How do you show off physical products in a digital environment? In a store, you can pick things up off the shelf; feel them; handle them; even try them on, but with a product viewed online that’s just not possible. Here on the blog and across our social media channels, we’ve tried to work around this with studio-produced product photos and written descriptions. We always felt like there was something missing, though. Words and studio pictures just don’t have the same weight as seeing the shoes on your feet. We wanted a way to bring just a little bit of that in-person experience to you with our online presence and to do it with our own signature touch. With two amateur-but-practiced photographers on our marketing team and a product as photogenic as footwear, a photography campaign was the obvious choice for us. That is how the first-ever Englin’s Fine Footwear photo shoot came to be.
Actually planning a photo shoot was an entirely new experience for our whole team, and it took a few weeks of hard work to get a complete and useful plan together. Ellie, our social media manager and one of the amateur photographers (also, in the interest of full disclosure, the author of this blog), started researching the ins and outs of effective business Instagrams. Jasmine, our graphic designer and other amateur photographer, started investigating some locations for the shoot. Taylor, our e-commerce assistant merchandiser, found both of our awesome partners for this shoot.
As a graduate of the fashion department at Ball State University, Taylor had friends with modelling experience, which is how we found our awesome model, Michaela Muench! Michaela is a senior fashion merchandising major at BSU who is from Noblesville, IN. We loved getting to work with her on these photos. She braved unseasonably high temperatures to help us show off some of our favorite fall shoe styles: the Sorel Women's Addington, the Sorel Women's Lea Wedge, the Sorel Women's Out 'N About, the Sperry Women's Saltwater, the Sperry Women's 7 Seas, the Sperry Women's Crest Zone, and the UGG Women's Olive.
Left: Michaela wearing the UGG Women's Olive in Black. Right: Michaela wearing the Sorel Women's Out 'N About in Caramel.
As shoes are fashion items, showing them off with just any old clothing wouldn’t do. We needed some awesome outfits to match our fine footwear, and Taylor also found the local business that came to our rescue. Yorktown, IN, a little town just a few minutes from our office, is home to a very cool shop called Two Friends Boutique. Owned by Mollie Johnson and Amy Bowling, Two Friends Boutique opened up in July of 2016.
They carry women’s and children’s clothing, jewelry made by artists in Delaware county, signs made by a local sign maker, and candles poured in Fishers, IN. The boutique tries to feature and support local artisans, meaning your shopping experience there is always unique! When we talked to Mollie Johnson about working on the photo shoot with us, she told us that she liked getting to see the outfits from her shop paired up with different pairs of shoes! She also mentioned that she really enjoyed the pairs of sneaker boots that we used in the shoot. Our photo team had a blast exploring the racks, putting together outfits, and photographing the combinations, and we could never have produced such fantastic photos without Two Friends Boutique!
Two Friends Boutique is located at 9204 W. Smith Street, Yorktown, IN.
If you follow us on Instagram, you’ve already seen a few of our photos from the shoot. We have plenty more to come, though, so now is the perfect time to follow us if you haven’t already! We’re on Instagram as @englinsfinefootwear, and while you’re there you should be sure to follow both of our awesome partners, @michimuench and @two_friends_boutique, as well! We’re so grateful for all of the work they put in on this shoot with us. If you like what you see in our photos, let us know! Give us your feedback: what do you want to see next? We have exciting things in store, so make sure you stay tuned!
All of the outfits featured in this shoot are from Two Friends Boutique, and all of the featured shoes can be found right here at Englin’s Fine Footwear!