Reverse Engineering a Commercial Shoot:
Papyrus x Refinery29 stationery collaboration
This was one of those projects where I read the brief and thought: oh, this is going to be SO much fun, all the while feeling that tingle of nerves at the magnitude of the task.
The client:
Papyrus and Refinery29, collaborating on a range of bold, irreverent, beautiful greeting cards, designed by the founder of Refinery29 herself.
The brief:
Create a vibrant image library that captures the spirit of the collaboration. Bold, playful, a little unexpected, with enough flexibility to work across social, email, and retail channels.
The challenge:
The cards came with accessories (think: pins, stickers), so everything had to be styled just right to show them off. Too many props, and you lose focus. Not enough, and the energy falls flat.
So we leaned into colourful still life images, as well as movement and body parts: hands holding cards mid-air, feet in roller skates. That sense of spontaneity and fun? Totally intentional.
And the result?
The client said they LOVED the images. (Yes, in all caps.) And that they totally sold the product line. Win win.
What I love most about this shoot is how it was such a perfect fit for my style at the time: cheeky, colourful, and human. And how even a big, high-profile shoot that starts off feeling a little overwhelming can unfold naturally when you trust your taste and follow the fun.
Sometimes, you don’t even know why an image makes you smile.
That’s the magic bit.
Marianne
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