We are frequently requested to feature shopfronts on The Shopkeepers Instagram. There are no magic tricks or formulas beyond us simply sharing great shopfront photographs. As you know we love sharing shopfronts and now more than ever we want to support as many independent shops as possible, so we’re sharing some of our photography tips. These tips on “How to Shoot a Shopfront” are with Instagram in mind. We hope everyone finds them useful whether you are out and about sharing captures from your day or vacation or a shop owner who wants to take a killer shopfront photo. These quick and easy tips are for smart phones, as the best camera is the one you have with you which is a smart phone for most. And remember to always tag us @the_shopkeepers so we see your posts.
Tip 01
Clean Your Lens
We are constantly handling our smart phones, stashing them in pockets and bags and leaving them down on multiple surfaces. It’s a good idea to clean the camera lens regularly by gently wiping with a folded corner of a microfiber cloth. A clean lens makes for captures that are sharper and smudge-free.
BUTLER, GREENPOINT
photo heydavina
Tip 02
Lighting
Cloudy days are the best for capturing storefronts. Overcast days means softer, diffused light and no harsh reflections or tricky shadows. As we don’t have control over the weather the best time of day to photograph is the golden hour. That’s the time of day just after sunrise or before sunset when light has magical qualities. If you try to take a photo when the sun is shining directly on a shopfront your body will cast dark shadows into the frame so choose the time of day when the storefront is in the shade. Sometimes we can’t choose the time of day so play around with angles. Taking a shopfront at an angled view rather than straight on reduces the glare from windows and glass.
COLLIER WEST, BOERUM HILL
photo flynnclancy
Tip 03
Check out the Details
Take a minute to check the details in the image you’re about to photograph. Is there something that doesn’t belong in the picture? A garbage bag or litter? You can either reframe the picture or move the items that don’t belong. Also be aware if you’re reflection is making an appearance in the capture. If you don’t want to be lurking in the picture and it is a symmetrical shopfront with a door in the center open that door and position yourself dead center. Otherwise move yourself around and see where your reflection becomes more camouflaged in the shopfront details.
FRAGRANCE, PARIS
photo flynnclancy
Tip 04
Keep It Straight
Turn on your camera’s grid lines in settings and use them in conjunction with the building’s vertical and horizontal lines to take as straight a picture as possible. Play around with where you hold your camera (higher or lower) and the angle of your phone. Photos can be rotated and edited afterwards but doing this will crop and decrease image size.
THE COOK’S ATELIER, BEAUNE
photo bei.bei.wei
Tip 05
Framing the Shot
A charming street gives lovely context to a beautiful shopfront. So don’t always take the obvious straight on capture. This photo has wonderful leading lines adding visual dimension and depth to the image drawing the viewer in.
BRAMBLE & WILD
photo francesmehardie
Tip 06
People or No People?
I think we’ve all seen enough peopleless shopfronts and streetscapes for a while now. So consider shopfront captures with people. Adding the human element adds scale, dimension, context and interest. You will need patience to capture the right atmosphere either waiting for the”right” person to enter the frame or have the shopkeepers stage a composition. The extra effort is well worth it as people help tell a story. The barista at work peeped through a window, the perfectly timed and color-coordinated strideby, or the shopkeepers pictured in front of their shop.
SAWYER & GRAY, LONDON
photo oncewaslost_
TESSA METCALFE, LONDON
photo londonispink
THE COOK’S ATELIER, BEAUNE
photo sliceofpai
Tip 7
Check your Crop
The most impactful image size for posting to Instagram is 4 x 5 as this fills the phone’s screen. Do keep in mind, though that on a grid the image is shown in a square format. So check your square before you post. Is the subject nicely framed or are you missing some details, like the bottom of the facade? It’s easy to toggle between both formats as you’re posting to check that they both work. This pretty Paris coffee shop pictured below in 4 x 5 and square format is a great example.
FRAGMENTS, PARIS
photo maddietsang
DISCOVER: New York’s most Instagrammable Shops