define luxury

PROJECT ROPOSAL

CONCEPT OF EXPLORATION

How do we, as a society, define luxury? How have we as a society decided that one item is worth more than the next despite near identical manufacturing? In a culture shaped and driven by imagery, these distinctions are becoming more and more difficult to untangle. Our perception of worth is often constructed for us by the media we digest. This project investigates the ways in which marketing, visual language, and storytelling shape our perception of worth. By examining luxury as a subjective and culturally dependent concept, the work explores how value can be visually manufactured through advertising imagery, and questions whether objects traditionally considered “low value” can be recontextualised as desirable through these same strategies.

MOTIVATION

I am motivated to peruse this project as an extension to my book ‘Walking the Margins’ which explored how assemblages of objects could be combined to generate symbolism and meaning. This then prompted me into investigating how these methods are used in high-end product photography, and the role of a more conceptual approach to product photography in today’s media landscape. I wanted to create meaningful and curiosity inducing pairings of objects and then combine those with a product.

To deepen the meaning of the project further I decided to only incorporate op-shop, thrifted and second-hand accessories as the ‘products’ shot. This way the styling and surreal approach to photography will build up to that ‘luxury’ look as a point of exploration.

METHODOLOGY

Techniques

A variety of photographic techniques will be used to support the project. Hence both soft and harder, more dramatic lighting will be explored.

For shinier objects managing highlights and shadows will be a key focus. To solve this, I will use scrims and reflectors as these will help reduce any unwanted reflections and allow for a higher-end look. In using this technique however, the background may end up too flat. This is where composite image techniques may be needed. In this case I will ensure photos are taken on a tripod and a number of shots with varying lighting are taken so shots can be combined for a more refined outcome.

The main equipment I will be using will be:

Elinchrom Studio Flashes

C-Stands

Light Stands

Backdrop pole

Sandbags

Snoots

Dish & Grids

Strip Box

Large Square Soft Box

Barn Door Lighting Modifier

Reflectors

VISUAL OUTCOME

If this project was to go beyond uni it would be visually really interesting to do an auction of all the bags and see how much they go for based on the value perceived by people on the basis of the photographs taken.

For the sake of uni it would be interesting to present the final as though it is a street poster or catalogue for a luxury brand.

As a secondary display and if time permits, I would love to do a coffee table book as a mockery of those created by luxury brands such as Gucci.

Theoretical Research

Through my research I have concluded that luxury is a highly ‘subjective experience (Turunen 2017)’ that can be shaped through various strategies.

I was particularly inspired by Roberts and Armitage’s proposed ‘realms of luxury’ which discuss how audience feelings and aspirations towards ‘luxury’ are able to be rendered to provide ideas of worth and value. I incorporated this into my work when using silver platters for example provide an immediate connotation of worth and may be used as tools to lift the perceived status of something ‘less valuable’ (such as an op-shop bag).

Much of this research connected me to colour theory and how that has been and is currently used to provide connotations of worth. In particular I looked at Louis Vuitton and the way in which they have used a largely brown colour pallet that now has residual connotations of ‘stability’ and ‘worth’ due to their long-standing success and status. (Lin 2025)

I also looked at the notion of obtainability which is difficult in the case of my project given most of the items wouldn’t be worth much in the real world. Kluge discusses how the more desirable a brand becomes the more it sells, but the more it sells the less desirable it becomes” (Kluge 2016. I am able to utilise this by highlighting the individual narrative of each object, recognising their flaws and history to emphasise their uniqueness. This in particular is something I want to focus on going forwards a bit more.

Super Chili and Body Mask, Alisha Hacadurian, 2026

Artist research

Alisha Hacadurian

Alisha is an Australian photographer based in the blue mountains

There is a sense of underlying curiosity and hinted visual narratives in each of her works. There is a clear thoughtfulness behind each image, where somehow Alisha manages to draw timeless beauty out from ordinary objects through her staging and aesthetic styling. The photographs have both a gentle surrealism and a real elegance that is crafted through her gentle consideration to styling and highly curated colour pallets.

I am most inspired by her work from an aesthetic perspective.

Alice Hutchinson

Hutchinson is a Melbourne based photographer whose work is deeply inspired by a childhood surrounded by working-class European migrants and an artistic family.

Her work challenges product photography as a medium’s norms and incorporates curious pairings of texture and colour often combining food and accessories in interesting compositions. It is these pairings I am most inspired by and that have encouraged me to further investigate how I can explore the connections between colour in my own styling.

Oscar Calleja

Oscar Calleja is a Madrid based stills photographer whose works employ a controlled sense of balance, colour and composition to create elegant but playful depictions of products. His work strives to reveal an objects personality in his styling.

I am inspired by the use of fairly flat and controlled tones in his works. They have an interesting nostalgic but still high-end feel about them which works really effectively. The simplicity in his lighting allows for more dynamic and interesting compositions that still feel controlled. I am inspired to explore a similar lighting style.