Glass, Bone, and Fire: Photographing the Dead
Studio Notes – D. Line Artist
They ask if it’s real. I nod.
Yes, it’s a human skull.
Legally acquired. Respectfully used.
And one of the most important tools in my studio.
These photo sessions aren’t about shock—they’re about light, silence, and study. They’re about form, shadow, and patience. The skull becomes a subject in itself—lit, posed, and shot until something deeper shows through.
1. Where It Came From
The skull came to me through a local friend, whose grandfather originally acquired it back in 1924 during dental school. It stayed in the family for generations. I was lucky for him to lend it to me for these photos. I did the research: yes, it’s legal to own a human skull in my state. The provenance was clear, the purpose was respectful, and the intention was to elevate—not exploit.
2. Why I Use It
You want to paint death? Study it. Light it. Move around it. A real skull tells you things plaster casts can’t—about texture, age, imperfection. The shapes don’t lie. In the right lighting, it’s not just a bone structure. It’s a mood.
3. What You’re Seeing
In several of the final images, you’ll spot remnants of age and handling. There’s old newsprint stuck to the bone, sealed under a coat of nearly 100-year-old shellac. Around the palate, some fragments of soft tissue still remain. It’s not pristine. It’s not polished. And that’s the point.
4. Lighting Setup: The Flame Effect
The skull is placed on a sheet of glass, suspended over an open-topped wooden box. Inside the box sits a flash strobe, equipped with a gold gel and triggered by a slave flash. When it fires, the light shoots upward—filling the cranium from below and giving it a glow that feels internal, like flame or breath. This is where most of the drama comes from.
5. The Studio Atmosphere
These shoots are quiet. I don’t play music. I don’t take phone calls. There’s a stillness that’s part of the process. Light reacts differently when you give it space—and so do ideas. Some nights I’ve spent an hour just adjusting the tilt of the skull and watching how the light behaves.
6. Camera Settings (For the Technically Curious)
I’ll include exact settings with each image, but most shots are captured with:
-
Canon DSLR full-frame body
-
24-105mm L-Series Canon Lens
-
ISO 100
-
ƒ/8 to ƒ/13 for depth
-
1/60s shutter sync with strobes
Lighting is manual, with a single main strobe and bounce fill, depending on angle. No HDR. No filters. Just timing, diffusion, and patience.
7. From Setup to Final Image
These aren’t lucky shots. Each one is built—lit from below, adjusted for angle, sometimes backlit or side-lit with mirrors or flags. I treat it like a portrait session. The difference is, the subject doesn’t blink. But it will catch you staring back if you’re not careful.
Share: