Playful elegance + Elegantly Playful
Last year I had the pleasure of working with Canniatric, a leader in pediatric Cannabis medicine. As a disabled veteran, I know full well the benefits of cannabis in treating multiple medical issues. Canniatric was not only a product I could get behind, but also the mission. Cannabis has been proven to have a positive affect on kids dealing with things like epilepsy and autism.
The Need
Canniatric had gone through a rebrand and changed out the website and the labels. They needed a complete image refresh. Both e-commerce as well as social media.
The Twist
Although Canniatric specializes in pediatrics, creating imagery that would be typical of any pediatric brand was a no go. Due to the rules and regulations surrounding cannabis, any advertisement to individuals under 21 is prohibited. To stay true to brand while also staying within federal guidelines, I had to create imagery that was playful and colorful, but also elegant and refined.
Client Call
The Need
Canniatric had gone through a rebrand and changed out the website and the labels. They needed a complete image refresh. Both e-commerce as well as social media.
The Twist
Although Canniatric specializes in pediatrics, creating imagery that would be typical of any pediatric brand was a no go. Due to the rules and regulations surrounding cannabis, any advertisement to individuals under 21 is prohibited. To stay true to brand while also staying within federal guidelines, I had to create imagery that was playful and colorful, but also elegant and refined.
Product
Canniatric comprises of 2 different lines. The first is a hemp based line comprising of a mixture of CBD topicals and tinctures. They also have bath bombs which are great for kids bath time! Their other line consists of indica based tinctures that create “a unique genetic profile to address specific pediatric symptoms.”
16 products all together. With a total of 50 images split between
I created a proposal that that specific to the client and their needs. My proposals are always customized as each job is different and has different requirements, But they alll follow the same skeleton:
1) Personal note to the potential client that is specific to this job
2) Brief introduction of myself – who I am, my history, and my mission statement
3) Partial client roster for social proof
4) Brief description of my process and capabilities including what I also offer outside of photography
5) Investment & timeline:
I’m a firm believer that any product photo shoot (or any shoot really) is an investment into your brand. If your imagery is mediocre then it can actually devalue what youre trying to sell. The timeline is an estimate. Everything is contingent upon when I receive the product and if there are any additional asks during the shoot that weren’t previously discussed, but I typically have a 1 week process from shoot to final deliverables. Wishing the timeline I typically outline how long each portion will take and what is involved.
6) Estimated budget: I will typically offer 2-3 different project fees. In which I outline exactly what is included and what the expected deliverables will be
7) samples relevant to the specific job
in this case it was mainly e-commerce photography dn product photography that I had rpreviously done as personal projects and for branded social content for other clients.
8) A link where clients can view additional work
proposal
Pre-Production
Once the contract was signed, K was ready to get to work. I always start out with an image search. I look at what is relevant and trending on social media, what other brands int eh space are doing, etc.
I really wanted to emphasis the playfulness of the brand while also giving a sort of elegance that would appeal to parents.
Inspiration
I drew my inspiration for this shoot from my knowledge off modern graphic design. But I was also really inspired by the new label and packaging for Canniatric.
I came up with 2 themes for the shoot: curves and plexi glass. I wanted to emphasis dynamic colors that really popped while also ensuring that the product was front and center.
Props
I sourced props through a local plexi manufacturer based in Camarillo, California. I always try and source props from local mom and pop shops first before going to the big box stores or online retailers. Prop hunting usually takes about a week to either find or make the props.
Go Time
Overall the entire project took 2 days in the studio. I will typically split e-comm and social content up. That way I’m fresh for both aspects and can really give my client the best of me during the shoot.
First day was spent entirely on e-comm. I gave the client samples day of so there were no surprises. Each composition was pre-approved.
During the second day, I allowed myself to play around a bit. I messed with the compositions and the style until I landed on something that worked. I could have just copied imagery from the mood board but then the images wouldn’t be unique to the client’s brand.
In order to get the curves that mimicked the labels, I used gels. I twisted the gels the mimic the packaging design and used colored transparent shapes and plexi gave it more of an architectural, but still playful feel.
Production
After Action
I can say I throughly enjoyed working with Ray and Canniatric. Because Ray trusted me, he gave me the flexibility to be creative and think outside the box. And the results were amazing. Just see for yourself!
But What would I do differently?
I’m always looking at ways to improve. After actions does just that. Im able to create a list of things I would do to make things better. For this shoot, I’ve identified 3 things:
1) I would have loved to have created customized shapes.
2) Having a second assistant would have made things easier during the shoot.
3) Sketching out the compositions for the social media content before hand might have also helped. Sketching is a sell that I’m currently lacking in but also improving upon.
Product photography is my passion. It’s very technical. Not a lot of people can do it well. But I love it! I truly do feel that the purpose of a. Product photographer is to bring out the personality of the brand and the product through captivating and innovative product photography.