Fashion photography’s origin is closely linked to art, especially in those cases in which editorial names like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, and more. Nowadays, fashion photography has evolved into a complex genre that scopes from sophisticated concepts published by fashion magazines to casual lifestyle imagery posted in a consistent way by highly skilled individuals.
What makes fashion in fashion photography is the unquestionable relationship it has to any of the outcomes from the fashion industry; clothes, shoes, accessories, cosmetics, and hair, all construct the iconic spirit of fashion. From models to backgrounds, they all make the necessary means for these products to tell the story in a moving and fashionable way.
Here, we’ll be sharing the seven essential tips and techniques needed for starting out today in the magnificent world of fashion photography!
1. It Ain’t Portraiture
Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes in which fashion photography newcomers tend to fall is the general confusion this genre keeps with portraiture. It is true that fashion photography can benefit from using portraits, but it is a broader universe in that sense. It can contain portraiture, but it surely doesn’t limit to making just fashionable portraits, whatever that might be.
This is important for you to understand because it will open up the creative possibilities that the portraiture mindset could be possibly restraining on your side. For example, portrait photographers tend to love shooting with 85mm lenses, but does that necessarily mean you could only shoot with that focal length as a fashion photographer? Of course not!
2. Build a Concept
Or at least have a story to tell. It is no secret that there are tons of talented photographers out there doing pretty much anything within the doable scope. But, there’s still room for rising talent in this highly crowded place of fashion photography; and that’s achieved with the aid of concept construction. Unfortunately for this, there isn’t an exact recipe. Hence the “at least have a story to tell” advice. Building a concept is just a fancy way of saying that in visual communication efforts, our creations should have a purpose; and that is the concept behind a photograph. But one thing is certain about concepts in fashion photography, they all are directed to selling something, and that something is any of the five aforementioned inanimate objects in which the fashion industry revolves. Selling any of those should be your conceptual baseline, and how to sell them will rely entirely on your creativity. As a specialized website in online photography courses which provides a professional variety of photography learning in the Middle East, Art and Creativity provide an extensive fashion photography course with step-by-step tricks and hacks.
3. Plan Ahead
Concepts aren’t out there in the wild waiting for us to cherry-pick them out, they have to be built with the aid of logic and imagination. And that requires sitting down and making some plans. Fashion photography is the way in which the fashion industry speaks to us in seductive ways, and for those images to become real, a lot of people must be added to the equation.
Make-up artists, locations, wardrobes, models, catering, and lighting assistants are some of the few common roles that get involved in moderately decent fashion photography projects. And in order to succeed in an endeavor like this one, zero improvisation should be allowed. Well, some improv wouldn’t hurt the images, but please don’t rely on having any plan at all. As in any other branch of commercial photography, preparation is fundamental for fashion-related projects as well.
4. Keep Lighting Simple
Even when solely relying on naturally available light, keeping things simple will guarantee you delicate and elegant results. Also, rich tonalities are better achieved when using soft lighting sources. But if you are planning on using some artificial lights as well, then keeping things simple will make your shooting more pleasant for sure. Light is the raw material with which any photograph is crafted, and having too much of it too little could ruin the whole thing; especially when there’s a concept that must be achieved in communicational terms. Understanding how light works as something that gets transformed throughout the photographic workflow will keep you safe from breaking your bank account. One good light source and a simple reflector could be enough to fill a properly lit scene with already available light. Some filmmakers rely on practical lighting, which is using distinct artificial light sources like candles, light bulbs, monitor screens, car lights, Christmas lights, etc. All in order to fill the gaps left behind from available light in a natural and realistic way.
For several photographers, this might sound familiar. A really common mistake newcomers tend to make is trying to create very complicated lighting schemes with flashes and strobes everywhere. History has told us that this only makes things worse, and takes the joy out of the craft. Be smart, learn from our mistakes, pick a location, see & feel what you have to work with, and only then think about how to light it in a useful way.
5. Find One Lens
This one goes against many suggestions, the same which are suspiciously sponsored by camera brands telling us to explore different optics and focal lengths options. But the truth is quite simple and doesn’t require that many gears. If you are just starting out, it will be very likely that the number 18-55mm feels somewhat familiar to you. This focal range corresponds to the usual cheap lens bundled with entry-level DSLR and mirrorless cameras, and it does have a purpose beyond knowing if your brand new camera works properly.
