Oreck was redesigning their e-commerce website and needed imagery of their updated lines of vacuums and air purifiers in multiple environments. From estimating through retouching, we coordinated and produced a two-day shoot at a residential property in Charlotte featuring a wide range of products in-use.
Leading vacuum and cleaning appliance manufacturer, Oreck, was recently redesigning their e-commerce site and looking for fresh product images to accompany the updated site. A subsidiary of TTI Floor Care, the parent company of similar brands such as Hoover and Dirt Devil, Oreck reached out to us wanting to capture images of their new products in use and update the imagery of some existing products as well. Based in the Charlotte, NC area, Oreck hoped to shoot locally, so we recommended and ultimately hired, photographer Lincoln Barbour who was a natural fit for this project, and as a bonus, he was located just a few hours away.
I was beyond excited when Oreck asked us to produce this project, not because I love cleaning (because I don’t) but because I was excited to work with Lincoln, and I was looking forward to a shoot in a more controlled environment. A lot of the projects that I’ve produced have involved multiple locations and tons of talent, but this project was a nice change of pace since we’d be working in one location over two shoot days within a single environment.
As Lincoln began to prep and loop in his tech/assistant, we had three main tasks to tackle:
Without the luxury of time to conduct a formal location scout, we ultimately tapped three different scouts in the area to review their location files. After sifting through plenty of options to find the right balance of architecture, interior design sophistication, and price, we found just the right spot.
Next, we sought out a prop stylist to add the final bits and pieces to kick the overall aesthetic up a notch, and ended up collaborating with stylist Patti Borrelli. Lastly, while the shots would primarily focus on the products, we needed some hands/legs to be present in the shot, so we reached out to Directions, a local talent agency, who helped us find just the right person.
As the details began to come together, I started working on the production book and connecting with the crew. I also began to familiarize myself with the location and surrounding Charlotte area: traffic patterns, local camera shops, coffee shops, etc. All the things I would need to know in case we had some last-minute items to purchase and where to get coffee when (not if) the crew & client needed an afternoon “pick-me-up.”
Before our tech scout, I worked closely with the client and our stylist to make sure we were set with props and wardrobe. We were shooting in multiple rooms (bedrooms, an office space, living room, kitchen, etc.) and had very specific requests from the client to be “on-brand” and match Oreck’s clientele. Once we had props and wardrobe dialed in, I continued working on the production book and coordinated timing with the family that owned the home. The homeowners were super accommodating and very much happy to have us.
Our tech scout date approached quickly, and Lincoln, Patti, the team from Oreck, the homeowners, and I spent the afternoon scouting and discussing possible locations for each product. We had a total of 14 products and two shoot days to tackle the shot list. The walkthrough brought on the discussion of some last-minute props to be sourced, and we ended up switching around our shot list due to some location changes within the house.
Working with Lincoln and the crew was a breeze. Lincoln’s lighting expertise and attention to detail were impeccable, as were the crew. I would say the most difficult part of the shoot was putting all of the furniture back in place for the homeowners and making sure we left the place spotless. Once we knew the homeowners (and our client) were happy, we all traveled our separate ways feeling a little more inspired by our cleaning game.
Credits
Art Director: Rybe Henderson
Prop Stylist: Patti Borrelli
Talent: Directions