Types of Fashion Photography — Which Is Best For You
The fashion industry is a multibillion-dollar industry that encompasses various aspects of production, design, and sales. The majority of them make use of photography in some form.
When you think of fashion photography, your imagination can go from a model striding down the runway to another dressed surreal and confined in a glass sphere. Neither of those photographs is incorrect. This is one of the most widespread and diverse branches of photography. The key to a successful portfolio of many models is fashion photography.
The use of technology and talent has enabled fashion photography to develop standards for beauty, dress, models, accessories and elsewhere. Exotic locations, plots, backgrounds, and the photographer’s skills and techniques used in fashion photography all help to bring the static photoshoot to life.
Fashion photography is all about featuring up a perfect image. It should be polished and bring out the best in the model and the apparel. Editing and retouching are necessary for the fashion industry since it takes the photograph to the next level from where it is presently. Photos will appear drab and colorless if they are not edited or retouched. We may also eliminate undesired elements from images via editing and retouching.
Fashion photography covers a variety of subjects such as brand catalogs, runway shows, advertising, editorial shoots, model portfolios, and more.
We’ll try to break it down in this post by defining genres and subgenres of fashion photography.
Types of Fashion Photography
Because there are so many various forms of fashion photography, it’s easier to categorize them. You might specialize in one or all of them as a fashion photographer.
Each type has a distinct scope, which will influence what you require and how you go about obtaining it. Here are a few of the most notable.
High Fashion photography
You’re not just selling or exhibiting the garments in high fashion photography; you’re also selling or showcasing the creative vision and style of fashion businesses. The term “high fashion” refers to a higher level of fashion photography. High fashion photography is what you’d see on the cover of Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar, and it involves a model wearing fancy clothing. The aim of the high mode of Fashion is to sell the clothing, but you convey the story of glamour as a photographer.
The personalities are usually top models or well-known actors and actresses. Over-the-top lighting, location, hairdo, styling, wardrobe, and location all work together to generate immaculate photographs of the model, which are then published for the promotion of a major fashion brand.
The key concept here is to present the thoughts and talents of all the participating creative parties. They are high-budget projects in which the highest quality is required at all costs. To clean up and refine an image for high-end photography, you’ll need Photoshop or other high-end editing tools. These pictures are frequently printed for fine-art exhibitions or high-end books, which demand a high level of detail and resolution to preserve the print quality.
Editorial fashion photography
Because of the styling and production required for the storytelling, Editorial photography is sometimes confused with High fashion. But this type of photography is generally more relatable to the audience.
Editorial photography is generally aspirational, akin to lifestyle photography. The styling plays an enormous role here, and the concept is presented all through the photoshoot. Visual content is coupled with other stories, articles, publications, and concepts before being released. Models are photographed all day long in various locations and wear different clothing for editorial and fashion shoots.
Editorial fashion photography takes its name from the fact that it appears in fashion and photography books and magazines.
Photo sessions are often held outdoors rather than in the studio, and the ambiance may vary distinctively. You must ensure that they are appropriate for the story’s mood.
Note: If you’re shooting in a studio, make sure it’s set up with a variety of props and that your lighting skills are on point. The setting must not always be highly complicated but must convey a message.
Street fashion photography
The most relatable type of photography is street fashion photography. The focus of street fashion photography is on what people use and how they style it in the actual world. It’s also known as street style photography.
These photographs can be found on Instagram and other social media platforms. They can also be found in fashion publications with articles about what’s “trend” this season or “how to wear x” guidelines.
The photoshoot is usually done outside of the studios, and it focuses on everyday activities such as going down the street with various shopping bags and wearing fashionable clothing. This type of fashion model photography draws attention to a current trend in the real world.
Catalog Fashion photography
Product photography includes fashion catalog photography. Its goal is to display fashion items clearly and appealingly so that customers may obtain a sense of how they appear and fit before purchasing.
This type of picture is used by print media firms. The photographs of the products are printed to promote them to their customers. The informational photographs taken in this technique are those in which the model is forced to stand against a specified backdrop and the clothing or accessories that must be promoted are visible in the photoshoot. The background is usually in neutral colors, and the styling takes a back seat. The photos are taken in such a way that every element of the clothing can be seen.
The photoshoot for this category is normally done in a studio or another suitable location. These types of photoshoots can only be done properly by a professional portfolio maker and a fashion photographer.
Some other popular subtypes of Fashion Photography
Alternative Fashion Photography
The trends are evolving in the fashion business. Alternate fashion photography is the process of restoring and recreating back long-forgotten trends. It is the design class that focuses on independent models and imagery lovers who still adore the 1970s and 1980s styles. They try, by the blending of clothing, makeup, setup, and lighting, to imitate and communicate the atmosphere of the past. Previous concepts like Grungy, Gothic, and Hip Hop are highlighted, just as the mixing of the elements and developing a different style in this kind of photography is also empowered.
Such photography is rarely published in a mainstream fashion magazine or online, although it is occasionally shown solely in historical tv-series and movies.
Beauty Editorial
The subtype of Editorial photography is Beauty Editorial photography. It takes a disciplined approach to components such as jewelry, makeup, hairstyles, and accessories. The aesthetic is more focused, with close-up frames of key elements and a narrative that runs throughout. It appears in popular publications and serves as a catalog for jewelry, cosmetics, and lipstick enterprises.
Look Book
A look book is a little book (nowadays, it might be digital and interactive) that depicts a designer’s most recent collection.
It’s used to show potential purchasers (or carriers, in the case of stores) the new season merchandise from a brand.
Look books differ from catalogs in that they present the clothing in a setting. The photograph shoots are used to sell each collection together with a concept or theme.
