Editorial Model Shoots in East London: 5 Raw Industrial Looks That Beat Another White Cyclorama

A white cyclorama is useful. It is also predictable.

For editorial model shoots, the location does more than hold the camera. It gives the frame its texture, contrast and attitude before you place a light.

That is the point of shooting at @38.

Based in Clapton E5, our raw industrial venue gives you exposed brick, dark wood, concrete, steel structure and coloured lighting already in the room. No flats. No complicated set build. No spending half the booking making the background look less empty.

You get the space. You bring the clothes, camera and talent.

The Main Floor starts from £600 for up to 4 hours, with exclusive access to the space. Here are five looks to build around.

1. Exposed brick. One red accent.

Start with the wall.

Raw brick gives an editorial shoot something a white studio cannot: surface. Every brick catches the light differently. The mortar adds rhythm. The imperfections stay visible without taking over the frame.

Keep the setup simple.

Place the model a few feet from the wall. Use a soft key light at 45 degrees to shape the face and clothes. Then add one red accent light across the brick behind them.

That is enough.

The red should not wash the whole scene. Keep it narrow and deliberate. Let it catch one side of the wall, the edge of a jacket or the model’s profile. The rest can fall into shadow.

This works well for:

• Black tailoring
• Metallic accessories
• Red, burgundy or deep brown styling
• Beauty close-ups with graphic shadows
• Full-length looks that need an urban edge

The contrast does the work. The brick gives the image weight. The red adds a single visual decision.

You do not need five lights and a built set to make the frame feel finished.

At @38, the industrial surfaces are already there. You can move from a full-length editorial frame to a tight portrait without changing location.

2. Steel beams. Backlit silhouette.

Use the architecture for shape.

Steel beams and structural lines create a natural frame around the model. They also give you a strong option when the clothing is more sculptural or the pose needs to feel graphic.

Place your light behind the model. A hard or focused source will create a bright edge around the shoulders, hair and clothing. Keep the front of the model underexposed or lightly filled.

You are not trying to show every detail.

A silhouette works when the outline is clear. Give the model a strong stance. Keep the pose clean. Let the structure sit behind them as a second layer.

This look suits:

• Avant-garde styling
• Long coats and flowing fabric
• Sportswear campaigns
• Sunglasses and accessories
• Movement-led frames
• Black-and-white edits

Shoot wide to show the beams and negative space. Then move closer for a crop where the rim light catches the profile.

The key is separation. Keep the model away from the background where possible. This lets the light wrap around the figure instead of disappearing into the structure.

The result feels more like a campaign image than a standard studio test. The location is not decoration. It is part of the composition.

3. Concrete floor. Window light.

Industrial does not always mean dark.

Window light brings a softer editorial option into the space. Use the concrete floor as the base and let natural light create the direction.

Place the model close enough to the window for the light to shape the face, but not so close that the background disappears. Turn the body slightly into the light. Keep the shadow side present.

Do not flatten it with too much fill.

The concrete gives the frame a quiet, architectural quality. It works particularly well when the clothes need to lead.

Try:

• Soft tailoring
• Neutral palettes
• Denim and workwear
• Beauty and skincare
• Minimal jewellery
• Clean catalogue-to-editorial looks

This is the setup for a model test, lookbook or campaign that needs texture without heavy colour.

You can also use a reflector on the shadow side. Silver will add more edge. White will keep the result softer. If the daylight changes, introduce a single continuous or flash source to keep the exposure consistent.

The important part is restraint.

Let the window provide the mood. Let the model carry the styling. Let the floor and walls add the location detail.

A good industrial photoshoot location in London should give you more than a dramatic background. It should give you different levels of light. At @38, you can work with window light, track lighting and the venue’s coloured wash rig in the same booking.

4. DJ booth. Blue-lit fashion moment.

The DJ booth changes the energy immediately.

Use it as a fashion set, not just a performance setup. The Pioneer CDJ decks, turntables and mixer give the model something physical to interact with. Hands have somewhere to go. The frame gets context.

Keep the booth blue-lit. Use a neutral key on the model so the clothing stays readable. Let the blue light sit in the background and around the equipment.

This works for:

• Clubwear
• Streetwear
• Music-led campaigns
• Artist portraits
• Beauty looks with reflective details
• Editorial images built around nightlife

Shoot from the side for a layered frame: model in the foreground, decks in the middle, dark industrial surfaces behind. Then shoot tighter. Crop into the hands, jewellery, headphones or controls.

You can also place the model behind the decks and shoot through the equipment. The controls become foreground texture. The blue wash creates separation without needing a constructed set.

There is a practical advantage here, too. The booth is already installed. You do not need to source a desk, hire decks or build a club scene from scratch.

Bring the look. The room already has the rest.

5. Leather lounge. Moody close-ups.

Finish with a tighter look.

The leather lounge corner is built for portraits. Dark leather reflects just enough light to show texture. The surrounding brick, wood and coloured glow keep the background from feeling flat.

Use a small softbox, beauty dish or focused light from the side. Keep it slightly above the model’s eye line. Let the cheekbone, jaw and fabric catch the light.

The mood should stay controlled.

You do not need to light every corner. Leave some of the room in shadow. A red or purple practical light behind the model can create a soft colour separation without competing with the face.

This setup is useful for:

• Beauty portraits
• Album artwork
• Designer interviews
• Artist press shots
• Jewellery and accessories
• Campaign detail frames

Shoot seated first. Then move in for a close crop. Change the model’s direction rather than changing the whole set. A profile, a direct look and an over-the-shoulder frame can all come from the same corner.

That is how you make a half-day booking work harder.

One booking. Five visual directions.

A strong model shoot needs variation.

Not random backgrounds. Controlled changes in light, texture and distance.

At @38, you can move through five distinct looks without leaving the building:

1. Exposed brick with a red accent for graphic colour and surface.
2. Steel beams with a backlight for silhouette and structure.
3. Concrete and window light for softer editorial frames.
4. The DJ booth with blue light for club-led fashion imagery.
5. The leather lounge for close portraits and darker campaign details.

The Main Floor includes dark wood flooring, raw brick, industrial textures, a full colour wash rig and track lighting for your own kit. There is also a studio room for talent and changing. Parking is available by arrangement.

Access starts from 08:00, Monday to Sunday.

The booking is exclusive. Your shoot only.

Plan your editorial shoot at @38

Bring enough styling for two or three clear directions. Do not overpack the day with ten unrelated concepts.

Start with the strongest look. Shoot the full-length frames while the model and team have the most energy. Move into the DJ booth or lounge for tighter work. Keep the final hour for close-ups, details and anything you missed.

For a half-day shoot, you get up to 4 hours on the Main Floor from £600. A full day is available for up to 8 hours from £1,100.

See the full Shoots @38 details or book a shoot day.

You can also DM us through at38.org. Tell us your date, crew size and the looks you want to shoot. We respond within 24 hours.

Which look would you shoot first: the red brick, steel silhouette, concrete window light, blue-lit DJ booth or leather lounge?

Comment below. Then DM or book at at38.org.