Case study: Cornish Cheese Co Hamper Photography
Creating e-commerce imagery for a Cornish hamper company
When Cornish Cheese Co commissioned me to photograph their luxury hamper range, the brief was to create a comprehensive image library that could be used on the company's online store as well as social media, marketing and seasonal campaigns
Rather than producing a single image of each hamper, the aim was to create a collection of premium photography that would give the business maximum flexibility throughout the year. Every hamper was photographed in two distinct styles, providing a versatile library of almost 100 finished images.
As well as photographing the project, I was responsible for managing the production from concept through to final delivery. This included planning the shoot, developing the creative approach, coordinating the styling, post-production and ensuring a consistent visual identity across the entire collection.
My Role
• Project management
• Creative direction
• Commercial photography
• Studio lighting
• Post-production and retouching
• Image compositing
• Working alongside stylist Holly Phillips
• Delivery of almost 100 images
The Brief
The project involved photographing eighteen luxury hampers, each containing a unique selection of Cornish cheeses and artisan food products. The hampers ranged in size from 4 items to a whopping 17.
For every hamper, we created:
• A clean product image on a subtle textured background for ecommerce, brochures and general marketing.
• A lifestyle version in a bright, rustic kitchen interior suitable for year-round promotions.
• A festive Christmas version for seasonal marketing.
• Additional banner crops for hero images on the company’s website.
The objective was to create a cohesive collection of images that reflected the quality of the Cornish Cheese Co brand.
Planning and Production
Consistency was key to the success of the project. Every hamper needed to feel part of the same collection while still showcasing its individual contents.
To achieve this, the entire project was photographed in the studio using carefully controlled lighting against a grey background. This provided complete consistency across the range while allowing each hamper to be transformed into two different visual styles through creative styling and post-production.
I worked closely with stylist Holly Phillips, whose attention to detail and prop sourcing helped shape the overall look and feel of the images. Together we carefully arranged every hamper, selected complementary props and refined each scene to create imagery that felt warm, authentic and premium while always keeping the products as the focal point.
This collaborative approach ensured every image reflected the quality and craftsmanship of the Cornish Cheese Co range.
Styling and Photography
Luxury hamper photography is about far more than simply arranging products in a basket. Each hamper was individually styled to achieve the right balance of colour, spacing and visibility, ensuring every product remained clearly recognisable while creating a generous and natural presentation.
Part of the brief was to subtly emphasise the Cornish provenance of the produce so Holly sourced flowers, linens and tableware that complemented the blue Cornishware look of the client's branding. Seashells and sea glass completed the look.
Two distinct image styles were produced:
• Lifestyle Collection – A bright rustic kitchen interior designed to showcase the hampers in an aspirational home setting suitable for year-round marketing.
• Christmas Collection – Warm festive styling created specifically for seasonal campaigns while maintaining a consistent brand identity. Candles and Christmas decorations replaced the flowers and sea glass.
Post-Production
Post-Production played an important role in achieving a consistent look across the entire set of images. This included:
• Colour correction and grading
• Detailed product retouching
• Background compositing
• Consistent lighting and colour across the collection
• Multiple crops for different marketing formats
The result was a polished collection of commercial images ready for use across the client's website and other marketing uses.
The Outcome
The completed project delivered almost 100 professionally finished images, providing Cornish Cheese Co with a comprehensive image library that can be used throughout the year.
By producing three distinct versions of every hamper from a single photography project, the client gained a flexible collection of marketing assets suitable for ecommerce, everyday promotion and Christmas campaigns without the need for multiple photo shoots.
The project demonstrates how thoughtful planning in response to clear brief from the client, creative collaboration and professional commercial photography can produce a versatile image library that continues to deliver value long after the shoot has finished.
Project Credits
Client: Cornish Cheese Co
Photography, Project Management & Post-Production: Mike Searle Photography
Styling: Holly Phillips
