Hockey Sticks are Tough

How do you photograph an object 4 feet in length in such a way that it entices people to buy, with a minimal amount of equipment and even less space to work in ?

That was my dilemma this past weekend.
I took it upon myself to take on the challenge. To make it even more difficult, I wanted to make the minimalist approach. No props, no human interaction, no models. Only the single object with one light. My mindset immediately went to a triptych solution. These hockey sticks are heavily branded by the manufacturer. It's literally covered in labels that present the makers name the brand and the features.
I had to take that as a hint.
I then focused in on those labels and used them as my guide. Each image of the triptych reveals a separate section of the stick and a unique label on each. 
Bold and dramatic lighting keeps the attention where it belongs. One large strip box overhead and either a mirror or a large white card below to grab the edge of the stick and provide some shape to the expensive hockey tool.

Initially, I shoot the bottom section of the stick with only a small section of the "Vapour" model sticker. It didn't look right, so after sleeping on that decision I changed things up and re-shot the lower section to include the entire "Vapour" wording. This brought it in line with the remaining 2 panels of the triptych. With these images in the set, the viewer gets the entire idea that this manufacturer, Bauer, is trying to put forth. Job done. Almost. Then the post production took place.
I won't bore you with that, but suffice it to say... it took some work.

Hockey sticks are tough to shoot when restrictions are placed on the shooter. But, those restrictions tend to bolster a sense of challenge which lead to creative solutions. I'm pleased with the image. It's in my portfolio and my social media. One more stick to go.