How to take photos of shoes for instagram
15 Ways to Instagram Your Shoes
As someone who has recently found herself in the business of Instagramming various aspects of her wardrobe, I can tell you from experience that while it’s a tedious task in general, shoe pics are especially hard. On the flip side, however, when done right, they can be the most “liked,” commented, shared, and overall popular photos on your feed. After all, who doesn’t love shoes?
Take it from Who What Wear’s very own social media editor, Mimi Postigo: “Shoes are one of our top engaged content categories on WWW’s Instagram. Our audience loves a good detail shot, and shoes are 100% their favorite accessory, so we’re always looking for quality shoe photos to regram.”
So how does one get a regram-worthy photo of their shoes—one that does the accessory (and the wearer) justice? I can help. Today I’ve rounded up 15 the best shoe-grams I’ve come across recently, all of which are equally intriguing but also unique in their own right. Simply screenshot or save the ones you like, and next time you’re in a creative bind, use them as a reference to re-create.
Keep scrolling to get started, and shop the shoes you see along the way.
1. Aerial Angles
A post shared by Evangelie Smyrniotaki (@styleheroine) on
Shop similar shoes:
2.
Pop a Squat
A post shared by Jessica Minkoff (@jessicaminkoff) on
Shop the shoes:
3. Take a Figure Four
A post shared by alyssa coscarelli (@alyssainthecity) on
Shop the shoes:
4.
Find a Tub
A post shared by Aimee Song (@songofstyle) on
Shop the shoes:
5. Above & Beyond
A post shared by L'AFSHAR (@lilianafshar) on
Shop the shoes:
6.
Get Your Hands Dirty
A post shared by AMINA MUADDI (@aminamuaddi) on
Shop similar shoes:
7. Up-Close & Personal
A post shared by Barbara Martelo Official (@barbaramartelo) on
Shop the shoes:
8.
Find a Resting Place
A post shared by ○ M A I M O U N ● (@maimoun_ny) on
Shop the shoes:
9. Take Advantage of Mirrors
A post shared by Trust Me, Buy This (@trustmebuythis) on
Shop the shoes:
10. Unbox Them
A post shared by Marie von Behrens (@mvb) on
Shop the shoes in black:
11.
Embrace the Undone
A post shared by Darja Barannik (@darjabarannik) on
Shop similar shoes:
12. More Is More
A post shared by Loulou De Saison - Chloé (@louloudesaison) on
Shop the leftmost shoes:
12.
Cris-Cross
A post shared by TyLynn Nguyen (@tylynnnguyen) on
Shop the shoes:
14. Action Shot
A post shared by All The Pretty Birds (@tamumcpherson) on
Shop the shoes:
15.
Keep It Simple
A post shared by Tine Andrea (@tineandreaa) on
Shop similar shoes:
Up next? 5 spring trends you can start wearing now.
How To Take Pictures of Shoes for Instagram
Instagram is the home of everything aesthetic, whether you’re running an individual or business account.
So naturally, you want everything to be picture perfect, which applies to every picture post, from your face to clothes and accessories. The angle has to be correct, the exposure perfect, and the background not too distracting.
This article details how you can apply these factors to take pictures of shoes for your Instagram.
Table of Contents
- Footwear Photography on Instagram
- Position Your Shoes for Product Photography
- Get a Good Camera
- Pick the Right Angle for Your Photo
- Lighting
- The Background
- Crop and Edit
- Post Your Photo and Use Hashtags
- Conclusion
Footwear Photography on Instagram
The best product photography can be seen on Instagram, with several aesthetically-pleasing photos across different items. For many businesses, the quality of the images found on their pages drives engagement and business growth. This also applies to companies and individuals in footwear.
You might be running a shoe business on the platform where you need to take the most attractive shoe photos. But it might also be that you run an individual account as a shoe lover or influencer where the quality of your shoe photos dramatically matters. After all, an image is the beginning of a successful trade or personality in this digital world.
If you fall into any of the above categories, you need these tips on taking good photos for your Instagram. And the first step to taking shoe pictures for Instagram is styling your shoe for product photography.
