The Project:
Product photography for Lifted Movement fitness equipment
I photographed Lifted Movement's complete product line over 2.5 shoot days, creating up to 100 images for their e-commerce store and marketing. Lifted Movement makes designer dumbbells and fitness equipment built to display in living spaces: marble-capped weights with powder-coat finishes, silicone hand weights, kettlebells, and The Arc storage rack. The project covered their full inventory: free weights, silicone hand weights, kettlebells, resistance bands, the Deluxe Movement Mat, tote bag, duffel bag, The Arc, wedges, heat wraps, mini motivator, massage gun, hot pack, ice pack, and holiday campaign images.
The Challenge:
Customers weren't understanding true colors and materials online
My focus was delivering color-accurate photos that clearly show texture and craftsmanship across marble, metal, and silicone finishes so each product reads as premium immediately. For marble-capped weights and powder-coat dumbbells, accurate color matters because buyers expect the palette to match their space. Reflective metal and polished marble surfaces pick up everything: fingerprints, dust, specular hotspots. Each product was shot clean and handled carefully to maintain the premium feel the brand requires.
The Execution:
Controlled lighting system for mixed material surfaces
The approach centered on true-to-life color and material detail. I built a controlled lighting system that renders marble veining, matte metal, and true blacks without glare or color shift. I used diffused lighting tuned for mixed surfaces. The setup suppresses glare on metal while lifting micro-contrast in stone to reveal veining and texture. I photographed each item from multiple angles to clarify scale, form, and details. Showing how a 5-pound silicone weight differs from a 25-pound knurled dumbbell matters.
I used transparent blocks and polished planes to add dimension without cluttering the frame. The goal was clean images that work on product pages and can be cropped for email, social media, and ads. Marble finish photography required directional accents to show veining without washing out the stone or creating harsh shadows. Powder-coat textures needed enough light to read as matte and refined without looking flat. Silicone handles required lighting that communicates grip and ergonomics.
Macro detail photography and material clarity
Detail shots isolated craftsmanship elements: marble end caps, knurling on heavier weights, silicone texture on lighter ones, powder-coat depth. I used macro optics and controlled depth of field to show these details edge-to-edge with color accuracy across all variants. The brand offers multiple finishes and weight ranges, so consistency across the collection was important. I maintained consistent white balance and exposure across every setup so the full catalog feels cohesive.
For kettlebells and The Arc rack, the same lighting approach applied: neutral and dark backgrounds, subtle reflections, restrained compositions that let the product form define the frame. Each image was built to show materials honestly. No over-retouching that flattens texture or makes marble look fake. The lighting reveals craftsmanship: you can see the precision machining, the finish quality, the ergonomic design.
Holiday campaign styling with minimal context
The holiday campaign images required a slightly different treatment. I introduced minimal styling: enough to suggest the season without overwhelming the product or cheapening the look. The images still prioritized material clarity and color accuracy but allowed for a warmer, more lifestyle-driven context. These photos work as campaign images while maintaining the clean, architectural feel of the main product collection. The styling stayed restrained: negative space, controlled props, intentional placement so the equipment looks display-worthy in a home setting without losing its functional identity.
The Result:
Color-accurate imagery that communicates premium design
The photo collection includes product page images, macro texture studies, and styled shots suitable for multiple marketing channels. The photographs communicate that these are premium fitness tools designed to live in your space, not hide in a closet. Lifted Movement is using these images on their online store to give customers a clear, accurate view of what they're buying. The color fidelity and detail help shoppers understand exactly what the product looks like in person, which matters when you're selling marble-capped dumbbells at a premium price point.
This type of work requires balancing technical precision with a refined visual language. The equipment needs to read as serious fitness gear and as an interior object. Too much gym lighting makes it look utilitarian. Too soft, and it loses credibility as performance equipment. I threaded that line by keeping compositions clean and architectural while using lighting that reveals material quality and functional design. The result is a photo collection with consistent angles, accurate color, and repeatable lighting that can extend to future product launches so the brand maintains a unified look as they grow their catalog.
As a Toronto product photographer, if you're building a premium fitness or wellness brand and need photography that shows materials accurately and positions your gear as design-forward, I can help. Reach out to discuss your next product shoot.
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