RODO - LIFESTYLE + COMMERCIAL
PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY
FOR PPE + WORKWEAR CLIENT

WORKWEAR PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY FOR RODO LTD – AN ON-LOCATION FULL-SERVICE BRAND LIFESTYLE PHOTOSHOOT CAPTURING PPE, HI-VIS, SAFETY FOOTWEAR + DECORATING ACCESSORIES

THE BRIEF

This was a different kind of project for me to take on, but I couldn’t resist the challenge. I already shoot plenty of lifestyle photography for property and architecture clients, so taking on a product lifestyle photography brief wasn’t reaching too far. Taking it on as a full-service photoshoot project and being responsible for organising every part of the project was gonna be the stretch. 

Rodo needed someone who could take on everything. A commercial photographer comfortable with model sourcing, location planning, knowledge of licensing and usage, props, call sheets, shoot schedules and shot planning. Before I committed to working as a commercial photographer full-time, I worked on the project management side of shoots so I knew straight away how much that level of organisation counts. 

This was a full-service commercial photoshoot for two of their partner brands, Blackrock Workwear and ProDec. Both brands specialise in trade workwear, but with slightly different angles - Blackrock covers safety footwear, hi-vis and PPE, while ProDec is one of the biggest names in decorating tools and trade accessories in the UK and Ireland. Both brands required fresh product lifestyle photography showing their products being used properly and in different combinations, in a location that felt believable for the kind of work their customers do. 

The final images had to work across web, social channels, digital platforms and print, from brochures and catalogues through to wider marketing and brand content. Rodo had a detailed shot list from the start and a clear sense of what they wanted- the product had to be the hero, but the location had a big part to play too. They needed adaptable setups that could pass as a general worksite, rail yard, warehouse and builders yard - so we needed to find a location versatile enough to cover this range of industries.

THE PROCESS

Finding a suitable location was the first hurdle. Trafford Park was the obvious starting point. I'm based locally, so I know it well – old train tracks, industrial estates and warehouses are all part of the landscape around there. I then started exploring areas around Manchester and old Lancashire towns that once were centres of industry but have since been abandoned or left in disrepair. I was finding lots of empty yards, warehouses, bits of railway, odd corners here and there that looked promising online but didn’t quite work for all criteria. I also tried a few developer contacts from previous jobs, but nothing came from it. 

In the end, the answer came from the last place I expected. At the same time as doing this research, I was shooting a wedding at a semi-rural location just outside Manchester. Right next the venue was the owner’s farmyard. It was brimming with everything I was looking for: acres of old working farm buildings, big barns, heavy duty equipment, various machinery, and piles of railway sleepers. It had the grit and the scale, and it was flexible enough to cover all the different scenarios in the shot list. Exactly what we needed. And because it’s used as a wedding venue, there were also amenities that could be used by the crew and models.

We had three models across two days, a long list of products, different model and product combinations, props to source, wardrobe details to check and a full shoot order to build, so I brought my assistant, Ophelia, on-board to help with the schedule and shot list and help run the set on the shoot days. 

Ophelia and I took the client’s shot list and turned it into a working multi-day commercial photoshoot schedule, matching each scenario with the right location, model, product and props. We also had a few back ups ready; for an on-location brand photoshoot with this many products, people and setups involved, the shoot structure has to be flexible.

Planning is a huge part of successful commercial photography for brands. If everyone knows where they need to be and which product and setup comes next, everything becomes significantly easier to manage.

Both shoot days ran like a dream. The client was clear about where they wanted to land stylistically. I needed to keep things close enough to the style of their previous shoots so the new images wouldn’t feel jarring alongside existing material. Equally they also wanted a fresh feel for some of the imagery, so there was still room for creativity. 

RESPONSE

The final image set gave Rodo an extensive bank of fresh workwear product photography and product lifestyle photography, and really demonstrated the value of a full-service commercial photoshoot. The photography matters, of course. But so does the location, the models, props, communication and above all else: the organisation. On-location brand photoshoots are always a bit unpredictable, so the more solid foundations you start with, the more wiggle room you have to deal with the unexpected.

From the enquiry through to the final delivery, this felt like a big project for me as a commercial photographer. Not just because of the scale, but because I was responsible for so many parts of it. Creative direction and production photography are often talked about as separate things, but on a brief like this they are inseparable.

CONCLUSION

This Blackrock Workwear and ProDec shoot was a reminder that good commercial photography for brands isn't just about the shoot. A lot of the real work happens in the planning – the problem solving and the little bits of organisation that nobody really sees. Get those bits right, and everything else falls into place. It also reminded me how much I enjoy that part of the job. To flex my project management muscles again felt good.

FAQs

What is product lifestyle photography?

Product lifestyle photography shows products being used in an authentic or believable setting, rather than on a plain background. For Blackrock Workwear and ProDec, that meant showing PPE, workwear and trade products being worn and used in an industrial environment.

What does a full-service commercial photoshoot include?

A full-service commercial photoshoot can include location sourcing, model sourcing, usage licensing, sourcing props, drafting call sheets and shot lists, shoot scheduling, creative direction, photography and final image delivery. For this brief, the planning and production side was a big part of the job.

Why is location sourcing important for commercial product photography?

The right location helps the product make sense. For this shoot, the client needed somewhere that could blend both an industrial and agricultural look, but without being too specific. 

Do you work with models on commercial shoots?

Yes. This project involved sourcing three models across two shoot days, alongside arranging usage licensing and making sure the products were matched properly to the right model and setup.

How do you manage a multi-day commercial shoot?

Thorough preparation and good planning, mostly. A clear call sheet, shoot order, product list, model schedule and prop plan give the day its shape. You still need room to adapt, but the structure stops things unravelling when something unexpected happens, which it always does. And of course clear communication across everyone involved.