Enigma Studio & Learning Center

Can’t resist a LADY in Uniform
One light, one camera the KISS system
In frame Katie Wanner

“𝐃𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞.” ― 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐭
Perfect weather calls for walkabouts and some street shooting. I’m drawn to moments of fashion and attitude in what I capture. I’d passed these doors hundreds of times without a second glance—yet with Amelia Rose, I finally saw the potential, and the light hit just right. We clicked instantly—like white on rice.
I broke away from my trusty 24–120mm zoom and committed to a 135mm f/1.8 as my sole lens. It gave me that ultra–shallow depth of field and all the shutter speed I could ask for. Shooting in aperture priority, one quick test and we were set.
A little tip: triangular composition is a power shape—it frames strength beautifully, especially with Amelia’s expression.
𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐋: 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐬ę
𝐊𝐈𝐓: 𝐍𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐧 𝐙𝟖 + 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐱 𝟏𝟑𝟓𝐦𝐦 𝐟/𝟏.𝟖 𝐋𝐀𝐁 𝐙
𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: 𝐀𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 • 𝐟/𝟐.𝟐 • 𝟏/𝟏𝟐𝟓𝟎𝐬 • 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐱 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠

𝐀 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧…

Just because you own a copious amount of gear, never feel compelled to justify it’s existence by using it when it’s not necessary. Less is more! This image of Catrina was made using the window as the main light and filling in with Westcott FJ400II fitted with a Joel Grimes 24” beauty dish. I added a grid to control the light and eliminate spill. I metered the left side of the face first, test shot and then set the flash output to be 1.5 stops LESS than the previous reading on Catrina’s face. Add a Goldmist filter to soften the image and lower the contrast.

𝑴𝑶𝑫𝑬𝑳: 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒂 𝑹𝒂𝒆
𝑲𝑰𝑻: 𝑵𝒊𝒌𝒐𝒏 𝒛8 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 24-120 𝒁𝒐𝒐𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑯𝒐𝒚𝒂 𝑪𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒐 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕 1/4 𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒕𝒆𝒓.
𝑳𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻: 𝑭𝑱 𝑾𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒄𝒐𝒕𝒕 𝑭𝑱400𝑰𝑰. 𝑾/𝑱𝒐𝒆𝒍𝑮𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 24” 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒉

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐨. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝.

This years Mid Atlantic Air Museums 35 Annual WWII Weekend June 5-6-7 is my place to reconnect with friends and create images. Featuring, 1,500 Re-enactors, over 80 Aircraft, 200 Military Vehicles, Entertainers, 3 Big Bands and over 20 acres of WWII Encampments there is something for everyone to enjoy. Find me at the Home Front…lets create

𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑: 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐞
𝐊𝐈𝐓: 𝐍𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝟖𝟎-𝟐𝟎𝟎 𝐟𝟐.𝟖 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐬

𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞.

Away from the noise of expectation and comparison, thoughts stretch wider, wander deeper, and connect in unexpected ways. In solitude, creativity is unhurried; it listens to the rhythm of breath, the echo of memory, the subtle spark of curiosity. What begins as silence slowly becomes a canvas, and in that stillness, ideas bloom with a sincerity that only aloneness can nurture.

𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐋: 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐞
𝐊𝐈𝐓: 𝐍𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐉 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬

𝐅𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍: 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲.

Blending soft window light with a Westcott FJ250 flash and a Joel Grimes white beauty dish, I aimed to match the vision in my head—elevated further by the beauty and talent of Catrina Rae.
I metered for the window light first and set the exposure two stops under. Then I dialed in the flash so it delivered no more than one stop brighter than the window reading. Test shot. Once everything matched what I had imagined, I stepped back, stayed quiet, and let the incredible Catrina Rae do her thing.
𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐋: 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐞
𝐊𝐈𝐓: 𝐍𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐧 𝐳𝟖 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐱 𝐋𝐀𝐁 𝟏𝟑𝟓 𝐟𝟏.𝟖 𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐓𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐧 “𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫”. 𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: 𝐈𝐒𝐎 𝟒𝟎𝟎 𝐟/𝟕.𝟏 𝟏/𝟐𝟎𝟎

I close this year on a high note. It has been a good year.

✨ 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫! ✨ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮: 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐚𝐳𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐱𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝.

Set the mood... communicate. Simple light, one 12in.X 5 ft strip bank to camera right to simulate window light and silver reflector on the left for a slight fill. Meter and let the subject work and flow. NEVER break the mood.

𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐋: 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐞
𝐊𝐈𝐓: 𝐍𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐧 𝐙𝟖 𝐰/𝟐𝟒-𝟏𝟐𝟎 𝐙𝐨𝐨𝐦
𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓: 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐭 𝐅𝐉 𝟒𝟎𝟎 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥.

𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝.

Let the beauty of the subject shine. No need to “Guild the Lilly” by overlighting! One small beauty dish and a grid, plus a small strip behind Carissa for accent was all that was needed. I set the light and the mood, but Carissa made the magic. We made image this while teaching our Master Class, “the Art of Allure”, at Chromatik Studios last Saturday. From the response received…we will return in 2026.

𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐋. 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐞
𝐊𝐈𝐓: 𝐍𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐧 𝐳𝟖 𝐰/𝟐𝟒-𝟏𝟐𝟎 𝐳𝐨𝐨𝐦

𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦.” ― 𝐄𝐝𝐠𝐚𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐞

Standing on the sideline watching and guiding participants during our Glamtastic workshop, I saw fabulous window light falling on Carissa. When I see light, I take advantage. I took only one frame and knew I had captured the image I saw… in my head. 1 camera, 1 lens and only 1 frame. When you see light use it!

𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐋: 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐞
𝐊𝐈𝐓 𝐍𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐧 𝐳𝟖 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟒-𝟏𝟐𝟎 𝐳𝐨𝐨𝐦

“𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬.” - 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐩𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧

I taught our GLAMSASTIC workshop with ONLY 1 camera, 1 lens and 1 light all day. My mantra is keep it simple, don’t fidget with gear just because you have it. I placed the one light off to the side, tested and let Carissa Santigate “get on her vibe”. When you have a model this talented AND stunning you don’t need to guild the Lilly. Concentrate on the subject…not the goodies you have in your case…Make Images

𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐋 𝐌𝐔𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐘𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓: 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐞
𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐀: 𝐍𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐧 𝐳𝟖 𝐰/𝟐𝟒-𝟏𝟐𝟎 𝐟𝟒 𝐙𝐨𝐨𝐦.
𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓: 𝟐𝟒𝐱𝟑𝟔 𝐒𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐱 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐝
𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝟕𝐭𝐡, 𝐄𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐮𝐬 𝐏𝐀