Position Your Shoes for Product Photography
The first thing to take note of in taking shoe photos for your Instagram is how you place the shoe for a photo. First, put them in a flattering position that highlights the attractive details of the shoe.
Next, bring out the shoe’s actual shape that makes your viewers fantasize about themselves wearing that shoe.
Finally, you can move on to the next step after getting that position.
Get a Good Camera
Fortunately, we have several smartphones that can take quality pictures to the standard of a DSLR camera. If you’re using an Apple device, you might not need more than that to take a photo of your shoes. There are also a few Android devices that can match this standard, but if you can, get an actual DSLR camera. This will particularly come in handy for businesses selling shoes.
If you’re using a phone camera, taking the photo might take longer. This is because every phone typically has a camera app that can launch and be set to a particular mode for capturing. First, however, you must know how to operate a camera if you have a DSLR camera at your disposal. This will include knowing how to get the image in focus, controlling light exposure, and picking the right angle.
Pick the Right Angle for Your Photo
You can explore several angles to get the perfect shoe picture on Instagram.
Remember, the aim is to make your shoe look flattering, so you want to get the best angle that brings out the attractiveness of your shoe. Try aerial angles, have someone pop a squat with the shoe, get someone to hold the shoe out, try up-close & personal, use mirrors, and many other perspectives.
If you want to stand out from the other businesses or individual accounts, you should leverage these angles. They’ll help you grow your account and establish you as an authority in the shoe scene.
Lighting
The wonders good lighting does to your photos cannot be over-emphasized. You can use natural lighting (the sun), ring lights, and other artificial light sources for your shoes. They’ll make your photos come out better, clearer, and more aesthetic.
The Background
The background you take your photo against makes all the difference. Depending on the color of the shoe, you want to ensure the color contrast of it against the background isn’t so jarring.
As a result, you’re advised to use neutral or plain backgrounds. Avoid a cluttered or busy background not to distract your viewers. You want the focus to be on your shoes and not on whatever is happening in the background.
The frame in which your shoe appears should be kept simple too. Backgrounds to use: white, grey, nude, off-white, and sometimes blue. However, not all shoes necessarily need a plain background. At the right time and place, a colorful or busy background can do a lot of your shoe pictures.
Crop and Edit
Cropping and editing your photos are also practices you should be familiar with for Instagram pictures. These will help keep your photos aligned and your profile page clean. Inconsistency in how you align your photos can be a big turn-off for whoever is going through your shoe pictures on Instagram.
As a result, you should have a cropping template that applies to all your photos. Pick an aspect ratio you want your photos to abide by, and stick to it.
Also, when editing, avoid overusing filters not to render the quality of your image poor. Remember, viewers might hope to get a shoe like that, and you won’t want to deceive them with filters.
Post Your Photo and Use Hashtags
Once you’re done with the above-listed steps, you can continue posting your photo and using hashtags. Presumably, the image will be saved in your phone’s gallery, and you’ll only need to select it when you launch the Instagram app.
Before posting, you’ll be asked to write a caption, and this is where you can use hashtags to improve the visibility of your posts.
Conclusion
Consistency is the key to building an Instagram page and establishing authority over an item, product, or accessory. You want to keep posting and engaging your followers as much as possible. With these, you should get the best results for your shoe photos!
How to photograph a product for Instagram so that it is torn off with hands.
Part 1 For Instagram, a beautiful visual is mega-important. This is an axiom that no one should forget. A especially not to be forgotten by those who crave sales/fame/millions from social networks. After all, speech not just about beauty and aesthetics - not for participation to prepare content in the exhibition. Here the question is different: if your target audience is not attracted photos of the goods or some details will not be visible, then the cherished sales will not happen. Nobody wants to pay for an indistinct product - we are ready to argue, and you too. Therefore, we must try, work on the profile and make cool pictures, because they help sell. Especially since the competition is fierce.
Compare for yourself:
Everything seems to be fine: the product is visible, not even bad photos, not blurry and not dark.
But it’s not at all clear how the slippers look on the leg, how much fur volume.
