These photographs from Liverpool show why I value getting out and carrying out primary research. Experiencing places first-hand allows me to look more closely, notice details I might otherwise overlook and understand how different environments communicate ideas through their visual character.
Photographing the bold shopfronts and window displays around Liverpool ONE influenced my approach to visual merchandising. I noticed how large-scale graphics, strong colour contrasts and carefully positioned products immediately attracted the attention of people passing by. This encouraged me to create clearer focal points, stronger colour combinations and more purposeful product arrangements in my own displays, rather than presenting information and products evenly across the space.
The historic architecture around the Royal Albert Dock also changed the way I considered materials, texture and atmosphere. The contrast between the red brick, dark metal and reflections on the water created a strong visual identity. After reviewing these photographs, I began experimenting with warmer, more industrial colour palettes and layered textures in my visual merchandising ideas to create a stronger sense of place.
Photographs of Bold Street’s independent shops and cafés made me think more carefully about individuality and audience. Their hand-painted signs, varied typefaces and personal window displays felt less uniform than those of larger commercial stores. This influenced me to explore more expressive typography, handmade elements and unexpected display details, helping my visual merchandising feel more distinctive, approachable and connected to its target audience.
Taking photographs helps me record these observations and return to them when developing my own ideas. Reviewing the images allows me to compare different approaches, identify patterns and experiment with ways of adapting what I have seen into my visual merchandising practice. Rather than copying existing examples, I use them as starting points for exploring new layouts, product groupings, colour schemes and presentation methods.
For me, research is also about enjoying the experience and remaining open to unexpected inspiration. Walking around Liverpool with my camera encourages me to slow down, observe my surroundings and think more critically about the relationship between people, products and the spaces they move through. A small detail, such as the unusual colour combination of a shop window, the layered arrangement of products or the weathered surface of a dockside building, can lead to a new creative direction. This process has helped me become more confident in developing visual merchandising ideas from real-life observation and has made my work more thoughtful, personal and visually informed.
