What Is Fashion Photography And Where Did It All Begin?

It all begin in the late 1800s that the Parisian Fashion Houses started fashion photography as a proper professional career. However, it was known as a best industry, and the their decision went on for over a few period of time.

In the last one decade, due to the arrival of social media and various photo-sharing application, fashion photography made its way into the different part of the society. Fashion photography, as a job, is still a great choice.

Today, places like Mumbai, New York, Paris, Montreal, Milan, and Los Angeles are known as the best fashion center in the world.

How Can One Get Started In Fashion Photography?

Here are some points one should consider before entering your fashion photography career

1. Learn photography skills –Photography is a art which needs practical knowledge of the equipment and lots of experience. So, it is highly suggested to get a professional diploma in fashion photography to boost your career.
   
   

2. Build your portfolio –Select and hire some good stylists and models, prepare a theme & mood board for your concept, and start capturing pictures. Choose your best images and display it creatively with a good website and portfolio catalog.
   
   

3. Network – Widenyour contact and hire professional stylists and models. Also, talk and assist with professional photographers who have a good base in the industry. Social media platforms are the easiest and best mode to link with makeup artists, designers, hairstylists, photographers, editors and magazines.
   
   
   
   

4. Start sending your work– Be active and send your best images to editors of magazines and media houses. But, before you send your images, learn about their publishing way and send the best photographs that will suit their needs to minimise the chances of rejection.
   
   

5. Create your style – Onceyou start capturing, you will be tend to get influenced by the professionals. While it’s not bad to re-create when you are starting your career but once you learn the art properly, start creating your own style, and after a while, you will be successful.
   
   

What Are The Various Types Of Fashion Photography Work?

Before we start unfold the various photography projects that you can go for, please remember as a general rule that payment vastly changes when it comes to media groups, magazines and top fashion houses.

Fashion/Beauty Editorials

These are the kind of work everyone usually refer to when they describe about fashion photography. It includes models with striking poses, aesthetics, and make-up. It sounds interesting, but for a amateur, it gives more value to their portfolio than the money in the wallet.

Spec Shoot

This needs to be planned to the end beforehand. The photographer must set up a team of stylist, models, and plan on a theme and mood board before capturing. If the results are proper, then the concept is pitched to various publications with a hope to get featured. If you are good at your work, you can get a great prize.

Commercial Photography

This type of photography is generally done to sell a product. Since this shoot brings gives a great income to the company, they keep a profitable budget for the commercial photography. To get selected, you should either have a beautiful test shoot or great portfolio.

A test shoot is a activity where the team, including the designer, stylist, model and photographer, work as a team to do a normal shoot. This is done to check whether they can work together as a team in future.

What Is The Scope Of Fashion Photography?

The fashion photography industry has observed a good increase in its rate from 15% to 20% in the last few years before the pandemic. Yes the pandemic has affected the industry a bit but with the improving conditions everything will be on track in coming time. And with the growth of digitalisation, everything around is moving to visual, which means there will be high chances and more opportunities for the right talent!

Payments

• Catalog photographers normally get paid on month basis, and the income is relatively much less than the fashion and magazine photographers

• In India, if you work as an assistant for a professional photographers, the starting salary usually ranges from Rs. 50,000 – Rs. 1,00,00 per year

• Once you enter the professional level and start your own firm, the salary depends upon your skills and work and your income can range between Rs. 1,00,000– Rs. 5,00,000 per project.
  
  

Please note the above wage is a estimate figure. Fashion photographers can earn less or high depending upon their work.

Perks

• A opportunity to travel to beautiful locations and have a luxurious lifestyle.

• Opportunity to shoot supermodels, and work with best makeup artists, fashion designers, magazines and media houses, creative directors.

• Different opportunities in terms of experience.
  
  

Career Path

As a fashion photographer, you can work however you like:

• Freelancer

• Start your own fashion photography firm

• Full-time job with the media house, clothing and accessories brands, magazine.
  
  

If you have a primary style, and you can work independently, have a great sense of creativity, and good management skills, you can do super well in this photography career.