| name | skyyrose-social-product-photography-brief |
| description | Produces a photographer-ready product shoot brief for SkyyRose e-commerce — garment-specific shot list, angle specs, lighting and background direction per collection, WooCommerce/social platform image requirements, and file naming — for assets that feed skyyrose.co PDPs and the Elite Studio pipeline. |
| allowed-tools | Read Write Edit Glob |
SkyyRose Social — Product Photography Brief
When to Use This Skill
- Briefing a photographer for WooCommerce product detail page (PDP) images
- Planning garment-specific shots for a new drop (flat lay, on-body, detail macros)
- Preparing product images for IG Feed, Pinterest, and social ad use
- Defining background, lighting, and styling direction per collection for a tabletop or studio session
- Producing catalog-compliant imagery that feeds
skyyrose/elite_studio and the WooCommerce media library
- Building a repeatable shot template across multiple products in the same collection
DO NOT use this for lifestyle/editorial/campaign brand shoots — use skyyrose-social-brand-photography-brief for sessions featuring talent, Oakland locations, and brand storytelling. This skill is for garment-centric product photography: the shots that live on the PDP and convert the buyer.
Brand Canon (non-negotiable)
- The Five visual references — pull from these exclusively: Kith (editorial product storytelling, elevated retail polish), Oaklandish (authentic town pride visible even in product styling), Culture Kings (bold streetwear merchandising, hype-energy presentation), Fear of God (quiet luxury — let the garment speak through restraint), Palm Angels (street-luxe graphic confidence, garment as statement). Never Bottega Veneta, Hedi Slimane, Rick Owens, 032c, Acne, Givenchy-by-Tisci, or any European luxury-house aesthetic in product photography. Wrong brand DNA.
- Lockup images, never live type: The collection name must never appear as typed text in any product photo. If a hero crop will receive a collection-name overlay, leave clean negative space at the top of frame — the lockup asset from
assets/images/hero-overlays/ (BR/LH/SIG) or assets/images/logos/ (Kids) is composited at the Elite Studio stage.
- Per-collection background and lighting: Black Rose = dark/concrete, cool-dramatic. Love Hurts = deep red-brick or dark surfaces, crimson-warm. Signature = warm wood, natural stone, golden tone. Kids Capsule = clean, bright, warm-neutral.
- Color tokens: Rose Gold
#B76E79, Dark #0A0A0A, Silver #C0C0C0, Crimson #DC143C, Gold #D4AF37.
- Products referenced by NAME, not SKU. "Black Rose Crewneck" in the brief — not "br-001." Photographers don't know the internal catalog.
- Product facts from catalog only. Never invent colorways, materials, or features. Resolve against
wordpress-theme/skyyrose-flagship/data/skyyrose-catalog.csv before briefing.
- Full canon:
../skyyrose-content-engine/brand-guardrails.md
Shot Types Reference
| Shot Type | Purpose | Primary Destination |
|---|
| Hero front | First impression, PDP main image | WooCommerce thumbnail, IG square |
| Hero angle | Depth, shape, garment dimension | PDP gallery slot 2 |
| Back view | Full garment — rear construction, brand mark | PDP gallery slot 3 |
| Detail / macro | Fabric texture, print, embroidery, hardware | PDP gallery, social close-up |
| Flat lay | Clean editorial, collection grouping | Pinterest 2:3, editorial |
| On-body | Fit, drape, proportion — hands/partial model | PDP gallery, IG 4:5, social ads |
| Scale / fit reference | Shows real garment size on a person | PDP, reduces returns |
| Lifestyle in-use | Garment worn in context | IG Feed, social ads |
| Packaging / unboxing | Brand experience, delivery moment | IG Stories, email |
| Collection group | Multiple pieces from same collection | Collection page header |
Phase 1: Product and Platform Intake
Gather these before producing a brief. If the user has already provided them, proceed to Phase 2.
