Test shooting with Jules

Graduation is getting closer, and with it comes one big question: does my portfolio really show what I can do? It turns out I wasn’t the only one asking that. Jules Bouwens, a fellow student at WDKA Rotterdam and an upcoming fashion designer and stylist, was in exactly the same headspace. So we decided to team up for a studio day with one clear goal: to push our portfolios to a more professional level.

For this shoot, Jules focused purely on styling, putting together a series of different looks, while I took care of the photography and lighting. Because we were both shooting for our portfolios, we had the freedom to try things out instead of playing it safe. Every look was a chance to experiment a little more.

We shot at the studio of Rik Versteeg, where I did my internship last period. It felt good to be back in a familiar space, this time working on my own project.

Bouncing light and playing with colour

On the lighting side, I wanted to move beyond the standard setups. We worked with colour gels to give some of the looks a bolder, more expressive atmosphere, and we used a bounce technique, aiming the light at the ceiling instead of directly at the model. That turned out to be the highlight of the day. Bouncing the light gave a soft, even glow that flattered both the styling and the model, and we were both really happy with the result.

Back in the groove

What I’ll remember most is how good it felt to really play with the camera again. Somewhere during the shoot I got into a flow where I stopped overthinking and started reacting to what I saw: the styling, the light, the small changes between shots. That’s exactly why a collaboration like this is so valuable. When you both work towards the same goal, you push each other to try more.

A big thank you to Jules for the great collaboration, and to Rik Versteeg for the use of the studio. You can see more of Jules’s work at julesbouwens.com.