Rebranding a Food Range in One Day: The Wafer Story
Sometimes the best photography brief isn't about making the product look different. It's about making the new brand identity feel completely at home.
That's the brief Karen Kelly from Wafer brought to the studio. Wafer makes beautiful Northern Irish oat-based biscuits, sold in independent stores, delis and a growing number of UK stockists. The product was already strong. The challenge wasn't the product itself, it was creating a new suite of imagery that matched the new packaging and felt consistent across every touchpoint.
Listening first, shooting second
Before we picked up a camera, Karen and I sat down for an honest conversation. What was working in the existing photography? What wasn't? Where did the imagery live - packaging, web, social, trade listings? And crucially, what did Wafer want a customer to feel when they saw a pack shot?
Her answer was clear: honest, handcrafted, generous. Not precious. Not styled to the point of fiction. Wafer's biscuits are baked in small batches and you can almost feel the texture through the wrapper. The photography needed to honour that.
Wafer Barnyard Buddies Packaging
Getting the packaging just right
For Wafer, this wasn't simply a case of photographing the products, it was a complete rebrand. I worked closely with Glen at Ketchup Design throughout the shoot, with the new packaging artwork overlaid live onto each image as we photographed it. That meant we could make sure every shot worked perfectly with the final design. It also gave Karen the opportunity to see her products looking almost shelf-ready there and then, making adjustments before the shoot was finished. The approach was simple:
Consistent lighting. A single soft, directional key light that flatters the biscuits and lets the texture do the talking.
Restraint on props. A small cluster of ingredients rather than a styling "scene".
Tighter framing. Pack shots should be about the product, not the negative space.
Collaboration. Karen, Glen and I could review the final packaging as we shot, making refinements before the day was over.
Classic Ice Cream Wafers Packaging
What Karen said:
"We've now worked with Sharon twice for our marketing product photography, and each time she has delivered outstanding results. Her attention to detail and ability to capture our products at their very best is second to none. The quality of the images is exceptional, and her creativity really shines through in every shot. Not only is Sharon highly skilled, but she also makes the entire process enjoyable and stress-free. Her friendly, professional approach puts everyone at ease, and she understands exactly what we are trying to achieve."
— Karen Kelly, Wafer
If you're a small or growing food brand and your product photography has drifted, you don't necessarily need a full rebrand. You might just need a consistent, considered studio day to bring everything into the same visual family. Get in touch and we'll have that first conversation.