The kit lens is the humble introduction to the fantastic world of interchangeable lens capabilities. If you find yourself comfortable shooting with numbers between 18 and 28mm, then you should probably invest in a wide-angle lens that will allow you to continue capturing your fashion-oriented shots with that storytelling wide perspective. Certain companies have developed such capable wide-angle lenses, that they deliver virtually no barrel distortion when shooting with them. Also, they are built with high-quality components and come with fast apertures for shooting in subtle and low-light situations.
If you find yourself comfortable with a bit of walking while still retaining some amount of wideness and that normal perspective feel, then a 35mm lens will be your next best friend. And if you are more into the portraiture approach with your fashion images, then a 50mm could do the trick for you. And also this optic is considered to be “normal” as it corresponds to normal human sign capabilities when mounted in a full-frame camera.
Last but not least, longer lenses or telephotos tend to deliver a really nice perspective when it comes to portraits; therefore anything from 85mm to 200 will be good for you. Just take into account that long lenses are harder to use when shooting hand-held. One thing that you need to remember is this, in fashion, you are trying to sell something, it might have room for artistic expressions, but in the end, it will still be commercial imagery, therefore try to look for a lens that will guarantee you that products will look as stunning as your clients expect them to be.
6. Stick to that Lens
This is one of the most important photographic pieces of advice you’ll ever receive. After finding that new lens that makes you feel at ease with your photographs, stop worrying about another one. Stick to it for at least one or two years, get to know that lens like your best friend, learn its behavior under any light circumstance, get to know how to anticipate frames with it, get to know which are the scenes or conditions the lens won’t make it with. And after that, you’ll be able to respond to light with your lens as if it is an embedded part of your body.
7. Take the Concept to Post-Processing
Another big mistake many photographers make is that they forget that a concept or purpose should be by the photographs side at every moment, even during the publishing stage. Therefore, when starting to develop your raw files, ask yourself, what should the developing decisions be made? Starting from white-balance to even lens corrections, everything has to go in line with the purpose of your photographs. It is no surprise that the White-Balance sliders are the very first thing one encounters in several raw image development software. It is the most crucial decision regarding the message that an image is willing to convey. A warm temperature will result in a soothing vibe, and a cold temperature could result in a nostalgic feel. Any emotion can be enhanced with this decision, and all of the following adjustments should correspond to the message that you are trying to convey.
Wrapping it Up
No matter the style that as a fashion photographer you might end up developing, there’s one thing that you should never forget, fashion photography serves a specific purpose, and that is to sell fashion-related items. It might be open to wildly creative and even artistic images but in the end, they have to influence people into making some buying decisions that will benefit the brand behind the shot.
Related Classes
Lara Zankoul – Editorial Fashion Photography
https://artandcreativity.com/course/editorial-fashion-photography/
So basically, I started photography back in 2016. I remember being so inspired by Beautiful Destination and their sick content back then. Their content did really hit a spot inside me that made me take the step to actually pursue photography, the funny thing is I wanted to be a filmmaker at first, so I have a bit of a background in filmmaking, but later on, I just found myself pursuing more photography cause I wanted to constantly create and photography was more convenient for me to do so, but with filmmaking, there’s a lot more planning and if things aren’t planned out well, it usually doesn’t work out for me.
My goal at first was to work for beautiful destinations since they’re the reason why I started all this, I later knew how hard it for that to happen just cause I am Egyptian, and being Egyptian requires you to always need to get a visa for everywhere you travel which takes time, and all they do is travel, so all I do is slow them down with the papers I need to hand in and all the government-oriented things. But I was fortunate enough to actually meet and go around Egypt with the founder of beautiful destinations. That by itself is a massive breakthrough for me and I figured later on that I have a long way ahead and I might as well choose a different path and do different things.
I used to have a lot of inspirations from a lot of photographers, but my 2 favorite photographers though are Emmett Sparling and Andre Josselin. Emmett is a landscape photographer and Andre is a fashion/lifestyle photographer. I love looking at diverse content, I don’t limit my work to just travel or street photography cause that limits you from growing, take note that Andre for example doesn’t look for a perfectly exposed image as much as he looks for a feeling to send through his work. It’s more art-oriented than just shooting random people. For some people, his work might seem unprofessional and for some people, it conveys a feeling. As for Emmett, he captures landscapes and street photography the way that absolutely satisfies me and is exactly the same way I like shooting this genre of photography cause it just says a lot about the story behind the photo.
