Highlighting a Brand with a Strong Mission: Plane Cupcakes

Plane Cupcakes, based in Ridgecrest, CA, is a bakery known for sourdough loaves and homemade cupcakes—but they’re more than just baked goods. Rebecca, the owner, is deeply committed to delivering whole, nourishing food with integrity. Through her social media and online store, she shares not only delicious products but a sense of purpose and story.

With that in mind, the goal for this bakery sourdough product photography session was clear: create images that make it easy for her customers to see the value of her breads before they ever taste them. We needed photos that would communicate freshness, highlight texture, and show the natural beauty of her ingredients. Our images had to support both e-commerce and social media use—meeting the needs of her digital marketing strategy and enhancing brand recognition. Here is a past session that we did together concentrating on her cakes and cupcakes.

Shipping, Freezing, and Planning the Session

When Rebecca reached out to work together, she mailed loaves of her sourdough bread all the way from California to North Alabama. Her biggest concern? That the bread would mold or lose its freshness before I could photograph it. Once the package arrived safely via USPS (and still smelled incredible!), I immediately popped the bread in the freezer.

On shoot day, I popped the loaves in the oven to defrost and crisp up a little, and it turned out to be perfect—retaining all the texture and integrity needed to photograph as if it were just baked. This planning step is important when working with out-of-town clients: we always consider how to preserve quality while creating the best possible visuals.

Photographing the Details that Sell

During the session, I focused on the tactile, visual elements that make sourdough irresistible—crisp crusts, airy interiors, and the beauty of fresh toppings. We included close-ups to answer customer questions visually: “Is the crust crunchy?” “How open is the crumb?” “What’s in that seasoning?”

Some images included a human hand reaching for a slice, which helps create a sense of warmth and scale. Other setups featured sliced bread in linen-lined baskets and loaves fresh out of the oven on wire racks. These touches show freshness, care, and the hand-crafted nature of her product. That’s what good bakery sourdough product photography should do—answer questions before they’re asked.