Acid

The rave that started at midnight and never technically ended fluorescent, hypnotic, and completely sincere

Acid aesthetic photography reference
Referenceacid
Shoot Brief · Call Sheet● TC 00:00:00:00
AestheticAcid
Roll020
Status0 / 5 Shot
LightUV-only environment for maximum impact
WardrobeWhite and fluorescent colors, smiley faces

Shot list

Tap a frame to mark it shot — grease pencil, saved on this device

FR·01A
UV-lit portrait where white clothing and makeup glow and all other surfaces disappear into black
FR·02A
Action shot at a rave or club, slow shutter with light trails from glow props and LEDs in motion
FR·03A
Close portrait with smiley face graphic visible somewhere in frame T-shirt, accessory, face paint
FR·04A
Wide environmental shot of a dance floor under UV and strobe, the figures partly dissolved into the light
FR·05A
Detail shot of fluorescent body paint on hands or face under UV light, the edges blurring into the dark
Roll
00 / 05
⌁ LightingUV-only environment for maximum impact; supplement with a single very brief strobe pop at 1/10,000 sec to freeze the face while the rest of the long exposure blurs the frozen face against motion blur is the signature acid image

uv-only environment for maximum impact ✦

⌁ WardrobeWhite and fluorescent colors, smiley faces, reflective accessories, fun-fur and holographic fabrics that react to UV

white and fluorescent colors

Director noteDo a test with a UV light meter before the shoot UV output varies enormously between fluorescent UV tubes, LED UV, and blacklight bulbs, and you need enough output to actually make white clothing glow, not just slightly react

Locations

Rave or club with UV lighting rigStudio with UV panels as sole light sourceWarehouse party spaceOutdoor festival stage at night with colored lighting

Explore the aesthetic

Style guide
Color palette

About this brief

How do I photograph the Acid aesthetic?
The rave that started at midnight and never technically ended fluorescent, hypnotic, and completely sincere. Do a test with a UV light meter before the shoot UV output varies enormously between fluorescent UV tubes, LED UV, and blacklight bulbs, and you need enough output to actually make white clothing glow, not just slightly react
What shots should I get for a Acid photo shoot?
Capture: UV-lit portrait where white clothing and makeup glow and all other surfaces disappear into black; Action shot at a rave or club, slow shutter with light trails from glow props and LEDs in motion; Close portrait with smiley face graphic visible somewhere in frame T-shirt, accessory, face paint; Wide environmental shot of a dance floor under UV and strobe, the figures partly dissolved into the light; Detail shot of fluorescent body paint on hands or face under UV light, the edges blurring into the dark.
What lighting works for Acid photography?
UV-only environment for maximum impact; supplement with a single very brief strobe pop at 1/10,000 sec to freeze the face while the rest of the long exposure blurs the frozen face against motion blur is the signature acid image
Where should I shoot Acid photography?
Good locations include: Rave or club with UV lighting rig, Studio with UV panels as sole light source, Warehouse party space, Outdoor festival stage at night with colored lighting.
What wardrobe works for Acid photography?
White and fluorescent colors, smiley faces, reflective accessories, fun-fur and holographic fabrics that react to UV

Generate shoot references in the acid style

Elio reads your visual references and generates images in your exact aesthetic. Use it to build a mood board before the shoot or create composite references for your client.

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