Product Photography / Colonial Candle
Oval Archives
I've been photographing Colonial Candle's original ovals collection since I first started at MVP Group International, as a part-time intern while still in college, in 2012.
Throughout the years, my responsibilities fluctuated from simple photography - to photography for the images on the labels - to fully designing the labels, selecting fragrances and colors, creating advertising, and playing a larger part in the collection release.
Eventually, the oval jars became less of a focus as Colonial Candle's product line shifted to more modern releases, seasonal, and trend collections. I still find it interesting to occasionally look back on some of this old work and see how far I've come, and to imagine how much farther I'll go in the future.
Spring 2018
I chose a unique opal shimmer UV coating on these labels that was a lot of fun to work with. Creating the transparency behind the watercolors was a challenge, but I love how they turned out.
Holiday 2017
These images were all shot on my kitchen table. I had such great natural window light there, they hardly even needed any fill - just a simple bounce.
Fall 2017
Spring 2017
Holiday 2016
For 2016 Holiday, Fall, and Spring, I got to work with the talented Cody Deer — I managed samples, gathered props and set the scenes, and art directed these shoots to make sure the finished images would fit in my product catalog template with enough room left for copy.
Fall 2016
Spring 2016
Fall 2015
Fall 2015 was one of a few collections were I photographed custom stock images for the labels themselves instead of the finished candles. Here are a few of my favorites from the selection.
You can purchase these images or browse more on my Shutterstock page: www.shutterstock.com/g/shayrae
Cities Collection
This was a unique specialty collection – each candle was themed after a city, and small silver keys were hidden inside the wax of a select secret few. If a customer found a key, they won a trip to that city! Sadly, only a couple of the trips were ever claimed.
Spring 2015
This was another collection where I photographed the stock images for the labels. A macro/ bokeh look was requested for this set, and it’s one of the rare times I’ve gotten to bring my tilt-shift lens out to play.
Charleston Collection
The Charleston collection, released in 2014, was one of the first full collections I played a central role in creating.
In the first few years after MVP purchased the Colonial brand, they launched a slew of city-themed collections focused on popular travel destinations (you'll see a few of them below) - but I thought our home city deserved a collection as well.
It turned out to be our most successful collection thus far - it was the star of our downtown store in The Charleston Place on the corner of Meeting and Market, and was continued for 3-4 more years.
Holga and cross-processed images were very much on-trend this year (keep in mind, Instagram had started only 4 years earlier), which is why these label images below were shot in a candid style and edited with shifted curves.
Fall 2014
Fall 2014 was another year I focused primarily on shooting the images for the labels themselves. The pumpkin roll was my boss's specialty, and she made a few every year for her close friends.
Rio De Janeiro Collection
Spring 2014
Holiday 2013
Oh, this was a big day– the Colonial team got to take over Coastal Living’s 2013 Show House on Daniel Island for this photoshoot. We also published a full spread of these photos in Charleston Style & Design Magazine.
Vail Collection
No, unfortunately a rare Charleston snowfall didn’t happen just in time for this shoot… this was photographed with mashed potato flakes instead.
Cocktails Collection
With simple design and smooth-touch matte finish labels, this was one of my first favorite collections. Even though I didn't drink back then and had never even tasted any of these drinks, the fragrances were effervescent and delicious. Each candle was themed after a cocktail, and included a recipe for how to make it on the back.
Flagship Collection
These two images were used as advertising signage for the grand opening of Colonial Candle's downtown Charleston store. They were also published as full-page ads in Charleston Magazine.
Fall 2013
I made the mocha truffles myself from scratch for this photoshoot (they were vegan - and delicious)!
Barcelona Collection
These flowers fell naturally on the stairs outside our office at the time (which was actually the owner's old house) - perfect for this group shot!
Bora Bora Collection
I dumped a full Costco-sized container of salt on the floor of my studio for these fake white sand beach shots.
Spring 2013
It may not look like much, but I got literally 50 mosquito bites in the time it took to toss these jars on the grass out behind the office and get this shot.
St Barths Collection
Perfect excuse to get out of the office for a beach day!
Cape Cod Collection
Not 100% sure whose boat this was, but it was left tied on the MVP owner's pier on the perfect day for this photoshoot.
London Collection
Marrakesh Collection
Holiday 2012