Julie Powell is a photographer, writer and educator, offers unique photographic opportunities and inspirational ideas to help YOU become the photographer you wish to be.
The Alchemist
Model: Nicola paige @nicolapaige.melb
Set design, staging, costume and photography - Julie Powell Photography
The Alchemist was a deeply immersive creative portrait workshop inspired by an original piece of digital artwork and brought to life through thoughtful styling, cinematic lighting, and rich storytelling.
This steampunk-inspired session explored the art of building a scene from the ground up. From apothecary bottles and vintage scales to quills, candles, fog, bubbles, and glowing “potions,” every detail was carefully chosen to create a believable and magical world. Working with model Nicola Paige, we focused on character-driven portraiture, expressive posing, and how props and light work together to support a strong narrative.
The final images showcase a range of moods, from intimate character portraits to playful, experimental moments filled with smoke and bubbles. Lighting was created entirely with constant RGB LED lights, gels, and practical sources, allowing participants to see exactly how light shaped the scene in real time.
Alongside the finished images, you can also watch the behind-the-scenes video, where I walk through the full lighting setup, prop styling, and creative decision-making process. The BTS footage shows how a concept evolves on set, how small changes make a big difference, and why embracing experimentation is such an important part of creative photography.
The Alchemist was not just about capturing beautiful images, but about turning an idea into a story and having a lot of fun along the way.
