Kiid Hawk
I would like to use this entry to talk about my friend Ryan as well just how powerful a projector is as a creative tool. Ryan and I met late last year via Instagram when he approached me about creating cover art and promo material for his latest single “Up All Night.” After listening to the track and discussing ideas for the shoot I was convinced Ryan and I were meant to work together. I had an instant connection with all of the inspirational elements he spoke about and showed me because it aligned perfectly with my aesthetic.
After taking some time to study the inspiration images and brainstorm a little, I knew the projector was going to be the right tool for the job. Not only was it the right tool but it ended up being the only light source for the entire shoot. The end goal was a collection of both photographs and videos that were heavily silhouetted, vibrant in color and cohesive. I ended up shooting two looks. One with orange light and one with cyan light. To achieve this color variation I simply placed different colored gels over the front of the projector housing. The secret sauce however is a tool I have used for nearly every shoot since I’ve had it and that is my hazer.
Have you ever wondered why stage lights at a concert look so cool? It’s primarily the haze in the air that helps you see the direction, shape and color of the light. By adding haze to the air you are giving the air texture, a more visually apparent medium for your light to travel through. When it comes to photography, haze is crucial for projectors and lasers. Without it your light will fall flat. So the completed setup for this shoot was as follows: Projector facing towards the camera, backlighting my subject, covered with orange or cyan gels, and a shit ton of haze. It was that simple and the results were amazing.
With the addition of the haze I was able to capture several different lighting shapes and textures. As well… this was one of the first shoots I had done where I was able to shoot both photo and video in a cohesive manner. Meaning, the setup for both mediums was the same as well the results looked identical between both photo and video. That felt good. Ryan is truly a talented and skilled electronic artist that is helping shape the electronic music culture here in Tulsa. You can follow Kiid Hawk on Instagram and stream “Up All Night” on Spotify now. Go check it out and show Ryan some love. Oh, and stayed tuned for more Kiid Hawk X Logan Miller content… \m/ Thanks for reading. Cheers!
