For the last six days i’ve been publishing different articles about fashion photography. To make them easier to find and easier to read for my viewers, i merged them into one article.

In the last post i tried to define fashion photography. And now i’ll give some tips to the ones who are interested in fashion photography. This is a first part of a tips series about fashion photography which will continue to be published during this week. You need a good camera, a tripod and a lighting system for taking fashion shots.

Research and Learn

Just like in every other kind of photography, you need to search a lot of magazines, view lots of pictures, to have enough knowledge about it. Examine the lighting, poses and expressions of models in these pictures. Also you have to be familiar with your equipment; first of all your camera, than lighting system. Practice until you get totally get used to them. You have to be able to adjust your lighting and camera settings for any condition to be a good fashion photographer.

Also for beginners, it is important to learn using daylight since they do not have a studio, shooing outdoors is the way for getting good results. Early morning or afternoon are really good times for taking fashion shots. To learn more about using daylight; read Colors and Using Light in Portrait Photography

Team

In fashion photography and glamour photography, you need a team that consist of a hairstylist, stylist, make-up artist and a photographer. If you are seriously interested in fashion photography, you need to have all these specialists in your team. For starters maybe you can be a one-man team, but this will only work in your learning stage, not in semi-pro or pro level. If you are just trying fashion pictures and don’t have an intention to be a pro, learn about make-up and hairstyling just a little and try to perform them before your shooting session. But as i told, this system work only when you are learning and trying to get used to the camera and lighting system not for professional works. If you need to be in the market eventually you need these specialist in your team.

After working different stylists, make-up artists etc. you’ll find some of them more successful and more reliable. Bringing all these specialists together will create a team for fashion photography.

Finding Models, Make-up Artists, Stylists and Hairstylists

Modelling agencies, can provide you not only opportunity to contact and find models, but also provide chance to find make up artists, stylists etc. For the beginners, starting with semi-pro models are better for learning and test shots. Another channel that you can find models, stylists and make-up artists is internet and all its tools; such as forums, communities, web sites, groups. Search for the groups and communities on the internet. This will increase your chance to find specialists and models at you level when you are a beginner. Because agencies generally have the contact information of professional make-up artists and stylists. But i really doubt most of them will want to work for a beginner fashion photographer with a small portfolio. I personally believe internet is a better source to find the specialists in your level.

Internet provides you the greatest source to make necessary connection for the job, fashion photography. Also design schools are good for making connection with the designers. Especially young and passionate designers will be more willing to work with you. Speaking of young designers, i also want to remember you, younger stylists, hairstylists, make-up artists, designers and models are willing to work for free in exchange of a copy of the film or digital image. In fashion sector portfolio is everything and young specialists surely want to increase the amount of work in their portfolios. Also read my article about finding models. And working with models

Equipment and Studio

I’m not going to explain all the equipment you need in detail. I guess you already have an opinion about that. Simply you need a camera, tripod and a lighting system. In addition to these equipments, some extras like batteries, memory cards or films, reflectors, flashes, diffusers can be needed in fashion photography. Again internet provides a great source for the photography and studio equipments. You can buy used or new equipments on e-bay for reasonable prices.

Having a studio is really costly and unlikely to have for younger photographers, but eventually you’ll need one. Not for professional purposes but for learning you can build your home studio for really cheap prices. Read my article about building your own studio.

Keeping you equipment simple but effective gives you a ease of mobility. Also less experienced models can feel uncomfortable while working with a huge pile of equipment. A quality digital SLR camera, a tripod and reflectors are the only things you neet to begin.

Markets

This part is for the photographers who are living in the USA. New york market for fashion and fashion photography is really hard to get in and compete. As a foreigner (to US) i can say that European market is easy to penetrate compared to US. Especially European cities like Paris (France) and Milan (Italy) are providing rich sources in terms of fashion and fashion photography. These fashion capitals of Europe have more runway shows and fashion magazines, which makes it easier to find jobs and chances to gain experience as a photographer, for a photographer. Europe is also provides chance to find, undiscovered talents and beauties, especially in countries like Scandinavian countries and eastern European countries there are a lot of beautiful talented and willing young semi-pro models. Consider this option If you also want to be a talent hunter. In other European countries, fashion industry may not be as big as Italy and France but still they provide a nice opportunity to have a bright career. It is easier to shine in smaller fashion industries of these countries. A quality portfolio will help you to get noticed by the local and international fashion magazines.

Also remember; your portfolio only shows the technical abilities and knowledge of you. If you want to separate yourself from the sack, you need to show signs of talent and creativity. To show these your pictures should be different, aesthetic and impressive. My advice about this, is getting inspired and increasing level of knowledge about not only fashion photography but also other genres of photography. Also cinema, fine arts and all other kinds of visual arts can help you to get a different perspective. Sometimes a picture that you see on internet, that taken just for fun, can make the bulb on your head shine.

—- End of Fashion Photography Tips —-