All About Becoming a Fashion Photographer

[becki6686]

A lot of photographer's are self-taught but you've got to be dedicated. I finished doing my National Diploma in photography last year and am currently doing my Higher national diploma. I am told having a HND will be a big advantage in getting assisting work but if you can get assisting work (even if it's just carrying the photographer's bags and standing at the sidelines soaking up what you see- like a sponge ) I don't think there's any reason a passion for it, experience and willing to learn can't rank just as high. No idea about schools in paris though, sorry. Although one of my tutor's used to assist paulo roveski there and said it was amazing. Good luck!

 

[prosperk]

Studying for a Higher National Diploma affords a good grasp of the basic mechanics of photography as does any serious college course. However, Becki is absolutely right in saying that passionate interest and the will to learn are just as important. The photographers I know like to see a well-presented portfolio of a potential assistant's photographic work, to see if they can put the theory into practice and, also, if they have what it takes to assist and learn from the experience.

As you can imagine, photographers like Paolo Roversi receive many requests from would-be assistants. Don't be discouraged by this. Anything worth doing will attract a lot of applicants. Remember that these are busy people. If you're serious about assisting in Paris - many of the greats live here - then research the photographers in whom you are interested, find out their studio addresses and write them short notes saying that you are coming to Paris after your studies, want to gain experience by assisting and would like to pass by to see them with your book. Keep it short, sincere and fairly businesslike. It is, after all, a job application. Don't gush about how you love their work. It's a major turn-off. Don't gush about yourself. It is permissible to cite inspirations and if their work has inspired you, it's okay to say so. But don't bullsh1t them. Do mug up a bit on their work and their careers. As I said, it's a job application and you'd acquaint yourself with a company to which you were applying, wouldn't you?

In my experience, top notch photographers do make time to see anyone who makes the effort to come and see them. It's the mediocre ones who tend to be arrogant and ungenerous. And you wouldn't want to work for them anyway because they're too miserly to teach you anything!

PK

 

[cutxpaste]

Knibbe: We’ve started to use this guy Colin Dodgson, who is still at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara. Someone from Elite was visiting the photography colleges and his tutor recommended Colin. He is very young, but he has a definite point of view. He is going to be big and I’ve already sent his book to the agent Katy Barker.

I shot with Colin yesterday! He's out in New York now and takes really cool pictures... he directs extremely well and I had a lot of fun with him.

 

[sincere]

Photography: intern -> assistant -> photographer?

Whats the way to go? Do you have any experience? Of course it also depends on how skilled you are so my question here also is:

What should you be capable of doing to move to the next step? Thanks in advance!

 

[fashionistasista]

thats a good question... i havent seen this topic looked at too closely while magazines / stylist/ designers have so many threads!

Ok.. i will give you the outline of entering the industry from my experience with the photographers and their assistants that work with our company.

To begin with - and by the forum I assume you mean fashion photographers? - a photographer should become an intern or assistant if they are lucky enough to find a role straight away. I think the best way to go is to get experience in different genres: fashion, Advertising.. things like photography at shows and events as well as still life and at studios. This will give you a strong base and versatility - which is a HUGE plus for photographers.

Try and get your own lookbook happening and increase a certain style. Catalogue work pays well, but it is best if you work on a look that you like and that fits with the current style so that you will get more work.

Show your lookbook around to different creative agencies - see if you can break out freelance and make a name. Otherwise (and again i dont have the best experience here - simply second hand) assist larger photographers and gain work with companies.

if you are an assistant you are basically the photographers extended arms - fiddling with light blocks, backgrounds, even taking the picture. But overall it is the photographer (who you are assisting) that has the last word on the image that he/ she best believes suits the brief given.

I think that in the end just having history with light/ depth/ warmth coolness in shots and knowing what the client wants and how to deliver it will be the best thing to work on - basically business skills.

