Film8’s Commercial Pet Photography for Lika in Stockholm
In September 2023, Film8 produced a series of commercial photographs for pet brand Lika in Stockholm. The shoot was photographed by Film8’s in-house photographer, Shawn Ho.
A Stockholm Setting That Works as Part of the Brand Story
One of the most effective decisions in the series is the use of Stockholm itself as a visual asset. The photographs move between recognizable urban environments: waterfront areas, cobblestone streets, outdoor dining spaces, parks, and colorful Scandinavian architecture. Instead of relying heavily on artificial studio backgrounds, Shawn Ho uses these locations to create a sense of place.
This gives the images two layers of communication:
The dog and Lika product remain the immediate subject.
Stockholm provides the lifestyle context.
For a pet brand, this is particularly valuable. The products are not presented in isolation; they appear as part of a lifestyle in which people walk their dogs, spend time outdoors, visit cafés, and explore the city together. That makes the photography feel less like traditional product advertising and more like a visual story about life with a pet.
Shawn Ho’s Photography Style
Looking across the delivered images, several characteristics stand out in Shawn’s shooting approach.
1. Natural Light Is Used as a Creative Tool
The series makes extensive use of available daylight. Several photographs have strong, directional sunlight, creating defined shadows and highlights on the dogs, clothing, furniture, and surrounding architecture. Other images use softer or more diffused light, producing a gentler portrait quality. This variation gives the collection visual richness while maintaining a consistent lifestyle aesthetic.
Rather than trying to eliminate the changing conditions of an outdoor shoot, Shawn appears to work with the light that the location provides. That is an important commercial photography skill: understanding when natural light can strengthen an image instead of treating it as a limitation.
2. Shallow Depth of Field Creates a Clear Subject Hierarchy
Another recurring technique is selective focus. In several photographs, the dog is sharply defined while Stockholm’s architecture, boats, streets, or background activity falls into a soft blur.
This accomplishes two things simultaneously. First, it keeps attention firmly on the product and the animal. Second, it allows the surrounding environment to remain recognizable without competing with the subject. The effect is especially successful in the waterfront and city-street images: the background tells us where we are, but the dog remains the protagonist.
3. The Dogs Are Photographed as Personalities, Not Props
Perhaps the strongest characteristic of the series is the treatment of the dogs themselves. The images capture different expressions, poses, and personalities. Some feel composed and portrait-like, while others are more spontaneous and playful. This is important for pet advertising because an overly controlled image can easily lose the emotional quality that makes animals compelling.
Product Photography Without Making the Product Feel Forced
Commercial pet photography has a particular challenge: the product needs to be visible, but it should not dominate the photograph to the point where the scene stops feeling authentic.
The Lika series takes a more integrated approach. Clothing, accessories, and other branded elements become part of the dog's overall appearance. The product is therefore communicated through use and context, rather than through a purely technical product shot.
For example, a dog wearing a colorful outfit against Stockholm's architecture immediately communicates more than the fact that the garment exists. It suggests a particular lifestyle, mood, and aesthetic.
This is where Shawn's photography works particularly well from a branding perspective:
The product is shown as something the audience might want to live with, rather than simply something they might want to buy.
For Film8, the project also reflects our broader production philosophy: good commercial imagery is about understanding the brand, audience, location, subject, light, and intended use of every image—and bringing those elements together into a coherent visual language.
Looking for Commercial Pet Photography in Stockholm?
Film8 combines in-house creative talent with production experience to create commercial photography that works across pet brands, lifestyle campaigns, product launches, social media, and editorial content.
For brands looking for pet photography that feels natural, contemporary, and commercially effective, the Lika Stockholm series demonstrates what can happen when location, light, product, and animal personality are treated as one visual story.