A Branding Shoot to Help Support and Propel A Big Business Shift

There are times in business when you see yourself at a crossroads where you could continue to follow along the path you have been on, or you choose to steer toward a very different direction that feels new, bold, and expansive. Ceramic artist and teacher Tori Motyl of Motyl Pottery came to me at exactly this pivot point when she made the decision to shift away from her established line of smaller glazed pieces to large-scale terracotta works. The goal with this shoot was to help provide her with the visual tools to communicate this new direction with images that could be used throughout all her sales and marketing efforts, appealing to individual collectors, corporate brands, and custom clients.

Product and Portrait Photography Combine for a Powerful Image Collection

With such large works we wanted to easily communicate the scale, how they might be featured within an environment (homes, gardens, hotels, retail spaces), and how well the pieces work together to strengthen the impact of the branding while encouraging sales of multiple pieces. Because the innate color and texture of the terracotta material is so gorgeous, I went with calming, neutral environments to keep the focus solely on the work. Simple accent props, including minimal greenery and suitably complimentary home accessories from LOOM Imports, allow viewers to imagine Motyl Pottery pieces within their own lives.

Because we also wanted to celebrate the handmade artistry and labor involved with such impressive works, we opted to also have a portrait session with Tori to provide her with updated headshots and powerful branding images that show with great immediacy the large scale of her work and the absolutely charming maker who created them.