In the heart of Los Angeles, what began as a creative seed planted a year ago blossomed into one of my most meaningful fashion editorials to date. As a fashion and portrait photographer, I've always believed in the power of visual storytelling to reflect our times. This Halloween, alongside my creative partner Kat, we brought to life a vampire editorial that speaks to female empowerment and unwavering strength.

The concept first sparked during a creative session with Kat last year, but timing wasn't on our side. When September rolled around, we revisited the idea with renewed energy and purpose. This wasn't just another shoot – it was a statement about feminine power in an increasingly challenging political landscape.

Whether it's a personal project or client work, our approach remains unwavering: professional, prepared, and as we like to say, 'ready as fuck.' This mindset drove us to develop a comprehensive deck, complete with story elements and character motivation that went beyond mere aesthetics. (Check out shots from our creative deck below!)

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Our protagonist isn't your typical vampire. She's an ancient being who embodies absolute freedom – wearing what she wants, living as she pleases, and fearing nothing, especially not men. In crafting her character, we drew parallels to the current climate in the United States, where women's rights face unprecedented challenges. Our vampire represents the strength we all possess – the power to resist, to thrive, and to claim our space in the world.

The magic of this shoot lay in the collaborative energy. Pre-production involved inspiring conversations with team members, each bringing their unique perspective to our vision. These discussions enriched our concept and reinforced our commitment to creating something meaningful.

Every color in this editorial tells a story of our vampiress's power: green to lure her victims, red for the feast, and blue for the aftermath when she's ready to take on the world. We secured an incredible studio through Peerspace, with five Aputure Nova 300c RGB lights and a spacious 20'W x 20'L x 14'H cyclorama wall to achieve these bold chromatic statements. Despite our intimate team of six, the generous space allowed the freedom to create without constraints.

The lighting setup became our playground of possibility. Armed with an iPad, we could precisely control the Aputure Nova lights' saturation and color. My rental package included an Aputure LS 300x Bi-Color, two sizes of Lantern softboxes (3' and 2.2'), a Light Dome Mini II, and my favorite tool - the Spotlight Mount Set with 26° Lens. The Lanterns delivered that ethereal, soft glow you'll spot in the behind-the-scenes shots above. I have been wanting to use one of these lanterns for am minute now and it did not disappoint!

I love a good spotlight mount and this one helped create the mood! The red sequence benefited from a red gel and was aimed at the subject. The blue series came alive with a blue-gelled spotlight positioned off to the side. In retrospect, a second light for some highlights in the eyes would have been ideal, but I found myself reaching for my Iphone's flashlight during the green series to add some light in her eyes - sometimes the best solutions come from thinking on your feet.

Bringing creative visions to life demands significant investment - both in time and resources. But nothing compares to that electric mix of nerves and excitement on shoot day when months of planning finally transform into reality. That moment when what lived in your imagination begins to materialize through the lens is pure magic.

I want to give a special shout-out to makeup artist Ruth Torres and creative director Kat Delgado. Their inspiration, push for excellence, and countless hours of collaboration elevated this project beyond my initial vision. As the African proverb reminds us, 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.'