Creating a Retro 1970s Portrait Photo Shoot
Blog by Jada Parrish | Article | 12/15/24
The 1970s are an iconic era, filled with funky patterns, bold colors, and unforgettable fashion. There's something timeless about that period—the energy, the mood, and the style. Recently, David and I decided to capture this essence in a bold, colorful retro portrait shoot. In this blog post, I’ll walk you through how we brought that 70s aesthetic to life, from initial concept to final shots.
Step 1: The Concept and Mood Board
Our inspiration for this shoot came from our subject, Tyler. His long hair and mustache naturally lent themselves to a 70s look, and we knew we wanted to lean into that. But before diving into any creative project, it’s crucial to get clear on the mood and aesthetic. That’s where a mood board comes in.
For this shoot, I created a mood board filled with 1970s fashion, interiors, and men's portraits. I kept being drawn to images of 70s musicians—there was this cool, aloof vibe about them that we wanted to replicate. From this inspiration, we decided on a slightly moody, rockstar feel with a hint of loneliness. Our goal was to capture that timeless, unattainable rockstar persona in a simple yet evocative scene.
Step 2: Choosing the Right Colors
Color plays a huge role in defining the look of any retro shoot. When I think of the 70s, the first thing that comes to mind is its warm, earthy color palette—mustard yellows, burnt oranges, browns, and greens. These tones have a subtle muddiness to them, giving off an unmistakably vintage feel.
To bring this palette into our shoot, I headed to Sherwin-Williams to grab some paint swatches. We chose colors that were vibrant yet grounded, with enough contrast to add depth to the final images. The earthy tones we selected—burnt orange, deep red, and a muted brown—worked beautifully together to evoke that 70s spirit.
If you’re curious about how color can enhance your photoshoots, I dive deeper into color theory in my ebook, The Creative Photoshoot Guide. You can learn how to use color to build narratives and create stronger images. Check it out for $10 off with the code - CREATIVE PREP
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Step 3: Building the Set
Since this was a quick shoot, we decided to keep the set simple but impactful. We used a single Hollywood flat—a fake wall that we had already built—as our backdrop. Even though the set was simple, I wanted the set to feel visually exciting, so we took inspiration from the bold prints and patterns of the 70s.
Wallpaper was a huge trend in the 70s, but since this was a last-minute shoot, we used paint to create a striped pattern that mimicked vintage wallpaper. After painting the flat a base orange, we measured out the spacing for stripes, used masking tape to guide the design, and added alternating red and brown stripes. This simple technique gave the set an authentic retro vibe.
Step 4: Dressing the Set
Set dressing helps tell the story and create atmosphere in your photos. For this shoot, we aimed to create the feel of a 70s living room, but since we were working with just one wall, we kept things minimal.
A key detail that pulled the set together was the shag carpet. We found a terracotta-colored shag rug on Amazon that perfectly matched our color palette and gave that quintessential 70s feel. Adding a small piece of trim to the bottom of the wall completed the illusion of a living room.
Step 5: Lighting
Lighting is crucial to building a scene’s mood. For this shoot, we wanted a dimly lit, moody atmosphere, similar to what you’d expect in a 70s living room. To achieve this, we used a two-light setup featuring the Godox AD200Pro II and AD600Pro II lights.
We started with a single light using the roundhead attachment to soften the light, but the shadows were a bit too harsh. To soften the shadows and add some fill, we angled a v-flat toward the set and bounced light from the AD600Pro II. This created the perfect balance between moodiness and visibility, allowing us to maintain that dimly lit, rockstar vibe.
Step 6: Posing the Subject
Once all the creative elements were set, it was time to focus on posing. We wanted to capture that classic 70s rockstar energy—aloof, untouchable, and effortlessly cool.
We started with Tyler seated on an apple box, but that felt too much like a headshot, so we switched things up. After an outfit change that included a denim jacket and sunglasses, we found the rockstar look we were going for. Sunglasses are a great prop for any shoot because they instantly add to the "cool" factor and give the subject something to do with their hands.
Throughout the shoot, we kept Tyler’s expressions muted and serious, with lots of staring down the camera or looking away while wearing sunglasses. My favorite shots came when Tyler was sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall, which really captured the lonely musician vibe we aimed for.
Final Thoughts
This retro shoot may have been simple, but each element—color, set dressing, lighting, and posing—worked together to create a cohesive narrative. Even in a minimalist setup, intentional creative choices can bring a shoot to life.
If you’re interested in diving deeper into creative planning and executing your own bold photoshoots, check out my ebook The Creative Photoshoot Guide, where I walk you through everything from set design to posing. And don’t forget to use code - CREATIVE PREP for $10 off!
