Playing With Fire Burning Rubber

Studio photographer Dan McClanahan reveals how he adds a creative spark to portraits.

FIRE painting had always intrigued me, so one night I tried it for myself in the alleyway behind my studio. This photo came about as a creative collaboration with a friend who manages a hair salon – we wanted to amplify the model’s hair colour using a photography style that’s unlike typical studio work. I incorporated a motorcycle and leather jacket because I thought the textures and reflections would look awesome with the fire, and would create maximum contrast between the dark subject and the bright fire in the final image.