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Where can I find fashion pictures for inspiration?
There are many online sources where you can find fashion pictures for inspiration. You can search for fashion blogs, search for fashion galleries on the internet, or you can simply browse through popular fashion magazines. There are many great sources of fashion inspiration out there!
What is your inspiration in photography?
Inspiration is all around us. Take a walk through a museum, park or gallery, and look at the clothes worn by the models. They will inspire you.
Think about what you like.
Do you like the shapes and proportions of this model? The clothes she is wearing? Is she wearing something you would wear, or is her outfit different? This knowledge is useful to develop your own style.
Think about the pictures.
Look at the clothes on display. What do they remind you of? What do you like about them? Does the model look happy, sad, angry? What would you do to improve the clothes? How about the setting? Would you like the picture to be more dramatic, romantic? Would you like the picture to be more subtle? How would you make the picture look more dramatic? More romantic? What would you change?
Take your camera.
Find a spot where you can take a good photograph of something interesting. You could go to the zoo and take a series of pictures of animals. Alternatively, go for a walk around the park or near a famous landmark. Look for something special and unique in the surroundings.
Experiment.
Take lots of photos and look for your favorite ones. Which is your favorite? Why? Which one do you think works best? Which does not work as well?
Think about how you like it.
How would you like the picture to look? Think about the type of picture you want to create. Could you imagine this as a fashion spread in a magazine? What would you like to say about the picture? What would you like to show about the model?
Ask friends and family.
Get your ideas and opinions from your friends and family. Try not to let them influence you too much, but talk about the picture and see what they think.
What are the 4 different types of fashion photography?
There are four main types of fashion photography – product photography, editorial, fashion advertising, and documentary style. Each type has its own characteristics and challenges, but all styles of photography involve posing and photographing models. The types of fashion photography that are most relevant to photographers working in the UK include product photography, editorial, and fashion advertising. There is also an emerging trend in fashion magazines for documentaries styled photo shoots.
Product photography
Product photography is the easiest and most straightforward form of fashion photography to begin with. The term covers all kinds of pictures taken of products – from shoes and handbags, through clothing and accessories, and right through to furniture and lighting.
The most common kind of product photography is close-up images of individual items, where a model holds a product (for example, a shoe or a handbag) against their body. This kind of shot is usually called a ‘body shot’ or ‘frontal’. It is also quite common to see a close-up image of a product displayed on the side of a product catalogue or packaging.
Product photography also includes shots of larger sets of products – for example, a display window in a department store or an entire outfit. These photographs are called ‘window shots’. Window shots are also used to illustrate fashion magazine editorials. They are similar to product shots, except that the products are displayed on the window and in this case the subject is always looking out of the window, rather than holding the products directly against their bodies.
Editorial
As the name suggests, editorial is a picture of an item as part of a newspaper, magazine or other printed publication. Editorial images are usually taken in the studio and feature one or more models dressed in an outfit or wearing a single item of clothing. The outfits and accessories are usually chosen by the client, such as a company or magazine, to create a particular mood or feeling.
Fashion advertising
This is the most complex and creative type of fashion photography. Fashion advertising images are generally taken in the studio and require lots of posing and interaction between the photographer and the model. Fashion advertising images are usually commissioned by a fashion house or retail outlet to advertise a new range of clothes or accessories.
In some cases the images are used to promote a new look, such as a change of hair colour or a new shade of lipstick. In others they show off the latest styles and trends, for example in the autumn/winter collection. Fashion advertising images are often shot in the studio or on location in a shopping mall, showing the clothes and accessories being tried out and approved by clients. The photographer may also be involved in choosing the props and the location for the shoot.
Documentary
Documentary style fashion photography is a relatively new and growing trend in fashion photography. It’s not a specific type of image, but rather a method of capturing the mood of a fashion shoot, rather than the clothes and accessories themselves.
As with fashion advertising, the photographer plays a major role in the choice of location, props, and models. The photographer also controls the lighting, the composition, and the editing of the final image.
In most cases the images are shot using natural light and the models are relaxed, rather than posed. They may appear in a setting that has no obvious relation to the image, such as a street, a garden, a park, or a beach.
One type of image is called ‘street style’ and is shot in the street, where the model is just walking along with their clothes on. Another type of image, called ‘environmental style’, is shot in the surroundings of the models, which may be a park, a building, a restaurant or an empty room.
All of these types of fashion photography are widely used in magazines and advertising agencies and are becoming more popular in advertising and marketing departments.
How do you pose for a fashion shoot?
There are so many ways of posing for a fashion shoot but the most important thing is that you look good. If you don’t, then the photographer will have to make do with a less attractive shot.
First of all, make sure you are comfortable. Find somewhere where there is plenty of space – you don’t want to be squashed up against a wall. Try to sit down or lie down if you have to, and ensure you aren’t wearing too much clothing. Most models try to wear something black or nude, which gives them a clear silhouette and helps with their skin tone.
Next, think about your style. What do you like to wear and what do you find flattering? Do you have a particular image in mind? The type of clothes you wear and the way you wear them will affect how you are seen. For instance, if you prefer wearing loose, flowing garments, this is something the photographer will probably want to capture. But if you like to dress more sharply, then he or she may want to create a sharper visual effect.
When it comes to accessories, make sure you bring at least two items with you: one of these can be an item you already own, such as a bracelet, necklace or belt, whereas the second can be something new and exciting.
Finally, think about what you are going to do with your hair. The best option is to have it pinned up in a stylish manner. If you don’t have any pins, you could use a safety pin or a clip.
Keep a close eye on the photographer’s movements. Don’t look directly into the camera unless you are told to do so. If you do have to look, try to appear as though you are looking through the lens rather than at it.
Fashion Photography Ideas for Inspiration
