Skippers Seafood

Aug 3

Commercial Product Photography for CPG & Foodservice Brand

Brand Overview

Skippers Seafood is a staple of the Pacific Northwest, known for its long history of serving classic maritime favorites like fish and chips, clam chowder, and shrimp. The brand is built on a foundation of casual, accessible seafood with a distinct maritime identity. Now part of the Harbor Wholesale family, Skippers continues to focus on providing high-quality, craveable seafood to a wide audience through diverse retail and service formats.

Project Objective

The brand needed to build its imagery from the ground up when Harbor Wholesale acquired it and so for this shoot we were focusing on creating imagery of their most iconic dish: fish and chips! The objective for this shoot was to create high-quality assets suitable for every brand touchpoint, ranging from digital web and social media content to large-scale physical applications like food truck wraps, store signage, and promotional flyers.

The goal was to bridge the gap between quick-service accessibility and a gourmet aesthetic. By showcasing the food in both elevated plated settings and authentic to-go packaging, the imagery needed to demonstrate the versatility of the menu while remaining true to the classic Skippers brand vibe.

Production Challenges

The primary challenge for this shoot was the environment. The session took place at a commercial test kitchen facility, which is designed for functional food preparation rather than high-end photography. To overcome the lack of an aesthetic backdrop, I had to be intentional about creating a mobile studio for the brand.

In addition, making quick-service, fried seafood look fresh and gourmet requires careful, intentional styling. Creating imagery of the same food in a variety of different setups also meant looking for different ways to style each scene to be unique while also remaining cohesive within this set of imagery.

Creative Process

I used a variety of Replica Surfaces backdrops to transform the test kitchen surfaces into professional food scenes, incorporating tones and textures that aligned with the brand's heritage. To lean into the maritime theme, I collaborated with the team to source props like a small fish net and used fresh garnishes like parsley to add a pop of color and a sense of freshness to the fried seafood.

To bridge the gap between gourmet and fast food, I styled the food in a few distinct scenes, including plated, in a basket, and in a to-go box. I also incorporated a human element by capturing action shots, such as a hand holding a full box of food or a piece of fish being dipped into sauce. This added a layer of relatability and movement to the gallery, providing Skippers with a full range of assets that they are currently using to drive their brand marketing across all platforms.