The car was a little too far away when the rain started. By the time we reached it, we were soaked. That was how this jewellery shoot with Katerina on a beach in Oakville ended, just as we were wrapping up the final set.
Earlier in the session, we had three outfits, rings, necklaces and a busy beach to work with. The photographs were for a jewellery brand’s advertising, with the pieces styled on a model outdoors.
Three outfits and a changing sky
Katerina brought three outfits, each paired with different jewellery. That gave us a way to change the styling across the session while keeping the beach as the setting.
As we photographed, darker clouds gathered. The sky became part of the background and changed the feel of the photographs. The clothing and jewellery stayed central to the brief, with the weather adding something we had not planned.
Working around a busy beach
There were plenty of other people at the beach. I used positioning and framing to keep them out of the photographs, then removed remaining background distractions during editing.
That work started with the frame itself: where Katerina stood, what sat behind her and how much of the surroundings appeared. For a product shoot, those choices matter because the setting needs to support what we are photographing.
Natural light, a reflector and some flash
I relied mainly on natural light, using a small reflector and occasionally adding flash with a reflector. That gave me ways to work with the shadows and the jewellery’s details as the outdoor light changed.
The mix was specific to this session. For another location or collection, I would choose the light around the products, the setting and the images required, then check how reflective surfaces appear in the photograph.
Screenshot from the backstage video
The rain at the end of the shoot
The rain arrived as we were finishing the last set. With the car some distance away, getting back to it meant a thoroughly wet end to the session.
For a new outdoor production, I would make a weather alternative, shelter and the route back to the vehicles part of the plan. A dramatic sky can look good in a photograph; the conditions still need to be suitable for the people, products and equipment.
Access also needs checking for the specific site. For a new commercial shoot in Oakville, use the town’s production guidelines and Film Office contact to confirm which requirements apply to your location and plan.
Plan the photographs around the collection
This session brought jewellery, three outfits and an outdoor setting into one advertising series. It also involved the less visible work of framing around other beachgoers and adjusting the light.
If you are planning photographs for a small brand, start with the pieces you need to show and where the images will appear. We can then discuss whether the brief calls for location photographs, closer product views or a combination.
Explore my commercial and catalogue photography or tell me about your collection. We can work out the styling, setting and shot list together.
