R.M. Williams × Air Aroma: Product Photography in Our Melbourne Studio
R.M. Williams × Air Aroma case study from our Melbourne studio, on-white e-commerce, simple flat lays and warm hero scenes using repeatable lighting. See setups, results and book.
We shot a mix of on-white e-commerce, simple flat lays, and a set of hero images for R.M. Williams and Air Aroma. The goal was premium, consistent assets that work across PDP, socials, ads, and wholesale decks.
Quick stats
Client: R.M. Williams / Air Aroma
Location: Bohemia Bay Studio, Melbourne (Cheltenham)
Shoot type: E-commerce on white, flat lays, hero scenes
Crew: Photographer + assistant/stylist
Deliverables: Catalogue images, flat-lay variations, and hero assets
Creative Direction & Brand Fit
Warm, minimal, and material-led. We leaned into amber glass, earthy tones, and simple shapes. Compositions left room for cropping and headlines. Nothing busy. Everything considered.
Setup 1: E-commerce on White
Goal: clean, repeatable SKUs that drop straight into the store.
How we lit it
Large overhead soft source for an even top light.
Bounce for gentle fill.
Scrim diffusion on glass to avoid harsh reflections.
Black flags to define edges on the bottles and candle.
Workflow
Tethered capture to a Mac station (Capture One/Lightroom).
Live client monitor for instant approvals.
Angle and distance locked for consistency across items.
Warm backdrop and driftwood to echo the brand palette.
Candle smoke for movement and a lived-in feel.
Two stripboxes through a scrim, flagged spill, controlled fall-off.
Tight hero frames and wider compositions for headers.
Styling, Props & Surfaces
We kept the prop kit simple: matte beige surface, acrylic risers, driftwood, rock, and grain. All chosen to support the scent story and the earthy brand materials. Glass stayed pristine with lens cloths and air blower between takes.
Speed & Consistency on Set
Tethered capture meant instant checks on dust, reflections, and label legibility.
File naming and selects were organised as we shot, so handover was fast.
Results & Deliverables
We supplied:
On-white e-commerce images with consistent angles and shadows.
Flat-lay variations for social and editorial.
Hero assets with room for headlines and crops. Formats matched the brand’s platform needs (web, social, paid). Colour was profiled to keep the amber tones true.
Image Delivery Previews
R.M. Williams candle hero image with smoke on driftwood, warm brown backdrop
R.M. Williams candle flat lay with rock and grain on beige surface.
R.M. Williams candle with retail box, styled product scene.
Air Aroma Saffron Suede bottle, on-white e-commerce photo with defined shadow.
Tips for Similar Brands
Glass control: use scrims for soft reflections and black negative fill for clean edges.
Lock your look: fix distance, angle, and exposure so every SKU matches.
Flat-lay speed: pre-grid the surface; move props, not the camera.
Colour: build a capture profile so your brand tones don’t drift.
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