Pushing Creative Boundaries with xTool S1 Laser Cutter and Aputure Lighting
Blog by Jada Parrish | | 09/14/24
We love creating sets in all shapes and sizes, constantly pushing the boundaries of what a set can be. How small can you make it? How big?
Recently, we got our hands on some exciting new gear: an xTool S1 laser cutter, Aputure Infinibars, and the Aputure 600C. Naturally, we had to put all these cool tools to work in one shoot!
David has been using a CNC machine for a while to create many of our set pieces, especially what he calls our “micro sets”—custom shapes we shoot through to create unique perspectives. The CNC machine is an amazing tool, but it’s loud, takes up a lot of space, produces tons of sawdust, and the cuts aren’t always perfectly smooth, so there’s always some sanding and finishing work involved. Despite these challenges, we love the precision and creativity it allows us. So, when we got the xTool S1 laser, we were really excited to see what it could do. It's about the size of a desktop printer, fast, pretty quiet, and perfect for indoor use. Now, we can easily create whenever inspiration strikes, right in our home studio.
For this set, David used the xTool S1 to create a quirky, curved shape in multiple layers for us to shoot through. The laser cutter was a game-changer, cutting all the pieces in record time with perfectly smooth, precise edges. Unlike a CNC machine, which uses a router bit to cut into wood, a laser burns the wood, resulting in crisp, clean edges with no sanding required.
Once the set pieces were cut, David spray-painted them hot pink and black using Montana Cans spray paint, creating a surreal effect. For this shoot, we kept the backdrop simple, using our black V-flats instead of wooden set pieces. They were super easy to set up and worked perfectly.
David lit the set with a full Aputure light setup: two Infinibars on each side of the camera to light the subject, one Infinibar mounted overhead with a pink hue for some environmental rim light, and the Aputure LS 600c Pro II to light the micro set. The 600C is incredibly powerful and gives us so much control. We turned it down to almost the lowest setting because we just wanted a soft touch of light on the micro set.
We’ve been loving this Aputure light setup. The Infinibars have such a small footprint but deliver so much light, and they’re incredibly easy to move and set up. Working with continuous light has been a blast because you can light exactly what your eye sees and really set the mood. In my opinion, it’s the winner when it comes to environmental lighting.
We had a ton of fun experimenting with different poses and perspectives using the micro set. These new tools have already added so much to our work, and we can’t wait to keep using them in future projects.
