Richard Boll

Category Archives: Advertising

Water Effects Studio Shoot for Spinlock

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Filed under Advertising, Advertising Photography, Commercial Photography, Studio Photography, Water effects photography

Water Effects Product Photography for Spinlock.

In the summer of 2024, I had the opportunity to collaborate with Spinlock on a dynamic two-day product photography shoot. Spinlock’s brief was clear: to showcase their Explorer range of bags, including the compact 2-litre waist-worn bag and the spacious 35-litre roll-top bag, with an emphasis on their 100% waterproof capabilities. The result was a creative exercise in product and water effects photography, combining bold visuals and technical precision.

Highlighting Waterproof Design with Water-based Photography

To demonstrate the bags’ waterproof properties, we incorporated dramatic water elements into the shoot. The 2-litre waist-worn bag was plunged into a tank of water, freezing the moment it went beneath the surface. For the 35-litre roll-top bag, we sprayed and threw water across it in the studio, emphasising its resilience and functionality. These water effects not only highlighted the products’ features but also added a sense of energy and movement to the imagery.

Spinlock waist bag being plunged into water with splash taken by London product photographer Richard Boll.

Factors to Consider in Water Effects Product Photography

Photographing products with water involves several challenges and considerations to ensure the best results. The first step is controlling the water itself. Whether it’s splashes, sprays, or submersions, understanding how water behaves in motion is important. Fast shutter speeds combined with specialist high-speed flash and precise timing are key to capturing dynamic water effects without losing clarity.

Lighting also plays a pivotal role. Water reflects and refracts light unpredictably, so careful placement of lights and modifiers is essential to avoid unwanted glare, reflections or shadows. For this shoot, critically placed lighting helped accentuate the water droplets and splashes while maintaining focus on the bags.

Protecting the equipment is another significant factor. Using waterproof covers and maintaining a controlled environment minimises risks to cameras and lenses during water-based setups.

Finally, creative direction and planning are key. Collaborating with stylists and art directors on the shoot ensures that the water effects align with the brand’s vision and that the products remain the central focus of the imagery.

Striking Visuals and Bold Colour Combinations

The choice of a strong red backdrop by Spinlock’s art director provided a striking contrast to the Explorer bags’ colour palettes. The blue of the roll-top bag and the yellow and grey of the waist-worn bag popped against the vibrant red, creating visually compelling product shots that draw the viewer’s attention. This approach reinforced the bold and adventurous spirit of Spinlock’s brand.

A blue Spinlock waterproof bag being splashed with water against a red background photographed by Richard Boll.

Lifestyle Integration

In addition, the shoot included studio images featuring a model wearing waterproof gear with the roll-top bag. As water sprayed across the scene, the imagery captured the functionality and durability of the products in action.

Technical Excellence with the Fujifilm GFX 100 II

For this shoot, I used the Fujifilm GFX 100 II, a 102-megapixel medium format camera that excels at capturing intricate details. This equipment was crucial for rendering the textures of the bags and the dynamic water splashes with stunning clarity, ensuring that every droplet added to the narrative of waterproof reliability.

Studio product photography of close up detail of water droplets on a waterproof bag made by Spinlock.

Balancing Creativity and Clarity

The project also included product shots, also known as packshot photography, to clearly illustrate the features and design of the bags. Balancing creative water-based shots with clean, strong product photography ensured that the images catered to a range of marketing needs. This shoot exemplified the power of combining creative concepts with technical expertise in studio product photography.

Spinlock: Excellence in Design and Manufacture 

Spinlock is an independent and innovative company based in Cowes, UK, the ‘Home of Yachting’. They have over fifty years of experience in designing and manufacturing for the marine sector.

With a history rooted in innovation and excellence, the company has consistently set benchmarks in quality and functionality. Known for their cutting-edge sailing gear and accessories, Spinlock’s products combine durability with performance, making them a trusted choice for professionals and enthusiasts alike. Their commitment to pushing the boundaries of design has cemented their reputation as a global leader in the watersports and marine industries.

See more examples of my product photography here and examples of my lifestyle photography here. Get in touch to discuss any projects that require premium images.

