then came my favorite part: playing with light.
Instead of lighting everything evenly, we experimented with warm directional light, deeper shadows, and smoke to create that hazy, almost late-afternoon glow. I wanted the photos to feel warm and earthy, but still a little surreal.
And Precious just fit into it so naturally.
Once she was in the set, it stopped feeling like a setup. The moss became her wardrobe, the flowers became part of her, and suddenly the little world we built actually felt believable.
That’s probably what I loved most about this shoot.
It started with someone replying to a random Threads post with a fantasy photoshoot idea.
A few weeks later, we made it real.
This is exactly why I love conceptual portraiture. Sometimes all you need is a peg, the right person, a lot of fake moss, some smoke, and the willingness to keep moving lights around until something magical happens. 😂
EARTHBOUND
Where the wild grows close to the skin.
Portraits by Elay
Conceptual & Fine Art Portraiture | Cainta, Rizal