Everyday Objects

Photography & Print Design

A layout of five photographic prints from the exhibition, each featuring a different product set against bold, colour-blocked backgrounds. The items range from a bottle of hand wash to a can of fish, bag of herbal tea, a skin-care product, and a lighter fluid bottle.
A gallery exhibition wall displaying a series of 20 photographic prints of everyday objects. Each print features a single product centred against a bold, colourful background, accompanied by a written critique below.

A commissioned set of 20 photographic prints — championing commonly found consumer products.

The featured objects were sourced exclusively from supermarket shelves or similarly accessible shops, selected by a group of individuals who also provided written critiques of their chosen items. The project aimed to catalogue and showcase these objects alongside their critiques in a gallery display at the University of East London’s School of Arts & Creative Industries. This exhibition was part of UEL Detour Ahead, a week-long event featuring guest speakers and industry practitioners sharing insights into their career paths and experiences.

Designed to create a visually cohesive presentation, the project sought elements that would differentiate the objects while maintaining a unified theme.

Using colour as the central theme, each print aimed to highlight the object’s most visually communicative hue, exploring colour’s role in branding, consumer appeal, and the emotional responses it can evoke. This led to a photographic approach in which each object was consistently framed centre stage, placed against a backdrop colour referenced directly from its own packaging.

A close-up of a Bull Brand lighter fluid canister, set against a vivid yellow background. The canister features blue bull logo with typography at the top and a flame icon at the bottom.
A layout with measurements detailing the proportions of the photographic prints. The product image is centred with a section of text below, indicating the image section height of 500mm, the text section height of 150mm, and a space for a hanging hole at the top of 25mm, totalling a print height of 700mm and a width of 250mm.

Inspired by how products are displayed on shop racks, the layout and production were designed to maintain a structured and consistent format across all, while displaying each object at its actual life size on print.

Close up stack of the prints, showing the top part with the eyelet hole for hanging.

A blank section at the top was incorporated to accommodate an eyelet hole for hanging, referencing how some products are displayed in retail environments.

Close up stack of the prints, showing the middle part showing the Apollo sardines tin, photographed against a matching split red and gold background.

To emphasise specific graphical elements in their packaging designs, some items were photographed against dual backgrounds. Inspired by swatch colour books, this approach influenced the tall 1:2 image ratio, creating two stacked coloured squares on top of eachother. This was also designed to introduced a dynamic rhythm to the overall presentation, breaking the repetition of single-coloured backgrounds.

Close up stack of the prints, showing the bottom part with text.

The text was positioned at the bottom to ensure an uninterrupted, photography-led viewing experience, encouraging the viewer to engage with the object first before moving on to its contextual narrative.

A gold Perla beer can with vintage illustrations of three workers, set against a matching neutral beige background.
A blue Adidas UEFA Champions League gift set containing deodorant and shower gel, placed against a matching blue background.
A red and gold Apollo sardines tin, photographed against a matching split red and gold background.
A small white Fisherman’s Friend Original menthol lozenges packet with a red and black ship illustration, placed against a matching white background.
A black and yellow Wild Beer Co. "Fresh" pale ale can with bold typography and a deer logo, set against a matching black background.
A Quaker Oats porridge pot with blue and yellow-gold coloured features, photographed against a matching two-toned blue and gold background.
A small orange with red, blue, and gold accents Tiger Balm box with Chinese symbols and a tiger illustration, set against a matching orange background.
A Benefit perfume box designed to look like a miniature Georgian-style house with a bright orange door, set against a soft grey background.
A blue and silver Sure Men "Invisible Ice" compressed deodorant can with green and red accents, placed against a matching deep blue background.
A bright yellow Bull Brand lighter fluid can with bold blue typography and bull logo, with a red flame icon at the bottom, photographed against a matching yellow background.
A tall, white box of Forever Epiblanc skincare product with minimalist branding, placed against a clean, matching white and grey background.
A green cylindrical tin of Nestlé Milo chocolate drink, featuring a footballer graphic, set against a matching vivid green background.
A dark brown glass bottle of Supermalt, a non-alcoholic malt beverage, with red and yellow label design, set on a brown background.
A blue, semi-transparent bottle of Lynx Sport Blast shower gel with black and white branding, set against a matching bright blue background.
A large, plastic-sealed package of Wong Lo Kat herbal tea, featuring intricate Chinese typography and red decorative elements set on a beige background.
A boxed bottle of Tabasco hot sauce, featuring its iconic red and green design, on an orange background, displayed on a matching orange background.
A silver and black-to-white gradient box of Twinings Earl Grey tea with purple swirling design elements, set against a grey background.
A box of PG Tips tea bags with a bright blue and yellow-green background, featuring bold red and green typography and a promotional price tag, set against a matching bright blue and yellow background.
A long, rectangular box of Oral-B 3D White Luxe toothpaste with a metallic purple design, placed against a matching vibrant purple background.
A transparent plastic pump bottle of Carex Complete antibacterial hand wash, with blue branding, positioned against a matching light blue background.