3M Ace + Futuro Compression Brace

Full Production, On Location, Advertising Photographer

Advertising Photographer for 3M Ace + Futuro Campaign: Motion Meets Precision

I collaborated with the creative team at KICK on this advertising photography campaign for 3M Ace and Futuro compression sleeve braces. Their creativity and collaborative spirit were instrumental in bringing the concept to life, which was to infuse energy into static product images through motion blur. As the advertising photographer on the shoot, I worked with the team to meticulously plan every detail, including the degree of motion blur and product clarity. We prepared multiple test scenarios to achieve the final images we were after.

Casting, Logistics, and Creative Partnerships

Every aspect was crucial, from casting talent based on their abilities and product fit, to selecting the location, activities, and day-of logistics. Casting was conducted at Capture Filmco, where we filmed talent jogging and biking and tested product fit. Fittings were also done at Capture Filmco, with House of Spitz matching brand colors to talent. SureCan produced the shoot, from tech scout through the day of logistics. We even had a product designer from the client on set to make sure that the form and function of the product was accurately represented. It was a lot of cooks in the kitchen but everyone had a role to play in creating the final product of this advertising shoot.

Technical Process and On-Set Execution

To ensure we were well-prepared to capture our 12 hero images, we created numerous data points in advance. This included A/B/C test shots to dial in the effect we wanted, a technical process common among advertisement photographers. We used flash, shutter drag, compression depth, and ambient light to strike the right balance. I also created a sun chart to align the sun's position with the on-set location throughout the day. We shot in a Municipal Park, selected from a location scout and then tech scouted by us to confirm our schedule would work. Our A/B/C test shoot was also on location to ensure that all gear and my assistant were ready. We captured 15 frames per second with flash for 1-2 seconds per take. This allowed us to isolate the necessary product detail and account for variations in the blur caused by flash, camera, and talent movement.

Retouching and Final Thoughts

My interest in design, video, and advertising photography began 25 years ago. While I was never into video games, I loved Photoshop and Premier. I have acquired extensive knowledge in post-processing over the years and applied it to the retouching on this project.

This project was an ideal opportunity, with a strong creative team, an exciting technical concept, and a trusting client. I'm grateful to everyone involved.

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