As a fashion photographer my main clientele are owners of brick and mortar or online fashion boutiques, beauty brands, fashion designers and bloggers. Working with them, I’ve noticed that their websites and collective brand presences are missing visual elements that could help them grow. Photography is a key component of any business and knowing what visuals you need to accurately represent your brand can be a trial and error process. I looked over what makes a successful fashion or beauty brand and narrowed it down to the 5 types of photos that will take your businesses to the next level.
Product Shots: This may be more applicable if you are a boutique owner or sell beauty products, or if you are a blogger that sells products, the images of what you are selling are a key component of your business. They are what is going to make you money and position your products as legit. No one likes poorly lit, amateur cell shots of your product. Step up your game with an entry level DSLR and photograph your clothes or products on a simple background, usually white.
Lifestyle: Customers want to see how your product integrates in their everyday lives. If you are a designer or sell clothes, jewelry or shoes, showcase models or everyday people wearing them. Your customers want to be able to see themselves wearing your product out with their friends or to an event. If you sell skincare or makeup, people want to see photos of someone interacting with the product. Whether they are wearing a face wash, applying the makeup or looking at the product in a store set-up, these are images that the customer wants to see.
See: Why Your Business Needs Lifestyle Photos and How to Achieve Them
Jasmine of DigitalLucy.
Bio Photos: My favorite blogging and branding coach Maya Elious always says that people buy from people not big brands, so show your face! Every business owner needs a quality headshot of themselves for their Bio or About Me page plus a few lifestyle photos of you showing what you do or something that expresses your personality.
Shot by me for Orchids and Spice Boutique.
Advertising: This is the second most requested type of imagery I get as a photographer right behind product shots. Sometime clients will slap some logo or type onto a lifestyle image I’ve shot for them and use those for ads. Sometimes that works. Sometimes it doesn’t. When you walk into a store you see banners and images on the wall, those are usually lifestyle. The images that are in the front windows of the store with the company name on them or “50% Sale” in big letters are usually more polished and look like magazine editorials if you remove the text. That is what you want your images to look like. When creating these images make sure you have enough “negative space” or space that doesn’t have any people or product in it, to put in your text.
See: Why Your Business Needs Advertising Photos and How to Achieve Them
Flat Lays: Flat Lays are a combination between lifestyle and product photography. It gets the products away from the boring white background and shows your product in a setting without involving any people. Instagram is full of bloggers and brands using the flat lay to beautifully display products, outfits, their breakfast and whatever else you can think of. The key is to arrange the photos in an appealing way. Take a few varying shots until you feel you have gotten it right. With flat lays, the most appealing composition is usually found through instinct. Put the items on an interesting texture or background that fits the mood you are trying to evoke. If you sell natural products, place them around trees, flowers or wood. When you’re all done, slap a signature hazy filter on there and you have yourself a quick and easy flat lay your customers will love.
See: Why Your Business Needs Flat Lays and How to Achieve Them
As a commercial fashion and beauty photographer, these are the types of imagery I can provide for online and brick and mortar boutiques and brands. My services provide business owners with the professionalism and convenience of quality images without the trial and error of doing it for themselves. Book a package with me at aspencierraphotography.com or stay up to date with my blog for how to do it yourself at capturingfashion.com
***If you want a cheat sheet of this post click below for your 7 page pdf.