Behind the scenes of an International Airport Photography Shoot

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Filed under Advertising, Advertising Photography, Airlines, Airport Photography, Editorial Portrait, Environmental Portrait, Global Advertising, Lifestyle, lifestyle Photography, Location Photography

International Airport Photography

Managing a complex, large-scale photography shoot on location in a bustling, fully operational international airport comes with a unique set of challenges, including:
• Organising a big production team and a complex shoot schedule
• Navigating airport security with large amounts of equipment
• Working with a mix of airline employees and professional models
• The specific considerations for working with child models
• Shooting in various locations including check-in areas, waiting rooms, business lounges, family areas, and airport corridors
• Arranging for areas to be sectioned off to separate the shoot from public areas of an airport

Emirates Airline, Dubai International Airport (DXB)

I was commissioned by production agency xpogr to photograph an advertising lifestyle campaign for Emirates Airlines on location in Dubai International Airport (DXB). DXB is the primary international airport serving Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and is the world’s fifth busiest airport by passenger traffic, carrying the highest average number of passengers per flight.

Emirates Airline operates the largest airline hub in the Middle East at DXB Terminal 3, handling 51% of all passenger traffic, and approximately 42% of all aircraft movements at the airport. The brief was to shoot a series of bright, colourful, high-quality images showing confident, friendly, and approachable customer service representatives, featuring the iconic Emirates brand uniform. Guests including couples, children, and families were to be portrayed looking relaxed and happy.

As airports are often stressful environments where long waiting times can be experienced, the goal was to create images showing a happy, family-friendly premium experience.

Lifestyle photography for Emirates airline in Dubai by Richard Boll. A female member of the airport staff with a girl at the Unaccompanied Minors entrance.

My photography assistant and I flew from London to Dubai in style with Emirates who kindly provided us with business class seats. It was extremely comfortable and the high level of service and food provided was exceptional!

It was a very enjoyable project over five days with:

• one day for location scouting with the art director and producer

• one day for a pre-production meeting to discuss and finalise all aspects of the lifestyle photography

• three days of photography in various locations around Dubai airport

A family in an airport photographed for Emirates airline by lifestyle photographer Richard Boll.

Clearing large amounts of equipment through security can be time-consuming and needs to be factored into any shooting timetable. It was also challenging taking pictures in a fully operational airport with many passengers and staff members to work around.

The shoot was deemed a great success and several images from the shoot have been used for a global advertising campaign and on the Emirates website. More images from this project can be seen here.

Wharton School & United Airlines Executive

I carried out another airport photography project at Heathrow, shooting corporate portraits of a senior executive from United Airlines for the US-based Wharton Magazine.

A portrait taken by a United Airlines airplane at Heathrow airport by editorial photographer Richard Boll.

United Airlines was formed by the amalgamation of several airlines in the late 1920s and is now a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. As of January 2024, United operates flights to 238 domestic destinations across the United States and 118 international destinations in 48 countries across all six inhabited continents. The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania was established in 1881 as the first business school in the United States, and the world’s first business school affiliated with an institution of higher learning. According to the 2022 Financial Times MBA ranking, it’s home to the world’s best MBA programme.

It was an interesting experience shooting portraits on the live runway with United Airlines jets in the background of the shots, resulting in strong final portraits which were very well received. These corporate portraits have been used extensively for a business profile interview in an editorial magazine feature for the Wharton Business School.

Airport Runway Photography

Another photography project that I carried out at a large airport involved shooting images in the air traffic control centre and on the runway. I took pictures of planes landing and taking off and photographed different locations including the meet​-and​-greet areas, departure lounges, and waiting rooms.

An airplane at Heathrow airport by commercial photographer Richard Boll.

The shoot generated a lot of strong content, and it was a fascinating insight into the workings of an international airport.

Planes at an airport by lifestyle photographer Richard Boll.

You can see more of more of my lifestyle photography here and more of my portrait photography here.

To discuss your requirements get in touch.

