How to Implement Your Creative Vision

Some images are born from pure imagination; others demand to be created. This was one of those images.

In October of 2022, Aya was just twelve years old. She (and her mother) arrived at my studio with a beaming smile and a fearless spirit. We had never met before, but it took only minutes to realize she could carry the weight of the story I wanted to tell. Her mother stayed close, both of them brimming with excitement to expand Aya’s budding portfolio. Yet when I mentioned a specific vision, a young woman taking back control of her heart, their enthusiasm lit up the room.

Dark circus imagery has long fascinated me: the drama, the grandeur, the bruised beauty hidden behind painted smiles. My studio is filled with relics of that world. Aya stepped into the role perfectly: clad in a Victorian blouse, framed by her magnificent, untamed hair. Initially, I called the piece “Master of Her Own Heart.” But that was too literal. In the end, “No Longer Will She Wear Her Heart On Her Sleeve” spoke more deeply to the quiet ferocity I wanted to capture.

The red heart painted onto her lips was added later in post-production. Aya wore no makeup during the session as I wanted to keep her natural at her young age. But the lips served two symbolic purposes: a subtle nod to Tim Burton’s interpretation of the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland: commanding, ruthless, but not without cracks in her armor. It also represented something more personal. Her heart, like her words and her kiss, was no longer something to be given away lightly.

As for the levitating heart, it was initially suspended by a thin string tied to her finger. I removed the string digitally during editing to create the illusion that she alone commanded it.

The Technical Side:

My love for photography is deeply rooted in my love for physics, light, and technology. Prior to picking up a camera less than a decade ago, I spent years programming spectrometers, cameras and robots. My obsession with light at the molecular level guides every photographic decision I make. Photons aren’t just magical to me, they are fascinating, measurable, and controllable.

I used a Nikon D850 with an 85mm lens (f/2.8 f-stop, 1/200 shutter speed, and 64 ISO). The lighting setup included three AlienBees lights, which I bought secondhand off eBay and repaired myself:

• Main Light: A large softbox placed camera right with five layers of diffusion to create an ultra-soft, painterly glow.
• Fill Light: A small shoot-through umbrella positioned camera left to lift shadows without flattening dimension.
• Background Light: A third light with diffusion, gently washing the backdrop to create subtle separation.

Backdrop:

The backdrop, “Umber Sky,” is my own design, created for Baby Dream Backdrops and Fine Art Dream Drops. I hand-painted the original textures and layered in digital enhancements until it matched the exact mood I needed — subtle, rich, painterly.

Awards:

Although this image was one of my first few studio images, it has won a few awards. 

• Second Place: Teens Category, The Portrait Masters
• Honorable Mention: Pro Prints 5th Annual Portrait Competition
• Image Excellence Award: Professional Photographers of America (PPA)

Final Thoughts:

It only took five frames to capture the magic, and I chose frame #2. Aya stepped into the role effortlessly, embodying a character far beyond her years with a cold, commanding expression that belied her bubbly nature. Her portrayal, combined with careful lighting, symbolism, and editing, tells a story of resilience, strength, and self-mastery — all in a single glance.

Bio:

Hi, I am Whitney Minten. I am an award-winning Portrait Artist out of Madison, Wisconsin. I have degrees in biology, computer science and robotics. While at university and as part of several robotics startups, I wrote code to control robots and their various sensors, including cameras. I also trained experts on how to use these robots in a variety of settings, from search and rescue workers operating in a disaster, to NASA astronauts training on the seafloor. 

I worked for several years at an optical spectrometer company where I programmed spectrometers and learned the physics behind light and color at their most fundamental levels. Later, I taught Photoshop and graphic design as an adjunct professor. Yet, it wasn’t until after I became a mom that I picked up a camera for the purpose of creating art. With the very first click, I knew I had found my calling. This unconventional career path has allowed me to bring to bear a diverse technical background that gives a unique depth to my photography as well as my backdrops.

www.whitneymintenphotography.com
www.instagram.com/whitneymintenphotography
www.facebook.com/whitneymintenphotography
www.threads.net/@whitneymintenphotography

Lighting Diagram Description:

• Main Light:
  • Large softbox placed camera right, about 45 degrees from subject.
  • Positioned above eye level, angled down feathered toward subject.
  • Five layers of diffusion added to create ultra-soft, painterly lighting.
• Fill Light:
  • Small shoot-through umbrella placed camera left, also at approximately 45 degrees.
  • Positioned slightly below camera height to softly lift shadows without overpowering the main light.
• Background Light:
  • soft-diffused light behind and to the side of the subject.
  • Feathered at backdrop to gently wash light across it, creating separation without creating a bright spot.
• Camera Position:
  • Centered between main and fill lights, back to capture the 3/4 pose using an 85mm.
• Subject Position:
  • Standing slightly forward of the backdrop—about 2-3’, allowing light to softly fall off behind her