Category Archives: Product Photography

London Lifestyle Photographer: Cambridge Satchel collaborate with Roald Dahl Company to design new Matilda movie collection

Posted by Richard Boll on 16th July 2024 – 2:19 pm

Cambridge Satchel

The story of how ‘Cambridge Satchel’ was founded in 2008 is a well-known tale. With only a small budget of £600, the business was established from a kitchen table in Cambridge. 5 years later, the brand was worth over £50 million.

The company celebrates brilliant British craftsmanship and exceptional materials. Combining a blend of old and new, their handcrafted, ethically sourced leather bags and satchels have a traditional taste, brought to life with style, finesse, and fun. Their products are designed to last and carry a lifetime of learning, curiosity, creativity, and adventure.

London product lifestyle photography for Cambridge Satchel Company in London

Collaborations

Cambridge Satchel only collaborates with people and institutions that they admire. In the past, they have worked with the Royal Opera House, the University of Cambridge, The Prince’s Foundation, and the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST). Each of these institutions is founded upon a commitment to opportunity and education.

The movie of Roald Dahl’s ‘Matilda’

I was commissioned as a London lifestyle photographer to take both product and lifestyle photographs, for Cambridge Satchel’s new collaboration for the ‘The Roald Dahl Story Company’. A collection of bags, notebooks, purses, keyrings, luggage tags, and bookmarks, available in 6 limited edition colours, were embossed with designs by illustrator Quentin Blake and quotes from Roald Dahl’s ‘Matilda’.

A satchel from the Matilda movie range by Cambridge Satchel Company in London.

All of the lifestyle photography was shot in and around Covent Garden in London, where the company had set up a pop-up shop. The product photography was taken in the interior of their very elegant London store. Beautiful winter light enhanced the lifestyle photography taken around Covent Garden.

It was a very enjoyable shoot on both occasions, working collaboratively with the company and combining their ideas with my own suggestions. Their handcrafted bags and accessories are both stylish and high quality, and it was a real pleasure to photograph them.

Lifestyle photography in London for Cambridge Satchel Company

Cambridge Satchel were so pleased with the images from the shoot, that they have used several of the lifestyle photographs to promote the Matilda range in various fashion blogs including Fashion Network and Fashion United.

Image taken by London lifestyle photographer Richard Boll of a woman taking a book from a satchel in Covent Garden in London.

To find out more about Cambridge Satchel and their products, visit their website. More examples of my lifestyle photography can be found here and more of my London product photography can be found here.

Luxury Brand Product Photography: Diageo Present Eight Limited Edition Scotch Whiskies in Original Fine Art Print Boxes

Posted by Richard Boll on 1st February 2024 – 10:15 am

Filed under Advertising Photography, Commercial Photography, Product Photography, Studio Photography, Whisky photography

Diageo Luxury Limited Edition Whisky Presentation Box

I was commissioned by the boutique content marketing and digital commerce agency Precious Media, on behalf of Diageo, to take studio photographs of an exclusive luxury presentation box containing 8 limited edition whisky bottles. Diageo was founded in 1997 and is a global brand leader in premium drinks, known for products that include Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Guinness, Baileys and Captain Morgan. Only 20 whisky presentation boxes were produced. 10 were sent to the UK’s leading whisky critics and 10 were made available for sale. Each presentation box was created with 8 bespoke compartments, to hold one special edition miniature scotch whisky bottle inside.

Original fine art prints were specially commissioned by several talented artists to be featured on the outside of each drawer and whisky bottle. These designs are also included in the presentation box as limited edition prints.

8 Limited Edition Single Malt Scotch Whiskies

Each of the 8 whiskies have a unique flavour and character. The tasting notes for the whiskies are as follows:

1. Singleton: Delicate. Light. Perfectly balanced. Uniquely versatile.
2. Clynelish: Muscular and slightly peaty.
3. Oban: Elegant. Mature. Fruity flavours with rich peat smoke and spicy wood.
4. Talisker: From the Isle of Skye. Captures the elemental wildness and beauty of its birthplace.
5. Lagavulin: Intensely flavoured, smoky and rich.
6. Glenkinchie: Known as ‘The Edinburgh Malt’. Fragrant. Light. Subtle. Floral.
7. Mortlach: Known as ‘The Beast of Dufftown’. Bold flavour. Refined. Complex. Elegant.8. Roseisle: Light. Grassy spirit. Nutty. Malty.

The creative process & studio photoshoot

The one-day photoshoot took place at Jet Studios in Fulham, London. It was a collaborative team effort, working alongside several creative art directors and a product stylist. My photographic assistant, Lee Thompson, was also on hand to assist me with tethered shooting and studio lighting throughout the day. Before the whisky product shoot, several weeks of meticulous planning and preparation took place, to decide on the range of images needed on the day, including discussion on optimum lighting, backdrops and angles. There were also ongoing creative conversations on the day itself, to discuss the best approach for the brand photography and any minor changes required.

The brand shots were a combination of illustrative, e-commerce product photography against pure white backgrounds, and creative, stylised shots with a mixture of close-up images showing the finer details of the whisky bottles, and wider overhead photographs of the complete product set depicting the presentation box, 8 whisky bottles and fine art prints. The creative images were shot against a pre-painted backdrop the product stylist had prepared in advance. As the camera was tethered to a laptop, the client was able to remotely view the digital photographs in real-time as they were being produced, providing instant feedback and sign-off for each shot. This made for a highly efficient and collaborative approach to the studio photoshoot, where both the client and the agency were very happy with the final results.
It was a very successful shoot that was well-planned and executed with great lighting, styling and art direction.

