How Luxury Watch Videos Get Made with Nolan Shi

Your watch looks incredible in hand, so why does it fall flat on camera? That gap is where luxury watch photographer and videographer Nolan Shi lives. Nolan is based in New York and has quietly become the person behind the kind of watch imagery you’ve probably double tapped without knowing who shot it. We talk about how he went from acting and commercial production to filming vintage watches, then quickly leveling up to some of the most expensive, unforgiving pieces you can put under lights.We get nerdy and practical about luxury watch videography: why dust is a full-time enemy when you’re working with thousands of frames, how reflections behave on polished cases and domed crystals, and what actually helps (big diffusion, circular polarizers, even cross-polarization). Nolan also shares the small decisions that make a watch feel alive, like letting a chronograph run, embracing controlled shadows, and keeping the crystal looking real instead of “perfect.”Then we zoom out to the watch content marketing side. Clients often bring AI or 3D render references that create impossible expectations, and Nolan explains how he protects his style, prices his time, and turns down briefs that don’t fit a brand’s identity. We also talk gear without the hype: why 4K is enough, what lenses he actually relies on, the motion tools he can’t live without, and whether a robot arm is worth it. Plus, he hints at what’s next: a microbrand and a beginner-friendly masterclass for creators.Subscribe for more insider conversations, share this with a friend who shoots watches, and leave a review if you want more deep dives like this. What’s the hardest part of filming a watch for you: dust, reflections, or getting smooth motion?Follow Nolan here:https://www.instagram.com/nolanshi.himself/Send us Fan MailSupport the showSupport the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2237102/supportVisit our Blog: https://lonelywrist.comWatch our Youtube: http://youtube.lonelywrist.com100% Viewer Funded: Donate Here