I am relaying it like this as i am coming from the 'hiring' perspective, not the creative end, and from experiences of talking with our photographers about how they got into the industry.

The proffession is quite similar to styling in how if you have the right look and the right connections you will go far, quickly. Also - work on your people skills - you will be working in an industry with very opinionated and stubborn people.

The best thing i can offer to those who are quite normal, like myself and simply go into the industry quite blindly, simply build a lookbook and work on your style as well as contacting as many photogrpahers and agencies that represent photographers as you can to work with them and get your name out there...

i want to hear from people that are currently doing this!! It sounds like such an amazing profession - if i could take a photo that looks good on anything other than a polaroid (everything seems to look good on a polaroid) i would so pursue it as a career.

 

[sincere]

Thanks for the insightful reply. Yes i was referring to fashion photographers, wich is my primary interest.

I´ve already did a few internships at agencies and fashion photographers, bring studio experience with me and there are a few things i feel like i need to get better like post-production(readhotoshop,etc) for example.

Still, one thing i learned is that you never stop learning something new, no matter how long you have been doing this or how routined you think you are. I´ve worked with fashion photographers who where doing this for a good 30 years and still where dealing with trial and error every once in a while.

I am looking forward on working with better photographers so i can obviously learn more. As far as a lookbook, i feel like i am not there yet so i am still working on getting better. Also i was thinking about adding some references into a lookbook but the thing right now is that because i work as an assistant, how can i possibly claim/add any commercial work to my lookbook when i am only an assistant?

I dont really know how this whole lookbook thing works, if the agencies(or photographers) will discuss your lookbook and the things you did or if they just simply look at it.

I am sure i am not the only one here in this situation so lets keep this thread going you guys!

 

[Queen*B]

how to get published as a photographer?

I thought I’d start up this thread to ask you guys about how to start being published as a photographer?
Is there any websites that could help? I’m not looking to get published in magazines right away I just want to start online for now and wanted to get your inputs on this subject, if anyone could help!

 

[BetteT]

Merged with exising thead. Please do an advance search for threads before starting a new one. More info on how to do that can be found in the Member Support Forum.

Welcome to tFS, Queen*B!

There might already be some ideas in this thread ... but it 's about the same as asking an agency for a model ... which I know is in this thread. You need to talk to the editor and present that person with your portfolio and some ideas about what you'd like to do and see if they are interested.

Do not expect to get paid for this ... only the big magazines pay and then it's probably not more than a couple of hundred bucks. With the exception of the big gun photographers and the top fashion mags ... who get paid a lot. The rest of the fashion crews ... photograpers, stylists, makeup and hair artists ... we all do it for the credit and to be able to put it in our books. It's used as a marketing tool to impress potential paying clients.

Oh ... and I saw that I left a link earlier in this thread to PDN ... check that out. It's by and for professional photographers of all types.

 

[|PerfectTonight|]

What a great thread. many informativ inputs. Thanks guys!

 

[Valentina83]

Hi everybody!

I'm having a really hard time to start to work as a published photographer.

I do many test with models from agency but, since I've never assisted a photographer (I've made 2 month of studio's assistant here in Paris), I have NO IDEA how to contact magazines and how to find a work, also like catalogues or small ad!!! who I have to call to find a job??

I've sent lots of e-mails to small fashion magazines and to photographers's agency to have a chance to be an assistant of someone... but no answer for now...

I know that in order to be published it's really important to have a good stylist, who can bring the clothes that the magazines could like, but it's so hard to find them!!!

I',ve been in contact with some stylits but there was nothing interesting for magazines in their clothes And the goods one are always booked.
It's so frustrating!!!


any advices?
I'm really start to being sad
or maybe I simply made bad pics

 

[helmut.newton]

This thread is great and really informative!!

What kind of quality do your photos have to be if you want to assist the big big photographers like David Sims and Nick Knight???

Do you have to be semi-professional already if you want to assist them??

