Lumos Maxima! Conjuring spooky magic with Hobolite lights for a Harry Potter-themed Photoshoot
Calling all Potterheads! Are you ready to enjoy the magic of Hogwarts with my latest photoshoot? Buckle up, because we’re diving into the world of spells, potions, and spooky chills with a Harry Potter-themed studio shoot – all illuminated by the fantastical power of Hobolite lights and gels!
Setting the Scene: Potions class
We transformed the studio into a fabulous slice of the wizarding world, in particular Potions class. With the help of Hobolite lights and my Harry/Snape look-a-like David Kennedy (we should have added glasses and a scar!) Boy did we have some fun on this shoot. I had been sent a whole arsenal of Hobolite Lights to review and I used most of them on this shoot!
Here’s what we used:
Hobolite Iris: [2] Brand new and just released the Iris is a microlight, so cool for hiding in or behind things, books, the cauldron and more, pop in the nifty gel filters and instant effects!
Hobolite Mini & Micro: [1] & [3] These compact powerhouses were perfect for casting dramatic shadows and creating an air of mystery. Just imagine using them hidden behind bookshelves or furniture to create an eerie glow, or position them strategically to highlight potions bubbling in a cauldron. I positioned them on either side of our set and placed green gels on them both. Strategically positioned to light up my smoke machine, when we fired it.
Hobolite Avant RGBW: [4: Off camera] This versatile light was my secret weapon lighting the whole scene. You can utilize the color temperature control to conjure an icy blue ambience or switch to a fiery red, or leave it neutral as we did for most of this shoot. Occasionally popping on the gels.
Gels, Glorious Gels!: Don’t underestimate the transformative power of gels! Hobolite gels come in a variety of colors, allowing you to create truly magical effects. We used the green as I wanted to create a real Slytherin vibe, it was perfect paired with the smoke machine and cauldron. We could have switched to red and yellow for more Griffyindor colours too.
Hobolite Micro
Let there be light (or darkness):
Precise Control: Hobolite lights offer exceptional control, allowing you to adjust brightness and colour temperature to achieve the perfect spooky mood. Dim the lights for a dramatic potion-brewing scene, or crank them up for a wand duel.
Dynamic Lighting: Don’t be afraid to experiment! We weren’t, we combined different Hobolite lights and gels to create dynamic lighting setups. We had lots of fun putting the Mini inside books, the cauldron or positioning on the ground and angling up, for dramatic effect.
Beyond the gear: Capturing the Magic
Remember, lighting is just one part of the equation! It took a bit to stage the scene too:
Costumes and Props: Embrace the iconic wizarding wardrobe and stock up on wands, cauldrons, and magical creatures (I used a rat and a tarantula – could you spot them?). To be honest David wore black pants, a shirt and shoes and I placed a black velvet cloak on him too. I did have an official HP wand and Scarf! We weren’t aiming for true Cosplay characters, but the essence of Hogwarts.
Poses & Expressions: I told David to channel his inner wizard! Dramatic wand movements, expressions of wonder, and a touch of mischief. David was having a fabulous time channelling first Harry and then Professor Snape.
Expelliarmus: Totally disarmed
I dived into my Halloween box of goodies for this shoot. I used a seamless black paper backdrop and an old worktable. Lots of candles, a cauldron, old books, a skull and potion bottles. I toyed with cobwebs, but feared the danger with all the candles! Don’t forget the smoke machine. The Hobolites were fantastic to light up the smoke and the cauldron. With a little creativity and the versatile power of Hobolite lights and gels, you can transform your studio into any corner of the wizarding world too.
The good bad and the ugly
The Hobolite Avant, was plugged into power and worked flawlessly throughout the entire shoot, although it did get surprisingly warm to the touch. The Mini lasted about 45 mins on full power and then the battery died. I plugged it into power as well. However, it only gave me about 40% power while charging. The Micro, the battery lasted about 15-20 minutes each and I used all three. In hindsight, I should have turned them all off when not in use. The brand-new Iris was flawless and lasted the entire shoot on 50% power. All-in-all the shoot was about 1 – 1.5 hours and we used most of the light throughout the shoot. The Avant and the Iris were the stand-out winners, although the Avant was plugged into power.
