Surpass the competition and stand out! A guide on how to become a fashion photographer

How to become a fashion photographer? The world of photography is very interesting, especially for those who want to become a photographer. Besides, there are many kinds of photography specialties. One that stands out is the one focused on the fashion industry, or in other words, fashion photography.

 

However, it’s important to know that in this sector there’s a lot of competition. This is an industry filled with talented photographic artists with high-quality portfolios. As a result, once a brand starts to look for new talents, they focus on them.

 

But, why do the best fashion brands look for the best photographers? Because they need to showcase their essence to the public through their products. And for this, they must have a perfect visual image.

 

If you want to become a professional fashion photographer, you need to learn how to become one. So, if you don’t know where to start, don’t worry. Here, we will show you all you need to know to become the best fashion photographer in the industry.

 

 

Join the world of fashion photography.

 

Here’s the first question, how can you take fashion photographs? To become a true fashion photographer, you need to know how to take professional portraits to attract the public’s attention. As you can imagine, this question can’t be answered in just a few words. In fact, there’s not a concrete answer or formula for it. What you do need to know though, is that it isn’t easy. This kind of job can’t be done in just a few hours, not unless you really want to offer the best results.

 

As a result, while you learn the techniques used by photography artists, you must remain determined to achieve a good position in the industry. Besides, every photographer has their own styles, that’s how they manage to stand out in such a competitive market. Because of this, you must follow your ideas and figure out what you want to convey in your images.

 

However, if your goal is to be a professional, you still need to know the essentials such as:

 

• Fashion’s history
• It’s best-known representatives.
• How the big publishers are carried out.
• The preparation of the books.

 

For you to offer high-quality work, you must know all of this. Besides, to create your project, you should also be inspired to do so. For this, you can take a look at the works of famous fashion photographers.

 

This isn’t hard to do thanks to our current digital age. Today, these professionals use social media and websites to showcase their art. Most, if not all, famous fashion photographers display their portfolios on these platforms, especially on Instagram.

 

On the other hand, these photographers also tend to work with the most renowned brands in the world which means that’s a great opportunity to get to know their work more closely. As you can see, there are no excuses to know the different types of work of different fashion photographers.

 

 

Find inspiration from social media

 

As we have already explained in the previous point, social media is an excellent platform to have access to the best fashion photos. Thanks to these photographs you can also find your own inspiration and build a mood board, or what is also known as an inspiration board.

 

In this inspiration table, you can place the fashionable photos with which you most identify, and that goes in tune with the style of snapshots you like the most. Using this tool will be very useful to you when taking a photo session.

 

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should copy work that is already done. Because if you aspire to be hired at some point by one of the major fashion brands, you must have a portfolio with original material on hand. It will depend on whether you can show your talent and the value you offer them.

 

 

An industry full of diverse styles

 

In the industry, you will come across different styles of fashion photography, so it’s best to try each one. This way, you will discover your own style and specialty. As a fashion photographer, you must discover the type you prefer so that you can unleash your creativity.

 

Besides, you must also pay attention to what’s trending. By doing this, you will be able to always offer and create fresh projects. Of course, if you are going to work for a fashion brand, it’s very likely that they already know the current trends, but you should also give your contribution as a professional.

 

It may be difficult at first for you to recognize the type of fashion photography you want to pursue, however, little by little you will develop your own style. Also, in this industry, you must keep up-to-date, so you must acquire knowledge in terms of the techniques of fashion photography.

 

Most fashion photographers follow the rules of composition, but there are many other rules that you should also research so that you can apply them in your projects.

 

 

The best equipment makes the best fashion photographer

 

This point is also important if you want to become a fashion photographer. You must know what’s the basic equipment that you will need to do a photo shoot. For example, these will be some of your essential work tools:

 

• A camera (obviously).
• A flash
• A sturdy tripod.
• Filters, among others.

 

You will most likely have to attend different locations when taking a photoshoot. Because of this, you should buy items that are easy to transport.

 

Now, after getting your basic professional photography equipment, you need to work on your project from a professional fashion photography studio. You don’t necessarily have to have your own studio as you can rent it. Or, if you want, you can even set one up at your home or in another outdoor environment.

 

Choosing the space to take your fashion photos also requires some care. That’s why you must choose a suitable place, as well as a beneficial fund. The models you choose also have to help you convey what you really want through your fashion photography project. So, take enough time to find the models that will get you the best results.

