A dream project turned reality: Apparel photography
In the creative services world, niching down is often noted as the key to success. However, I’ve found that keeping my options open has allowed me to explore, try new things, and be creative. This flexibility has led me to a dream project that I’m excited to share with you today.
I always have a list of dream industries and companies that I wish to work with some day. Having specific dreams, writing them down, and sharing them with others can help manifest opportunities.
Last year, I had the pleasure of working with a shoe brand, capturing lifestyle content of models wearing their shoes. It brought me so much joy that I decided a bucket list item this year included working with apparel. So, I set my sights on partnering with a local clothing brand. My love for fabrics grew while working in the textile industry after college, which fueled this ambition to style clothes. I enjoy capturing the details of handmade items, bringing textures to life in a way that allows consumers to almost feel the fabric through an image.
This dream began to take shape when I received a message from Nest Studios. They offered me a free hour studio session at their location in Northeast, Minneapolis. I immediately booked a tour to see the space and envision the potential projects. The studio was filled with multiple color backdrops, tall ceilings, beautiful natural light streaming through large windows, and furniture available to use. I was in awe of the stunning space that the owners, Kyle and Bre, had created. Nest Studios isn’t just a photo studio – it’s a creative co-working space for creative business owners! Find out more about their space HERE.
Inspired by the studio, I set out to find a local clothing brand to collaborate with. The first company that caught my eye was Hackwith Design House, based in St. Paul, Minnesota. They create sustainable, ethical, handmade clothing right here, in the Twin Cities! Their garments are beautiful, with simple and clean designs and a high attention to detail. I reached out to them, pitched my idea for a styled shoot, and included a mood board of my vision. To my delight, they agreed to loan some of their pieces to us!
The next step was to find models. A few goals of this project included improving my skills as a creative director, gaining experience working with semi-experienced models, and providing aspiring models with stunning portfolio pieces to help them advance their careers. Since Hackwith Design House’s target audience is women aged 20-35, my team at Venlo Studio put together a model call on Instagram for this demographic. I aimed to find a variety of women who were willing to participate and take posing directions, in exchange for free photos. We had over 15 applicants interested!
After narrowing down to 3 top applicants, we planned the session and coordinated the details between the Studio, Hackwith DH & the models. We also invited a videographer to come and capture some behind the scenes footage.
The results were incredible. In just one hour, we showcased six beautiful outfits in two different scenes: a clean, white wall look and an earthy, organic vibe with a green background with plants. We got a good mix of serious, model-status photos and some smiley, fun ones too. Everyone had a blast!
Here’s a peek into the gallery:
Sometimes, all it takes is a dream to set you on the right path. This project was a testament to the power of dreaming big and seizing opportunities as they come. Enjoy a peak into this gallery!
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