The important product feature is the quality of the Finland Spruce veneers used, and the fact that one-fifth of the veneers are glued crosswise. So a strong light was called for to make a snappy texture to the wood.
The product was shot on a tabletop on location, so the background was easily replaced with a nice clean gradient. Another advantage to this approach is that the background can now be anything the art director needs.
I really enjoy photographing products of every kind because I am intrigued by the technical challenges of using the simplest tools - highlight and shadow - to reveal the personality of the product.
In this case, that block of wood is really as heavy as it looks. The bare-bulb flash reveals every fiber in the wood; the subtle spotlighting effect makes it loom large and strong. I also chose a wide-angle lens (the product was not much more than a foot away) to create a monumental perspective.