 

 

Your first project as a fashion photographer

 

Most fashion photographers start with editorial photos as they are the easiest to take. In general, for these types of photographs, you can choose an easy theme. However, you must always convey the true essence of the person with who you’re working.

 

For this, you look for those models that represent your fashion photos the best. At first, you can ask for your friends’ support to help you with your work. On the other hand, you should focus on ensuring that each model is in tune with your project’s theme. Both the environment, as well as the makeup and clothing that the model uses, must have a balance.

 

 

How can you prepare your fashion photography project?

 

What kind of fashion photoshoot do you want to do? This is the kind of question you should ask yourself before carrying out your project. To really create a successful project, you should plan it, for example, a month or so before its due date. This way, once the date to present it arrives, you can do it stress-free and start to plan the day of the photoshoot.

 

Plan a date that fits your time, and that of the rest of the work team. On the other hand, how should you create your team? For the production of fashion photos, you must have a complete work team, and it must be made up of:

 

• A photography assistant.
• A makeup artist.
• A wardrobe assistant.

 

They are all you need to develop your project efficiently. Remember that to become a fashion photographer you must have an interesting portfolio. By having a production team, you will be saving time and money. Remember to only hire trustworthy people to get the best results.

 

Have you heard about fashion photography workshops?

 

Once you have followed the steps above to become a fashion photographer, you will be ready to participate in different workshops. These days, this concept has become very popular, and they work as independent trade shows where you’ll have the opportunity to learn new techniques.

 

Fashion photography specialists are the ones in charge of organizing these kinds of fairs. If you choose to participate in them, you’ll get to expand your knowledge in the industry. To find out when and where these fairs will take place, you can look on the Internet. We recommend attending these to build up experience and even meet other professionals. Who knows? Maybe your big break-out will start in one of them.

 

 

Do you want to become a fashion photographer?

 

To become a fashion photographer, you need to focus on creating high-quality work first and foremost. Then you have to take care of showing your projects to everyone. That’s why you must complement the previous steps together with the following:

 

Create a fashion photography blog 

 

Today, having a blog regardless of your profession is essential, much more if you want to work as a fashion photographer. The internet is the best platform you can use right now to showcase your projects, as well as famous fashion photographers.

 

What elements can you add to your blog?

 

• Your projects.
• Some of your tricks.
• Stories about your projects.

 

Blogs are a great tool, because of this, you should have one to showcase your work.

 

Use outdoor spaces for your fashion photoshoots 

 

Most fashion photographers do their first projects in a studio.

 

However, through outdoor fashion shoots, you can create a portfolio with more varied content.

 

You can also improve your techniques as you experiment with different scenarios.

 

 

 

Try taking urban fashion photography 

 

Outdoor photoshoots are amazing, as are streetwear photo shoots.

 

This style is very popular right now and offers you the freedom to experiment with different costumes, makeup, or other elements.

 

Thanks to this type of fashion photography, you can put your creativity and imagination into practice.

 

 

 

Editorial fashion photography is also a great option 

 

Most often than not, most fashion photographers start with this style while others go unnoticed.

 

However, to start, it’s a good idea to try editorial photography.

 

Through this technique, you will be able to discover what your true style is. Thus, allowing you to create personalized projects to show the real you.

 

 

Follow in the steps of professional fashion photographers

 

To become a fashion photographer, you must have a lot of experience.

 

For this, you can start by looking for a job through different fashion websites.

 

This way, you can start to build up experience as a fashion photographer.

 

However, have in mind that at the start, you may only find jobs as an assistant photographer.

 

Remember that good things come for those who wait. After all, all those renowned photographers you see today also started as assistants. This position will allow you to expand your knowledge and even get contacts in the industry, so don’t be discouraged. You’ll get there!

 

Take a professional fashion photography course 

 

Many fashion photographers have a lot of talent without the need to have gone through a short preparation.

 

However, it doesn’t hurt to take a professional fashion photography course.

 

Through this course, you can learn about new techniques and meet people who share the same passion for you.

 

 

 

Did you like this post?

 

By following the steps above, you’ll be ready to present your project. Now, you can show the world just how good of a fashion photographer you are.

 

Remember to be persistent and dedicate yourself to achieve all your goals.

 

Only in this way will you create truly successful projects.

 

If you want to become a fashion photographer, these points will help you a lot.

 

On the other hand, at BluCactus we can also teach you more techniques and tools. This way, you’ll be able to stand out in the fashion industry just like the photographer you admire so much today.

 

Contact Us!

 

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