Email
Password
Share Your Style

What are you wearing today?
Create a lookbook and
share your style

Style Icons
  • Michelle
  • Maegan
  • Christine
  • Kasmira
  • Kathii
  • Rumi

Fashion Photography: What is it?

fashion photography

The fashion industry and photography go hand-in-hand. Because fashionable items need to be seen to be advertised, good photography is a must for print ads and for online sales. Fashion photography refers to photography that concentrates on fashion alone, and is a big part of the industry. Fashion magazines like Vogue, Elle, and Harper's Bazaar need cutting edge fashion photography to sell their magazines and to bring visitors to their websites, and designers and labels need the right photographs to advertise their pieces.

Today's fashion photography began in the early 1900s when Conde Nast took over Vogue magazine and the fashion industry began to realize the connection between photographs and fashion pieces. Fashion began to be seen as a fine art and Harper's Bazaar, the main competitor to Vogue, began to feature rival photographs of the industry's leading designs, all of which led to the high glossy fashion magazines we see today, full of photographs of the latest fashion and accessories.

Consider a few ways that fashion photography is different than standard photography. When photographing any product for sale, you need to concentrate on the product itself rather than any model in the photograph. A fashion photographer needs to understand how to work with models while still allowing the fashion itself to take center stage. A photographer may not be the one to put actual ensembles together but they need to set the background and lighting so that every piece shines and so that the photograph looks cohesive, and so that it creates the look the designer or magazine wants.

Fashion is a very trendy industry so photographers are often under pressure to create cutting edge photographs that are unique and even a bit daring or risque, or softer photographs that are a better fit for the fashion. A designer that has created a piece in leather may prefer a more breathtaking and edgy design for a photograph whereas a dress made of lace or something from a spring line may call for an outdoor setting. A good fashion photographer will be able to work with a wide range of fashionable pieces and will be able to create a different look for each.

Many fashion photographers also work live shows, such as those held during Fashion Week. These shows are part of fashion's marketing and the photographs from these shows are needed to entice buyers to consider certain lines. These photographs also help to create trends when shared online and elsewhere, before the pieces arrive on retail shelves. Live shows are often more difficult than posed photographs and take special skill on the part of the photographer.

A fashion photographer typically takes many years of schooling for photography but also for graphic design, and may need to have some training in the fashion industry. They need to understand the marketing aspect of fashion and also need to understand the look that is being created with particular pieces or a particular line, and will need to know how to work with different textiles and pieces.

Be the first to comment
Create an account to add a comment.
Other Topics
  • Why Sharing Your Clothes Is Not A Good IdeaMost people at one time or another has loaned a sibling, friend or a roommate an article of clothing from their wardrobe. In some cases, siblings or r...
    Read the rest of this fashion article.
  • How to Dress Like a RockstarDo you know how to dress like a rockstar? Well to dress like a rockstar you need to have lots of funky fashion. Don't be afraid to express yourself. e...
    Read the rest of this fashion article.
  • Everything you need to know about Big Baller BrandBig Baller Brand, trademarked as BBB, is an apparel and footwear company based at Chino Hills, California in the United States. The private company wa...
    Read the rest of this fashion article.
  • Fitting Room EtiquetteFitting rooms, or as I call them, The AA Room (Addicts Anonymous Room, I will explain later) in clothing stores are not a requirement but are favorabl...
    Read the rest of this fashion article.
  • When did Guys wearing Skinny Jeans become Acceptable?Not too long ago, skinny jeans were completely rejected by men, including fashion designers. Even today, skinny jeans are not generally approved of or...
    Read the rest of this fashion article.
  • Ashley Benson's Fashion Sense Ashley Benson is an up and coming actress from the popular ABC television series pretty little liars. Ashley Benson plays Anna Marin a popular 'it...
    Read the rest of this fashion article.
  • Kylie Jenner A Fashion Mogul?Kylie Jenner is a fashion icon. There is no debating that. Whether or not she is a fashion mogul is yet to be ascertained. The American model and entr...
    Read the rest of this fashion article.
  • How Much Cleavage Is Too MuchBelieve it or not but breasts have etiquette's attached to them and in life, it is important for a woman to understand the whole concept of how much c...
    Read the rest of this fashion article.
  • Should Your Boyfriend Like the Way You Dress?Lets face it, what girl doesn't like to dress good and look sexy from time to time. You occasionally like to dress in that low-cut top, short dress or...
    Read the rest of this fashion article.