Portraits of Character. Justin Sun, NZSO Musician
There’s a unique creative energy that comes from photographing musicians, especially those as open and genuine as the players from the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO). My aim with this portrait series has always been to go beyond the standard headshot and capture what truly makes each musician unique—their style, their artistry, and their personality both on and off stage.
Justin Sun was one of the first NZSO musicians I reached out to for this project. We’d met previously on a shoot for the orchestra, and I was immediately struck by his blend of cool confidence and quiet warmth. He’s the kind of person who’s just as approachable as he is sharp, and you can sense a quiet determination in the way he carries himself. After keeping in touch over Instagram, we finally lined up a session in the studio. From the outset, my goal was to design a portrait experience that reflected Justin’s effortless style and natural poise.
Why Justin?
From our first planning conversation, I knew I wanted to give Justin’s portraits a timeless, refined atmosphere. I’ve always admired those classic editorial images—strong yet understated, classic but still modern. Justin felt like the perfect subject for this style, and he was equally enthusiastic about taking the shoot in that direction.
His trust in the process made everything flow. He sent me a few wardrobe options ahead of time, and I encouraged him to bring them all so we could experiment on the day. Styling decisions were a true collaboration; Justin has great taste, but was open to new ideas as well. There’s a special energy in the studio when your subject is keen to play with the creative process.
This session was also the inspiration for my Pay What You Feel sessions for musicians. While it started out as a portfolio exchange, Justin surprised me by reaching out after the shoot and insisting on paying for the images. That generosity and respect for creative work really resonated, and helped shape the way I now approach artist collaborations.
Building the Look
We started the shoot with a clean, classic editorial setup. The neutral grey backdrop provided a timeless base that made Justin’s tailored blazer and calm presence stand out. For lighting, I used an Elinchrom 135cm Octa positioned at a 45-degree angle, feathered softly across his face to create structure without harshness. A black v-flat reflector on the shadow side soaked up stray light and carved a subtle, masculine shadow along his jawline. Shooting with a Canon R5 and the Canon RF70-200mm F2.8 at ISO 400, f5.6, and 1/125s gave me crisp detail and a flattering, natural depth.
Justin brought an easygoing energy to the session, making it effortless to adjust poses, try new angles, and refine small styling details until everything clicked. The resulting images feel as if they could be lifted straight from the pages of an editorial magazine—strong, approachable, and refined.
Lighting Setup Explained: Classic Editorial Look
This portrait was all about controlled simplicity. The Octa at a 45-degree angle, paired with negative fill from the black reflector, created gentle, dimensional light that accentuated Justin’s features. It’s a go-to setup for professional musician headshots where character and confidence take centre stage.
Cinematic Turns
Once we’d established the foundational looks, I wanted to take the shoot in a more cinematic direction. We swapped in a rich crimson backdrop, which instantly brought a new energy into the space and complemented the deeper tones in Justin’s wardrobe. To create a sense of drama, I repositioned the key light to the side for an extreme Rembrandt effect, then directed Justin to turn his back and look over his shoulder—evoking a sense of narrative and introspection.
For this sequence, I added a Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/4 filter and a Hoya star 4x filter to my lens. The combination brought a subtle glow and shimmering highlights, especially on the bassoon. Paired with the crimson backdrop and sculpted shadows, these images feel almost like film stills, revealing a more introspective and cinematic side of Justin.
Lighting Setup Explained: Cinematic Rembrandt
The dramatic side light was created by moving the Octa nearly 90 degrees to Justin, casting bold shadows and creating the signature Rembrandt triangle beneath the eye. The crimson backdrop soaked up the light, enhancing the mood, while the mist and star filters gave the whole look a soft, cinematic texture.
Embracing the Unexpected
My favourite moments in any portrait session are the ones you never plan for. Towards the end of our shoot, Justin brought out a beige-on-beige outfit that immediately set a softer tone. Inspired by the gentle colours and textures, I decided to open the blinds and let natural light pour into the studio. To keep things luminous and even, I paired the window light with a huge Elinchrom 175cm Octa, and the 135cm Octa then dropped my shutter speed to 1/60s to blend the ambient daylight with studio flash.
That’s when I spotted a wooden ladder in the studio—an impromptu prop that felt right for the moment. Bringing it into the composition alongside Justin and his bassoon, the ladder’s clean lines echoed the shape of the instrument and added a graphic, architectural feel to the image. It was the sort of spontaneous creative choice that can transform a good portrait into a great one.
Lighting Setup Explained: Soft Natural Light & Studio Fill
For this final look, the combination of window light and soft Octa's fill gave the images an airy, pastel feel that perfectly complemented Justin’s styling. By lowering the shutter speed, I could blend flash and ambient light to create a soft, luminous quality—ideal for conveying both warmth and sophistication.
The Final Touches
When it comes to post-production, I let the mood of each look guide my grading. The darker, editorial images get a touch of extra contrast and deeper shadows, while the natural daylight portraits are brightened and kept light and airy. My retouching approach is always subtle—I want to highlight personality, not erase it.
Reflections
Justin’s session perfectly encapsulates why I love creative portrait photography in Wellington. From the trust and collaboration during planning, to the unplanned moments in the studio, every step was shaped by a shared creative vision. Justin’s blend of easy confidence, openness, and quiet determination shines through in every frame, and these portraits feel like a true reflection of who he is, both as a musician and as a person.
If you’re interested in booking your own musician portrait session, want to know more about Pay What You Feel sessions, or simply want portraits that capture your real character, I’d love to hear from you.
You can see more NZSO musician portraits or follow along for behind-the-scenes at Instagram.