Five Favourite Photography Projects from 2023

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Filed under Advertising, Advertising Photography, Commercial Photography, Corporate headshot photography London, Corporate Photography, Editorial Portrait, Fine Art Photography, Luxury product photography, Photography Projects

2023 gifted me with interesting and varied photographic shoots from still life to portrait, to corporate headshots and lifestyle photography. Here, I share five of my favourite photography projects from last year and the story behind each image.

Memento I – Still-life Photography

Fine art still life photography by Richard Boll from the project Memento.

In September, I stayed in a villa in the mountains of Majorca. Whilst there, I turned the spare room into an improvised photographic studio. It was a great space to work in as I could use the existing shutters and curtains to precisely control the level of daylight.

I explored the grounds of the villa for objects to use in a still-life project and found some citrus fruit in various states of decay. I loved the beautiful colours of the rotting fruit that went from almost black to deep purple through to burnt orange.

This still life photography project was inspired by Memento mori, an element of visual language used in classical painting for centuries to remind the viewer of their mortality.

I placed the images into antique picture frames as a reference to classical painting and successfully entered it into the South West Academy Open Exhibition in Sidmouth, Devon. A series of 10 photographs from this project were also entered into the Sony World Photography Awards.

2. Yarli Allison – Visual Artist Portrait Photography

A photographic portrait of the fine artist Yarli Allison taken in her studio in London.

Yarli Allison is an artist born in Canada, raised in Hong Kong and is currently based in London and Paris. Her artistry uses an interdisciplinary approach that crosses sculpture, installation, CGI, moving image, drawing, poetry, tattoo, and performance.

She has been a subject for a personal project I started in 2022, producing portraits of Visual Artists. As part of this project, I shot some studio portraits in a suitable space in her London studio. Allison organised her wardrobe, choosing a range of different outfits to wear. It was a collaborative and creative process working with Yarli, making mutually agreed decisions on ideas and approaches for the shoot.
It was particularly satisfying to have time to play and experiment with lighting and different approaches to portraiture with such a great artist.

This portrait of Yarli is one of my favourite images from the shoot. I love her wardrobe choice and I feel the image captures her profound strength of character and identity. You can see some of Yarli’s work on her website here.

3. The lasts of Thomas Patrick John Anson, 5th Earl of Lichfield – Still Life Photography

Fine art still-life photograph of the John Lobb wooden lasts of the 5th Earl of Lichfield.

John Lobb have been crafting exquisite bespoke footwear and leather goods for Royalty and celebrities alike for over 170 years. Central to their process is a pair of unique wooden lasts made to the exact specifications of the wearers’ feet.
In 1863, John Lobb received its first Royal Warrant after crafting a pair of riding boots for the then Prince of Wales. Since then, they have continued to craft bespoke footwear for ongoing generations of Royalty.

As part of a long-term project, I photographed the complete collection of significant John Lobb wooden lasts. It was great to photograph the lasts of Thomas Patrick John Anson, 5th Earl of Lichfield as part of the project. Known as Patrick Lichfield in his professional life, he joined the Grenadier Guards in 1959 and on leaving the Army in 1962, he began to work as a photographer’s assistant. He was asked to take the photographs of the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1981, and went on to become one of the UK’s best-known photographers.

I used the same technical approach for this image as for the other photographs in the project, incorporating focus stacking to achieve a sharp image throughout the depth of field, from the top to the bottom of the wooden last. You can see more images from the project here. Original limited edition prints can be purchased here.

4. Swaine London 1750 – Still Life Product Photography

Still life product photography of luxury bags and an umbrella for The House of Swaine.

Swaine London, established in 1750, is one of the oldest and most prestigious luxury brands in the world, providing the finest handcrafted leather goods, hats, and umbrellas and supplying to the TV and movie industries since the 1950s. For example, Swaine have supplied Poet hats for every Indiana Jones film, including the original Herbert Johnson hat worn by Harrison Ford in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ in 1981.

Swaine have commissioned my work as a luxury product photographer for a range of projects. This image featured on their website was from a shoot for their Christmas promotional campaign photographing a range of luxury leather products arranged into a still-life image. The shoot was a collaborative team effort working with the Art Directors from Swaine.

