I. The Genesis of My Photographer Client Closet: From Idea to Reality
As my journey undergoes constant growth, I’ve embarked on a new chapter—transitioning from a day job to dedicating myself entirely to my photography business. The initial month has been a thrilling ride, with time to post consistently impactful content for my clients. Amidst this excitement, a fundamental question emerged: ‘”How can I improve my client experience and the quality of my art?” This led me to introspect, invest time in self-education, and critically analyze my past work. I figured out two ways to improve.
- Connecting deeper with the families I photograph. Getting on the phone and getting to know each other so it takes less time to warm up before the session. We speak about our story, and what they’ve been through and decide on a vision that tells the family’s story.
- Elevate the styling and start a client closet. It has the power to elevate a shoot from great to amazing. Recognising this, I began styling my sessions last year with carefully chosen items that I know photograph well. However, a challenge arose when clients didn’t have access to these pieces. Do we settle for what they own? This is where the concept of a client closet took root in my mind.
II. What is a client closet?
A client closet also referred to as client wardrobe refers to a curated collection of wardrobe items and accessories that a photographer provides for their clients to use during a photoshoot. It is essentially a shared wardrobe resource offered by the photographer, allowing clients to choose from a selection of clothing and accessories to enhance the visual appearance of their family portraits.
Benefits of a client closet in family photography include:
Stress-Free Wardrobe Choices
Clients can alleviate the stress of planning and coordinating outfits by accessing a pre-selected assortment of clothing items, ensuring that everyone looks cohesive in the photos.
Professional Styling that elevates the photography experience
The photographer often curates the client’s closet with a keen eye for what works well in photographs. This can contribute to a polished and professional look, enhancing the overall aesthetic of the family portraits.
Variety of Options
Clients have the opportunity to experiment with different styles, colours, and textures without the need to invest in new clothing. This adds variety to the photoshoot and allows families to express their personalities through their outfit choices.
Cost Savings
Accessing a client closet can be a cost-effective option for clients who might prefer not to invest in new clothing specifically for the photo shoot. It offers a convenient alternative to buying outfits for a one-time occasion.
Time Efficiency
With a client closet, the process of selecting and coordinating outfits becomes more efficient, saving time and effort in preparation for the photoshoot.
Overall, a client closet is a valuable resource that enhances the overall experience for families during a photoshoot, providing convenience, style options, and professional guidance in the wardrobe selection process.
III. Building a Foundation: My First Client Closet Additions to elevate the photography experience
With this in mind, I began assembling a collection from my wardrobe and acquiring two versatile maternity dresses, along with some unique finds from charity shops. To make maternity sessions more accessible, I’m exploring second-hand options on Vinted.
Let’s delve into my process and the reasons behind each selection.
For instance, the yellow maternity dress not only boasts a feminine decollete but also suits breastfeeding moms, offering a pop of colour and dramatic flair.
The real rabbit fur coat, a 25€ gem from Emaüs, not only keeps subjects warm but adds texture to images.
The dark and moody All Saints dress is perfect for those seeking a unique look, ideal for beach or foggy day shoots.”
As I look ahead, my commitment is to ensure our client closet is thoroughly inclusive. Providing a variety of sizes is essential because every woman deserves to feel confident and valued. Importantly, if there’s a specific item you’re eyeing, I’m more than willing to acquire it at no additional cost. Although venturing into children’s clothing presents sizing challenges, it’s a path I’m also prepared to navigate and refine.
My overall goal is to introduce truly unique pieces, ensuring the distinctiveness of my photography style. Perhaps a shift toward more overhauls and fewer dresses could further enhance the uniqueness of my offerings.
I truly enjoy collaborating with my clients, and I wholeheartedly welcome your unique personal touch when it comes to styling!
IV. Thrifty Finds: Budget-Friendly Additions to the Client Closet
As mentioned above, there are so many ways I am thinking of improving my client closets. I have listed a few budget-friendly ways below that won’t break the bank!
- Vinted: there are so many items there, available for all sizes.
