Creativity: SpaRitual Earl Grey Photo Shoot

Looking back over past photoshoots, thanks to a case of the quarantine blues, I just was transported back to Laurel Canyon. This photoshoot featured SpaRitual's Earl Grey Body Collection. I loved working on this project. Shel Pink is the founder of SpaRitual and also a mentor to me. Shel's approach is all about Slow Beauty, a term she coined, which is now trending as people catch up to her forward-thinking. Shel helped me to see a different side of the beauty industry. Before that, I was drinking the kool-aid for big brands and high priced skincare. Shel taught me that health is wealth and that beauty includes that. How? It's a balance of what you eat, drink, and your emotional connection that affects our skin. It's our biggest organ, but yet we drench ourselves in ingredients that we can barely pronounce while we down another Pumpkin Spice latte. Mind, body, and soul should align. Bring it all together, and you have wellness. 

During this project, Shel, and I worked on the concept together. I was the Art Director with a talented team of designers: Hannah Baye and Joanna Bayer. The ingredient story included marigolds, earl grey, and bergamot notes. Once we got shot the product photography, we stylized the photos with the ingredients, which created a rich mix of textures—a massive win for anyone who geeks out over photo styling like me.

For the campaign shoot, we found a beautiful space located in the heart of Laurel Canyon. Sam helped us out that day by being our shuttle director. (I still owe him for that last-minute favor). The models featured were a complete joy. They didn't know each other before the shoot but quickly connected, making for a perfect shoot day. Sara Mally was our photographer, which added to the fun. By now, you should I love working with Sara. ;)

And last but not least, Hannah helped assist us that day. She jumped in to help style the props, coordinate, and make sure we were on top of our timeline. Sara and I tend to lean into our projects and forget about time. (Hannah = lifesaver) 

The location felt straight out of an epic Hollywood movie. It featured endless views of the canyon—no walls surrounding the deck. We felt like we were floating on top of those famous hills. Photoshoots like this take lots of prep work before the shoot to ensure we hit the creative deck, shot list goals, and, most importantly: don't go over on time (means more money). Happy to say this shoot was a success. The work created still feels timeless today. My time with SpaRitual was incredibly impactful for my career but also my personal development. Shel always encouraged me to explore and stretch for creativity over marketing trends. Each time I created with her and the team, we gave the project space. We allowed an organic flow to occur—the dance of creative play before I truly understood my formula for creativity. The Universe working it's magic all along the way.

Photography: Sara Mally
Art Direction: Marissa Berrini
Designers: Hannah Baye and Joanna Bayer
Brand: SpaRitual