The Assignment:
Capturing metallic nail polish without losing color truth
I chose Chanel's LE VERNIS line as a creative subject because the polish sits at the intersection of two challenges that interest me: capturing metallic finishes without sacrificing color accuracy, and translating runway material codes into product photography that feels restrained rather than prop-heavy. Working from Vancouver on personal projects, I'm drawn to products where technical difficulty and brand aesthetic push each other. Chanel's bluish-gray metallics shift wildly under standard lighting, and their brand language demands quiet precision, not drama.
The brief I set for myself centered on a problem luxury beauty teams face constantly: how do you show a high-gloss, metallic finish online in a way that builds confidence rather than confusion? Shoppers need to see true color, understand the reflective quality, and feel the premium positioning all from a still image. Most metallic nail polish photography either blows out the highlights to show shine or underexposes to protect tone. I wanted to find a middle path that preserved both.
The Execution:
Bottom-lit diffusion as the foundation for metallic finishes
I built the lighting around bottom-illumination through a milky acrylic sheet. The setup creates an even, wraparound glow that sculpts the lacquer bottle and spreads across the set without creating harsh hotspots or dead zones. The diffused plane acts as a broad light source that lifts shadows and defines form, while a controlled top fill keeps the cap and label readable. This approach worked particularly well for the bluish-gray metallic shade I selected. It let the finish register as reflective without shifting the tone cooler or warmer than it actually is.
The lighting also maintained rich blacks in the negative space and kept edges crisp, which matters when the final image needs to communicate luxury rather than just shininess. For styling, I brought in materials that echo Chanel's accessory and ready-to-wear vocabulary: a piece of leather and a metal zipper. The choice wasn't arbitrary. Metallics in nail polish often tie back to hardware finishes in handbags or the sheen of leather under runway lights.
By keeping the set minimal and using materials that share a tonal relationship with the polish, I kept attention on the product while giving context that a fashion-focused shopper would recognize. The leather added a tactile anchor, and the zipper introduced a linear element that led the eye without cluttering the frame. These aren't props for decoration. They function as visual shorthand for the brand's material language.
Multi-channel output from a single lighting system
The resulting images work well as a multi-channel system. The main frames could function as campaign visuals or email headers. A tighter crop on the bottle, shot with the same lighting setup, translates directly into commerce-ready product images for product pages or marketplaces, where color accuracy and consistent reflections reduce the risk of shade-mismatch complaints. I also captured macro details of the lacquer texture and brush, which could serve as finish-forward content for social platforms where shoppers want to see application quality and surface depth before committing to a premium price point.
The entire approach scales: change the shade, keep the lighting and material logic, and you have a repeatable system rather than a one-off campaign. What this project demonstrates is that you can solve for both technical precision and brand aesthetic without compromise. Metallic finishes don't have to look artificial or overly retouched to read as premium, and brand-coded styling doesn't require a cluttered set. It requires discipline and a clear understanding of what the material references are communicating.
As a Vancouver product photographer, I see this kind of visual thinking work when a luxury beauty brand needs to move fast on seasonal shade drops while protecting the codes that justify the price. If your team is building content for a line where finish, color, and brand heritage all have to come through in a single frame, let's talk about what a system like this could do for your next launch.
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