Walk this Way: A Bold and Vibrant Take on Feetures Socks by Studio Dispatch

The folks behind Greenville, South Carolina’s Studio Dispatch, Will Crooks and Tara Ashton, are a creative duo with an affinity for bright colors. Their bold approach to commercial product photography and still life imagery manages to make even the most mundane items (i.e., socks) look fun.

In their latest work for Feetures, the team captures the brand’s new Prism and Garden Party line of socks in-studio, using their signature style and colorful backdrops to give the products a fresh, light-hearted creative direction.

Since socks aren’t usually the sexiest product, we really tried to think of dynamic ways to showcase Feetures’ socks that really spoke to their product’s quality and capability. Through the use of color, form, and compelling movement, we captured the energy that their product is all about.

The team at Feetures initially reached out to Studio Dispatch to do a test shoot and gave them the creative freedom to photograph sample products however they’d like to. This shoot served as a way for the client to get a sense of how Studio Dispatch would approach their products and what kinds of images they could produce.

They wanted to get a feel for our style and production value. After seeing the test shoot images, they hired us to photograph their spring campaign. I think the test shoot inspired their branding vision for the new lines.

After completing the initial test shoot, the client brought Tara and Will on board to photograph Feetures’ new line of socks. They provided the team with some initial creative direction, but with the test shoot as a proof of concept, they trusted Will and Tara to take some artistic license with the idea.

The client provided a deck as a jumping-off point, but they were open to our concepts of how to carry out their vision best. We sourced the models and materials, styled the sets, and art directed in tandem with the Feetures team.

The shoot took place in a large studio space, where they set up multiple backdrops to shoot against. The larger area allowed them the flexibility to freely move between sets as needed to work quickly and efficiently. Will and Tara each have their own strengths, which is why they have been working together since last year. They have a great rapport and play off each other’s energy while on-set. That seamless collaboration led them to launch Studio Dispatch in November 2020.

We’re a team, so we each bring a variety of specific skills on set. Will is a master when it comes to lighting techniques. My background in floral design (as shown in the Garden Party campaign) makes me particularly diverse in styling. Our style of graphic, color-driven product photography lends itself well to activewear brands.  

Credits:

Photographer: Will Crooks
Photographer and Stylist: Tara Ashton

See more of Will and Tara’s work at StudioDispatch.com.

Check out our other great photographers on our Find Photographers page!