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| Professional Los Angeles photographer James Hickey creates artistic fashion and lifestyle images with unique style. These are often identified with vivid color, and expression. The images tell stories and ideas of people who are full of beauty and life. |
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| Lighting Tip for Fashion Photography ●► We’ll be shooting an episode covering fashion photography, a fascinating world, and one quite different than those we’ve covered to date. RC Rivera has an intriguing portfolio and sent me a sample of his work with note about his lighting: “When I was starting out I thought the more complex the lighting, the better the shot. Now I think that getting a great photo using the most simple setup is actually more difficult but also more rewarding. This model was shot in my studio with using just one soft box. Shooting from just below eye level is great for beauty shots, but too low can be very unflattering. Katherine was a great sport—my studio was unheated and it was in the middle of the winter. You can tell she’s a professional because she doesn’t even look chilly.”We’ll be picking his brains, how he approaches a shoot, other lighting tips, etc. |
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| ●►Fashion Photography - 4 key points to success We can get a glimpse of fashion photography almost everywhere we look on TV, newspapers, internet and all media. Dazzling women with long legs and tanned skin scream for attention on news stands all over the place. It is the fashion photographer who is primarily responsible to bring those photographers to us, the everyday people. Unlike what one often imagines, there is more to fashion photography than a glitzy life style, fun and happening models. In fact there is a lot of planning involved behind every single fashion photograph that we see. A name such as Mario Testino has become iconic in the realm of fashion photography. Did you know that photographers like him are just as sought after as the models that they photograph? At times the photographer is an even bigger celebrity than the model. This profession may seem dream like to the young and enthusiastic photographer but it is not all about fun and glitz. It is not just about meeting the rich and the famous, the fat checks and the feeling of rock that goes with fashion photography. Did you know, for every one photographer that is successful, there are hundreds who are left looking for shoots for many years? Many give up after a few years while some do go on to become successful later on in life. If you want to become a fashion photographer - 1. Learn the art well There is no end to learning. Here is where many a youngster goes astray. they are so bothered about the style and the glamour associated with the fashion photographer, they concentrate more on looking right than shooting right. Know your photography so well that it comes naturally to you. Get books on the subject and read them to expand your knowledge of the subject. 2. Equipment Next to the right knowledge comes the right equipment. Here is a hard truth - you cannot be a good fashion photographer unless you can afford expensive equipment. Cameras are not cheap, and you have new ones coming out every season. If you cannot afford to start off with a good camera and lighting system, your knowledge would go to waste. 3. The portfolio The portfolio of a photographer is what finally lands the job. Make sure you have an impressive folio with your best work carefully selected. Choose the best 4 by 5 slide images you have. Some prefer to make prints. It is suggested - if you are discussing something with a photography pro, carry the slides. If it is a designer you are meeting the prints may be a better idea and more convenient for everyone. 4. Personality Any editor is looking for original talent, so make sure you have a strong individual point of view. It is ok to be affected by another professional’s point of view, as long as you add or remove from it to make it unique and different. You need an identity! |
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| ●►Photography Tips For Beginners Anyone who is beginning to learn digital photography, needs to keep an open mind about learning new modes, functions, and settings with their cameras. Photography is an art that comes with time and practice. If you are interested in learning some photography tips for beginners, keep reading the article for some fabulous tips and tricks. Read more on beginners guide to photography. Tips and Tricks First and foremost, if you are a beginner photographer, do not go for the expensive camera immediately. Get a decent camera and practice on it first, set your hands on that camera before progressing to the new and expensive one. Photography for beginners needs practicing and that can be done on the less expensive camera. You will discover and learn about photography and know which camera to upgrade to instead of buying a random overpriced camera. Read more on photography tips and techniques. Tip 1. If you have shaky hands, buy a tripod, not necessarily a pricey one. It will ensure that you get good and unshaken pictures. For better stability, use the timer function when on tripod, as it will give you the best results. If you are learning photography and want to grab every opportunity to click versatile pictures, carry your camera with you at all times. Good opportunities come unexpectedly, because you never know what you may see. If you know a location where you can go back and click the picture, note it down and take you camera and tripod next time you are there (you can make a list of what to carry such as your tripod, flash, etc.). Read more on how to take good pictures. Tip 2. Do not ignore regular things around you. Look at objects from a different perspective you might just capture a beautiful image from those regular surroundings. It can be anything like flowers, sunrise, sunset, butterflies, street lights, bottle of water, or your cell phone. When you look at objects from a photographers point of view, you will never run out of things to capture with your camera. Photography tips for beginners starts from here because you will see the world from that point of view. You will find inspiration from anything and every picture will come out beautiful. Tip 3. Your regular camera can be more resourceful than you might think. Explore the camera, try using different or all functions. Choose a scene/object/scenery and click the same thing with different settings. You can use adobe photoshop or other softwares available in the market for post processing. You can change