| Input | Question | Notes |
|---|
| Product name | What is the product? (by NAME) | e.g. "Black Rose Crewneck" — resolve against catalog CSV |
| Collection | Which collection? | Sets background/lighting direction |
| Variants | Colors, sizes featured? | Repeat shot list per variant that differs visually |
| Key selling points | What must the photos prove? | Fabric quality, fit, print detail, hardware |
| Buyer questions | What do customers ask before buying? | Size/fit, material, how it looks worn — inform shot selection |
| Platform destinations | WooCommerce PDP, IG Feed, Pinterest, ads? | Determines crop ratios required |
| Talent | Flat lay only, hands/partial, or full model? | Affects category coverage |
| Session scope | How many products? Single product deep-dive or catalog sweep? | Single: 10-14 shots. Catalog: build repeatable 7-shot template |
GATE: Do not proceed without product name and collection confirmed.
Phase 2: Per-Collection Background and Lighting Direction
Apply the correct collection direction to every shot in the brief. Do not blend or improvise.
Black Rose — Dark Precision
- Hero background: Dark concrete (#0A0A0A), dark slate, or matte black seamless
- Lifestyle background: Concrete wall, raw industrial surface, dark wood
- Lighting (hero/flat lay): Dual softbox at 45 degrees, slight edge light from above to separate dark garment from dark ground; fill card below for shadow detail
- Lighting (detail): Single key from left at 30 degrees, raking across texture; no fill — let shadow define the weave or print
- Lighting (lifestyle/on-body): Low-key; one softbox camera-left, no rim light unless needed to define silhouette
- Styling notes: Silver hardware and accessories only. No gold. No warm props.
- AVOID: White backgrounds, warm color grading, soft-light evenly-lit look
Love Hurts — Crimson Heat
- Hero background: Deep red brick (if prop available), dark maroon seamless, or black
- Lifestyle background: Cracked sidewalk, red-brick alley wall, dark wood with crimson accent prop
- Lighting (hero/flat lay): Dual softbox; acceptable to use a subtle red-gel fill on one side to add warmth to shadow areas on dark garments
- Lighting (detail): Directional from left, warm color temp — let crimson elements glow slightly
- Lighting (lifestyle): Warm dramatic — dusk light or warm strobe with slight red cast
- Styling notes: Crimson accessories, red-toned props acceptable (not Valentine's florals — think raw, urban red)
- AVOID: Pink or pastel props, Valentine's Day clichés, soft-focus romance aesthetics
Signature — West Coast Gold
- Hero background: Warm cream, natural stone, warm white seamless, light-toned wood
- Lifestyle background: Warm wood desk, cream linen, golden-hour outdoor
- Lighting (hero/flat lay): Natural window light or softbox with warm gel; even and bright; slight shadow on right for dimension
- Lighting (detail): Warm directional — morning window light from left reveals texture without harshness
- Lighting (lifestyle): Natural golden hour outdoor, or warm studio approximation
- Styling notes: Gold jewelry, warm leather goods as props. Neutral wood and linen surfaces.
- AVOID: Cool or blue-toned lighting, industrial or dark backgrounds, anything that reads Black Rose
Kids Capsule — Bright Royalty
- Hero background: White seamless, warm white, or soft cream
- Lifestyle background: Clean park setting, Oakland mural wall (if color-consistent), warm-neutral studio
- Lighting (hero/flat lay): Bright and even — dual softbox, white reflectors, no dramatic shadow; kids' pieces need clarity
- Lighting (detail): Soft directional, minimal shadow, high brightness
- Lifestyle: Natural outdoor light, morning or overcast — never direct harsh sun
- Styling notes: Rose gold and neutral accessories. Clean, bright surfaces. Props: minimal — a ball, a book, a simple toy (nothing branded outside SkyyRose)
- AVOID: Dark backgrounds, dramatic/moody lighting, adult editorial aesthetics
Phase 3: Build the Shot List
Standard 7-Shot Catalog Template (use for catalog sweeps)
All seven are required for every product added to the WooCommerce catalog. This is the minimum viable set.
