Sylvia Cox
Professional Model ~ Photographer
~ Business Woman
Please browse around and visit my shops by "clicking"
any of the links below. I offer thousands of
high quality products at discount prices. Thank
You and Enjoy!
Handbags ♥
Evening Dresses ♥
Watches ♥
Perfume ♥
SkinCare
Swimsuits ♥
Cigarettes
Cell Phones ♥
Home
Business ♥
Insurance Quotes ♥
Discount Cruises
Free Stuff ♥
Airline Travel ♥
Christmas ♥
Wedding ♥
Website Promotion
Discount Books ♥
Dental Insurance ♥
Employment ♥
Chocolate
To Become a
successful fashion photographer you must love clothes
and to know how to work with a model.
Of all the qualities, imagination heads the list. In
spite of the comparative simplicity that marks many
fashion photographs today every picture is the product
of some photographers imagination.
You will need to approach each photo with a fresh
slant.
The background must be harmonious with the
merchandise. It must accent it without distracting the
eye from the outfit that is featured in the
photograph.
The basic rule in fashion photography is concentrate
on the merchandise. The merchandise is all important.
Your image needs to sell the product and you need to
develop a “feeling” for the garment.
This feeling involves many things. Firstly, it guides
the photographer in the selection of an appropriate
background; casual, beach, glamour or street depending
on the type of the garment.
Second, it “keys” the photographers lighting. If the
texture of the gown is important, the photographer
will light it one way or another. The clothing feeling
is instinctive with some photographers and comes only
with experience with others.
Study From the Masters
You should build up a library of a file of fashion
magazines as many as you can find! Some old fashion
magazines can be found valuable as the fashion changes
and you can be inspired by some old approach and find
out when the “old” is due to become “the latest”
again.
Your file heading should read “backgrounds” “Poses”
“Lighting” “Single Figure” “Two Figure” “Groups” etc.
These files will help you to study the fashion
photographs of the masters and to find yourself that
some pictures will appeal to you move than others. Try
to study how they did it and what kind of the tricks
they use to achieve effects. It will also give you a
better idea of what you will actually need in the way
of a studio and equipment.
Minimum Studio Equipment
Two large format digital cameras (20 million MP) and
One DSLR (11 million MP) for location and studio
One tripod
Additional lenses filters
One good and reliable exposure meter
Lighting units
Studio screens, preferable large and white
Background reflectors
Posing stands
Small dressing room
Bright lighted mirror and shelf for cosmetics.
Nine feet is the minimum height for a studio as some
time you will need to shoot from above and 15 feet on
each side.
Handling the Model
As your dealing with human beings, the first basic
rule is don’t yell!
Keep your voice low and your temper and try to pose
her calmly to achieve your goal. Without a friendly
feeling between you and your model you will not
achieve a successful fashion shoot it is exactly like
in every relationship between two people.
Be patient and choose a model not just for her looks
but also for her personality. Constantly talk to her,
encourage her and compliment her and if you can even
joke with her it will make the atmosphere more fun and
the model will get relaxed and she will begin to pose
with more freedom and east. With more smiles and more
flirtatiousness. With luck, you will get the shots you
want in one session. Do not forget to give her time
off for a break and for yourself.
In choosing a model look for long, thin legs, a small
waistline, slender hips and disproportionately broad
shoulders. This is the look that most woman in the
western world admire. She believes that she can look
like the girl in the photograph if only she buys that
outfit.
It’s your job to make her want to buy it!
When shooting, don’t forget to analyze the lighting on
the way it falls on the garment.
Study it and learn what is the best way to emphasize
the light over the piece of cloth to make it look
desired.
Try to improvise in cases that the clothes do not suit
your model size such as using clips on the back of the
clothes to tuck them in.
Manufacturers expect you to return their merchandise
in good condition. Make sure that model dresses
carefully. BE PROFESSIONAL!
Location Shooting
On location use DSLR and before you go look and your
file for inspiration. Try to fit the look to the
location mood.
Models for action, outdoor fashion pictures need
different qualifications from models for high fashion.
If you are looking for such a model when there is no
agency close by, try to look at your nearest dancing
school. Trained dancers are usually attractive,
healthy girls that can learn modeling easily and
become because they are performing in public they will
be far less self conscious than the average
non-professional girl.
To get good clothing for the beginner fashion
photographer, contact clothing stores in your town and
ask if you can rent them for 10-20% of their value.
Also look in any market or second hand shops/flea
markets for interesting props.
Choose props carefully for your photographs. You can
also develop a connection with a shop for renting pros
from them like an interesting radio, tv screen etc. it
also applies to animal use and cars.
On Location Recommended Points
• The simpler the background the better!
• Blue sky is preferred by many photographers.
• Look for correct color balance for the outfit and
the background including the relationship between the
two.
• Public buildings are usually architecturally
interesting.
• Make a list of places that you visit and like and
create a location list for future work.
• Shooting outdoor is a challenge as you are out of
your studio where you control the light and effect and
on location you have to consider the weather that is
constantly changing.
• So these are necessary for working in the field.
• A good fill flash and reflectors do not work between
11am-2pm.
• An overhead sun causes heavily shadowed eye sockets
and white bleached nose.
• The long shadows of early morning or evening are
soft and decorative.
Remember as one master photographer summed up “anyone
can become a great fashion photographer. All you have
to do is make a $3 dress look like $300!”
