Spotlight: Lilli Waters
Lilli’s background is in fine art photography. Her work often explores the human condition through dramatic images of the female form in haunting, windswept landscapes. Heavily influenced by nature as well as paintings that evoke the Pre-Raphaelites with macabre, foreboding elements, a jewel-like palette, and sensitive use of light.
Lilli often makes use of translucent fabrics and long hair to obscure the identities of her subjects, suggesting that the image might be just as much a mirror for the viewer, as it is a portrait. These images initially appear to represent a romantic idea of beauty and equivalence between the fertility of the female body and the landscape. Yet in the era of ‘Me Too’ and ecological crisis, Lilli’s work offers a critical feminine gaze, to take portraits that allude to the conundrum of simply being in a woman’s skin: of how to express physical agency and ease in a society that constantly objectifies women and irrevocably wreaks damage on the environment.
These are images that convey complex emotions: the interplay of darkness and luminosity, strength and vulnerability, and the possibility for new understandings based on an awareness of our dependence on the earth.
An ecological concern also finds expression in her underwater still life series which references Northern Renaissance paintings in lighting and composition.
These underwater works feature live marine creatures amongst rocks, fruit, and flowers to evoke other-worldly landscapes with a palpable feeling of space and slowed time. Representations of luxuriant, yet fragile beauty is a reminder of the imminent loss of whole species and ecosystems as a result of climate change.
Tell us about the interplay of photography, styling, and creative direction that goes into your work. Do you find there is a flow of all when on a job, or how does your process work?
For my personal art practice, the themes, ideas, creative direction, styling, and post-production are all a part of my creative process. For me, it is not about pressing the shutter, that alone is not enough. The ideas, constant challenges, problem-solving, and joy comes from designing everything about these images.
When on a job, I am often working alongside a stylist or art director, and we are bouncing ideas off one another often for weeks before a shoot, and collaborating on every aspect of the day, to get to a place where our vision is aligned. They are both different and rewarding ways in which to work.
Your style of work is romantic and dramatic - was your style a natural progression of your work or did your work shape your style?
Paintings, more than photographs, are some of my biggest inspirations. I recall flipping through books of Monet, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, and painters from the Pre-Raphaelite era like John William Waterhouse at University. The rich colours that emerge from the velvety blackness - the passionate reds, emerald greens, sapphire blues, and a woman's marble-like skin… The harmony and discord, beauty and decay found in so many masterpieces are themes I keep returning to.
Nature also plays a recurring role in my work, as well as the influence of my mother who is a botanical painter, who hung paintings of flowers in my childhood home, and a grandmother who liked to collect precious found objects. The notion of collecting has stuck with me, I love to collect strange and wonderful things and objects and use them in my work.
Rich in texture, your photography has a paint-like quality, what was the process of learning this unique technique and how did you learn to build texture through the lens?
This technique has been a lot of trial and error and took me many years of taking a lot of good and not so good photos, watching the way the light falls at the end of the day to shoot during the perfect window of time, and techniques in both camera and post-production.
I am drawn to paintings more than photographs generally, so observing the way in which these artists have achieved such painting-like yet realistic, almost hyperreal quality, just by applying brush strokes to a blank canvas, has always been so inspiring to me. Some of these paintings look like you could reach out and touch the subject’s skin, as she emerges from her dark surroundings and off the canvas. They have a magical and mysterious quality to them, I’m pretty obsessed.
Any challenges on set you've overcome and topped off with your dream day or dream job?
Lighting is probably my biggest challenge in this work.
I love to work with natural light the most, although there are so many uncertainties and narrow windows of time when relying upon it.
Studio lighting is a whole other world and skill set I am still trying to hone and find my voice through, and I would choose constants over strobes if I have to use studio lighting any day. I recently photographed a feature for Harpers Bazaar in my romantic and moody style, it was very much inspired by my love of Renaissance paintings and the old world, it was a dream job with a dream team.
https://lilliwaters.com/
Hire Lilli’s favourite gear here:
$185/day + GST
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
30.4 Megapixel full frame CMOS sensor
61-point AF system
4K Video
7 fps continuous shooting
Built-in WiFi and NFC
$150.00 p/d +GST
Description
Powerful LED fixture with colour and power options, as well as high output augmented by its included 55° Hyper Reflector or an optional Fresnel attachment. The precision fixture has an expansive variable colour temperature range from 2700 to 6500K with a high CRI/TLCI rating of 96 – your assurance of precise colour reproduction. Besides power, control is a driving force in the design of the 600x Pro.
Adjustments can be made locally on the fixture or wirelessly from a distance via the included 2.4 GHz wireless remote, the Sidus Link mobile app, and the built-in wireless DMX control – useful for when your light is mounted overhead or in a hard to reach the place. The LS 600x also has four dimming curves: Linear, Exponential, Log, and S-Curve, to ensure accuracy regardless of your chosen brightness level.
The light is ready for worldwide use via its multi-voltage power supply but can also be powered by a 48V battery or two 14.4V, 26V, or 28.8V batteries when AC power is unavailable. You can mount the batteries and recharge them while you are using the light.
