Synthwave

Riding a neon grid into a sunset that only exists in the digital past

Synthwave aesthetic photography reference
Referencesynthwave
Shoot Brief · Call Sheet TC 00:00:00:00
AestheticSynthwave
Roll038
Status0 / 5 Shot
LightHard gels only magenta, cyan
WardrobeChrome visors, mirrored sunglasses, leathe

Shot list

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

FR·01A
Close portrait lit entirely by a magenta and cyan split the two gels creating a hard dividing line down the nose
FR·02A
Silhouette of a subject against a purple-to-black gradient sky with a grid pattern projected on the ground
FR·03A
Low-angle shot of a car on a wet road at night, neon reflections streaking the tarmac
FR·04A
Subject in profile, chrome helmet or visor reflecting the neon-lit environment
FR·05A
Wide retro-futuristic landscape: figure small against a horizon where the sun is always setting in purple-pink
Roll
00 / 05
⌁ LightingHard gels only magenta, cyan, and deep purple fluorescent or LED panels creating competing colored shadows; no white light in the frame

hard gels only magenta, cyan

⌁ WardrobeChrome visors, mirrored sunglasses, leather jackets, fingerless gloves, high-contrast geometric clothing

chrome visors

Director noteUse a fog machine at low concentration and backlight with a cyan source the haze carries the beam and creates the volumetric light shafts that define the aesthetic without requiring any compositing

Locations

Wet urban street at night with neon signageParking structure with colored LED lightingEmpty highway at night with colored light rigsRooftop with city grid visible below

Explore the aesthetic

Style guide
Color palette

About this brief

How do I photograph the Synthwave aesthetic?
Riding a neon grid into a sunset that only exists in the digital past. Use a fog machine at low concentration and backlight with a cyan source the haze carries the beam and creates the volumetric light shafts that define the aesthetic without requiring any compositing
What shots should I get for a Synthwave photo shoot?
Capture: Close portrait lit entirely by a magenta and cyan split the two gels creating a hard dividing line down the nose; Silhouette of a subject against a purple-to-black gradient sky with a grid pattern projected on the ground; Low-angle shot of a car on a wet road at night, neon reflections streaking the tarmac; Subject in profile, chrome helmet or visor reflecting the neon-lit environment; Wide retro-futuristic landscape: figure small against a horizon where the sun is always setting in purple-pink.
What lighting works for Synthwave photography?
Hard gels only magenta, cyan, and deep purple fluorescent or LED panels creating competing colored shadows; no white light in the frame
Where should I shoot Synthwave photography?
Good locations include: Wet urban street at night with neon signage, Parking structure with colored LED lighting, Empty highway at night with colored light rigs, Rooftop with city grid visible below.
What wardrobe works for Synthwave photography?
Chrome visors, mirrored sunglasses, leather jackets, fingerless gloves, high-contrast geometric clothing

Generate shoot references in the synthwave style

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