And in general, life is not enough - the photos are flat, boring. There is no desire to buy.
And here is another example: the same product - slippers. You can see how they look on the leg. And the home environment in the photo also has and inspires confidence.
In total, the photos are clearer, livelier, warmer and more soulful.
Although everything is also simple, without any frills - it can be filmed in real at home and on the phone.
A moment of banality: no matter how great the text under the picture is, it will not save you if the visual is frankly bad. Yes, yes, you can be a pen guru, words and marketing, but even no one will read the post if with a photo everything is bad. Instagram is, first of all, about beautiful pictures, keep it up in the head.
But do not rush to get upset. A good half of commercial profiles support themselves good pics on your own.
This will be discussed in our article. We will figure out how to take a photo of a product for Instagram without a photographer, a cool camera, renting a studio, models and extra costs. But first, a disclaimer:
Disclaimer
If you yourself are an experienced photographer with your mother, a guru of subject photography, or maybe the most important esthete, winner of the Vogue award for perfect taste and style (yes, yes, no such, we know), then either pass by, or be patient, or share in the comments with adequate advice for beginners - nevertheless, from something started.
Based on practice and experience, in the article we will show and tell how with a minimum budget and relatively straight arms, can be beautifully take a picture of your product without a studio, lamps, reflectors, spotlights, a cool camera and outbreaks. We practiced for our clients and our own needs.
Well, remember, there is also an element of subjectivity. So let's, as bequeathed cat Leopold, live together =)
I am an artist, as I see it, or how to photograph a product for Instagram
So, you understand that you are not ready for any reason one-time or permanently allocate funds from your budget for photography services. Incidentally, a common reason not only in a small budget, but also corny in time - you won’t call the photographer every time to take a picture of the confectionery, pasta pizza, handmade hats and jewelry, a dress from an atelier, fresh supplies of flowers and other products that need shooting here and now, not through a week. Therefore, to shoot objects and things beautifully seems like even a necessity. We look what we need and what to pay attention to in general. Let's go, there are a lot of points, even there were two parts of the article.
1. Technology
As already mentioned, the presence of a cool camera and lens is not necessary.
To smartphone quite really take good photos for Instagram. And believe me, the presence a camera does not make a person a photographer. You won't shoot better if you will have a top-end Nikon or Canon in your hands. After all, it’s not technology that makes cool photos, but the man himself. And you still need to be able to handle professional cameras, one automatic mode won't save you either.
It is important to take care of the light, angle, composition in general, details and, possibly, post-processing, but more on that below. So if you don't have a DSLR, do not rush to buy it or borrow it from friends of acquaintances. Better dedicate time to explore other aspects.
While we put aside the thought in our heads: a smartphone in capable hands is Great. Many content and account managers offering their services for maintaining and filling profiles, they shoot it on a smartphone. Yes, so that you download.
For now, for example:
Photo of wooden notebooks taken with a SLR.
Filmed by ourselves for a client.
A photo of coffee taken with a phone.
We also filmed ourselves in the office.
In fact, in the Instagram feed or even in a post in VK there is a big difference the user will not see it. And with the right lighting and elaboration of details, the picture on the phone is in no way inferior to the "camera". And with skillful hands maybe even better than a photo on a DSLR.
Tip:
Always check and clean the lens of your vehicle before shooting. And no we don't laugh at you. This is a very, very, very common problem. as a result, you will get blurry photos or strange spots on them. So we take a rag and wipe the phone camera every time we decide to make content. Otherwise you can forget about the good quality of the photos.
2. Lighting
The issue of lighting is half the success of high-quality product photos for Instagram. Here 2 things to remember:
- Natural light is your best friend. If you are not a vampire, then we are waiting daylight, we come closer to the window and try to shoot the goods near it. If we are talking about clothes, then you can safely go to the street, but there already be be careful: do not shoot against the sun, avoid direct sunlight and keep an eye on the shadows. It is important to experiment, to catch the lucky light and strike a balance.
- The light of the lamps does not decorate photographs, so you need to be with artificial lighting the most careful. Remember: white light - good, yellow - Badly. The warm tone yellows the photographs, and the cold light of the lamps creates the impression of some hospitals. Plus, artificial light for subject shooting with inept use gives rough shadows that will be difficult to remove by processing.
To prevent this from happening it is still desirable to take photos of goods in white light or in daylight.
2 more points: often a lightbox is used for product photography, and not necessarily to buy it - the simplest one can be assembled with your own hands (how to do it easily google). But in good daylight, this is not particularly advisable. To start deal with natural lighting and try to take a photo with him.
And about the flash: it eats up volume, the tool is definitely not suitable for a beginner, so Feel free to exclude it as well.
Here the photo has a problem not only with light, but now we are interested in it is he. Artificial light just kills the picture, it’s completely incomprehensible what with color rendition + there is also overexposure on the jacket - obviously illuminated sleeve.
Photo does not sell the jacket, the quality leaves much to be desired.
We leave the goods to the natural light, and a completely different picture. No glare, strange shades - nothing yellows and does not spoil the picture.
No training here. From the first time, perhaps nothing will come of it, because in any case, there are subtleties: from the banal "do not shoot against sun" to options with a simple reflector made of a sheet of paper.
But once again: if you shoot during the day in a bright room or on the street, more likely to get good photos.
Tip #1:
Do not rush to take photos of products for Instagram here “right now”, despite the time of day and lighting. And do not be afraid to go out with the goods, for example, on the street. Very often, shop owners take off things right in the dark. pavilion, not yet on the model, but on a hanger. Then kaput sales.
Gloomy and incomprehensible.
Lighting literally kills the photo + the presentation itself leaves much to be desired the best - as a result, you can’t look at the tape without tears.
Soft daylight clearly colors the photos - the general mood is immediately where more cheerful, and the product looks much more attractive. Besides, on living people it is clear how things sit.
Tip #2:
For product shooting, position yourself directly on the windowsill if the goods are small and it will turn out to crop the photo so that parts of the window sill, frames in the picture didn't hit. If the goods are larger, move the table as close as possible to the window and experiment on it.
The composition is large, we are located on the table.
Why we know: we filmed for a client ourselves (like the next photo).
Here the goods are small, you can comfortably sit on the windowsill.
Tip #3:
If it's physically impossible to catch daylight, take care about multiple light sources for shooting. For example, at least 2 or 3 table lamps + play with their placement. There is, of course, a whole theory and the rules for working with such light, but believe me, it’s easier for you in practice will experiment how to use these lamps. Well, the layouts Light sources can also be Googled separately.
3. Idea, inspiration, observation
Before you go and photograph a product for Instagram, immediately think about this: what do you want to convey to the user, how interesting it is to show your product, how to stand out among other profiles of your subject?
Yes, of course, you are not for creativity, you just need the product to be bought. But for this to happen, you need to try and work on the visual. Above we are already we saw with you just slippers, just jackets - it's easy to take off.
However, once again we broadcast the idea: there will be no sales this way. The picture should sell.
There is no ready-made recipe, otherwise all photos and all profiles would be the same. Find yourself the holy trinity will help: inspiration, observation, idea:
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See profiles on Instagram on your subject and more, tag cool shots that hooked you. To do this, right on Instagram in the search bar, you can enter thematic words both in Russian and and in English. Log in to big brand accounts.
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Look for selections from agencies, bloggers, photographers. For example, we published article "I want likes: 50 examples of beautiful Instagram accounts." These review articles are not uncommon, they will help you get ideas and look at things with fresh eyes.
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Monitor Pinterest - that's where the storehouse of everything and everything. And also use the search in Russian and English, and search and watch in more general words, including, see what offers you an adjacent Pinterest. Also, be sure to look at the stocks - Freepik, Unsplash: there are also a lot content, many options for subject shooting. Notice how things are laid out taking pictures of people, etc.
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Cling to associations and where and how the product is used. Jewelry must be shown on the body, clothes too (or take a tailor's mannequin), I would like to see a vase in a piece of interior, cooked eclair - at the table in the company with coffee. Natural cosmetics can be removed with flowers, herbs, dried flowers, stones; handmade photo album - in a pile of papers, tapes, and glasses, for example, on a plaster copy David.
Hope you get the idea.
Tip #1:
Save the photos you like. Immediately think about how you can implement this idea and transfer to your product. Also collect some small items that you can use for entourage (we'll talk about this a little later).
Do not be afraid and do not think that you cannot realize someone's idea. Try to repeat simple flatlay options (if in a simple way it is photo style when a picture of objects is taken from above, examples are already above we posted) - it's not so difficult.
Tip #2:
Live photos are good and fashionable. They evoke emotions, they are visual. Take a photo in motion, be slightly careless, use everyday objects to help. But remember, quality plays a huge role and this is exactly what you need train taste and observation.
4. View selection
There is always one problem with online shopping - you can't touch the goods hands and try on. Therefore, a potential buyer through the photo must make sure in all product features. How sneakers sit on the leg, what style the dress has such a massive chain, what size is the soft toy for the child, etc.
And if the photo is completely flat, incomprehensible, a strange angle is chosen that does not show the dignity of a thing, then it is unlikely to be ordered. For example, above were slippers, shot simply on laminate. Alas, the photos are not attractive.
Therefore, be sure to think about how your product looks best. Do not know? Then we take photos literally from all sides, at different angles, we shoot close-ups of the details.
Of course, then you don’t need to upload all the pictures to the profile - you have to select the very best.
The downside is that all the shoes are taken from one angle, several models per one picture and it is not clear how they look on the leg.
Well, another problem with light, glare, composition.
Here we already see more options: how the shoes really look on the leg - at different angles, in motion, with an emphasis on a bright detail of a concrete a pair of boots.
It seems that there are photos on people, but there are not so many of them. Plus not all angles are favorable, clothes are wrinkled in places. Well, on a hanger or on the floor and it’s not at all clear what kind of product it really is.
All things on models, bows are fully assembled, poses are different and relaxed, important details were also shot close-up, such as knitting a sweater.
And another example. Not the worst, but not ideal either. Why? And because again it is not clear what sizes the accessories are and how they look live, how “chubby” the bags are and how long some of the handles are.
Everything is here: photos of the backpack, and emphasis on details, and photos with a person. All angles and options are involved, and that's great.
Tip #1:
Be sure to take a lot of photos from all sides - from above, from the side, at an angle, try, it would seem, even strange angles. In the photo, everything can look more advantageous and more successful than you originally thought. On the contrary, it also works - the idea was good, but in fact the angle is terrible. Therefore, the more you have different photos, the more likely you are to get at least a couple of good ones.
Tip #2:
Don't know what details to show for a thing or object? See examples and show what you are really proud of and what speaks of quality products. For example, take a close-up shot of interesting stitching on a handmade bag, catchy buttons on the dress, the sole of the shoe, the inside of the brooch.
Among other things, you need to visualize the size, dimensions, height and other characteristics of the goods. That is, the height of the stud should be visible in reality, the size of the earrings is tiny studs or huge earrings Art Deco.
5. Composition
One warrior in the field is not about a product photo for Instagram. Yes, there is one a thing like minimalism - you shoot only your product, without any additional details and things. But minimalism is different for minimalism, in order to be good and stylish, it is required much more effort than just shooting against a white background.
Let's go straight to the examples. One and the same product, and three different delivery methods:
The photo is of high quality, bright, but boring. Just a product on a uniform background. Nothing extra.
Sometimes such photos are also needed, but potential buyers attracts originality and more lively pictures.
Here we already see a glorious simple composition. And in total the photo looks more attractive and interesting. Small details and objects scattered around the frame do not distract attention from the product, but make the picture more alive and attractive.
The third option is a photo already with the model. But also pay attention on the composition - the girl is not standing against the background of a white wall, but in the interior, but he does not draw attention to himself, only complements the frame, making it more comfortable and humane.
Well, what to add to your composition depends on the details and inspiration. For example, for product photography, you can use twigs, pebbles, jars, mats, books, candles, a cup of coffee, a mirror. Yes, anything.
For example, partly in conditions "on the knee" they filmed for us and our escorted clients:
Task: remove Korean instant noodles.
Just photographing plastic packaging is boring.
What to do? Steam the noodles and add details: sticks, a special plate, green vegetables - that's the composition ready.
Or, you need to remove the book that came from the publisher. What to add to the composition? Ideal office accessories - headphones, flowers, a pen, notepad, etc.
Or we have a product - a tourist enameled mug. It's simple: we take her with us to nature, we take out a thermos and chocolate, and voila.
You don’t have to go to nature, just find a bush near your home or office.
Tip #1:
A thoughtful composition is always more attractive than a photo of a blouse on a laminate. small details help create a whole plot, complement the atmosphere, show the product itself advantageously, give the user to try on a thing, make an association between himself and the picture.
But it is important that auxiliary items do not draw attention to themselves, everything should be in moderation. And nothing should overshadow our main product.
Tip #2:
Improvised means will help to create a spectacular composition. Learn to use the most common little things and everyday objects in your pictures. How to study? Again, look examples, looking for ideas, getting inspired. And more about auxiliary things we will talk in the second part of the article.
Taking beautiful photos of goods for Instagram is not for you to drive a cat with slippers
So, as you already understood, the preparation of a high-quality, beautiful, and most importantly working content for Instagram is not an easy task. Dismantled only half points worth paying attention to. The rest are in the second part of the article.
Well, if you have already given up and want to entrust someone with escort profile, contact our SMM specialists.
We will figure out how to solve your problems and make a cool profile.
How Instagram photo content helps promote fashion retail
It took a little less than a year for the new metropolitan sneaker store THE MISIA@the_misia to bring the number of its Instagram followers to 15,000. Although sporty style is at the peak of popularity, when opening THE MISIA, the retail owners expected to create not just a sneakers-store, but a street culture concept store with a unique assortment of Adidas, Puma, Nike. Instagram and photo content play a big role in the promotion of the project. Shoes Report talked to THE MISIA Development Director Vyacheslav Glushkov @slavagee about how to photograph shoes in order to draw maximum attention to them.
Vyacheslav Glushkov - THE MISIA Store Development Director.
THE MISIA concept store is part of the Inventive Retail Group, whose retail projects also include Apple, Sony, NIKE, Lego, Samsung monobrands, Street Beet and others.
Store interior THE MISIA
Your store is relatively new and you already have a very good relationship with Adidas, how did it happen?
This is probably noticeable, because our clothes are still only Adidas, as well as a significant part of the shoes. But we are friends with both Nike and Puma, we get a lot of exclusives from them. It's just that Adidas is very active right now. Some time ago, the brand was in a certain kind of stagnation, new models were not in great demand. Then there were several turning points, such as the launch of collaborations with Pharrell Williams (Pharrell Williams) and Kanye West (Kanye West), a change in the policy of ambassadors, and now it is one of the most talked about sports brands.
Our store is positioned not as a sneakers-store with 300-400 models and articles on the shelf, but as a kind of conceptual space that sells street-style shoes and clothes. It's a fine line between retail and gallery space.
Relatively speaking, we ourselves are part of the street culture. At THE MISIA, we put a lot of emphasis on selection, choosing something that cannot be found in all other stores - these are rare styles, models from limited collections, collaborations. This is what allows us to keep interest in the project at a high level with a total number of pairs of 120 to 150 positions.
Major sports brands break their range into several levels of availability. There is a mass market, which is presented in stores such as Sportmaster, there is an assortment of specialized sneaker stores such as Street beat or Drop and regular monobrands, and there is a special exclusive range of flagship and concept stores, such as THE MISIA.
Instagram photo THE MISIA
So when you were selling Adidas yeezy boost, you were almost the second retailer where you could buy them?
To be precise, Adidas yeezy boost was sold in only five stores in Moscow - in the Brand Shop, in the flagship Adidas boutique, in KM20, WoodWood and here.
Adidas tried to give in the Podium Market, but apparently they realized that this is not the right niche at all. In the summer, delegations from global brand offices visited Moscow, they looked at stores - they also came to us. Our space speaks for itself - conceptual design, narrow range of articles, good promotional opportunities. You can see that our windows are now plastered with ads for the new Adidas model, which came out just yesterday ... Adidas appreciated all this, and we received the first release of Yeezy in the fall, a few months after the opening. Nobody had this!
Instagram photo THE MISIA
The photos on your Instagram show sneakers, but the pictures themselves and the style attract attention. This is mostly image shooting…
Yes, first of all we need image photos. We present not a pair of sneakers, but something more. There is a certain story behind each model that we have on the shelf - and we try to tell it through pictures.
If these are basketball shoes, we can shoot them on the basketball court, but in an unusual presentation for this location. We are surrounded by art, traffic and through this we present the product, sneakers are part of the street culture. All our photos are related to the street, even if we shoot a photo of sneakers on some kind of background, then we choose an industrial background - concrete, mesh.
Why would you take your own shots when Adidas has their own images?
Naturally, we also use them, but it's interesting to be different, this is an advantage. First of all, we post everything on Instagram, other networks - Facebook, Telegram - duplicate this content. Instagram is a powerful promotion and sales tool and has essentially replaced websites. In this social network, it is easier to view the grid of models presented in the store, find out the sizes, address, call - there is everything to make a purchase decision.
We use several options for photo-images.
The first is shooting outdoors in full growth. Second, shooting on feet - when the legs are photographed large - from the knee or from the middle of the ankle. The photo on feet is created in order to emphasize the details, it is essentially a macro shot. As a rule, there are differences in the outer and inner sides of the sneaker, there are such details as the tongue, heel, laces, sole. Often it is necessary to focus on the material. In order to show all this, on feet fits perfectly. After a person has looked at the details, the general image, he concludes whether he needs these sneakers or not.
There is also a photo of sneakers in the interior, it can be taken against a normal background, it can be a concrete wall, a graffiti wall or a tree, we often shoot on the piano, at a certain angle, with a low aperture to blur the background. For such a picture, you can use different objects - a book, a spray can of paint, a vase, a figurine - all of them can become elements of a photo composition.
But you need to select them taking into account the model of the sneaker. You should not take off a black sneaker next to some bright figurine, as it will draw attention to itself. The focus should remain on the shoe, but the extra elements make the photo more interesting. Such a photograph is bright, it has an unusual angle, a non-standard angle, some kind of blur, something that catches the eye. An ordinary shot of shoes on a white background, the viewer will scroll through, but this one will pay attention.
Instagram photo THE MISIA
Do you need serious photographic equipment to create such photographs, or can you take them on your phone?
You can also take it on your phone. I have been shooting with a regular iPhone for a very long time. Now the Iphone 7 plus even allows you to blur the background of a photo, and there are people who, in principle, take pictures only on the Iphone, and it turns out beautifully.
It is important to fill your hand, find your style, understand how you will process photos. Blurring can be done manually, there are programs. But naturally, the use of professional photographic equipment gives a radically different feeling.
But there is another point - as you know, there are three basic characteristics of photography - shutter speed, aperture and ISO. The camera we shoot with is also suitable for night shooting - it has a high light sensitivity. Shooting at a fast shutter speed allows you to stop the movement, and if you shoot with a phone, then due to the movement of the legs, the image of the sneakers may blur.
When shooting in a poorly lit room, aperture plays a big role. Plus, it is responsible for the depth of field.
A separate process is photo processing, for this many people hire specialists who correct some imperfections or draw out colors. We do the processing ourselves. There are two strong players in our team - Ernest 19Tones and Denis Bychkovsky.
They are masters of photography and post processing.
How long have you had an Instagram account?
The account has been in existence since March. At the beginning, the publications in it were spontaneous - a stream of pictures, videos or sketches that inspired us. And then the concept came up. Now we adhere to the rule - to publish three photos in a set, meaning that these are photos of the same format, color, nature of processing, and they are combined. The photo can show one or more products, the main thing is that the images are in harmony with each other. We started running our Instagram in this way in September, and it gave an unprecedented surge - the number of subscribers has grown from 3 to 15 thousand. Often people follow our Instagram just because they like pictures. But if one of them wants to buy sneakers one day, I think they will remember our store.
