I've been shooting product photography for Sassafras pretty much on a monthly basis for the past year. Amy will organize whatever new inventory has arrived since the previous shoot and we'll set aside an afternoon to play dress up. She schedules the models, I show up with my camera and we shoot 20 - 30 outfits in 2-3 hours, alternating models, backgrounds, locations, accessories, etc. It has been a lot of fun — I know and love the models she uses because they're all designers, some of which have studios in the basement of the store. But it's also really good practice! Shooting in the shop has its challenges as the entire place is full of retail distractions, but we also like to walk around the neighborhood. Belltown is one of those areas of downtown Seattle that is still somewhat undiscovered (although I'm sure that will change any day now) even though it has everything. The images in this post feature the lovely Kaitlin Uemura of Morning Siren.
This lovely brick lobby is right next door to the shop entrance. I like the warm colors of the wood, and the steel beams criss crossing the wall.
If you're in retail, you already know this: a sweater is not just a sweater. Most consumers are drawn to items based on the lifestyle in which they are featured — through visual mediums. Instagram is now a place you shop. So how do you keep up with all the new items coming in the door? Schedule a monthly product shoot with me! If you're a shop owner in need of lifestyle/product images of your ever changing inventory, send me a message. I'm sure you're thinking 'how can I afford to pay for photography' but what you really should be asking is 'how can you not?' Content is king and we are consuming it at an alarming rate these days. Get in the game and elevate your brand with fresh new images that tell your story and sell products.