Lifted Movement - The Arc

Lifted Movement fitness equipment photographed to show true marble, steel and silicone finishes across their home collection

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- about this project

The Project:

Product photography for a premium fitness brand at the intersection of performance and design

I photographed Lifted Movement's complete product line over 2.5 days, creating up to 100 images for their e-commerce site and marketing channels. Lifted Movement makes premium fitness equipment designed to function as both training tools and home décor: free weights with marble ends, silicone hand weights, kettlebells, resistance bands, the Arc weight storage system, recovery tools, and soft goods. Working from Vancouver, I approached this as product photography that needed to communicate material quality and finish accuracy across a diverse inventory. Customers weren't fully understanding the true product colors and materials online, so the focus was delivering images that show exactly what each piece looks like in terms of texture, color, and craftsmanship.

The Challenge:

Mixed materials requiring different lighting approaches in a single visual system

The challenge with this type of product line is that it combines multiple reflective and matte surfaces in a single frame. Steel weights with polished or brushed finishes, etched marble ends, textured silicone grips, and fabric accessories all require different lighting approaches. The goal was to create images that show gradient reflections and clean edge definition without introducing harsh glare or making metal look dull. For a brand positioning equipment as "movement furniture," the images needed to read as premium without drifting into clinical catalog lighting or generic gym photography.

I built a lighting system that could handle these mixed materials consistently across the full shoot, ensuring that a marble dumbbell and a silicone hand weight photographed on different days would still share the same visual language.

The Execution:

Diffused wrap lighting for steel, even fill for marble and silicone

I used diffused wrap lighting for the steel components to control specular highlights and preserve surface detail. Hard reflections can make machined steel look cheap or inconsistent, especially when finishes vary across SKUs. The approach creates soft gradient falloff across curved surfaces and keeps knurling, etching, and welds readable. For marble ends and textured silicone, I added fill to prevent shadows from flattening the material variation. Marble benefits from even illumination that shows natural striations without washout. Silicone needs enough contrast to communicate grip texture but not so much that it reads as plastic.

I tested each finish type early in the production and locked exposure, white balance, and retouching standards so every product would match when displayed together on the site.

Photographing the Arc as both functional storage and display piece

The Arc presented a different challenge because it's both a functional storage system and a display piece. I shot it as a standalone object with clean angles that show how weights nest into the frame, and then placed it in minimal home settings to communicate scale and placement. Lifestyle photography for a product like this needs to answer practical questions: how much floor space does it occupy, how does it look against a wall, can you see the stability, while maintaining the elevated aesthetic the brand is known for.

I kept sets simple with neutral backdrops and natural textures so the Arc remained the focus. The goal was to show it as furniture that organizes a space, not just a rack.

Detail shots as proof of craftsmanship and material quality

For detail shots, I moved in tight on marble grain, etched logos, welded joints, and knurled grips. These close-up images prove craftsmanship and justify premium pricing by making material quality visible at thumbnail size. A close-up of a marble end cap shows color variation and surface finish. A detail of a welded seam on the Arc demonstrates build precision. Knurling on a dumbbell handle shows texture depth.

I lit these shots to emphasize dimensionality without exaggerating contrast. The images work as standalone proof points in product galleries and as layered storytelling when paired with wider shots.

Production discipline for consistency across 100 images

Consistency across 100 images required production discipline. I shot each product category in sequence with locked camera positions and lighting ratios. For items available in multiple finishes, I photographed the same angles and compositions so customers could compare Storm versus other metal tones side by side. Retouching focused on color accuracy and material preservation. I removed dust and handling marks but left the natural variation in marble and the matte texture in silicone intact.

The goal was true-to-life representation, not idealized smoothing. For steel, I managed reflections to keep edges clean and finishes readable without introducing fake highlights or overly polished surfaces.

Holiday campaign images with seasonal styling

The holiday campaign images followed the same technical approach but added seasonal styling. I kept props minimal and used warm tones that complemented the brand's neutral palette. These images needed to feel cohesive with the rest of the collection while signaling a specific use case or gift-giving moment. I approached them as product photography for a wellness brand that values understated design, not loud holiday energy.

The lighting and composition stayed consistent with the e-commerce shots so the campaign images could live on the same page without visual disconnect.

The Result:

A photography system that delivers clarity, context, and proof of quality

Lifted Movement's product line lives at the intersection of fitness and home goods, which means the photography needs to serve two functions. It needs to communicate performance: how weights are balanced, how grips feel, how the Arc organizes a collection, while also showing these pieces as objects you'd want visible in a living space. I approached the project as a system that delivers both clarity and aspiration. Customers see true color and material detail in clean product shots, understand scale and context in lifestyle images, and get proof of craftsmanship in close-up details.

The images work together as a collection that supports the brand's positioning without overpromising or underselling.

Applications:

What this approach solves for premium home fitness brands

Material accuracy: Photography that shows true finishes, textures, and color variations so customers know exactly what they're buying
Mixed surface challenges: Lighting systems that handle reflective steel, natural stone, matte silicone, and fabric in a unified visual language
Volume with consistency: Production discipline that delivers 100+ images with matching exposure, color balance, and composition standards
Dual functionality: Images that communicate both performance specs and home décor appeal for products positioned as movement furniture
Detail storytelling: Close-up shots that prove craftsmanship and justify premium pricing at thumbnail scale
Campaign integration: Seasonal or lifestyle images that layer into e-commerce galleries without visual disconnect

For brands making premium home fitness equipment, photography needs to balance technical accuracy with aesthetic appeal. The images I created for Lifted Movement show products as they actually are, material finishes, proportions, textures, while maintaining the design-forward tone that sets the brand apart. As a Vancouver product photographer, if you're looking for photography that handles reflective materials and delivers volume with consistency, reach out to discuss your next project.

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