Creating Calm: A Cosy Home Fragrance Product Shoot
White Tea & Wild Mint Candle by Claire Conchie
This home fragrance photoshoot was all about creating a cosy atmosphere that invites Claire’s customers to relax with her gorgeous scents.
Claire Conchie Crafts is based in Scotland and produces a range of home fragrance products in a variety of scents. For this shoot I was sent a small number of candles, diffusers, wax melts, a room spray, liquid hand soap, and hand and body lotion. Claire booked a custom shoot package to ensure she could get the most images for her budget. With such a wide range of products it can add up to have them all photographed individually, so this is often a gradual process.
Starting with a shoot like this means Claire now has a library of photographs which can be used for social media, website headers and product category images, trade show signage, directory listings, market trader applications and promotions. A small shoot can still have a huge impact on your business!
Client pic from before
Candle shot with packaging
The Process
I waited until later afternoon and used natural winter light to capture a dusky mood, along with a neutral colour palette to suit the brand colours and packaging. The packaging was also used in the styling; crumpled tissue paper, and kraft boxes for gifting.
The styling was kept neutral in tone and props were curated with texture in mind: dried fluffy bunny tails, stoneware vases, a soft knitted beige blanket, rustic vintage stool, matches, dark wooden trays and a big cream hard book. Two shades of cream background were used to bring it all together.
For the bathroom products I changed to a subtle off white tiled backdrop and added rolled up towels, wooden toothbrush, a sea grass basket and pebbles. This helped create a spa-inspired scene which complements the apothecary style bottles.
The Results
The viewer is invited to imagine reaching for their favourite candle as the dark sets in, so they can bathe in the warmth of its glow and enjoy the comforting scent. I ended up shooting the candles unlit too as there is a beauty in this contrast of midwinter bleakness.
The final images have a quiet feeling of calm, a hygge stillness and a sense of slowing down. This is a wonderful way to add value to home fragrance products - customers can’t smell them online so we have to create lifestyle appeal.
Diffuser Product Image
If you too are looking for creative product photography to bring your candles to life, I can help with that! I’m a product and brand photographer based in Dundee, working with clients across the UK. You can find my packages here, check out more of my work here, and getting your booking started here.