Creating Editorial Still Life Stories for Olay

I was brought in by the team at DotDash Meredith to create three distinct still-life series for Olay, each tailored to a different publication: Better Homes & Gardens, Real Simple, and People. The goal was to celebrate the launch of Olay’s new product lines in a way that felt aligned with each magazine’s voice: visually, emotionally, and sensorially.

Editorial Still Life That Resonates with Real Life

Each series needed to speak directly to the lifestyle and beauty rituals of a specific audience. That meant going beyond clean product photography to ask: How do these products feel? Where do they live? What everyday moments do they elevate?

Here’s how we approached each story:

Better Homes & Gardens: Soft, Curated, and Grounded

For Better Homes & Gardens, we created a calm and elegant vanity scene, recreating soft window light in the studio. The Retinol Moisture line was styled in a way that reflected the curated, design-forward homes of the BHG reader. The textures were clean and tactile, with a grounded visual tone that mirrored the publication’s sense of comfort and intentional living.

People: Sensory and Indulgent

The People series focused on the Indulgent Moisture collection, leaning into its sensual textures and rich scent profiles. We layered florals, fruits, and bubbles, yes, lots of bubbles, to bring the sensory experience to life. The goal was to evoke the full-body pleasure of a great shower or bath, in a way that felt joyful and lush.

Real Simple: Practical, Joyful, Everyday Skincare

For Real Simple, we wanted to show the Skin Solutions line in action. We built a shower setup in the studio (it turns out a pasta colander works surprisingly well as a rain shower head) to create dynamic, heroic imagery. These shots were all about celebrating the daily ritual, how Olay fits seamlessly into a streamlined, effective skincare routine.

The Process

Across all three shoots, I aimed to keep the imagery refined, thoughtful, and rooted in real-life moments. Each concept was built collaboratively, with the DotDash Meredith creative team, our brilliant prop stylist, and expert retouchers all bringing their talents to the table.

Our shared goal was to translate a legacy beauty brand into fresh, emotionally resonant imagery that centers the customer's everyday experience, whether that’s a moment of indulgence, a peaceful morning routine, or a simple, joyful shower.