 

[Valentina83]

photographer: How much for a catalogue?

Hi everybody!
I'm a young photographer and I'm starting to send CV for do some catalogues, like VentePrivé, la Redoute, Somewhere, etc...
I've neverdome this before and I was wondering how much should I ask for my services when they will ask for...
any experiences?
thank you!!

 

[FashionCapital]

I don't know if this is the right place to post this, but...

Does anyone know where a high school student would be able to take photography classes in the NY/NJ area? A few of my friends have taken classes on weekends at FIT, but it's way too much money for those outside of NY. Unfortunately, Photography II/III didn't fit in my school schedule this year (which pisses me off to no end), so I'm really looking to continue it somehow and learn more

 

[Raven_McCoy]

^If you're just interested in improving technical skill, see if any of your local community colleges offer evening/ weekend courses.

 

[Bengt]

Hi, I'm an aspiring fashion photographer and I was just wondering if you guys could give me an advice on what camera to use as a beginner? Would I start off in normal digital point and shoots or would I immediately use the SLRs?

 

[Vintage_Future]

I've been told I should keep things simple and less conceptual by a friend who is also a new photographer. Should I listen? I'm more so into doing stuff like Steven Klein , whereas he is pretty basic editorial.

What do agencies prefer?

 

[BetteT]

By "agencies", if you mean modeling agencies for their model tests ... they prefer anything that makes their models look good and in step with their clientele. So just look at their board to see what all the comp cards look like and simulate that look. Usually it's simple, in good light (soft, not harsh) with non distracting backgrounds and no distracting props or wardrobe. If it's a commercial model .. it's got to look like the pretty girl (or guy) next door. If it's a high fashion/runway agency ... they might prefer something more dramatic.

 

[Vintage_Future]

By "agencies", if you mean modeling agencies for their model tests ... they prefer anything that makes their models look good and in step with their clientele. So just look at their board to see what all the comp cards look like and simulate that look. Usually it's simple, in good light (soft, not harsh) with non distracting backgrounds and no distracting props or wardrobe. If it's a commercial model .. it's got to look like the pretty girl (or guy) next door. If it's a high fashion/runway agency ... they might prefer something more dramatic.

Ooh great, thank you! I'm going to work on that, because I feel like testing with agency girls/guys will give my ideas the power they need.

 

[BetteT]

You must test with agency models ... if you (generic, I mean any aspiring fashion photographer) are ever to get any better. Non pro models are a dead giveaway that you are a non pro shooter. Your images, even if they are getting better, will never look as good as they should until you start working with real agency models.

At first, they will only let you work with "new faces" ... models with very little or no experience. But if you are good a working with them (building rapport, getting them to relax and guiding them how to pull off great poses) then, eventually the agencies will send you a few experienced models ... and you will see another jump in your work. A good model needs very little direction and can nail it almost every time ... which makes a shoot much more likely to turn out good and will make your life a lot easier.

Be carefull when you work with agency models ... they must have the right look for your concept. If they don't you should change your concept, story, wardrobe to suit the model. You need to study what kinds of models can do what type of work ... it's one of the most important things you must learn to be a fashion photographer.

A commercial model will not be able to pull off a fashion image ... and the agency won't like it either and may not send your any other models, if they don't like what you send them back. If you think that a model can pull off a editorial look any way or you'd like to try ... but you know that the agency has her slated as a commercial model ... make sure you take some shots for the agency ... do both types and only send them the commercial shots. They must receive some looks that will work in her (or his) portfilio or they won't use you again. Always make sure that there are some looks for the agency ... always.

 

[BetteT]

Oh ... and to up the quality of your images ... don't forget pro hair/makeup and fashion stylists are needed. Your images are only as good as the weakest link ... and it takes a strong team to create a strong fashion image. A photographer can't do it on his own. Maybe a good portrait or even a good commercial type image ... but you need the whole team who are all really good to get a good fashion image.