Fashion Photography

The success behind the portfolio of many a model lies in the hands of a fashion photographer. This genre of photography is dedicated to showcasing fashion apparel and accessories in a way that enhances them. These fashion photography shoots are more often than not undertaken for advertisements and/or fashion magazines.

The first-ever fashion shoot can be traced back to 1856 when Pierre-Louis Pierson photographed Virginia Oldoini, Countess di Castiglione, a Tuscan noblewoman. Pierson clicked as many as 400 photographs of the Countess in her official court garb. Over a period of time, this style of photography has developed its own aesthetic with the beauty of clothes, accessories, and models, enhanced by the use of exotic locations, storylines, and/or stylized photographic techniques.

The Styles of Fashion Photography

Fashion photography, while difficult to categorize very minutely, can be divided into three main styles; catalog, editorial, and high fashion. There is a fourth style that is slowly gaining prominence: street fashion photography. While catalog and street fashion photography are easily distinguishable, it is a little more difficult to differentiate between editorial and high fashion photography because of the similarity in their style.

Editorial Fashion Photography

Most fashion magazines feature this style of photography, with the styling taking an obvious forefront. There is almost a story running through the shoot with the models often photographed through the course of the day, starting with a morning wardrobe, changing into a mid-day wardrobe, and ending with evening attire. Often, these shoots depict a theme. The models need to enact the role they are given and emote to convey their story. The entire image is shot so as to create a powerful statement.

High Fashion Photography

Big fashion brands often advertise their products using this style of photography. These photographs generally feature supermodels or famous actors and actresses. Poses can be exaggerated and over-the-top. All the elements of the photograph, the model, the wardrobe, the styling, the hair/makeup, the lighting, and the location, work together to create a flawless image. With most of these images there is a sense that if even one of its elements were left out, there would be complete chaos.

Catalog Fashion Photography

This style of photography is used by companies that print catalogs to market their products to consumers. It is basically an information image where the model is made to pose against a simple background and you can see the clothes very clearly. The styling is hassle-free, the background is normally white or gray. Mostly shot in studios, a catalog can also be shot on location. While catalog photographs were often labeled staid, today they are quite creatively shot and look very sophisticated.

If you are looking to making a career in the field of fashion photography, it is important to understand its evolution. It is imperative that you know and learn from the biggest names in the industry. You need to understand fashion and only then will you be able to truly capture its beauty. Irving Penn, when asked about the work that he did at Vogue, described it as, "Selling dreams, not clothes." And that one line defines the art form more precisely than anyone else could possibly ever.