An Ultimate Guide to Fashion Photography

By Prasun Pakhira
November 12, 2022

Do you like arresting the blend of fashion, color, and style with your creativity? If yes, then you’re most welcome here.

Fashion photography is a part of photography that focuses on displaying apparel and other fashion items. Natalia Verma, and Pretika Menon, are a few fashion photographers who successfully capture the essence of life through fashion and fabrics. (Check out Natalia Verma’s work at the 2nd annual “Just People” exhibition earlier this year!)

So, let’s see how fashion photography employs different aspects of production and design and how you can practice it in your career!

What is Fashion Photography?

Do you recall Coperni’s Spring Summer 2023 show at Paris fashion week from earlier this year? The making of a dress with Bella Hadid and the elegance which was aptly visible?

Part of the reason why it took your breath away, even when you weren’t witnessing it in person, was because the photographers and videographers were working hard to capture the true essence of the show. That’s the epitome of viewing fashion photography.

As mentioned, fashion photography includes displaying clothing and other fashion items. Photography has always been a means for fashion designers to showcase their creations and keep people up to date with the latest fashion trends.

Fashion photography can be traced back to the 1850s, in the court of Napoleon III, capturing the styles of the rich. It blurs the difference between fashion and modern art, where the photographer expresses their creativity through the lens of fashion and photography.

You’ll be surprised that fashion photography doesn’t only work in the realms of fashion shows, or advertising. Let’s talk about different types of fashion photography, which will help you ponder more on your interests.

What are the different types of fashion photography?

Photography has many forms, like street, portrait, and product photography. Similarly, fashion photography employs various means to help designers convey their ideas to the public. Following are a few types of fashion photography that take the world by the helm!

Editorial fashion photography

focuses on telling a brand’s narrative or its products. They either accompany an article, a publication in magazines, books, or newspapers or as an independent feature that acts like storytelling. This form of fashion photography is often reserved for exclusive clients as it requires a high budget and a separate location for the shoot to provide context to the narrative of the photograph.

High fashion photography

Did you know that in 2018, Vogue’s readership was 3 lakh in India? That’s just one fashion and lifestyle magazine. High-fashion photographs are seen on the covers of magazines like Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar. When used for print commercials, they get a full-page feature. Expenses, here, are secondary. Primary attention is given to the creativity of the photoshoot.

Street fashion photography

As opposed to high fashion photography, focuses on how common people style their daily outfits through jeans, tops, and hoodies. They feature in magazines as current styling trends, or on social media to provide people with fashion styling tips.

Catalog fashion photography

Catalog photography is a part of the product photography that focuses on selling clothes and displaying them with minimal distractions. The models stand in a monochrome background, with no props, an elegant pose, and lighting that accentuates the dress.

Runway fashion photography

is a form of photojournalism or documentary-style photography that captures a runway show. As the lighting is determined by the showrunner before the runway, the photographer doesn’t have any control over the lighting of the set. Photographers need to be on their toes to capture the right moment from the right angle and exposure (we do know the secrets to achieving this!)

Advertising fashion photography

Scrolling through social media, you might notice an array of fashion products like clothes, shoes, and accessories displayed in an aesthetic look. It is a part of advertising fashion photography and is visible in magazines and billboards. The concept might be restricted to simple shots or designing an elaborate photoshoot with models.

Fashion modeling photography is an aspect of fashion photography that might be present in all kinds of shoots. A primary reason could be that humans enhance the essence of fashion when they try on the product. With fashion photography courses, you can promptly learn the art of capturing the beauty of fashion and the models!

Pursuing professional fashion photography courses

Our course, introduction to digital photography will provide you with immense knowledge and skills on the principles of photography, especially to become a candid master.

Did you know?

The average salary for a fashion photographer starts from 5 lakhs per annum and can go up to 15 lakhs? Even better, if you work for a magazine, you can easily get around 30-40 lakhs per annum!

You can work as a magazine editor, freelance fashion photographer, or work with the marketing team. We’ll definitely help you achieve this 🙂

Meanwhile, here’s a few tips that will help you to practice fashion photography at its finest:

Moodboard – Organize your ideas by keeping a tab on styles, colors, prints, and backgrounds. Make sure you discuss it with your team as well.
Skills – You need patience and tenacity to keep everything in detail.
Inspiration – Don’t be afraid of other ideas. Appreciate others’ works and take inspiration from them while giving them an individualistic gleam.
Simplicity – Pristine, and simplicity are the mantras to becoming successful!

How can ISDI help:

At ISDI, we equip you with harnessing these skills and show you the best manner to click photographs – the types of equipment, angles, props, poses, etc. We would love to have you on board, and help you become the next fashion photographer that takes the world by storm!

We offer various design programs such as Strategic Design Management, Product Design Fashion Design, Fashion Communication and Styling, Interior Design and Strategic Design, Communication Design, and Management. Pursuing one of the degree programs, that is, Bachelors in Design (BDes) – 4-year program or Postgraduate In Design (PGDI) – 11 months program. Either of the programs is an alternative to a career in fashion and design.

The ISDI campus is located in the business district of Mumbai, the commercial center of India. ISDI consists of a curriculum that is based on that of the Parsons School of Design, experienced and industry-leading faculty, and practical project-based training, all situated on a state-of-the-art campus. ISDI is just the right place for someone looking to start a career in design.

====

Meta Title:

Meta Description:

Alt tags: