Starting your Career in Fashion Photography
In today’s world we are saturated with images. All around us there are images of thin women dressed in the latest fashion. They are on TV, in magazines and all over the internet. But who brings these images to us? Who captures these photographs that command our attention, these photographs that exude style and character while highlighting the clothing to enhance its elegance? These people spend years practising the art of capturing light and colour perfectly with a camera. They spend years studying composition to make their images achieve the most impact. These people are fashion photographers.
In the fashion world names like David LaChapelle and Jill Greenberg are just as in-demand as the top fashion models that dominate the visual media. Fashion photographers are a subtle brand of celebrity, walking a delicate line between artist and industry professional.
The extravagant lifestyle of socialiseing with the rich and famous is the aspiration of many who ecome into this business. But the truth is that this is a bleak field to work in if you don’t have complete conviction in what you are doing. This must be your passion, as the path to success will try you without mercy. For every success there are hundreds of failures who never get a glimpse of the fame and money they strive for.
To get started in fashion photography you must study your art. You will never stop learning, so read any fashion magazine you can get your hand on. Check out Amazon.com for high quality fashion books where you can see what other people think of the books before you buy them. To get anywhere in the business you’ll need at least one good camera, a tripod and some basic photography lighting. When shooting make sure you have enough film and lots of batteries for the camera. Research your field as different cameras produce different tones in the final image.
Having a great portfolio to show off your work is vital to success. Have at least 20 photos in it to give you room to show off your skill in producing a range of styles. Developing photographs in the 4×5″ format is the best way to display your work. If your work is in a publication, use that as well. If you are having trouble getting any of these, a good quality 8×10″ will suffice. Make sure you show your ability to take photographs of different aspects of the human figure. A full figure photo with character will take you a long way.
When you apply for a job, you can expect to leave your portfolio there for a few weeks, so make sure you make copies of your portfolio so you don’t have to be idle while hearing back from employers. For a different look try taking partial body shots, for instance photographing watches on wrists. They make a great contrast to the rest of your work.
Having an online presence is becoming an important part of fashion photography. Setting up a website with your portfolio on it could be the key to your success. Research ways to promote your website, such as entering online competitions and participating in online fashion forums.
Fashion editors are looking for character in your photographs. Develop your craft so you have the technical ability to express yourself in your work. There are a lot of great resources online to show you the basics of fashion photography. If this is your passion, don’t give up on it. Success is possible, but you will have to work hard to earn it.