Fashion Photography some tips to get started

Fashion photography, tips and recommended courses.

Fashion photography is not just any profession. Being a fashion photographer is not a simple job, it is not a simple pleasure . Artistic creativity, in its purest state: this must be the most adequate definition.

Because it unites two worlds and concepts of a high moral level: on the one hand, photography itself, with all its dictates and unwritten laws, and on the other, fashion, which is the highest aesthetic sense.

What is fashion photography?

Fashion photography has its roots in the distant 1920s, when the first fashion brands began to hold sessions with models.

The goal of fashion photography is to sell a product: from a garment to a detergent, through a car and ending with a perfume. Because photographing fashion doesn't just mean shooting a few flashes in front of a scantily clad or lingerie-clad model.

Fashion photography is a combination of creativity, technique and passion whose purpose is to make a product known to the general public and then sell it. Lights, retouching, post-production: the world of photography applied to fashion is not easy at all!

Fashion photography, unlike glamor photography which has a very easy and more relaxed approach, is a genre that requires a lot of authority and professionalism.

Many amateur photographers, before tackling the fashion shoot, go through the glamor shoot to practice and also to learn how to handle a model.

Anxiety, stress and lack of desire are the worst enemies of fashion photography, because these moods can negatively reflect on the model and, consequently, also on the quality of the compositions.

Types of fashion photography

As I mentioned earlier, fashion photography is much more than just a charming model fearlessly posing in front of the lens. It is a complex profession, that of the fashion photographer, which branches into several subcategories:

- ADV Advertising campaigns: the abbreviation ADV comes from the word advertising: publicity. It is the most anyone embarking on a career as a fashion photographer can wish for.

It consists of taking photographs that are impregnated with the concept of a brand -or a product- and that tell it in the most direct way possible. To do this, you will have to weigh the idea very well with the help of the client: mood, aesthetics, location.

- Fashion editorial photography: productions made for fashion magazines, online magazines or magazine supplements. These are photo sessions from which at least 7 photographs will be taken that tell a story. The main focus should be on the product you want to advertise: a pair of earrings, a perfume, a pair of shoes or - more generally - a piece of clothing.

- Still life photography: commonly recognized as the simple look book catalog photography. The one that will be enough to "capture" the different products in the studio with more or less standard lights that enhance the contrasts and colors, but more generally the characteristics.

Types of clients you can have when you start in fashion photography

It's not that easy to become a good fashion photographer, but once you're in, it's pretty easy to find clients. Because, as we said before, it is a profession that offers different job possibilities.

You might find yourself working directly for a final client needs a Book model to start working in the fashion world and which agencies proposed to the sector.

Again, you could work for specific brands that need to print brochures, catalogs, brochures.

Or, if you don't like the concept of the freelance photographer and all the headaches and responsibilities that it entails, you can decide to join a communication agency that provides you with contacts.

For those who, on the other hand, aim high, the top is undoubtedly the fashion magazine. But my advice is to "take your steps" with small brands and simple jobs to improve and launch yourself into the big market once you have acquired the necessary experience.

Services you can offer your prospective clients

Every good fashion photographer should be able to offer at least a basic package for their clients. Obviously, each client is a world unto itself and each mission is different, so ideas will have to change according to needs. But these are, in principle, the services you should offer:

• - Planning

• - Scouting model

• - Location

• - Production on set or in the studio

• - Photo retouching

How to organize before shooting

A fundamental aspect of fashion photography is organization: each fashion shoot is carefully prepared, even several weeks in advance.

Typically the photographer begins by making a list of things to do, or achieve, then begins to test some techniques and compositions that he has in mind for each shot, and finally he does several tests in the post-production phase.

She also takes care of the location, makeup, accessories and clothes that the model will wear, writing down everything in a notebook, and then she proceeds to the preparation of the objectives and rehearses some poses in a calm and coherent way.

Some things you should know before starting in this business

Before launching into the whirlwind of fashion photography without a parachute, there are a few factors to pay attention to. In the first place, it is a very competitive universe, in which only a few manage to establish themselves in the top of mind of the clients. You will have to gradually make your own space, but, of course, you will have to have a foundation in order to become someone.

Then you should have a good camera: you could start with a Reflex! And, above all, all the various tools of the case that will vary according to their character but above all according to the work that you are going to face.

You will also have to know how to take a photo according to the place you choose and have a good knowledge of post-production (First with Photoshop) if you plan to take care of the final retouching of the images.

Where to start?

The question is: where do I start as a fashion photographer if I've never done it before? Quite a puzzle, but I'll tell you something that may seem obvious.

The best way to learn about the medium of photography is to put it into practice and that is true but, first, you have to know the sector. Start as an assistant to a fashion photographer you know. Read a lot, excessively.

Create your portfolio -based on your identity- that will help you convey your mood, your stylistic choices. Create a profile on Linkedin to make yourself known, create your own photographic website with the adjacent social networks.

Pay attention to the stylistic trends of the big brands without ever giving up your personality when you are on set.

It is also very important to be present often at events and fashion shows in your city and nearby. In short, do healthy networking to meet and be known. At first they will be sacrifices, but they will pay off over time.

How to become a professional fashion photographer?

Let's recap! A good fashion photographer should have a good understanding of theory to know how to get the most out of practice. You will have to be inspired by competitors, magazines, social networks and images.

At first it will be difficult but, little by little, the orders will come along with the responsibilities and the income. It is time to take the big leap into the world of work. Once you get that first big job, what do you do?

• - Develop your personal brand

• - Define your style and aesthetics

• - Open your own store with attached pose room

• - Develop the concept of the brand assigned to you by the job

• - Practical realization of filming and post-production

• - Catalog printing

• - Dissemination in various media

How to Inspire Yourself to Succeed

Inspiration is everything in the art world. Where to get inspiration in this complex universe? First study: meeting the great photographers who have made the history of photography such as August Sander, Elliot Erwitt, Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon, David LaChapelle will be of great help.

Do not try to copy them, it would be the beginning of your failure, rather try to understand them. So, read the great photography texts and why not the great Magnum photographers.

Once you have established a solid base of historical knowledge, it is essential that you know and analyze your competitors: just Google "Fashion Photography" or "Fashion Photographer" to discover the modus operandi of those who, like you, have chosen to embrace this field of photography.

Some things to keep in mind

Fashion photography is mostly about beauty and clothing, so the whole scene should have only the elements that highlight these two aspects and the model in it. If the shoot is clothing, the photographer will have to ensure that the makeup and hairstyle are appropriate, and vice versa.

If your goal is a dark and provocative style, you tend to abound in makeup, using very dark colors and hairstyles on the edge of gravity, while for a more innocent look you opt for pastel tones, a barely perceptible makeup and hair that seems float free in the wind.

The models that are used for fashion photography have almond-shaped eyes or very expressive looks, large lips, a small chin and a symmetrical face, since they are the most commercial and the most demanded by companies.

Take care of the location

Locating a fashion shoot requires an even deeper study than a glamor shoot. The ideal place for the session is the studio, because this way the photographer can control the lights and stabilize the conditions, but if it is chosen to do it outdoors, the area must be measured to avoid the appearance of unexpected shadows and excessive use of the flash .

Also consider the light: if you are shooting at dusk or in bright sunlight, you may need additional lights.

Always test the effect of the lights at home, so you don't have to do it once you get to the place, wasting valuable time.

Choose the place where you want to do your fashion photoshoot very carefully. If your model has a lot of makeup and a provocative look, opt for an urban context, while if you choose a more spring and summer look, or natural and pastel colors, try taking your photos in a wheat field, in a meadow , by the sea or in a forest.