9 Fascinating ideas to take your fashion photography to the next level

9 Fascinating ideas to take your fashion photography to the next level

Haven’t you heard the phrase “even that girl on the glossy magazine cover does not look like the girl on the glossy magazine cover”. That’s actually true, there’s so much room to play in fashion photography, and it is a lot of fun for those who like that creative challenge.

The world of glitz and glamor is indeed enticing and if you are passionate about fashion photography or aim to take it up as a full time profession, here’s how you can get ahead of the curve:

Understand fashion

You have to have a good understanding of the industry in general. If you cannot differentiate an oxford from a loafer or a kimono from a cape, there’s a problem. Be in tune with the industry, the latest trends, the requirements, the perception, get a general picture of all-things fashion. Your skills with the camera might be mind-blowing but unless you know fashion you wouldn’t ace fashion photography.

No, you don’t need to have a degree in fashion, although that would help immensely. There’s a vast gamut of knowledge on the web that you can scour through. Read up on the changing fashion scenes, the basics, the different leading brands and how they do fashion. The best technique by far is to assist a fashion photographer, that way you don’t just get to learn from an expert but you automatically induct yourself in the industry where you can both actively and passively learn more about it.

Own the floor

This could be applicable to all branches of photography but mainly in fashion photography. A fashion photographer is a choreographer, a visionary, a director, and a skilled photographer all rolled in. You have to wear different hats and therefore you cannot afford to let control slip even for a moment.

You envision the shot to be a certain way, like all photographers do, but unlike a landscape photography or a portrait, a fashion photography is trickier. You are working with people and with an objective in mine. Is this for a magazine cover? For a portfolio image? Or for a commercial requirement? You aren’t just creating art, you are creating art with a purpose in mind. And for which you have to be utterly sure of how to go about it.

Know what it to be done and own every step of it. That, however, does not mean that you should not be ready to adapt and fine tune or completely revamp tings as per the need of the hour.

Bring out the best in the model

Duh! Why is this even on the list? The reason is in fashion photography you don’t just show the beauty of a person, you show their authority. You show them as someone who knows what they are doing, you show them as an authority. The reason why models in fashion-centric shows look so authoritative is because the idea is to get the masses to think of them as someone who understands fashion and someone they would like to emulate.

The one thing that should show through in your fashion photographs is confidence. Strong eye contact, chin tilted a little high, confident posture, and an overall sense of conviction radiating through.

Clothes and accessories are more important than the model

Some say they are equally important but honestly, your clothes and accessories are more important. Clothes they say maketh a man, and they definitely do maketh a man engaged in the fashion industry for sure. Most fashion shoots are for brands and to highlight the clothes or accessories donned on by the model.

You have to give these the center stage too. Choose how the setup and backdrop would bring it out better. Decide upon the hairstyle and makeup look keeping the clothes and accessories in mind, and it should be such that it complements and adds on to it. A caveat however is the contrasting effect that a lot of photographers go for. They try to create a striking contrast between the object to be highlighted and the overall look, this brings it out in a more contrasted way and is a great technique to grab attention.

Harness the power of a good pose

In fashion photography you don’t have your model looking straight in the camera smiling with unkempt everyday hair. We’re not saying you can’t have that portrait feel to it but the idea is different from the idea behind portrait photography. And which is why how to get your models to pose is challenging and comes with tons of different options.

Should you make them sit cross-legged looking seductively down at the camera while you shoot from the floor up. Or should you do an eye-level shot with their hands firmly at their side and neck titled authoritatively while they stare straight at the camera in a no-nonsense way? A lot would also depend upon the clothes they are wearing, the objective of the shoot, and how you envision the shot to be.

Learn fashion lighting

Lighting in general plays an important role in photography but when it comes to fashion, it’s a whole different ball game. You need to have the perfect flawless click and for that you need to know your way with lighting.

A lot of expert fashion photographers are of the opinion that fashion-related photography is best done indoors in a studio because you have access to and control over the lighting. Obviously, this isn’t always possible because the need of the shoot might call for an on the beach click or somewhere outdoors. However, if given a choice always go for the studio option.

As a photographer you are probably already aware of the lighting modifiers used in general. Some of the must-have accessories a fashion photographer should invest in are giant umbrellas, octabanks, and scrims. There are a lot more too but these are the basic ones that you must have. Also, you need to learn how to manipulate lighting to your advantage, should it fall from the front illuminating the model or should you create a silhouette look with the light blazing in from the back. Also, what type of light to be used, too much of the wrong light can highlight the flaws instead of beautifying it, so be careful with that as well.

You would learn a lot about lighting by reading up on what expert fashion photographers have to say and you’d both learn a lot and intuitively take decisions if you assist one. It always makes sense to learn from the expert before you go on the floor, even if you are fairly good at your job.

Shoot underwater

Shooting fashion-centric images under the water can be tricky. On one hand you have the hair and makeup that can go completely kaput if you shoot underwater, plus the clothes might not come out as you wish it to be, plus it can completely go wrong with the camera conking off (if you don’t have the right gear). Oh, and there’s the case of the model catching a cold and delayed shoots.

So, yes a lot can go wrong, which is why this is unchartered territory, which is why you should look into it because the idea is to be different right. Can it be done? Yes! Is this challenging? Very! Should you do it? Absolutely.

Underwater shoots won’t work for every fashion project but it works remarkably well for swimwear brands, but is not limited to it. Think about flowy gowns and how magically intriguing an underwater shot would be for one such look. Props are again very important in this kind of fashion photography, you can change the look and feel of your clicks just by adding the correct props. Understand the tricks to go about shooting underwater and you would fall in love with your own creation. And P.S. do not forget to factor in oxygen cylinders and other such requirements, think about your models’ and team member’s comfort too.

Master retouching

Retouching is the word synonymous with fashion photography. Like in the case of the girl on the magazine cover not looking like the girl on the magazine cover, it’s retouching that creates that difference. Every image (okay most images, some photographers end up creating a masterpiece only with their cameras) needs a substantial amount of post-processing to be done. Whether you use Photoshop Actions to create a quick change based on pre-recorded steps or use Lightroom presets, which also essentially is the same thing, the idea is to enhance the picture for the better.

Practice a lot

You are not going to get it right the first time, or the second, or the thirtieth but you will get it right. Keep practicing as much as you can, especially if you are just starting out. Shoot friends and family, work on those pictures, and better yourself. You might take some time to get there but constant practicing and learning you will be there in no time.

Fashion photography is a fun profession and one you would completely love to be a part of. We’d love to hear what you think about these tips and if you have any more tips to add!