- Ask your grandma or family members if they have unused and unwanted items. We can even repurpose an old wedding dress, like I did in this photo. ((ADD PHOTO))
- Zara is great for kids’ clothes, I’ve been told the quality isn’t the best but they have great styles and often have sales where I can buy a whole outfit for less than £10. As these items of clothing won’t be heavily used, they will last a long time!
- Upcycling: Customize old pieces that make us stand out from the crowd.
- Vintage shops: Source cool items that have timeless styles and are easy to include in the looks.
- The Saleroom: This auction website assembles a lot of auctioneers in the UK but also around the world. I have found my most precious items; jewellery, a tapestry, a chest of drawers and an antic vase on this platform, but you can also find lots of vintage clothes too. I can spend hours on it, so the best way to go is to set some alerts, and then place a max bid on the item so it bids automatically for you, otherwise, it will be a long time until your item is up. Be also aware of selling and shipping fees that will be added on top.
If you have any more ideas, feel free to pop them in the comment below, I would love to hear your input!
V. Client Closet Wishlist: What’s Coming Next? More maternity photography?
I would love to create diversity in my closet, this could be by bringing accessories, but also fun items like a cool coat or funky pair of shoes. The idea is to look unique yet make sense that it’s a family shoot, not a fashion show. I want the hero to be the family, not the clothing. Here are some brainstorming ideas: why not offer a velvet bodysuit for a maternity photoshoot? Or a see-through spaghetti dress for a summer session? I love capturing maternity into timeless photographs and you can get creative with the styling so it’s something that I would like to explore more.
What are your thoughts? Comment below with some fun ideas to inspire my next session.
VI. Client Closet Photo Series: Previewing New Additions
Take a look at my images featuring my client’s closet below.
VII. Sneak Peek: Behind-the-Scenes of Your Shopping and Styling Process
Here are some behind-the-scenes of me sourcing my rabbit fur coat for my client’s closet. I picked this item as it offers warmth for the cold winter sessions, but also great texture to the images. The price tag was also appealing, only 25€! At this point, I had been searching for a while on auction websites for a fur coat but with no luck so was so happy with my find. The white dress was a wedding dress a lady gave me about 10 years ago; she had divorced her husband so she wanted to get rid of it! I used it along with the fur coat last winter in a cold and windy shoot.
((Create a reel with me sourcing the fur coat and then pictures of Anais))
VIII. Client Closet Challenges: What I’ve Learned So Far
Creating a client wardrobe can come with its challenges, here are a few that I faced:
- The cost can go up if you’re not careful. The two maternity dresses cost me £328 with delivery so I have to make sure that they can fit a few sizes and will be used a lot otherwise it can be a waste of money.
- The space to store it: I live in a small 2 bedroom flat in London and the space can often lack. My solution to this will be to store the items in bags and then take them out and iron them for the session. Having it pretty hanging on a hanger seems unrealistic until I have more space.
- Offer clothing for mums, children and even dads! This doesn’t seem easy so I have decided to focus on mothers first, as I want them to feel stunning for their session. Once enough looks are nailed, I will then focus on children’s clothing.
- Having size diversity. I will try my best to include all sizes so everyone feels welcomed and celebrated.
- Time-consuming: I can quickly spend hours looking for the perfect item!
Although these challenges can stop a lot of photographers, I’m dedicated to creating a unique experience for my clients, so they can feel comfortable and confident for their session while I capture the beauty and love of their family.
IX. Conclusion: An exciting future for my client’s wardrobe
Committing to a client closet is unquestionably the initial move to enhance both my photographs and the overall client experience. Gowns specifically acquired for photography sessions can be pricey and typically only worn once. I’d rather my clients save on clothing expenses and treat themselves with prints and albums instead.
If you are curious to see my full client closet, click on the link below.
(( VIEW CLIENT CLOSET ))
By now you must be convinced by the magic of a client closet and must be dying to book your session with me! Click the link below to book your session. I can’t wait to meet you and create images that resonate for you.
