I spent three decades in the clothing industry knowing, within seconds, if something would sell. Not guessing. Knowing.
I learned by watching. Retailers, buyers, what moved off the floor and what didn’t. What sell-throughs were telling us. What mixed well together on a rack, a lookbook, in a line. Buyers talked and I listened. Then I’d go back work with design and production. Edit. Add. Pull.
Turns out that’s exactly what makes a great brand photo. Nothing changed when I picked up a camera. I’m still looking for the same thing. Does this feel real? Does it sell without trying too hard? Is there something here that will connect to the audience?
The clothing industry is brutal and fast and deeply visual. So is brand photography. I just swapped the garment rack for the lens.
My clients don’t always know why their visuals aren’t working. I usually do, in about thirty seconds. That’s not a camera skill. That’s thirty plus years of knowing what sells.