Currently traveling around Egypt with Danone shooting people from different parts around Egypt, can’t wait to show it!
My first camera was a Canon 600D which made my first year of the journey very hard to create content due to its limitations, but that limitations really are what makes you truly appreciate higher-end cameras and really do make you learn the hard way so everything sticks more.
So as for landscape and street photography, I like to believe we like to have a lot of lenses so we don’t face struggles along the way with not knowing how to shoot something in a certain way. Well, I do not have a lot of lenses but I do have the essentials for me to achieve 90% of what I want, it always depends on the style of the person.
My main camera body is the Sony A7 III, this camera is an absolute beast in almost every situation, no matter what I am shooting, it gives me stunning results, it completely changed my style in everything, it made my commercial work much better, reasons, why I love this camera, is because of it’s amazing low light capabilities and high dynamic range, these 2 work so good hand in hand. The in-body stabilization is a massive one so I could shoot photos with a slow shutter and lastly, its battery lasts long more than I need most of the time. The only downside is the interface is not really that friendly for everyone, took me a while to get the hang of it.
My main lens is the Sony 24-70 F/2.8, reason, why I love this lens, is because it covers most of the needs wherever I am, it’s a workhorse. It does absolutely everything I need in terms of sharpness and depth of field. In street photography, it gets me the close-ups and the wides I want with perfect sharpness, my only problem with it though that it’s a bit heavy for someone who moves around a lot.
My second favorite lens is the Sony 85mm f/1.8, nothing says movie scene more than this monster, fixed lenses always give off a certain look zoom lenses never achieve, and that’s why a lot of photographers own mostly prime lenses, the sharpness is always better and offers low f/ numbers for these creamy blurry backgrounds. It’s also so nice to walk around with a very pushed-in lens that small, so it doesn’t give off the impression that you’re walking with a massive camera.
My third lens is the Tamron 17-28 f/2.8, the main reason I got this lens is obviously for the 17mm, funny story is that I used to love using wide angles when I first started off but now I just use this lens when I’m in tight situations such as shooting interior that is in a narrow space or narrow spaces in general. The price is a massive perk for this camera for what it offers.
Favorite photo so far is a photo of the Sailor I took here in Cairo. I don’t shoot a lot of portraits but that is definitely my recent favorite.
By far my favorite place was Saint Catherine’s, not just because of the absolutely stunning landscapes out there, the experience of hiking really got to me, I would want to hike more if it was possible not to drive 6 hours for it! Also, the feeling mountains give off is impeccable, it’s just so different from any other place in Egypt, cause most places out here have a lot in common, Saint Catherine’s has nothing in common with any other place.
I actually really want to go somewhere tropical like Zanzibar or Bali, never went to these places and I want to know what the hype is all about!
Pizza my friend!
My advice for anyone starting out photography is don’t let yourself down by comparing your work to anyone, I always say this in my workshops for beginners, is to never compare your work to others in the field cause we all have different perspectives and we can’t compare art cause that wouldn’t even make sense if you ever want to compare your work, compare it for educational purposes.
Shoot a ton every day, I used to shoot every single day, and If I didn’t, I used to research something about photography. I was constantly feeding my mind with anything related to photography, nothing will make you grow more than trial and error.
Look for inspiration, recreate it, but never steal it. Meaning that it is fine to try to achieve something someone made for the sake of trying it out and know how it’s done but not state that it was your idea unless you added a bit of your own personal twist, remember, there is no original idea, we’re constantly all feeding each other ideas and twisting them.
Don’t let gear limit you, whatever you have, use it. Gear comes later on when you earn the knowledge to use it. But for now, use your old grandpa’s camera, art is not defined by gear as much as it’s defined by your vision.
Seek constructive criticism and not destructive criticism, choose the people that you know will give you feedback that truly adds to your work and not destroy all your hopes and dreams.
Visit Seif’s website https://www.seifamro.com/
Photography in Egypt has been one of the most trending art for young generations. Over the last decade, the number of professional photographers increased rapidly, and the demand increased to learn advanced photography techniques. Most of the Egyptian young generation start photography first as a hobby by using their mobile cameras or basic DSLR gears. Later on, when they accomplish successful trials of photo sessions, they become eager to start a photography career and shift from amateur to professional. Eventually, many people don’t get to learn how to start their own photography business or how to create a marketing persona and become specialized in a specific field of photography.