| Priority | Shot | Description | Framing | Lighting | Background |
|---|
| 1 | Hero front | Garment centered, straight-on, main face visible | Product fills 75% of frame, centered | [Per-collection, see Phase 2] | [Per-collection] |
| 2 | Hero angle | 3/4 view from left showing depth and shape | 30-degree angle, medium | Dual softbox, slight shadow right | [Per-collection] |
| 3 | Back view | Full reverse side — rear construction, brand label if exterior | Straight-on, same framing as hero front | Match hero front lighting | Same as hero |
| 4 | Detail — primary | Fabric texture, print, embroidery, or hardware — whichever is the key selling point | Macro, tight crop | Raking directional at 30 degrees | Neutral/blurred |
| 5 | Flat lay | Garment laid flat, folded or spread — clean editorial | Overhead, centered | Even overhead, diffused | [Per-collection surface — see Phase 2] |
| 6 | On-body scale | Garment worn — hands/partial model to show fit and drape | Medium, waist-up or full body depending on garment | [Per-collection lifestyle lighting] | [Per-collection location/bg] |
| 7 | Lifestyle in-use | Garment worn in a real SkyyRose context | Medium-wide, environmental | [Per-collection] | [Per-collection location] |
Extended Shot List (single-product deep-dive — add to the 7-shot base)
| # | Shot | Description | Notes |
|---|
| 8 | Detail — secondary | Second construction detail (e.g. tag, zipper, collar rib) | Always specify framing + lighting |
| 9 | Folded / packaged | Garment folded as shipped, with tissue or packaging visible | For email/unboxing content |
| 10 | Variant comparison | Two colorways side by side | If product has variants — shows difference clearly |
| 11 | Collection group | Product alongside 1-2 other pieces from same collection | Collection page use |
| 12 | Close-up on-body detail | Zoom on a feature while garment is being worn (collar on neck, cuff at wrist) | PDP gallery, social detail content |
Phase 4: Platform Image Requirements
Specify which crops are needed per session. SkyyRose WooCommerce and social destinations:
| Destination | Format | Dimensions | Notes |
|---|
| WooCommerce PDP main | Square | 2048×2048px minimum | Product fills 75%+ of frame; consistent background across all PDP mains |
| WooCommerce PDP gallery | Square | 2048×2048px | Gallery slots 2-5; consistent background preferred |
| Instagram Feed | 4:5 | 1080×1350px | Lifestyle/on-body shots; dominant format for product social |
| Instagram Feed square | 1:1 | 1080×1080px | Hero front product shots; carousel slide use |
| Instagram Story / Reel cover | 9:16 | 1080×1920px | Lifestyle crops; leave safe zone top/bottom for UI |
| Pinterest | 2:3 | 1000×1500px | Flat lay and editorial crops; keyword-rich link to WC product page |
| Email header | 3:1 | 1200×400px | Crop from hero or lifestyle for email campaigns |
Deliver all crops for hero and lifestyle shots. Detail and macro shots: square crop only.
Phase 5: Format the Brief
Compile into a single photographer-ready document with these sections:
- Product overview (name, collection, variant count, key selling points)
- Session scope (shot list type: 7-shot catalog or extended)
- Visual direction (background, lighting, styling — per-collection from Phase 2)
- Shot list (table with all shots: description, framing, lighting, background)
- Platform image requirements (dimension table, file specs)
- Styling notes (props, surfaces, human elements, AVOID list)
- File naming convention
- Elite Studio pipeline notes
Artifact specification
The skill produces a single photographer-ready product brief document. Structure:
# SkyyRose Product Photography Brief — [Product Name]
## Product Overview (name, collection, variants, key selling points)
## Session Scope (7-shot catalog / extended deep-dive)
## Visual Direction (background, lighting, styling, AVOID list — per-collection)
## Shot List (priority table: shot, description, framing, lighting, background)
## Platform Image Requirements (WooCommerce PDP, IG, Pinterest — dimensions)
## Styling Notes (props, surfaces, human elements, AVOID list)
## File Naming Convention
## Elite Studio Pipeline Notes
Example
Request: "Product photography brief for the Black Rose Crewneck. WooCommerce PDP + IG Feed. No model — flat lay and detail shots only for this session."