The 600x Pro is dust and water-resistant so it can withstand practically any shooting environment. When it comes to features Aputure has left no stone unturned with the inclusion of special effects such as Paparazzi, Fireworks, Lightning, Faulty Bulb, TV, Pulsing, Strobe, Explosion and Fire. Aputure has also generously provided a rolling case for storage and transport.
BRIGHTER BI-COLOUR
The LS 600x Pro boasts an expanded bi-colour range of 2700K~6500K while still being able to maintain an impressive output. Equipped with its native Hyper-Reflector, the 600x Pro can output 5,610 lux at 3 meters (10 feet). With the F10 Fresnel modifier, the combination can reach an illuminance of 18,5100 lux at 3 meters in 15° spot.
PRECISION COLOUR BLENDING
Similar to the LS 300x, the 600x Pro utilises Aputure-designed colour-blending optics that combines its bi-colour chipset into a single cohesive light source, allowing it to be used with optical lens modifiers such as the F10 Fresnel and Spotlight Mount.
BUILT FOR PROFESSIONALS
Every aspect of the LS 600x Pro was designed with professionals in mind, with incredible output, a weather-resistant construction, a wide variety of power options, and professional level lighting controls, including Sidus Link, Art-net, and Wireless DMX. This is the LS 600d Pro, and it’s ready to blow away traditional lighting.
WEATHER-RESISTANT
The LS 600x Pro joins the Light Storm Pro series, featuring a weather-resistant design in a Bowens Mount fixture. Using waterproof fans, sealed internal structures, rubber caps for all ports, and weatherproof connectors, the LS 600x Pro can withstand challenging inclement weather environments.
0.1% STEPLESS DIMMING
The LS 600x Pro joins the professional Light Storm series featuring enhanced, step-less dimming, as well as light control in 0.1% increments, ensuring that you get the exact amount of light that you need.
2 OUTPUT MODES
The LS 600x Pro features two output modes: Max Output and Constant Output mode. In Constant Output mode, the luminance level remains uniform while changing the CCT output. Max Output mode will always maximise the output for the chosen CCT and dimming level.
PROFESSIONAL CONTROL
In addition to its responsive on-board controls, 2.4G remote, DMX512 5-Pin XLR In and Out, and Sidus Link® app compatibility, the LS 600x Pro is the first-ever Aputure light to simultaneously support sACN, ArtNet, and LumenRadio CRMX compatibility.
SIDUS LINK
Sidus Mesh integration allows users to control the 600x Pro from nearly any smartphone or tablet with the Sidus Link mobile app up to 400 meters away with the addition of other fixtures, including the Aputure LS C300d II, LS 300x, Accent B7c, MC, and Nova P300c.
QUALITY COLOUR
With exceptional colour accuracy measurements of CRI&TLCI≥96, CQS≥95, and SSI scores of (D56): 74, (Tungsten): 85, the 600x Pro provides consistently accurate light quality for all filmmakers, upholding a colour temperature standard of 2700K~6500K.
BATTERY CHARGING
Like the LS 600d Pro, when plugged into AC power, the LS 600x Pro doubles as a high-intensity bi-colour fixture and a supplementary charger for V-Mount & Gold Mount batteries, making it a useful addition to any filmmaker’s toolkit.
BUILT-IN LIGHTING FX
The LS 600x Pro can utilize 9 different built-in light effects: “Paparazzi”, “Fireworks”, “Lightning”, “Faulty Bulb”, “TV”, “Pulsing”, “Strobe”, “Explosion”, & “Fire”. The 600x Pro is also compatible with the SidusPro FX ecosystem.
BOWENS MOUNT
Continuing Aputure’s philosophy of modular lighting control, the LS 600x Pro’s Bowens Mount makes it compatible with Aputure’s lighting modifiers like the F10 Fresnel, Light Dome II, Spotlight Mount, and Lantern 90, but also third-party accessories from companies like DoPchoice and Chimera Lighting.
ADVANCED UI
The LS 600x Pro features a detailed LCD screen interface that, including a revamped professional UI that displays important information in an intuitive way, including easy-to-read intensity and colour information
DURABLE TRANSPORT CASE
The LS 600x Pro comes standard with a durable carrying case that features wheels and a telescoping handle, making transporting the fixture too and from the set a breeze.
Specs
Beam Angle55°Colour Temperature2700 to 6500K ± 200KColour Accuracy StandardCRI 96
TLCI 96Cooling SystemPassiveDimmingYes, 0 to 100% (Continuous)DisplayNonePhotometrics55° at 2700K:
3220 Lux at 3 m
55° at 4300K:
5560 Lux at 3 m
55° at 6500K:
4880 Lux at 3 m
Connectors
Battery Plate2 x V-MountPower Input Connector3-Pin XLRDMX Connector5-Pin XLR
Lens
Reflector MountBowens S-Type
Mounting
Fixture MountCombination 1-1/8” Stud and 5/8” Receiver
Yoke
Yoke TypeYoke/Bracket
Remote Operation
Remote Control TypeBluetooth, DMX, Wi-Fi, Wireless DMX
Power
AC Input PowerNonePower SourceAC Adapter, External BatteryMax Power Consumption720 W
Cable
Cable Length19.7’ / 6 mCable TypepowerCON to 3-Pin XLR