Bludgeon Queen
There is nothing civilised left here… only survival and the will to enforce it
Model: @merciastormmodel on Instagram
This was one of those shoots where you turn up knowing roughly what the theme is… and then you just let it unfold in front of you. The whole day was organised by Harriet SFX around a post-apocalyptic concept, and honestly, she had done most of the heavy lifting before I even picked up the camera. Three models, all with completely different looks, rotating through the space at Parklands Studio. It is one of those setups where your job shifts slightly from creator to observer, and then back again once something clicks.
Storm Mercia’s look was the one that immediately leaned into that feral, survival-driven energy. The outfit was layered, textured, and full of small details that reward you the longer you look at it. Feathers, fur, bone elements, and that skull sitting on the shoulder like it belongs there. It does not feel like costume in the usual sense. It feels like something assembled over time from whatever was available, which is exactly what you want for this kind of theme.
And then there is the bat. It is such a simple addition, but it completely shifts the tone. Without it, you could almost read this as tribal or ceremonial. Add a weapon, especially something as blunt and personal as a baseball bat wrapped in wire, and suddenly it is about violence. Not implied violence, but actual, very direct, very physical violence. It gives the whole image a sense of intent.
We spent a good chunk of time wandering the location, trying different backgrounds and angles, but this particular setup came together towards the end of the day. That slightly worn, green backdrop worked well because it does not compete with the subject. It frames her without softening anything, which is important here. This is not a gentle image and it should not be surrounded by anything that makes it feel that way.
From a technical perspective, this is very much about control and restraint. There is a lot going on in the frame already, so the job becomes deciding what not to do. The composition is tight, which keeps the focus locked on her expression and the bat. Her gaze is doing a lot of work. It is direct, steady, and completely unbothered by the viewer. There is no performance in it. It just is.
Colour grading was a deliberate choice. I went with orange and teal tones because they sit nicely against each other and help separate subject from background without needing to push contrast too aggressively. The warmth in the skin tones and costume elements plays against the cooler greens behind her, which keeps the image grounded but still stylised. It also leans into that slightly cinematic feel without tipping into something overly polished.
Lighting is relatively straightforward, which is intentional. With a look this strong, overcomplicating the lighting would have been a mistake. It is enough to shape the face, pick out the texture, and leave everything else to the design of the outfit and the presence of the model.
What I like most about this image is that it does not try to explain itself. It gives you enough to understand the world, but not enough to make it comfortable. You are left to fill in the gaps. Who she is, what she has done, what she is about to do. None of that is spelled out. It just sits there with a very clear message that whatever this world is, she is not someone you would want to cross.
Inspiration
This came directly from the post-apocalyptic theme of the shoot organised by Harriet SFX. I was responding to the styling and atmosphere that had already been created on the day rather than going in with a fixed concept of my own.
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Summary
A post-apocalyptic dark art portrait capturing raw character, texture, and controlled colour grading in a stylised survival setting.