by admin on July 21, 2008
It’s been a few weeks since we’ve had a photo critique, so let’s get back into the swing of things and take a closer look at this week’s volunteer, a very cool jewelry boutique called Rutigliano Design.
Bullet Proof Shield, $440.00
To start with, we absolutely love this boutique … the jewelry is simply outstanding. The first thing that we notice about the photography is that there’s a bit of a mixed bag for the main images … some are low key, some high key, some model shots. In general, the images are very nicely done, but we feel that a bit more of a consistent approach might be helpful here. One approach may be to keep the main image as either a low or high key product shot (to keep things looking clean and professional on the main boutique page) and include a secondary model shot for every piece as an alternate view.
Plume Earring, $118.00
The low key images look great, and really make the products pop, but some of the high-key images could use a little lighting help. The designer says this about her images:
I think the main thing I always have trouble with is keeping the true color of my stones while maintaining the clarity of a picture. For example, The Ruby Necklace, and then some of the beaded earrings. I can never seem to get the lighting right. It is either too grey and you can see the stone ok, but it’s a dark picture, or I get the picture to be light enough and it washes out the stones.
One approach to this problem that might be helpful is to light the background and product separately – this will allow you to tweak the lighting of each independently, getting the lighting just right on the jewelry as well as the backdrop.
In general, we think this designer is doing an excellent job representing her products … she obviously puts a lot of effort into her photography. We truly don’t have a lot of negative things to say here, which is always nice! We would certainly recommend using a few more alternate views whenever possible, as well as more model shots. Many of the item descriptions don’t give exact sizing, and the model shots are a great way to give shoppers an idea of scale. And, of course, it’s always fun to see how things look on!
Keep up the great work, and we look forward to hearing what others have to say about this designer’s photography.
Questions? Comments? Email us at julie[at]smashingdarling[dot]com or feel free to comment below. Thanks as always to our community for your insight and support! So, who’s next? Would you like your store critiqued? Email us at the above address and let us know what you need help on with your photos.
by admin on June 2, 2008
The Daisy Scarf, $112.00
This week we have the pleasure of turning our eyes towards Thistle Downs Wool Design, a very cool store featuring unique woolen items made from sheep that this designer has raised herself!
When volunteering to be critiqued, this designer asked a very specific question: to model or not to model? Specifically, she wanted to know whether or not to use models in her store’s photography. In general, our answer is a very emphatic YES!!! Models are a great way to show how products look on a real person, and are an excellent way to add an element of style to what might otherwise be just product shots.
Here are a few things for everyone to remember when choosing models.
• Make sure the models are helping, not hurting. Models should compliment the style of your designs and show your products exactly as you wish them to be seen. So make sure your models fit the products (and appeal to the market you’re trying to reach.) Is your work fun and youthful? Reflect it in your choice of models and the attitude of the shots. Designing elegant evening wear for socialites? Seek out models that fit the look to a tee.
• Keep the focus on the products. When shooting with models, be sure to keep the focus on your products. Don’t let the model overwhelm the fashions themselves. It’s a delicate balance, but the goal should be for the model to enhance your designs, and exude the the type of personality that best describes your work.
• Models have to look incredible. Ok, it may sound a tad shallow but the final hint we have for choosing models is that they have to be amazing. Your models have to be attractive, enjoying the fashions and themselves, and very comfortable in front of the camera, or they will not be working in your favor.
Wool Lace, $88.00
So, on to Thistle Downs. We think her use of models is great – they’re very attractive, suit the items well, and inject a nice human element without drawing focus away from the fashions themselves. Nicely done, and we say the more the better!
We also feel that Thistle Downs does a very nice job of shooting with natural light, and it suits the feel of the wool products very well. For the most part, there is a nice selection of alternate views for each product.
As always, there are a few areas that could benefit from some new approaches. In the handbag shots, we’re not sure that the dark backdrops show the bags in their best light. They feel a little overly heavy, and perhaps could benefit from the outdoors, natural light approach that works so well in many of the shots (the “Saddle Bag” shots do an excellent job of moving in this direction.) These could also benefit from some alternate views, perhaps inside shots of the bags that show the lining or handle details.
We also see a little bit of focus issues in a lot of the shots … many don’t seem quite as razor-sharp as they could be. This could be a matter of the camera itself ( maybe changing the image quality setting) or possibly even as simple as experimenting with a tripod. Technical issues can be very easy to overcome, and can help image quality tremendously.
As a whole, we feel that Thistle Downs’ images could benefit from a bit more consistency across the whole line, perhaps a theme-based approach that reflects the origins of the products themselves and give a bit more of a glimpse into the background and processes involved. We love this designer’s work, are fascinated by her profile, and want to know MORE!! We want to feel the coast of Maine and the scenic Litchfield hills in the photographs.
Thanks for reading, and now we want to hear what you think! Please leave your comments and constructive criticism below, and we always love hearing from everyone. What do you think about this boutique? We know you have something to say … let us know what you think by either commenting below or emailing directly at julie[at]smashingdarling[dot]com. We are also running out of volunteer’s for the critique. Anyone interested in being next?
