arcana - case study

When Stone Strategy and Design approached us with the concept for Arcana, a fictional tequila brand, we jumped on the opportunity to play with creative boundaries. Stone wanted more than just product photography—this was a chance to craft a visual narrative steeped in mystery. Inspired by the brand’s imagined discovery in the Great Sand Dunes and its bootleg-inspired origins, we had fun producing images that felt atmospheric and a little bit dangerous.

The vision—an underground world where Arcana was bottled by hand under the cover of night and shared only in confidence among friends. We set to work designing a series of scenes to bring this vision to life, capturing the delicate tension between secrecy and celebration.

“Thank you and your team for the amazing work! As always, you exceeded my expectations and hit the nail right on the head with our vision.”

- Ryan, creative director

Given the spec nature of the project, we needed to balance ambition with practicality. In collaboration with Stone’s creative team, we structured the shot list to maintain cost efficiency while staying aligned with their vision. Ghost Studio became our canvas—a controlled environment where we could experiment with light, texture, and “natural” elements.

To evoke the feeling of moonlit dunes, we combined cold, blue-toned lighting with the warm, flickering glow of lanterns. This interplay of cool and warm light created a sense of depth and mystery, echoing the brand’s alluring story. Each scene was carefully crafted: the bottle emerging from windswept sand, the process of hand-labeling, and a quiet moment where friends shared Arcana by lantern light.

One of the most challenging—and rewarding—elements was recreating windblown sand. It added an organic unpredictability to the images, but managing the fine grains indoors required both technical precision and protective measures for our equipment. The effort paid off—the texture of the sand gave the final shots a visceral, almost cinematic quality that rooted the images in Arcana’s imagined landscape.

Over the course of the shoot, we captured 35 final images—each one designed to tell a piece of Arcana’s story. These visuals were added to Stone Strategy and Design’s portfolio, showcasing their ability to craft immersive brand narratives with a distinct, elevated aesthetic.

behind the scenes