5. Newcore Capital – Corporate Lifestyle & Headshot Photography

Corporate lifestyle photograph taken for Newcore Capital in London by Richard Boll Photography.

Newcore Capital was founded in 2011 and is a Certified B Corporation. As a specialist investor in social infrastructure real estate in the UK, Newcore invests in assets that are integral to the needs of society. I’ve been commissioned to photograph several corporate portrait and lifestyle projects for Newcore Capital in the past.

In 2023, I carried out two Newcore corporate photography projects. The first was a corporate lifestyle shoot in the summer, and a range of different shots of staff in informal meetings were set up. It was an enjoyable and productive shoot, making the most of the natural daylight that was available.

The second shoot was a large-scale corporate headshot shoot at their London offices, producing headshots of every current employee in the company. You can see more of my corporate photography here.

See more photography projects I shot in 2023 including Derwent London and the OXO Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie.

Studio furniture photography of the CROP outdoor seating range for Allermuir

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Filed under Advertising, Editorial Photography, Furniture Photography, Product Photography, Studio Photography

The CROP range of outdoor furniture was designed for Allermuir by Benjamin Hubert of Layer. The design was named after the rolling fields of crops in the British countryside; represented in the parallel lines in the chair’s designs. The range is distinguished by its stackable steel rod frame, with robot-welded wires forming the seat and backrests. The line took 12 months to develop and comes in the wake of a challenging year.

“This connection with the natural world allows the collection to sit sensitively in an outdoor context, relating each piece to its surroundings through a shared visual rhythm,” explains Allermuir. “This relationship between the product and the great outdoors is enhanced by the dynamic interplay of light and shadow produced as the sun moves across the linear graphic structure.”

It was a privilege to be asked to produce a range of new photographs for Allermuir to capture the originality and elegance of the furniture. I carried out the studio product photography in the summer of 2021, and the well-received images have been used for a huge range of editorial applications. The images ranged from still life product photography of the chairs, as well as some photographs that were more lifestyle in nature. More of my product and furniture photography can be seen here.

Art directors: Abigayle Clayton-Grimshaw, Matt Ousby, Katie Anderson and Andy Barker.
Assistant: Scott Hobson-Jones

 

studio photography for allermuir

studio lifestyle photography by richard boll

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Studio furniture photography of Circo chair and Play Storage for The Senator Group

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Filed under Advertising, Advertising Photography, Commercial Photography, Editorial Photography, Furniture Photography, Product Photography, Studio Furniture Photography, Studio Photography

It’s always a pleasure to be commissioned as a product photographer to produce original images of new and innovative designs. The Senator Group has an ethos of innovation underpinned by beauty; a concept that is clear and present in all of the designs that they offer. I was commissioned to take studio furniture photography of two new furniture designs for The Senator Group that included the Circo chair (designed by Justus Kolberg) and Play Storage (designed by Senator’s in-house team). The product photography produced had editorial and advertising potential that creatively expressed the qualities of the designs. More of my product and furniture photography can be seen here.

Art directors: Edward Jonson and Carla Birtwistle
Assistant: Scott Hobson-Jones

Furniture photography of a chair designed by Justus Kolberg. Richard Boll Photography.

Furniture photography of play storage designed at Senator. Richard Boll Photography.

 

 

 

Lifestyle Photography for Wizzard Advertising Agency in London

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Filed under Advertising, Advertising Photography, Commercial Photography, Environmental Portrait, Lifestyle, lifestyle Photography, Location, Location Photography, London

I was recently commissioned as a lifestyle photographer by the London advertising agency Wizzard. The taxi company has taken the risks posed by Covid-19 very seriously and is taking significant measures to protect their customers in London. I was asked by Wizzard to source models for the lifestyle photography and suggest suitable locations in London. The models were then selected and the shoot was carried out in a relatively quiet square in Pimlico in London. Due to the prevalent risks posed by Covid-19 everyone on the shoot was observing social distancing and wearing PPE. More of my lifestyle photography can be seen here.

Taxi driver with PPE mask photographed by London-based photographer Richard Boll

London lifestyle photo shoot of a model with a taxi.

