Do you dream of an exciting career, filled with travel to exotic landscapes and colorful subjects? Or expressing your creative vision through careful crafted sets and beautifully posed models? If so, the field of fashion photography might be the job for you. Fashion photography has existed pretty much since the advent of the photograph itself. The advertisement and fashion magazine industry thrives on the talent of photographers with an eye for the aesthetics of the world of fashion.
The first ever modern fashion photography shoot was the result of a dare publisher of French magazine Jardin des Modes Lucien Vogel gave to photographer Edward Steichen way back in 1911. Steichen photographed ball gowns with such elegant artistry; it superseded the simple illusory nature of previous photographs. This new artistic photography graced the pages of the world’s two biggest fashion magazines Vogue and Harper’s Bazar throughout the 20s and into the present era. Staff photographers such as Richard Avedon, Irving Penn and Louise Dahl-Wolfe became the icons of fashion photography, shaping the look and image of the modern woman.
The tradition of daring, bright, carefully composed fashion photographs continues through fashion photographers like Annie Lebovitz, Steven Meisel and Terry Richardson who, like their predecessors, have launched the careers of models, make-up artists and stylist around the world. There are over 60 such fashion magazines, all ready to commission the next great fashion photographer. Fashion photography has many niches, such as fashion advertising, art photography, celebrity portraiture, and those undermined, bad reputation wielding paparazzi.
Getting one of these high paying gigs of the glamorous lifestyle isn’t a far-fetched dream if you have the right game plan. First, you’re going to need an education, and there are plenty of online and brick-and-mortar intuitions to choose from. Annie Leibovitz went to the Art Institute in San Francisco. Once you’ve graduated, you’ll need to set up a portfolio of your best work. Websites are a great way for a prospective employer to access a plethora of your images, but most photo editors still prefer a good old-fashioned hard copy. Remember to choose images in the niche you feel the strongest in, along with those classic still lifes. You want to demonstrate your range as well as your strengths. You want your work to speak for itself, since the cliché is a picture is worth a thousand words.
Next you need to pick your photo editor. Do your research so you know who to submit your photos to. Remember to label everything and never send originals. You can avoid the task of researching an editor yourself by finding a photo agent. Many newcomers use websites like Model Mayhem to begin promoting their work, but you still want to obtain an agency listing and find one who’ll take the time to personally represent you and you work.
If you are interested in fashion photography, start your path to a photography degree today!
Get information on photography degrees by using the form on this page. School representatives will guide you through the process and answer any questions you might have.
Powered by .