Instagram photo THE MISIA
Do you shoot video?
We are experimenting, filmed several videos.
As a rule, this is backstage shooting, that is, the plot of the video is based on how we took the photo. Some time ago, videos were inferior to photos in terms of the number of views, and over the past six months, there has been an increase in interest in video content all over the world. Now, when a new release is released, we can shoot a 15-20 second video about sneakers, about how our model walks in them, how the sole reacts at the same time - where it shrinks, where there are some creases, this is also important. There is an idea to shoot a full-scale video for one to three minutes, but the hands have not yet reached. I think we will shoot more actively in the spring.
In terms of sales, it's probably not the most active season for you right now, either?
Yes, winter sneakers tend to be weird. There are several options that everyone likes, but for the Russian winter, these are not the most comfortable shoes. Although sneakerheads still buy. In winter, sales are generally weaker.
But there are discounts, for example, now for the last season's collection - 50%.
Store interior THE MISIA
How many sneakers do you have in your personal collection?
Over two hundred. They are all different, there is something that has never been worn at all, there are expensive models that I have worn a couple of times, there are sneakers that I wear often - something comfortable and moderately exclusive. I collected the collection for seven years, but the first two years do not count, because then I only delved into it and, it seems, I threw everything I bought away. Thoughtfully, I have been collecting for the last five years.
And what does it mean thoughtfully, what is the point?
Interest can be in the history of the model - like almost the entire early Jordan line, in collaboration with some brand, store, singer, like with Kanye West, in silhouette or in color. There are reissues of popular models.
In December, the Nike sneakers that Michael Jordan wore in the movie Space Jam came out, in the movie he changes three pairs and they all came out in December last year. It can be models of an interesting silhouette. Last year ADIDAS NMD became a hit - it is a combination of three retro silhouettes - boston super, micro pacer and rising star. There can be long-term and short-term interest in sneakers. For example, there are three or four NMD models that I like right now. But the new model is interesting for a month, and what came out last summer, I no longer wear, it's boring. And it happens the other way around, the reissue of old models becomes interesting, they are equally valuable both now and in 20 years.
I often travel for business or pleasure to other countries - from Los Angeles to Taiwan. Each country has some exclusive models that you can't get anywhere else. There's an Ebay where I recently found a rare pair of director Spike Lee's 2009 collaboration with Nike.
In general, to create a collection, you should decide what you want, sneakers - a million, there are people who are fond of one direction - basketball, retro running, street ...
There are only two such concept stores in Moscow - Kuznetsky Most 20 and yours?
Without false modesty, I will say that there are no others. Each store has its own specifics, we do not compete directly with most sneaker stores, each has its own audience. If a person buys sneakers in the Sneakerhead store, most likely he will not come to us, he is well known there, he has discounts there. But there are those models that can be found here and not found in Sneakerhead and vice versa - tomorrow they will have a very cool release of three Jordon models that were released in 2016. And we will not have these models.
Store interior THE MISIA
Are there enough sneaker fans now?
Yes, there are more and more of them, this is the mainstream.
In the States, the wave has been going on for several years. If earlier in the summer they walked along the street in sandals, moccasins, shoes, now the number one is sneakers.
Do you have an online store?
Most likely, we will open, we receive a huge number of requests from other cities, and even from America. In the USA, this culture is even more developed, what can be sold in our country for a week, they fly away in an hour. People want to buy a certain model, but they can't and order it from Europe. An online store is a logical step, we are working on it.
Are you satisfied with the results in terms of attendance, sales?
Yes. A very cool community is growing around us - our friends, photographers, artists, figures from different areas of street culture, dancers - they create a kind of "noise" around the store. They talk about us on the street, and they talk a lot - hence the great attendance.
We have a few more rooms in our store where one-off pop-up stores can be placed, and from February to March we will have a pop-up for the Russian clothing brand Outlaw.
