Production is where
big ideas collide
with a million moving parts
My process takes the pressure off, so shoot day feels seamless no drama just creativity.
Suzanne Clements is an award-winning commercial photographer , motion / video director, and stop-motion animation (GIFs) artist whose process begins long before shoot day, using sketch-based shot lists, detailed treatments, and pre-production planning to map out all the deliverables and take the pressure off agencies, producers, and CPG brand teams and put it where it belongs: on the creative.
My background in design and art direction allows me to anticipate challenges that other photographers might overlook, ensuring every detail aligns with the bigger picture.
SKETCHES: A Blueprint for Success
Collaboration is at the heart of my process. My sketches aren’t just for planning, they’re a tool for alignment. They help the creative team, clients, and agencies visualize the campaign, troubleshoot challenges, refine ideas, and hit the ground running when shoot day arrives.
THE PAYOFF: Smoother Productions
Stress-free teamwork, and assets that deliver beyond expectations. Whether it’s ensuring consistent visuals across platforms or creating space for last-minute creative tweaks, my process is designed to make campaigns more impactful, and less stressful for everyone involved.
"Few have energy and creativity as boundless and positive." — Marketing Specialist, The Cocoa Exchange
"Few have energy and creativity as boundless and positive." — Marketing Specialist, The Cocoa Exchange
"Her workflow is very organized, her images are gorgeous." — Food Director, DELISH
"Her workflow is very organized, her images are gorgeous." — Food Director, DELISH
"Her enthusiasm is only matched by her professionalism." — Creative Director, 22 Squared
"Her enthusiasm is only matched by her professionalism." — Creative Director, 22 Squared
CASE STUDY
ESPANITA TEQUILA
THE ASK: Create A colorful, campaign-ready suite of visuals in my style that’s anything but watered down.
I crafted a vibrant aesthetic that didn’t just tell you the flavors, it amplified them. Each variety got its moment in the spotlight with bold hero shots: a flat-lay overhead and an angled tabletop, plus dynamic animations to bring it all to life.
The Details & Deliverables
Single day shoot, two sets
With an ambitious shot list and a modest budget, efficiency was key to keeping this production to a single day. Two sets were the solution. While one set was perfected by the stylists and crew, I captured animation frames and alt shots on the other. This seamless back-and-forth rhythm kept us moving until the final wrap.
One Hero Bottle, 3 varieties
This shoot took place at the height of supply chain challenges. With only one actual bottle on hand, the rest stuck in transit, we had to get creative. A stand-in bottle held its place on set while the prop stylist worked meticulously to clean, fill, label, and cork the hero bottle, rotating it across all three varieties throughout the day.
Three stop motion animations
To add a touch of magic, we planned a stop-motion animation for each variety. The client chose her favorite concept for each flavor, and on shoot day, animation took center stage, captured first before diving into the rest of the shot list.
Six Hero Shots, 2 Per variety
My sketches focused on two hero shots for each variety: one overhead and one across. Both compositions were designed with copy space and flexible cropping in mind, ensuring the assets could work hard for the client throughout the launch across platforms.
Sixteen Alt Images
After capturing the hero shots and animations, I took the camera in hand to explore the set, creating dynamic angles and crops. From highlighting the drinks and labels to showcasing the bottle’s shape, every shot was crafted with copy space and versatility in mind to maximize usability.
FULL STACK PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
No Surprises, except the good kind.
Full PRODUCTION SUPPORT
I provide end-to-end production oversight, from shot list finalization and visualization, project management to casting, location scouting, crew assembly, all the way through to payroll, supporting agencies and CPG brands. I can help guide location and casting selects with a trained eye for what will benefit the campaign and assets the most. Plus, I’m WBENC-certified, as is my agent.
Increase Your PRODUCTION ROI
I approach every shoot with the campaign in mind, not just the shot list. Especially on studio and table top, with a little more thought we can capture plates that will allow the images to be tweaked in post, elements can be moved, removed, or swapped making it easier to accommodate multiple layout proportions and copy/lock-up placements. If we know going in that we’ll want maximum flexibility, I have techniques to approach a shoot so that absolutely everything item’s placement can be adjusted in post.
Clear Alignment
With my pre-vis sketch and render techniques and detailed production process, I make sure we’re all on the same page, top to bottom, stills or motion. So all our creatives are aligned and we know exactly what to expect on shoot day. No surprises. Making big decisions before we get on set allows us to make creative tweaks that elevate the final campaign.
TEAM CHEMISTRY
Having done my own food styling, prop styling, and art direction gives me an appreciation for absolutely everyone on set and the skills and experience they uniquely bring to any production. Each creative is a valuable asset and their insight and opinions bring so much life to each moment captured.
UNIQUE HIGH FIDELITY AESTHETIC
The way I approach photography is deeply rooted in my background as an illustrator and exhibiting painter. I love the camera, but it sees the world in lights and darks. Our own eyes see so much more, we see the nuance in shadows, the textures the contrasts in the highlights, all the vibrant colors and everything in between.
My luminous lighting combined with a diligent post production process seeks out and spotlights those details, bringing them to an intensity and sharpness that’s unique. Because it’s that commitment to those details that gives us the full story, the tactile sense, the flavor, the moment in any shot. Every crumb, every drip, every creamy dollop comes to life so that you can almost FEEL them in the photo. The same goes for product and lifestyle, my images just hit different, to the point you feel a part of the moment.
I want to surprise people, to maybe get that double-take, that “how did she do that?” thought… everything I do is done practically, it’s real people, real food, just bathed in sunshine. and wrapped in joy.
IN-HOUSE POST-PRODUCTION
I can work either way, handing off assets to an agency post-production team, or tackling them with my own unique eye. Having me deliver the final, edited and retouched assets means you get my look and feel fully and if it’s requested, layered versatile composited files that give you endless options with isolated shadows.
BACKGROUND IN CREATIVE DIRECTION AND DESIGN
My years as a creative director and designer bring a unique perspective to any shoot. I’m looking for leading lines, balance, or energy in any composition. I know how to lead the viewer’s eye through an image and how to direct attention where we want it.
I love an uncluttered image that speaks boldly, but if we need to lean into maximalism, I know how to tailor it so that our hero subject and message isn’t smothered by stylish distractions.
I also understand that these assets we create may need to function beyond one layout… one proportion. I like to pull back a bit, give a little breathing room and give each asset the most versatility possible.
EXPERIENCE TO GET IT DONE RIGHT
I direct video, produce stop-motion animation and photo bursts, photograph beverages and liquid in pours and splashes and mid drip, and in post-production I composite complex and dynamic images and animations. Having all that experience shooting for web, print, social media, and advertising with an understanding of aspect ratios, resolution, color profiles gives me the expertise to help guide a production, manage creative teams including DPs to arrive at the ideal solution and to produce the campaign assets with the right cameras, lenses, lights, equipment, and creatives in the mix.
AWARD WINNING
As a designer, I was no stranger to the Addy Awards, and as a photographer I’ve been awarded by the APA, ICCM, ADFed, and CommArts. It’s always gratifying to see a client project get accolades from the greater creative community.