Firstly, we have to outline photography in Egypt and what are the market opportunities. Egypt is one of the top markets in the Middle East and the biggest in the Arabic region. While the demand for photography in Dubai and Saudi Arabia is considerably higher in terms of service prices, Egypt has a developing market with high demand due to it is an increase in population and number of businesses as well as startups. The opportunities in Egypt can be outlined in some of the main categories.
Photo by Remon ElMarkiz
Wedding photography in Egypt is one of the most flourishing businesses. Due to the Egyptian culture, people tend to spend more on weddings, engagement parties, and recently even couples photo session is booming among young people. Hiring a professional photographer is becoming a must for such occasions and is considered as one of the most important traditions in couples’ relation to having a romantic photo session. Therefore, there is always a huge demand for this type of photography, and wedding photographers in Egypt are getting high prices for their services.
Photo by Sam Coran
The rise of online startups who conduct business on social media channels such as Instagram and Facebook is becoming phenomenal. This has generated a huge opportunity for photographers. Startups are searching for product photography which is one of the most important elements to increase their sales. Showing their product with high quality and professional images is now a must to survive the competition. Product photography in Egypt has several opportunities such as handcrafts, consumer products, jewelry, accessories, and many more.
Photo by Yehia Al Alily
Food photography in Egypt has a booming market in terms of food startups and restaurants. The demand for professional food photography and food styling is increasing and businesses are trying to win the competition by attracting customers. Restaurants are investing in their social media and want to frequently update their profiles with outstanding food photography. There is also a huge increase in catering services and online grocery who deliver food and meals and those are eager for high-quality food photos. The demand is increasing for food photography in tourist places as well as hotels and fast-food providers.
Photo by Nour ElRifai
We all know that Egypt has one of the fastest-growing markets in real estate. The huge investment in new cities, compounds and coastal residential is increasing demand for professional photographers who are specialized in architecture and interior photography in Egypt. Real estate companies and brokers are actively hiring architecture photographers to provide highly professional images in order to help marketing the units. In addition, Egypt is one of the biggest tourism markets with huge investment in hospitality which requires professional interior photographers to create attractive portfolios and marketing visuals. Interior photography is having high demand in Egypt from interior designers and furniture stores as well as urban developers.
Becoming a professional photographer is not an easy step. There are many people who love taking pictures and sometimes they get excellent images and they edit it perfectly, yet this doesn’t qualify them to the professional photographer level. Starting your photography career is mainly about starting a business company. Photography skills are the main focus of photographers and they spend years trying to achieve a high quality and art sense. However, career development is important to sustain a profitable business and to establish a career. Your career goals should start with questioning if with what you are good at and what you need to achieve.
There are many ways to increase your knowledge and become more specialized. There are many opportunities to learn photography in Egypt such as workshops and online photography courses. People can learn in different ways and some photographers like to follow trial and error. However, the best way to learn photography in Egypt is to learn from the top professional photographer in the country. In Art and Creativity, we collected some of the best professionals in their field and who are commercially known for businesses to guide you through extensive courses. You will learn more than just the photography techniques on the set but will also get tips and guidelines on how to edit your work and how to deliver it to the client. These online courses are direct access to the career and will help you understand the needs of the photography market in Egypt.
Once you acquire the main knowledge and skills, the main task is to establish your business in the market. The competition is not smooth in the Egyptian market and each photographer needs to do extra efforts to join and compete. There are several essential steps to establishing your local business.
Finally, to learn photography in Egypt is a very promising step to build a career. The country offers a huge market for photographers to profit. However, it is important to have the right mindset and understand that photography is more than just talent. Being specialized is very important to be able to compete in cities like Cairo and Alexandria which has the most opportunities. Eventually, by enhancing your field of expertise and gaining business skills you are able to get on the right track in professional photography.
Give a friend $15 off their first class and we’ll take $15 off your next one
get started
Or use your personal link to share:
You’re going to love Art And Creativity! Use my link to take $15 off your first Art And Creativity class!
Share with your friends using Twitter. When posting please do not delete your personal link.
Share with your friends using Facebook Messenger by clicking the button below:
(0) 