SkyyRose Product Photography Brief — Black Rose Crewneck
Product: Black Rose Crewneck
Collection: Black Rose
Variants: [resolve against catalog CSV before shoot]
Key selling points: Brand mark/embroidery on chest, premium cotton construction, Black Rose script detailing
Session scope: 7-shot catalog template, flat lay and detail focus (no model)
Platforms: WooCommerce PDP, Instagram Feed (4:5), Pinterest (2:3)
Image Requirements
| Destination | Dimensions | Format | Notes |
|---|
| WooCommerce PDP main | 2048×2048 minimum | JPEG, sRGB | Product centered, consistent background |
| WooCommerce PDP gallery | 2048×2048 | JPEG, sRGB | Slots 2-5; match main background |
| Instagram Feed 4:5 | 1080×1350 | JPEG | Detail and flat lay crops |
| Pinterest 2:3 | 1000×1500 | JPEG | Flat lay, linked to WC product page |
Visual Direction — Black Rose
Background (hero/flat lay): Matte black seamless or dark concrete surface
Background (detail): Neutral dark surface — let the garment fill the frame
Lighting (hero/flat lay): Dual softbox at 45 degrees each side; edge light from above or behind to separate black crewneck from black ground; white fill card below to add shadow detail without hot spots
Lighting (detail macros): Single directional key at 30 degrees from left — raking across embroidery or fabric weave. No fill. Shadow is texture.
Color temperature: Cool-neutral throughout. No warm grade.
Styling: No props. The crewneck is the protagonist. Dark slate or concrete surface only. No linen, no wood, no warm textures.
AVOID: White backgrounds (not this collection — use for Kids or Signature only), warm-toned surfaces, any prop that reads "lifestyle" or soft
Shot List
| # | Shot Type | Description | Framing | Lighting | Background |
|---|
| 1 | Hero front | Crewneck centered, crew neck visible, chest embroidery/print centered | Straight-on, product fills 75%, overhead slightly above | Dual softbox 45-degree, edge light above, fill card below | Matte black seamless |
| 2 | Hero angle | 3/4 view from left showing sleeve seam, shoulder shape, and body width | 30-degree angle, medium | Dual softbox, slight shadow on right for depth | Matte black seamless |
| 3 | Back view | Full reverse side — rear construction, back hem, any back brand mark | Straight-on, match hero front framing | Match hero front | Matte black seamless |
| 4 | Detail — embroidery/print | Chest embroidery or screen-print close-up — thread quality and placement | Macro, tight crop — 4-6 inch area | Single key from left at 30 degrees, raking; no fill | Neutral dark, blurred |
| 5 | Detail — fabric texture | Fabric weave or knit texture on torso area | Macro, 2-3 inch area | Raking light at low angle from left — shadow defines texture | Neutral dark, blurred |
| 6 | Flat lay — full garment | Crewneck laid flat, folded collar up slightly to show neck opening, sleeves extended | Overhead, centered, garment fills 70% of frame | Even overhead diffused; dual softbox overhead with diffusion panel | Dark concrete surface or matte black |
| 7 | Detail — label/tag | Interior label or brand tag — visible and legible | Macro, fabric pulled slightly to expose label at angle | Single soft key from above; natural if possible | Dark fabric as background |
Styling Notes
Props: None for this session. Black Rose product photography uses the garment as the sole subject.
Surfaces: Matte black seamless (hero shots). Dark concrete or slate (flat lay and detail).
Human elements: None for this session. If hands are added in a follow-up session: matte dark fabric sleeve or bare hand — no warm-toned knit.
AVOID:
- Shiny or reflective surfaces that create hot spots on dark matte fabric
- Warm or golden color grading — this is Black Rose, not Signature
- Props that soften the aesthetic (candles, foliage, coffee mugs)
- Overhead flash that flattens the embroidery texture — raking light is required for detail shots
- Stock-photo flat-lay arrangements with scattered accessories
File Naming Convention
{collection-slug}-{product-slug}-{shot-type}-{sequence}-{crop}.jpg
Examples:
black-rose-crewneck-hero-front-01-square.jpgblack-rose-crewneck-detail-embroidery-04-square.jpgblack-rose-crewneck-flat-lay-06-2x3.jpg
All lowercase. Hyphens only. No spaces.