The final images have been used on Malts.com. See more examples of my brand product photography work.

Still life photography: Bespoke shoemakers John Lobb showcase their 170-year history with inspirational wooden last photographs

Posted by Richard Boll on 6th June 2022 – 12:54 pm

Filed under Editorial Photography, Fine Art Photography, London, Product Photography

For over 170 years, John Lobb have been hand crafting bespoke, exquisite, and elegant footwear and leather goods. The world-renowned family-run business spans five generations, receiving its first Royal Warrant in 1863. The firm still produces unique and bespoke handmade shoes to this day one pair at a time. Today, they’re loved for what they’ve always stood for: the celebration of the unique and the original.

Lasts of Frank Sinatra. Still life photo by Richard Boll Photography

At the heart of their process is a pair of unique hand-carved, sculpted wooden lasts, custom-made to the precise form of the customer’s feet. If you walk into their shop for some custom shoes, their master craftsman will draw around your feet to produce the wooden last. They can then continue making shoes to your exact specification using this bespoke last.
Every pair of shoes produced for a customer of John Lobb goes through a 50 hour, 190 step process. Their experienced fitters will discuss the endless possibilities that only truly bespoke footwear can provide. Every single element is carefully considered, resulting in a creation that is truly unique.

Lasts of Jacqueline Kennedy. Still life photo by Richard Boll Photography

Not only are these wooden lasts beautiful sculptural objects in their own right lending themselves perfectly as the focus for still life photography, but they are also historical artifacts of a unique and fascinating legacy. Since 1849, John Lobb has nurtured an impressive range of famous clients over the years from royalty to household celebrities.
I first became aware of the collection of lasts from their historically significant customers whilst on a shoot for a magazine. I thought that the lasts would make a great subject for a photographic project and approached the owners of John Lobb to ask if I could begin photographing them. I was consequently granted exclusive access to shoot the collection of famous people’s wooden lasts.

Studio furniture photography of the CROP outdoor seating range for Allermuir

Posted by Richard Boll on 2nd November 2021 – 5:17 pm

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

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

Posted by Richard Boll on 20th July 2021 – 1:48 pm

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.

Global Advertising Photography for Zeiss

Posted by Richard Boll on 26th June 2020 – 4:23 pm

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.

Commissioned Still Life and Portrait Photography for J & A Beare, London

Posted by Richard Boll on 14th April 2020 – 6:31 pm

Filed under Corporate Photography, Editorial Photography, Editorial Portrait, Environmental Portrait, London, Product Photography

J & A Beare are an internationally-renowned musical instrument dealer based in London and Germany.

Their reputation has been built over 125 years of authenticating, valuing, making, restoring and selling musical instruments and bows.

They recently asked me to provide them with portrait photography of their members of staff as well as interior photographs of their premises on Queen Anne Street in London. I first took photographs of J & A Beare in 2015 for Rolls Royce Magazine, and it was wonderful to be back in the calm, quiet spaces of their premises. It’s an amazing experience to look inside the workshops where the beautiful instruments are lovingly restored by their expert craftsmen. As well as the portraits and interiors, the commissioned photography also included still life images of the instruments and bows that are being repaired and that are for sale.

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

Studio Furniture Photographer for Gabbertas Studio

Posted by Richard Boll on 5th April 2019 – 12:52 pm

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.

Location Lifestyle and Furniture Photographer for AXYL Range of Furniture in London

Posted by Richard Boll on 22nd January 2019 – 4:17 pm

Filed under Advertising, Commercial Photography, Furniture Photography, lifestyle Photography, Location, London, Product Photography, Studio Photography

The AXYL collection is a collaboration between Layer Design and the British furniture brand Allermuir. The range comprises of furniture pieces each fully made from reclaimed materials.
It is the first time the London-based designer has collaborated with Allermuir. I was commissioned as a studio furniture photographer and location lifestyle photographer in London in a joint commission from both Layer and Allermuir. Produced with editorial and advertising potential, the images have been published across various design industry platforms including Dezeen, Domus, Urdesign and Designboom.

The studio product photography for Layer was carried out at Holborn Studios in London.

To see more of my furniture photographer work click here.

Product and Lifestyle Photographer for nolii in London, summer 2018

Posted by Richard Boll on 13th November 2018 – 5:53 pm

Filed under Advertising, Editorial Photography, Editorial Portrait, Environmental Portrait, Lifestyle, lifestyle Photography, Location, London, Product Photography, Publications

Throughout the summer of 2018 I was delighted to be commissioned as a product and lifestyle photographer to produce a variety of images of the new range of mobile phone accessories from nolii.

The nolii products were designed by the industrial design studio Layer, owned by Benjamin Hubert.

The project drew on a range of disciplines, including product and lifestyle photography. I photographed the nolii products at Holborn Studios in London, and carried out a lifestyle shoot in various locations around East London. A team portrait of the nolii team with Benjamin Hubert was also required, which was taken in a cafe in East London.

The images have had a great deal of exposure, having been featured across the nolii website, as well as appearing in magazines including Wallpaper•, Dezeen, Medium, Design Week and Designboom.

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