colors, edit things in the image using these softwares to make your picture look more appealing. Tip 4. While taking a picture, click and save pictures in the RAW format. This format captures the image as it is, without any alterations. It makes it easier to edit them with a lot of different photoshop functions. In case you are looking for portrait photography for beginners, fill the entire frame with the subject you are taking the photo of. Explore you camera and alter the light sensitivity and exposure for the picture you are taking. Click multiple shots of the same object in different angles and views. Oh and do not forget to charge your batteries every time you are out discovering new possibilities. Read more on portrait photography. Tip 5. Before you take the pictures, hold the camera with steady hands or keep it at a stable place. When taking a picture, see where the camera is focusing. Is it focusing on the subject or some other thing? If it is not focused properly, you might end up blurring the subject and focusing on something else when viewing it on a bigger screen. As mentioned above, before you take the picture, check the settings for light sensitivity, ISO, shutter speed, white balance, etc. If you are getting a lot of blurry images, try changing the shutter speed. Here is more information on digital photography tips and tricks. Tip 6. If you want to click small, minute images like flies, a leaf, and small figurines, learn how to use macro mode and do not ignore natures smallest details. For a DSLR camera, press the button halfway to ensure that the object is in focus (or you can do so manually) and then click the picture. |
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| ●►Fashion Photography Tips For Success We see them all over the place; in television advertisements, in magazines, and on the runway. They are the beautiful men and women who strut their stuff while showing off the latest styles from the hottest fashion designers. These are the fashion models of today and tomorrow, and the subject of high fashion photography. It is through photography that these models and fashionable clothing are brought to the public. Therefore, these photographs must be taken with a certain level of precision and a special attention to color, style, and lighting composition. Learning a few key fashion photography tips will help to make this possible. High fashion photographers such as Mario Testino and Eva Mueller may not be as famous as the models they shoot, but they are actually sought out more than their model counterparts by fashion magazines and designers. While the dream of huge paychecks and hobnobbing with the rich and famous might appeal to the aspiring fashion photographer, it is not easy to become successful in fashion and model photography. For every one talented young photographer who makes it big, there are hundreds are left dreaming about the moment their photo will be chosen. Here are a few fashion photography tips for anyone interested in getting started in the field of fashion photography. The first thing you must do is study your subject. As with any field, you can never learn enough. Read as many fashion magazines you can possibly get your hands on. There are a number of fantastic books on the subjects of fashion and model photography available. They can be purchased cheaply online at sites like Amazon.com or even cheaper if you get them used on eBay. You will also need a good camera, a tripod, and a lighting system. One of the more often overlooked fashion photography tips, is to ensure that you always have plenty of film and extra batteries available. One of the most important fashion photography tips to focus on is having a portfolio. You need to start assembling a portfolio of your work and you need to keep this portfolio handy at all times. You never know when you will have the opportunity to show your work off to someone in the fashion world. Sharp, vibrant images on a 4 x 5" transparency will best show off your work, so focus on them when putting your fashion photography portfolio together. If any of your work has already been published regardless of whether it was a local magazine, newspaper or contest, add a tear sheet (literally a sheet you torn out of the magazine) is a great addition to a portfolio. You should have a minimum of 20 photographs in your portfolio and showcasing different styles. In this day of the internet, it is wise to display your fashion photography talent online as well. Setup a simple website displaying your work and submit your digital photos to online contests. Also, submit them to online fashion gallery websites. This will help tremendously with getting your work seen and showcasing your talent around the world. Probably the most important of all the fashion photography tips is to get your photographs seen by as many people as possible. There is no better way of doing this than by putting them online. |
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| Photojournalism is dying out, the largest company just went bust. Fashion is a tough and fickle World, so is red carpet. Forensic you need a STRONG stomach for and thers no creativity.. Weddings not bad. Artistic photography don't pay unless ur a fuckin prodigy. Its daamn near impossible to make a good career from photography. |
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| ●► Fashion photography: Tips from London Fashion Week • Some top tips for photographing fashion shows from the photographer’s pit: - Make sure you get the settings right before you start snapping. It’ll be dark in the pit, and you’ll have little or no time to think about changing your settings. The last thing you’ll need is to be fiddling with buttons and miss a load of vital shots. - Be prepared for overcrowding, but don’t be afraid to hold your own. Make sure you get to the photographer’s area early so you’ll be able to mark out your spot and ideally choose the optimum location. - Aim for the centre of the pit as you’ll be able to get better eye contact with the models. - Don’t be intimidated. Finding yourself in the packed press pit can be daunting, but you’ll forget all that once the show starts, the time will fly by and you’ll find it exciting. - Make the most of your time in the pit – don’t assume you’ll have all the time in the world. 