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Portrait and Product Photographer for Burgundy Producer Olivier Bernstein

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Filed under Advertising, Editorial Photography, Environmental Portrait, Location, Publications, wine photography
As someone who loves a good glass of Burgundy, it was a pleasure to be commissioned as a product photographer to carry out a shoot for a wine producer in Beaune in the Burgundy region of France.
The photography was commissioned by the creative agency Anew and it was to produce images for the great wine producer Olivier Bernstein. The images were for the website and editorial use, and included mostly product photography and some portrait photography.
Though it was a quick visit to the Olivier Bernstein premises in Beaune, less than 24 hours in fact, it was a productive shoot and the client was delighted with the results.
More of my still life product photography can be found here and more of my portrait photography can be found here.

 

olivier-bernstein-with-bottle-of-wine-richard-boll-photography

olivier-benstein-boxes-of-wine-copyright-richard-boll

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Global Advertising Photography for Zeiss

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Filed under Advertising, Environmental Portrait, Global Advertising, Lifestyle, Location, Product Photography

The company Zeiss began in 1846 when the scientific instrument maker and optician Carl Zeiss founded a workshop in Jena, Germany. Since then it has transformed into a world-renowned research-orientated enterprise that produces a significant range of optical products including eyewear, lenses for film and photography, and highly specialised products for metrology and medical use.
I was commissioned to provide the advertising photography for a global campaign for Zeiss by the London-based creative agency Collider. The campaign was for the innovative new range of Zeiss Smartlife lenses. It was an extremely well organised and productive shoot, carried out in various locations in and around London with a considerable team shooting both still and moving image. It’s been great to see the images being used so extensively for such a successful advertising campaign.

More of my lifestyle photography can be seen here and more of my portrait photography can be seen here.

Zeiss advertising photography campaign in London by Richard Boll Zeiss interior advertising photography campaign in London by Richard Boll for agency Collider

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Global Lifestyle Advertising Photographer for Campaign for Emirates Airline in Dubai

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Filed under Advertising, Advertising Photography, Airlines, Commercial Photography, Editorial Photography, Global Advertising, Lifestyle, lifestyle Photography, Location, Location Photography

I had the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with the production agency xpogr in Dubai as a lifestyle advertising photographer for a new campaign for Emirates Airlines.

It was a five-day project, with one day for location scouting with the art director and producer, one day for a pre-production meeting to discuss and finalise all aspects of the lifestyle photography, followed by three days of photography in various locations around Dubai airport.
I flew from London to Dubai with Emirates who kindly provided me with a seat in business class. This was extremely comfortable, and the high level of service was exceptional!

The photographs for the advertising lifestyle campaign were taken in Emirate’s lounges throughout the airport, including the first-class lounge, the Cigar lounge, and various family-dedicated lounges, as well as their dedicated check-in desks, the Spa and the various Emirates dining areas. The campaign was hugely enjoyable and was deemed a great success. I very much look forward to working with xpogr as a lifestyle advertising photographer again soon.

More of my lifestyle photography can be seen here.

london lifestyle advertising photography for emirates airline global campaign

advertising-lifestyle-photograph-of-child-playing-a-computer-game

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Studio Furniture Photographer for Gabbertas Studio

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Filed under Advertising, Editorial Photography, Editorial Portrait, Furniture Photography, Product Photography, Studio Furniture Photography, Studio Photography

Richard Boll Photography was recently commissioned as a studio furniture photographer for the designer Mark Gabbertas. The brief was to produce a range of imagery that creatively expressed the qualities of the designs.

The new website for Gabbertas Studio went live in April of 2019 and features many images taken for the designer by Richard Boll Photography.

Mark Gabbetas became a furniture designer after having initially worked in advertising as well as having been trained as a cabinet maker. He served an apprenticeship in Codrington Furniture and also Stemmer & Sharp in London. Having opened the Gabbertas Studio in London in 2001, he later moved the business to the Oxfordshire countryside in 2016.

More of my studio furniture photographer portfolio can be found here.

 

Studio furniture photographer. Framed chair by Gabbertas Studio

Triad tables photographed by London studio furniture photographer Richard Boll

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