Photographer Joshua Ball and his wife, Kristina, a makeup artist, pay homage to Michael Jackson's iconic “Thriller” look in their latest shoot. This collaboration beautifully blends makeup artistry and photography, resulting in a striking interpretation of the beloved pop culture classic. With meticulous attention to detail—including handcrafted prosthetics, a carefully designed atmospheric backdrop, and the SmokeNINJA for that smoky 80s music video backdrop. Explore their creative process, techniques, and tools that transformed this themed shoot into a remarkable celebration of their artistic partnership.
What’s the idea behind this shoot?
The idea behind this shoot came from my wife, Kristina, who's an amazing makeup artist. She’s been wanting to do a Thriller-themed zombie look for years, and this year everything just lined up perfectly. We recently worked with dancer and model Dom on another project, and he was totally on board with this concept. So, we ordered a jacket and wig from Amazon, and Kristina handcrafted the facial prosthetics to complete the look. Kristina and I have been doing Halloween shoots together for about 10 years now, and it’s our favorite time of year because we get to create new creatures and really experiment with photography. This time, we wanted to capture our own take on the iconic Thriller zombie because it’s such a classic piece of Americana. I wanted to create an atmospheric, smoky backdrop that would make Dom stand out and give the scene that signature "Thriller" feel. We love the challenge of bringing these characters to life and using our combined skills to make each shoot unique and fun.
How did you feel about the fog machine SmokeNINJA?
I absolutely love the SmokeNINJA! For what it's capable of, it's really worth the money. I've been using cheaper Halloween-store smoke machines for years and always struggled with getting the smoke just right—it would often be too thick and fog out the entire scene. With this fog machine, the control and consistency were exactly what I needed. For this shoot, we used the “Fog” setting to create just the right amount of atmosphere behind Dom, and it worked perfectly. Kristina crouched behind Dom and waved the SmokeNINJA back and forth while I shot, and the result was exactly what we envisioned. The fog machine gave me the ability to focus on the creative side of the shoot rather than worrying about inconsistent smoke. I wanted to be able to see the vapor, not just a haze and I think we got it. I think my favorite setting, though, is the “Dry Ice” option. It creates this dense vapor that just sits on the subject, and depending on how you light it and the scene you're shooting, it can give either a hot or cold look, which adds a lot of depth to the image. I'm really happy with the SmokeNINJA, and now I find myself trying to find ways to incorporate it into more of my work. It’s become a versatile tool in my kit!
Any tips and tricks for our users?
Like any machine, it will take care of you if you take care of it. I make sure to clean the surfaces of my SmokeNINJA after each use and store it back in its case to keep it in good condition. The remote has been super useful, especially when I don’t have a second pair of hands to wave it around. Sometimes I just place it on the floor and trigger it remotely, which creates a nice, subtle smoke effect without much effort. Definitely invest in the attachments that come with the kit—they give you additional options and flexibility, depending on what kind of vapor effect you're looking for. Also, spend some time experimenting with the different modes, because each setting creates a unique quality of vapor, and they all have different applications. This thing is so cool, and the uses are really endless. I’m even thinking about getting a second unit to use in my studio because it’s become such an integral part of my shoots.
About the Creator
Joshua Ball is a photographer based in Maumee, OH. He co-founded Vanity Studios with his wife, where they offer both makeup and photography services. Joshua specializes in commercial and environmental portraits, as well as fashion and beauty photography. He started his career as a nightlife photographer, which instilled a deep love and appreciation for capturing people. He loves to play with color and shadow, finding it incredibly satisfying to photograph portraits and capture people as they are in the moment. Joshua enjoys portraiture because no two faces are the same, finding both challenge and beauty in that.
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