Portraiture is a brilliant genre to get stuck into, whether it’s practicing on your friends and family or local models but it can be difficult to put a stamp on your headshots to make yours stand out from the crowd. 

That’s why we recently sat down with and caught up with Newo Ikkin who, transforms her fantastical ideas from thoughts to pro photos with the perfect combination of make-up, costume, photography, lighting and careful editing.

Based in Yorkshire, UK, Newo has a passion for all things dark, beautiful, stylized and Gothic. She runs one-on-one workshops for both creative portfolios and editing, details for which can be found on her website below. She was also a guest speaker at The Photography & Video Show 2024 back in March at the NEC.

Here she gives us an insight into her work, and reveals the essential kit she needs on shoots. Be sure to check out her Instagram and website for more inspiration.

“My photography journey began on the opposite side of the lens. I began assisting photoshoots with makeup and hair, with the occasional dabble into modeling for friends as an outlet for creativity. My passion was always creating beautiful characters, pulling styling together for beautiful yet otherworldly portraits.

“One of my frustrations at the time was not having creative control over what was actually being shot – living in a small town in Northern England, the powerhouses of alternative photography tended not to be based near me, apart from a few whose time I couldn’t monopolize! I started shooting self-portraits to create exactly what I wanted in an image, and never looked back.

“As a total magpie, I love to use a lot of metallic elements in my photography, using them in tandem with gels and atmospheric elements to make for an interesting scene. Over the past few years I’ve also loved creating underwater portraiture, having partnered with underwater studio TankSpace many times.

“Fast forward a decade or so, I am fortunate enough to now routinely work with some of the most amazing people in the industry to create art. My passion is primarily for moody portraiture, bold colour use, and interesting characters for my models to embody. With a particular love for corsetry and highly stylized wardrobe, every shot is intended primarily for the female gaze and to celebrate alternative culture.”

Newo’s pro kit for portraits

1. Canon EOS 60D DSLR

A lot of people are surprised when they realise I still shoot with this camera. Yes, it’s old, beaten up, cheap and cheerful – but it still does exactly what I need it to do, and I don’t overly worry about knocking it about while I’m working! My trusty little Canon EOS 60D comes everywhere with me, and has been responsible for most of my images to date – a testament to a hard working bit of kit.

See our guide to the best DSLRs 

I wouldn’t be without this so-called ‘nifty fifty’. I can get the most beautiful look with the wide f/1.8 aperture that looks so dreamy. I especially love using it for portraits and close-ups to show off the talent of makeup artists or detailed jewelry pieces. Again, this Canon kit doesn’t break the bank, so it’s well worth having in your bag if you haven’t got one already!

See our guide to the best 50mm lenses

3. MicroFogger MF4 Pro

This tiny machine is a staple in a lot of my work. I use two mini smoke machines from the MicroFogger range. They work similar to a vape, but in reverse, meaning I can create either a beautiful haze, or targeted areas of smoke to add atmosphere to an image. These are super handy to carry around, unlike a more traditional smoke machine and more ideal for location work.

4. Jake Hicks Gel Pack

Gels changed my photography style a lot, and my clients love more vibrant portraits. I tend to use gels on a bare studio flash, to create a very hard light and offset it slightly from the model, almost pointing towards the camera. You can get a fantastic hazy glow this way, especially when used with the smoke machines.

5. Lume Cube 2.0 LED

Lume Cubes have been a bit of a revelation for me when considering what I could do to make a small travelling set-up that took up very little space. I often shoot from client’s houses or tiny front rooms and so on, where space is at a premium. In these places, I’ve found the small Lume Cube a great little light – and with them also being waterproof I’ve also been able to use them in underwater sets.

• See our guide to the best LED lighting panels

When editing, I use both Capture One and Photoshop CC and my Wacom graphics tablet is essential for my post-production work. I use the Wacom Intuos 5 Touch PTH-450, which is invaluable for detail work, such as highlighting round the eye waterline, or the ridge of the brow, almost digitally ‘painting’ detail on to the photo to add an otherworldly feel to an otherwise simple portrait.
• See our guide to the best Wacom tablets

You might also be interested in the best cameras for portraits and the best lenses for portraits.