From Elizabethan Portrait to Modern Character: A Creative Portrait with Sonya

Not every portrait session starts with a headshot in mind.

For a recent creative portrait session with Sonya, the idea was to create something that felt like it had been pulled from an old Elizabethan painting—but with a decidedly unexpected twist.

Elizabethan-inspired portrait with a modern twist.

Sonya arrived with an elaborate Elizabethan costume, complete with the period styling and details needed to create the foundation for the portrait. We decided to contrast that traditional look with something much more contemporary and theatrical: Joker-inspired makeup.

The result was a character that felt as though two very different worlds had collided.

Creating the Contrast

The starting point was the classic composition of an Elizabethan portrait: a formal, full-length figure, carefully posed, with the costume and details given room to be seen.

Rather than trying to recreate a specific historical painting, I wanted to capture the feeling of an Elizabethan portrait—the formal pose, the dramatic clothing, and the almost aristocratic presentation.

Then we introduced the makeup.

Sonya painted her face with the distinctive pale makeup, dark eyes, and exaggerated red lips associated with the Joker character. The contrast between the refined period costume and the unsettling modern makeup became the central idea of the photograph.

That contrast is what makes a creative portrait interesting. Everything about the image suggests one thing, and then one element completely changes how you interpret it.

Building the Portrait

The photograph was created in the studio as a full-length portrait, with the lighting designed to give the costume and character a dramatic, almost painterly quality.

After the studio portion of the photograph was completed, I brought the image into post-production and created the environment that surrounds Sonya.

The dark landscape and mountains were added to reinforce the mood and give the portrait a sense of place. I wanted the background to feel believable within the world of the character while still allowing Sonya and the costume to remain the focus.

The final image sits somewhere between portrait photography, character photography, and fine-art portraiture.

Behind the scenes: Sonya and Eric after creating the portrait.

Creative Portrait Photography

These are the kinds of projects I enjoy because there isn't necessarily a predefined formula. We start with an idea and then figure out how to translate that idea into a photograph.

Sometimes that means working with an interesting costume. Sometimes it's makeup, lighting, a particular character, or a completely different approach to posing and composition. The goal is to create an image that feels intentional rather than simply documenting what was in front of the camera.

I photograph creative portraits, actors, performers, and character portraits at my Worcester studio, working with individuals who want something beyond a traditional headshot.

Have an idea for a portrait? Let's create it.