Start at Zero

Most of my product shoots start the same way. Light above, camera locked, everything dialed to zero. That’s how I find my way in. More importantly, it’s how I find my way back.

I started as a photographer at Under Armour, working with different teams across categories. Since then, I’ve worked with companies of all sizes, building systems that keep the work consistent, even when everything else is changing.

That starts with lighting. One source, overhead. Doesn’t matter if it’s a strobe, LED, flashlight, or tube light. Light from above gives you shape, contrast, and control. It’s simple. It works. From there, I bounce and block. White foam core to fill. Black to cut. No overbuilding. Just shaping what’s already there.

Same thinking applies to the camera. I use a C-stand with a tripod head adapter. I flatline the camera—pan and tilt both at zero—and raise or lower the stand from one central axis. That lets me find the perfect position without wrestling tripod legs or throwing off alignment. It’s repeatable. It’s clean.

Everything starts at zero. White balance is locked. ISO is low. Aperture sits around f/16 because most lenses are sharpest in the middle. If I need more depth, I’ll stack. But usually, I try to get it in one frame. The idea is to eliminate guesswork. I know what the light is giving me. I know what the camera is doing. And if something shifts, I have a way back to center.

That’s the point. You don’t need to remember every setup. You don’t need to document every move. If you work from a consistent place, you can feel your way through the adjustments. You’re tethered. Like swimming through a cave with a rope in your hand. You can always retrace your steps if you know where you started.

Start overhead. Level the camera. Lock everything down. Then make the changes that matter.

That’s the work.