Case Study

1000Bulbs Product Photography Overhaul

Project Overview

As 1000Bulbs' product catalog rapidly expanded, the in-house photography process struggled to keep pace. The team faced frequent workflow bottlenecks, inconsistent imagery, and a lack of brand alignment, all of which led to slow turnaround times and excessive revisions. To support growth and uphold brand standards, I led a comprehensive overhaul of the entire product photography workflow.

The Challenge

Prior to the overhaul, the photography process was disorganized and inefficient. The team dealt with:

  • Workflow bottlenecks that delayed photo production.

  • Missed deadlines due to a lack of clear roles and scheduling.

  • Inconsistent image quality across product lines.

  • Poor alignment with brand standards, making some assets unusable.

  • Photographers overwhelmed with tasks outside their core responsibilities, such as prepping or staging products.

These images were representative of the challenges we faced prior to the workflow overhaul—poor lighting, mismatched backgrounds, awkward angles, and a complete lack of visual standardization. The inconsistent quality not only hurt our brand credibility but also led to lower engagement, customer complaints, and an increase in product returns.

The Solution

I conducted a full audit of the photography workflow and implemented a ground-up overhaul across people, process, and tools.

Key Improvements:

  • Developed a comprehensive photography style guide to ensure visual consistency.

  • Implemented standardized naming conventions and digital asset management.

  • Overhauled the approval and feedback process to streamline collaboration.

  • Introduced automated workflows and scheduling tools to manage high-volume production.

  • Upgraded equipment and lighting setups for higher-quality output.

  • Brought in underutilized team members from other departments to assist with prep and teardown tasks—freeing up photographers to focus on shooting and editing.

  • Established clear communication flow and ongoing training for everyone involved.

My Role:

  • Audited the existing photography workflow and identified core issues.

  • Designed and implemented the new end-to-end system.

  • Collaborated cross-functionally with marketing, distribution, and creative teams.

  • Trained team members and monitored adoption and efficiency gains.

The Impact & Results

The photography workflow transformation led to measurable and lasting improvements:

  • Faster production turnaround and higher throughput

  • Fewer revisions and less back-and-forth between teams

  • Significantly more consistent imagery across product categories

  • Higher satisfaction from internal stakeholders and downstream teams

  • Photographers focused on what they do best, leading to elevated output quality

Final Takeaway

This overhaul wasn’t just about efficiency—it was about empowering the team to do their best work while supporting the scale and quality needed to grow the brand. With a repeatable, streamlined system in place, our photography process now runs smoother, faster, and smarter—with stronger creative results to match.

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