Here’s the rundown of fashion photography.
The Basics
The first thing that you need to know about any kind of photography – do I know what I am using to take this photo? Now, this doesn’t have to be a digital or film camera. Most modern phones are just as good as taking photos now as the next camera, and they can be far more accessible for a beginner than going out and buying a whole expensive set up that you might not enjoy using in the long run. Always experiment with what you have and know first. The one con of using a phone is that you might not have complete control over your settings. It is also worth mentioning that, if you are starting out with a camera, don’t go and buy the most expensive one. There are many places where you can find well looked after second-hand cameras, or dealers who have reduced prices. Always shop around. Once you have decided what you want to use, then you can move onto taking some pictures. It is always good to take pictures of anything and everything to get used to using a camera.
Locations
Typically, most people will either shoot outside or use a studio with fashion photography. Studios allow for more control over your environment and more outfits in one shoot. However, shooting outside can allow for more backdrops and natural light. Some great places to shoot outside are forests, skateparks or flower patches. You can use a background that suits your models outfit, or you can shoot somewhere where they look totally out of place for more contrast.
Lighting and White Balance
Unless you are using a studio, natural lighting is always preferable. It doesn’t allow you control over the light or where its coming from, but it does allow for a more natural look. If using natural light, always shoot with the light behind you. It means that you will get the most out of the light, and everything will be truest to the eye. Studio lighting is a bit more complicated, but there are various different ways to make it look natural. You can move the lights around or use a directional flash to achieve an effect similar to natural lighting. When in doubt, it is always better for your images to be underexposed rather than overexposed, as it can be fixed easier in post-production. It is always worth checking your white balance during your shoot, as the wrong setting could cause your images to look too warm all too cool. There are two ways to change your white balance – resetting it using a white piece of paper if using auto white balance, or by going through the provided white balance settings until you find whichever looks the most natural.
Angles and Framing
The angle you are shooting at dramatically changes the vibe of your photos. Shooting from under your model puts them above you and your viewer, giving them an air of power. Placing them below you can make them seem smaller but can be a more flattering angle. It is always easiest to tell your model exactly want you want them to do, or show them, especially if they are not very confident. These poses can be quite different to the traditional ones that you do on social media.
It is also worth making sure that you are framing your model correctly. Two brilliant ways to frame people is to make sure that people are dead centre on the viewfinder, or to follow the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is a grid which can be applied to an image. It works by drawing the viewers eyes fully into the image, rather than them just focusing on the centre and moving on. Its best to start by following the rule of thirds, and then learning to break it later on. It can also look visually appealing to “shoot on the wonk”, or by not shooting straight on. Just changing the angle of the camera can make the image look dramatically different.
Extras
Once you are more confident with the basics, you can move onto experimenting with your photos. This can be through multiple exposure, fun edits, or projection. Multiple exposure can be done through editing, and editing is a wonderful resource for making your images look incredibly interesting. Projection is when you use a projector to place different images onto your model. It can create some brilliant effects. Finally, you can always use physical filters over your lens to change the colour or effect of what you are shooting.
Glossary
White balance – white balance is how true to life colours look within your images. It is based on how warm (orange) or cool (blue) any white parts of your photograph look.
Exposure – exposure is how much light reaches the sensor of your device, which impacts how bright or dark your image is. It is worth noting that photos can come out darker than they appear on a screen if they are printed.
Aperture – the aperture of an image is how wide the lens opens to let light pass through. A smaller aperture means a lower depth of field which has more light in the image, but less in focus. Conversely, a larger aperture means a higher depth of field which allows less light in the image but allows for more to be in focus.
Shutter speed – Shutter speed is how quickly the shutter on the lens closes, or stops transmitting information to the device. A longer shutter speed allows for more light to enter the censor, whereas a shorter shutter speed means that less like will enter the censor.
ISO – ISO is your camera’s sensitivity to light. A lower ISO means that it is less sensitive to light, and a high ISO means that it is more sensitive to light. The higher the ISO, the more noisy (grainy) an image can become.
Original images by Ellie Haine
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