Behind the Lens: The Art of Tabletop

Behind the Lens: The Art of Tabletop Commercial Shooting at Root Studios

There’s a certain magic behind every piece of art, and the same goes for commercial shoots. Spending a day at the renowned Root Studios, our team embarked on an exciting journey to create the freshest visual assets for Kate Spade’s newest line of purses. With the right tools and techniques, we transformed a simple purse into a mesmerizing piece of art, capturing every intricate detail and texture.

The Lazy Susan Technique

A Lazy Susan, typically a kitchen tool, proved invaluable for this shoot. This revolving tray allowed us to showcase the purse from various angles, ensuring a dynamic perspective without physically moving the camera. When shooting a stationary product like a purse, it’s imperative to bring motion and life to it, making it the center of attention. By placing the purse on the Lazy Susan and giving it a gentle spin, we achieved a smooth, rotating view, making every angle of the purse visible and engaging.

High Key Lighting with Aputure Asteras

Lighting can make or break any shoot, especially when capturing products. For our Kate Spade shoot, we employed Asteras for high key lighting. This technique involves brightly lighting the subject, reducing harsh shadows and accentuating the details. The purses gleamed under the gentle yet effective illumination, highlighting their structure, material, and unique design elements.

But with high key lighting comes the challenge of reflections, especially on glossy surfaces. Our team worked diligently to ensure the lighting was steady and that any reflections were controlled. This was essential in retaining the purse’s true color and design without any distracting glares.

The Illusion of Floating

To give the purse a surreal, floating appearance, we turned to an age-old trick: fishing string. By carefully tying the purse with transparent fishing string and suspending it from above, the purse appeared to float in mid-air. The result? A captivating image where the purse defies gravity, drawing the viewer’s eye and holding it.

In Conclusion

Tabletop commercial shooting is a blend of innovation, patience, and technical expertise. Our day at Root Studios, capturing Kate Spade’s latest collection, was a testament to how traditional tools and modern techniques can come together to create stunning visual narratives. As we continue to explore and experiment, we remain committed to bringing products to life, one frame at a time.