Behind The Scenes With Viral Product Photographer Oliver Howells

In the world of filmmaking and product shots, using a robot arm can dramatically enhance your video’s production value. But what if you don't have the budget for an expensive studio robot arm? In this behind-the-scenes video, Oliver Howells shares his journey of building a budget robot arm setup that can produce stunning shots with ease—perfect for content creators working from home.

Creating the Scene: Backdrops That Elevate

To pull off a professional-looking shot, Oliver started with a thoughtfully styled set. His product of choice? Gin bottles. His styling secret? Our Duo Boards.

He used one Duo Board to mimic a concrete floor and another for a wood-textured background—instantly transforming the space and setting a premium scene for the bottles. The subtle contrast between the two surfaces helped define the space and create depth, while the textures added realism and interest.

Lighting for Depth and Shine

Oliver broke down his lighting setup using three lights, each with a unique purpose:

• Fresnel Light : Positioned left, emulating sunlight, casting strong shadows, and illuminating the bottles from behind.

• Spotlight : Aimed at the backdrop to create a diagonal strip of light across the wood grain, adding dynamic contrast.

• Key Light with Stripbox : Diffused through a panel, this light softly wrapped around the glass bottles to make gold labels shine and pop on camera.

It's a masterclass in lighting product shots—especially when dealing with reflective surfaces like glass.

DIY Robot Arm Setup: Gimbal + Tripod = Magic

Rather than splurge on a robot arm (which can easily cost thousands), Oliver built a DIY motion system using a gimbal mounted on a tripod . With the gimbal in lock mode , he gained control over fluid, stabilized movements. Combined with the tripod's pan and tilt capabilities, this setup mimicked robotic arm movements with surprising precision.

From a low angle on the glass, up to an overhead view, and down again to the front of the bottles—his shots looked like they came from a motion-controlled rig, but at a fraction of the cost.