While working on a fine art assignment, we saw a great pond in a local area and said as we looked at each other, “this would make a great Halloween setting!” It would be a composition project, so we had to create the nightmare piece by piece. So, after the day’s assignment we decided to get some shots of the pond and the surrounding areas to make this composition project work. After taking the shots I was reminded of how about 11 years ago, when I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, I saw a movie called Ringu and I always wanted to challenge myself with a shoot based on that movie. Most people will remember the American version, The Ring, and the iconic Samara from the well. That’s when the wheels on the bus started to go round and round… and we decided that if we were going to do this photoshoot, we wanted to do it in four freaky parts.
Camille coming out of the well, ready to make an urban legend of revenge come to life!
Stage 1 is Camille “crawling out” from the well. We decided to make it as authentic as possible to the original material, but with our own twist. At the last minute we decided to take out the lid of the well, as it became more distracting from the picture – and story – itself.
As she is walking around, she sees you are watching her from the internet….
For stage 2, we decided to have Camille upright and walking around. We at first wanted to have her in the “creepy crawling state” but later decided it was too cliché, not only with The Ring but other horror movies as well. Camille got creative and decided to give a creepy look towards the camera as if she was walking in another direction, but suddenly took notice of you, the viewer, enticing her to come at you… a part in post-editing in which even I got a little spooked!
There’s no turning back… she sees you now!
Stage 3 is where things got interesting. Camille and I both decided on going with a “barely floating” look as she was suspensefully approaching the viewer. Now that she knows you’ve seen her, she’s coming straight at you…
Who’s watching who now?
Stage 4 is where we get to the nuts and bolts of the shoot. At this point she is full-frame in the image, eyes piercing directly into the screen as she’s now in control, and you’re now being watched by her. We didn’t want to go too heavy with post editing or overly detailed makeup, but rather stick with the eery simplicity from the original Ringu as she emerged from the well. As you can also see in the picture, the static from the television gives it the feel that she is just behind the monitor – for now, that is, but we’ll see in the next picture. For the final shot. We went all the way with the composition and made an animated gif, complete with moving static around Camille’s hand as it’s reaching out to get you! 🙂 Click to see the action!
Don’t bother trying to run now!
Also, a still shot of the hand coming out to get you!
Reaching out of the screen, she’s got you…
Obviously we had a LOT of fun on this shoot! Not too heavy on the costume makeup, set location, or even special lighting. Compositions like these are a love of some photographers, and while most photographic compositions end up in fine art or on the silver screen, it’s that time of year to have fun with fear! The most important props were imagination and the desire to bring out the spirit of Halloween and a good season ahead. Also, to the left is an outtake of Camille as her usual, happy self on the set. Be sure to visit us often to see fine art, composition and more that won’t have you running for the door! Have a safe and happy Halloween, everyone, and be sure to get lots of candy!
It’s all in good fun at the end!