Under the Sea
Shells, coral, mermaid tails and layered blues, built with reflected light so the set has movement in it. Popular for six-month sitter sessions and for siblings together.
Book this set
What is in the set
What to wear
Under the Sea sessions
What you will come away with
The frames we plan for on this set. Not a guarantee — children have opinions — but this is what we are working towards.
Sitter in the clam seat, shot straight on
Newborn curled in the shell, from above
Mermaid tail full-length, lit for the sequins
Sibling frame among the coral
Detail — pearls in hands, the caustic light across the floor
Wide frame showing the layered depth of the drapes
What we would tell you about this set
The reflective floor is what separates this from a blue backdrop with shells on it. Water-caustic light moving across a set is unmistakable, and it cannot be added convincingly afterwards. It also means the floor is genuinely slippery, so crawling and walking frames are shot on a matte insert instead — which is unglamorous, and which is why we mention it.
Under the Sea — common questions
Is the reflective floor slippery?+
Yes, which is why crawling and walking frames are shot on a matte insert instead. Seated and lying frames use the reflective surface, where it throws genuine water-caustic light across the set — that effect is the reason the set works and it cannot be added convincingly afterwards.
Do you have mermaid tails in different sizes?+
Newborn through child sizes. Tell us your child's age and rough size on the enquiry so the right one is ready before the session rather than being found during it.
Will the blue lighting make skin look odd?+
No. The key light is cool but there is a warm bounce specifically so skin tones stay natural against the blues. It is the main technical problem with this set and it is solved in the lighting rather than in the edit.
Want the Under the Sea set?
Tell us your child's age and roughly when you are thinking. We will confirm what is achievable at that stage and hold a date — and if a different set would suit them better, we will say so.
Check a date