If you’re reading this, you’re likely a fan of shiny things or searching for fresh inspiration in boudoir, portraiture, or art nude photography.
One of my favorite materials to work with is gold leaf – though, until recently, I hadn’t used it as much as I’d liked. I had a small pot of broken gold leaf pieces sitting in my studio, only bringing it out once to add a bit of flair during a boudoir and art nude photoshoot. That shoot was a huge success – it perfectly captured the client’s personality and added a beautiful, unexpected element to the photos. Afterward, I couldn’t stop wondering: what more could we create by embracing gold leaf in a more extravagant way? This curiosity led to the collaboration that I’m sharing below.
Big credit to the team:
Hair & makeup: Gaetana Marjas
Lingerie: Dream and Drive Lingerie (Supplied the amazing gold zippered high waisted knickers!)
Model: Fluro Pixie
Step-by-Step Guide: Applying Gold Leaf in Your Photography
In the past, I’ve used water to apply gold leaf during boudoir and art nude photoshoots. It worked okay, but I always wondered how long it would last if we needed it to hold up for longer. This time, I had an expert by my side. My talented hair and makeup artist, Gaetana, not only had experience in applying gold leaf, but she also brought a stash of high-quality materials perfect for this purpose. Gaetana helped bring my vision of a gold chest piece with a high neck to life using quality gold leaf, Vaseline, tweezers, and a paintbrush. It’s not an exact science – and the gold leaf does crack – but I actually love the weathered look it creates. And if necessary, Photoshop comes to the rescue!
Check out Amazon if you are looking to buy some gold leaf.
Using a Gold Reflector for Interesting Compositions
I don’t often use the gold side of my circular reflectors, but when I do, it’s usually to create that sun-kissed, beachy look during outdoor boudoir or art nude shoots. I love how it looks, and I’ve often wondered how a circular gold reflector might work as a backdrop. Right now, I have two reflectors (I’ve had many more, but I’m prone to losing them!). They’ve often ended up doubling as seats for clients and get left behind in my rush across the countryside while chasing the perfect light. I imagine other photographers walking around with my deluge of forgotten reflectors and that actually makes me happy to think they are being used! There must be a place of sorts for reflectors, tripod mounts and lens caps forgotten by photographers in their endless pursuit for the perfect moment. In any case, I decided to use mine as a backdrop for this shoot. Against my green studio wall, the gold contrast was stunning, and the flexibility of the two different-sized circles provided endless possibilities.
Gold chrome look photos
During the shoot, I was fascinated by how different lighting conditions interacted with gold leaf. The intense, almost chrome-like shine could be highlighted when the gold leaf was placed near a large light source and shot with a lower exposure. I also experimented with soft lens effects too which created a bleached, glowing shine with the gold leaf, and I absolutely love how these shots translated to black and white.
Incorporating Movement and Fabric with Gold Leaf in Boudoir Photography
As you may already know, I’m obsessed with using fabrics like tulle, silk, and chiffon in my photoshoots. I love how they interact with different skin tones and bring character and personality to the images. Plus, fabric adds an extra layer of movement, which can really bring a photoshoot to life. Naturally, I had to experiment with incorporating gold leaf in combination with fabric for some long exposure shots!
Give gold leaf in photo shoots a go!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at how gold leaf can elevate your photoshoots. I highly recommend incorporating it into your next photo shoot gold leaf adds a touch of shiny magic that can truly transform photo shoots. Its flexibility makes it suitable for endless creative applications. The cleanup process, however, can be a bit wild as it sticks to everything! After the shoot, I had my model stand on a plastic sheet while we tried to remove the majority of the gold leaf before she hopped into the shower. Pro tip: makeup remover works wonders for cleaning it off. Despite all our efforts, gold leaf is still embedded in my wooden floorboards (which actually looks pretty cool), and I’m fairly certain it’s still on Gaetana’s steering wheel!
Ready to bring some shiny magic to your next photoshoot? Contact me today to discuss how we can create something truly unique with the addition of gold leaf.
For more photography tips, check out my article on boudoir photography lenses or browse some other art nude and boudoir photography inspo.
