Shabby Apple and the need for good photography.

ShabbyApple.com is a website for which I've gradually begun developing respect. Anthropologie-esque styling and designs. The company itself? Two thumbs up, since they give a portion of all their sales to charity. Great.

But, yes, you know me well. Here's what's comin':

Shabby Apple photography . . . I hate to say it, but it kinda drives me nuts. They are close to being really good, but with a few annoying shortcomings. A hand chopped off here, a foot there. At times, incredibly unattractive angles and lighting. I get the whole "vintage free-spirit" vibe they're trying to send. I even feel they are trying to imitate the photography in the Anthropologie catalogs -- a worthy endeavor. But, if the Shabby Apple photographer ever somehow stumbles across my blog, learn this from the Anthropologie photography team: 1) detail counts; 2) edit down which photos you post; 3) advise your models to look less into the camera . . . toward the camera is fine but not into the camera; 4) remember that fashion photography is about selling a lifestyle, not just clothing.

The following are pictures from Shabby Apple and Anthropologie which I will use to illustrate my points. (Note: In the following I will comment on the photography, not on the models or their clothing but as it relates to the final image.)

Anthropologie: A graceful  outfit with a woman who looks like she belongs with this fine car and lifestyle she is depicting. The crop near the head and near the foot is tight, but this is acceptable as neither are chopped off and the crop actually draws the attention to the outfit as the important part of the image. This isn't a picture of a car or a woman (though both are in it), this is a picture of an outfit that can bring you the lifestyle you want.

Shabby Apple: This girl is looking right into the camera wearing a really cute dress and looking like a tourist in Rome.  Picture is about girl in dress, red scooter, and Italian architecture.

Anthropologie: The model looks off-camera, bringing the eye once again to the outfit she is wearing.  She seems comfortable in her attire and at ease in her surroundings. If I were in an exotic locale, this is the vibe I would like to have.

Shabby Apple: Nice lighting. Good cropping. But six photos of one dress seems a bit overboard. Ideally the pictures should communicate everything needed in 1-3 images. The dress looks wrinkled, the model looks one-legged, and does this 1950's hostess dress really belong in the Amazon? I do really like this dress though. The photography is close to being spot-on, but the series of pictures for this dress could have used an editing eye.

Anthropologie: This woman in her red shirt and striking jewelry is part of an artist's world. Though you know that red shirt may not look as wonderful on you, you can't help but be drawn into the moment and the world created. She looks toward the camera, but not into the camera. Lighting is superb. (Yes, they did crop her right wrist off - a ding for that. Lovely photograph anyway.)

Shabby Apple: A girl in a wrinkly cotton dress and polka-dot scarf tries to hail a cab. A world of art and architecture looms behind this girl, but you can't help but feel how disparate the two are. If the dress doesn't look good on the model in a certain picture, don't post it! Another example where an editing eye would have been helpful. I didn't count the number of images of this dress on the website, but there were too many. Edit down to the good ones.

Well, for now, ranting completed. My next post I promise will be of a much more positive and non-ranting nature. :)