Photographing watches is at once rewarding and challenging, though they do not always coexist: one can be deep in the challenge phase for some time before feeling any accomplishment. Watches require meticulous attention to detail and patience both when shooting in the studio and also in…
As promised in the Calla Lily #1 post, here is the next a series of calla lily images. For this, I had a concept in mind beyond a ‘straightforward’ image of a lily. I was surprised to find black calla lilies — I didn’t know they even…
Perfume bottles are often the branding signature of a product line. Branded scents and cosmetics may be the most accessible products to a larger target customer base. One quick pass thru any cosmetic aisle in any retailer, and you will see how critical photography is…
The constraint was at once simple and complex: anything I wanted to do, as long as it contained a single red balloon. Freedom to be creative, with a single requirement. Sometimes that much leeway can make things more difficult, as narrowing down to something specific means…
Making espresso at home is a methodical ritual that I look forward to each morning. I’ve often noticed the lines and shine of the portafilter and planned these images in my mind. When I purchased a new portafilter, I kept it boxed in new condition…
Since I was a kid (more years ago than I prefer to say out loud), I’ve been a fan of pocket knives. My first was given to me by my father, and I still have it to this day. They are incredibly useful things, of course, but…
When planning concepts for the Soft project, I considered marshmallows. I made some test images and, while I found they were not as well suited to the concept as were the cotton balls, marshmallows are fun to shoot. I chose a high-key, white-on-white theme for the…
The assignment here was a concept image: portray ‘soft’ in a square format image layout with text overlay, for a point-of-sale display for a new cosmetic product with softness as a key feature. Sounds simple. In actual fact: Not. So. Much. Shooting to layout here…
The ‘pour shot’ is practically a rite of passage for every commercial photographer. I decided it was time. There are any number of ways to approach a pour shot, and most often they involve a colorful liquid. I wanted to test lighting and composition as…
A growing trend in the world of coffee, particularly espresso, is “single dosing.” Rather than fill a grinder’s hopper with beans that can begin going stale with exposure to air, the idea is to keep the beans sealed and as fresh as possible, only grinding…
