The Project:
Collaboration chocolate bar photography for online sales
We photographed a collaboration chocolate bar for Ahn & Chi and Kasama Chocolate, a unique product featuring condensed milk that was being sold through their website. The project required three distinct image types: a main product photograph, a styled shot showing the chocolate bar with broken pieces arranged around it, and a clean shot of the pure product on a background. Working from Vancouver, we built the photography around what the collaboration needed for online sales: images that would work on product pages and give customers a clear sense of what they were buying.
The chocolate itself presented specific visual opportunities. Kasama Chocolate is known for their bean-to-bar process and distinctive packaging, while Ahn & Chi brought Vietnamese restaurant heritage to the collaboration. The condensed milk element was a key differentiator, but it needed to be visible in the photographs rather than just mentioned in product copy. The challenge was creating product photography that showed both the craft quality of the chocolate and the creamy texture from the condensed milk without overcomplicating the presentation.
The Approach:
Three image types built for website function
We approached the shoot by building a system around three image types that would each serve a different function for website sales. The main image needed to be clean and direct, the kind of photograph that works on a product page where customers are making purchase decisions. The styled image would show context and texture, letting people see the chocolate broken open to reveal the interior. The pure product shot would give them a straightforward view of the bar and packaging without distractions. Each photograph had to work independently while also functioning as part of a cohesive set.
The lighting setup used soft, even illumination to preserve the packaging details and chocolate finish without creating harsh reflections or blown highlights. Chocolate is a dark subject, and it is easy for brown tones to look muddy or flat if the lighting is not controlled carefully. We used diffused light to maintain richness in the chocolate color while adding enough contrast to define edges and surface texture. The goal was to make the chocolate look premium, glossy and well-finished, without introducing reflections that would obscure the packaging or make the product look artificial.
The Execution:
Styled photography that shows texture without overcomplicating
For the styled photograph, we included broken chocolate pieces arranged around the main bar to show the interior texture and creamy swirls from the condensed milk. The arrangement was deliberate but not overly staged. Too many props or excessive styling can make product photography look like lifestyle content that does not belong on an online store. We kept the focus on the chocolate itself, using the broken pieces to reveal texture and create visual interest without competing with the product. The turquoise background provided color separation and worked with the packaging's visual identity, tying both brands together without favoring one over the other.
The composition choices were driven by how the photographs would be used on the website. As a Vancouver product photographer, I shot with negative space around the product so the images could be cropped for different placements: product thumbnails, banner images, social media posts. The main product photograph was centered and shot straight-on to keep the packaging readable and the chocolate form clear. For the styled shot, we used a flat-lay angle that showed the full arrangement while maintaining clean edges and spatial clarity. Each photograph was composed to stand alone as a usable image, not just as part of a larger set.
Color accuracy as trust signal
Color accuracy was important throughout the shoot. Chocolate color needs to be true to the actual product. If the brown looks too red or too grey, it undermines trust in the photograph. The packaging colors also needed to be rendered accurately so customers would know what they were receiving. We used controlled lighting and careful color correction to ensure the chocolate looked rich and appetizing while the packaging details remained sharp and legible. The teal background was chosen to complement both the chocolate tones and the packaging design without introducing color casts or muddying the overall palette.
The Result:
Photography collection built for e-commerce function
We delivered the three photograph types as requested: the main image for the primary product listing, the styled image showing context and texture, and the clean product shot for alternate views. The collection gave Ahn & Chi and Kasama Chocolate the visual content they needed to launch the collaboration product online, with photographs designed specifically for website sales rather than adapted from other uses. The images work together as a set while each functions independently on different parts of the site.
The project demonstrates how product photography for specialty food collaborations requires balancing brand identities, showing product differentiators clearly, and creating images that work on e-commerce platforms where customers are making purchase decisions based on what they see. If you are launching a food product and need photography that shows craft quality and product details clearly for online sales, let's discuss how we can create the images your website needs.
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