Okay, so I got this crazy idea to do a photoshoot inspired by Lupita Nyong’o. She’s just so stunning and stylish, I thought, “Why not try to capture some of that magic?”
First, I gathered some inspiration. I spent, like, a whole afternoon just scrolling through pictures of her. Red carpet looks, magazine covers, casual shots – you name it, I looked at it. I wanted to get a feel for her poses, her expressions, and the overall vibe of her photos.
The Setup
Next up was figuring out the setup. I don’t have a fancy studio or anything, so I had to get creative. I decided to use my living room because it gets the best natural light. I moved some furniture around, hung up a plain white sheet as a backdrop (yup, a sheet!), and that was pretty much it for the “studio.”
For lighting, I just used the sun. I waited until the late afternoon when the light was soft and golden. I also had a friend hold up a white poster board to bounce some light back onto my face and get rid of any harsh shadows. Super basic, I know, but it worked!
Posing and Shooting
Posing was the hardest part, honestly. Lupita is a pro, and I am… not. I tried to copy some of her signature poses – you know, the hand-on-hip, the over-the-shoulder look, the regal straight-on gaze. It felt awkward at first, but I just kept reminding myself to channel my inner Lupita. It helped to have a mirror nearby so I could see what I was doing.
I used my phone to take the pictures. No fancy camera, just my trusty old phone. I set it on a timer and propped it up on a stack of books. Classy, right? I took a TON of pictures, experimenting with different angles and poses. My friend also took some shots, which was helpful for getting different perspectives.
- Natural light for the win!
- White Sheet Backdrop, it is good!
- Channel my inner, Keep going!
The Results
Afterward, I went through all the photos and picked out the best ones. I did some basic editing on my phone – you know, adjusting the brightness, contrast, and maybe adding a filter or two. Nothing too crazy, just enough to make the photos look a little more polished.
Overall, it was a really fun experience! I definitely didn’t end up looking exactly like Lupita (I mean, who could?), but I think I managed to capture some of her confident, elegant energy. And hey, I got some cool new profile pictures out of it, so that’s a win!