Deliverables
- RAW + edited JPEG (minimum 2048px on shortest side for all catalog shots)
- Color grading: cool-neutral, consistent across all Black Rose shots in this session. No warm shift.
- Retouching: remove lint, sensor dust, and fiber artifacts. No background cleanup beyond what's already clean. Preserve fabric texture — no heavy smoothing.
- Crops per shot: square (1:1), 4:5, 2:3 from all flat lay and hero shots
- Delivery: Drive folder organized as
black-rose / crewneck / hero, black-rose / crewneck / detail, black-rose / crewneck / flat-lay
- Timeline: confirm with photographer at brief handoff
Elite Studio Pipeline Notes
All delivered assets flow into skyyrose/elite_studio for WooCommerce media upload and social pipeline compositing. Deliver to the designated Elite Studio intake folder.
Do NOT burn the "Black Rose" collection name text into any product photo — the brand-script lockup from assets/images/hero-overlays/ is composited at the Elite Studio stage for hero frames that need a title treatment.
Anti-Patterns
- Never use a white background for Black Rose or Love Hurts product shots. White background = Kids Capsule or Signature (light variants only). Applying white to Black Rose destroys the collection's visual identity in the catalog.
- Never type-render the collection name in the product photo. The lockup image from
assets/images/hero-overlays/ is composited by Elite Studio — burning it into photography makes it uncorrectable.
- Never pull European luxury-house product photography aesthetics. No Bottega-style hand-draped fabric in soft Venetian light, no Rick Owens negative space minimalism, no Acne Studio sterile Scandinavian white. Pull from the Five: Kith, Oaklandish, Culture Kings, Fear of God, Palm Angels.
- Never reference the product by SKU in the brief. "Black Rose Crewneck" — not "br-001." The brief goes to photographers; SKU-first causes set confusion and has caused product conflations before.
- Never invent product details. If a selling point or feature isn't confirmed in the catalog CSV or a dossier, don't include it in the brief. Don't describe embroidery that doesn't exist.
- Never apply warm color grading to Black Rose or Love Hurts shots. Collection identity lives in the color tone. A warm grade accidentally applied to Black Rose makes it read Signature.
- Never skip the scale/fit shot (on-body) for apparel, even if this session is flat-lay focused. Schedule it for a follow-up if model isn't available — but note the gap in the brief so the PDP isn't launched with only flat lay.
- Never submit a brief without an AVOID list. Photographers unfamiliar with SkyyRose will default to their own aesthetic vocabulary. The AVOID list is what prevents a Fashion Nova or Zara product-photo aesthetic from entering the catalog.
- Never cross background/lighting direction between collections. If running a mixed-collection session, shoot all Black Rose shots consecutively before changing the set to Signature. Never mix backgrounds on the same shoot day without a deliberate set change.
- Never deliver product images with visible pricing tags or non-SkyyRose branding. Check for hangtags, external labels, and other-brand props in every frame before delivery.
Recovery
- Photographer defaults to white background for all shots: Catch this at the brief review, not on shoot day. Include the collection background direction prominently in the brief header, not buried in a table. Send a reference image for the exact background type before the session.
- Dark fabric disappears into dark background (Black Rose): Add edge lighting — a strobe or LED strip from directly above or slightly behind the garment to create a thin separation rim. Adjust, don't switch backgrounds.
- Macro detail shots look flat (no texture): The key light angle is wrong. Move it lower and more to the side — raking light must be at 20-30 degrees, not 45 or above. If natural light, move the product to catch a sharper angle from the window.
- Garment has multiple colorways and time is short: Shoot the hero front for all colorways first (same setup, swap the garment, don't move lights). Then add angle/back/detail shots for the hero colorway in depth. Catalog requires a hero for each variant — everything else is additive.
- Brief handed to a photographer who has never shot streetwear: Add five reference images from the Five (one from each brand) to the physical brief packet. Visual references override a paragraph of description every time.
- Delivered shots have wrong color grading: Return to photographer with collection color direction from this brief before requesting a reshoot. Most grading errors are fixable in post — full reshoot is last resort.