20 minutes might seem like a long time, but it really isn’t. Make every shot count. - Look for celebrities and important fashion bods on the front row – many news outlets will want to see shots of celebs enjoying themselves (or better yet, looking grumpy). - Try to get a different shot – it might sound obvious, but trying to get a different shot to the other photographers sat just inches away from you is the real challenge for fashion photographers. Look out for details, mishaps on the catwalk and unusual behaviour (such as models smiling!). - Get the models to look at you – eye contact shots are real winners, so if you can’t get to the centre of the pit, try shouting to grab their attention. You might feel self conscious at first, but everyone will be doing it, and sometimes, it works. - Think in black and white – if bright colours are lacking, don’t be afraid to convert your images to black and white. Big, blocky prints work better for black and white than fine intricate details, but converting can save an otherwise dull shot. - If you’ve got time (or an extra body) don’t be afraid to use a wide angle lens to set the scene and get some great context shots. • What settings should I use for shooting a fashion show? - Take a white balance reading inside the venue to ensure there are no unusual colour casts. - Use a wide enough aperture (around f/4) to keep the model sharp and throw the rest the scene out of focus (but make sure the clothes are still sharp!) - Use a fast shutter speed and continuous high drive mode - Shoot in RAW for the best results that will allow you tweak settings later on - If it’s dark you may need to up the ISO, but keep it as low as possible to avoid grainy shots. - Aim for a variety of different types of shot, single shots, models passing each other, all the models at the end of the show, models posing at the end of the catwalk and models walking. |
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| ●► Equipment Needed for Fashion Photography So, after a few courses in photography and art, you've decided to become a fashion and glamour photographer. You've been renting the DSLR cameras from your school and even took classes to learn how to develop film, even though no one uses this process anymore. Getting into the fashion business is a serious goal, however. You need an eye for detail and a creative mind; you need to visualize a story you want to tell with your photographs before you start clicking the shutter. 1.The Camera You will need a camera that can respond to your commands, not just automatically adjust to ambient conditions. A digital SLR (DSLR) is the type of camera to begin your fashion career. Probably the most often used professional cameras are Nikon, Mamiya and Canon, but other professionals have used Vivitar and Pentax. 2.Lenses and Accessories With the camera, you will need a lens hood, lens filters and a few extra-high-capacity memory cards. Chief among these items being lenses. A well prepared photographer has more than one camera for the shoot and a variety of lenses for different types of shots and effects.Start with a standard 24-to-120mm zoom lens, the one that usually comes with your camera, if you buy a kit. Then there are zoom, telephoto and wide-angle lenses, all offering different options for different effects; macro zoom for extreme closeups, wide angle for a panoramic view. 3.Lighting You may want to get some mounted flash units as well. Most common come with "hot shoe" connections, which means there are no wires to be concerned with. Attach the lights, turn on the power--and they sync automatically with your camera's shutter.You can get lighting that mounts to your macro lenses that can direct light more precisely to or away from your aperture target. It's ideal for closeups, especially for faces as it can eliminate or create shadows.Many fashion and glamor photographers will have a collection of camera-mounted flash units to utilize the different effects and strengths each individual unit brings to a shoot. They may only use two, or even just one, but it feels good to know there are options in the bag should you get an inspiration. All the major camera companies make professional flash units: Nikon, Canon, Vivitar, Kodak and even Sony. The challenge for a beginning photographer is to find one or two that will fit your budget and get the job done.But that's not all the lighting a photographer needs. For good studio work, the fashion photographer needs studio lights and umbrella strobes, at least two of each, controlled by your shutter, which is why a professional photographer's camera has the accessories connectors, some of which are wireless.The professional's camera needs an accessories connection to sync up lighting not connected directly to the camera; definitely a must in fashion photography. 4.Other Accessories For studio work, backdrops are often needed. Cloth is the usual material used as one can make do with clean sheets in a variety of colors, but one might also purchase metallic backdrops as well for different effects. Well-established, successful studios hire artists to create settings in much the same way movie producers create scenes on soundstages, but most photographers will just take their show on location. Natural scenery and light is best; a photographer can always adjust lighting with the camera's aperture and of course additional lighting.Which brings up a piece of equipment that can be overlooked: a power source for your gear. Most people opt for rechargeable battery units because they are silent. A generator can provide power, but they're usually noisy and distracting. 5.Get a Laptop Because everything in photography is digital these days, a powerful laptop computer is needed. Either Macintosh or Windows operating systems, but it must have the capability to hold and manipulate thousands of photos. A laptop is recommended because it can go anywhere you and your camera go; that's not just convenience, it is essential for the fashion photographer. Many, if not most, shoots will occur outside the studio.Some cameras offer software that links the camera with a computer so the photographs are easily transferred from camera to hard drive, making it easy for the photographer and models to see their work immediately.The most common photography software is the venerable Photoshop, a name that has been at the forefront of digital photography for nearly 20 years. There are other programs out there as well, made by camera companies specifically for their equipment and not nearly is pricey as Photoshop. Some will even work with different brands of cameras as well. 6.The Cost The problem a photographer faces when starting out in the business is cost. Buying everything mentioned so far will run, easily, to $12,000 or more. The camera and lenses alone nearly $5,000, and, if you buy a Macintosh Airbook, that's at least $3,000.Which is why photographers will stick with one brand of camera. All Nikon lenses and filters will work on any Nikon camera, for example. Same with the other companies as well. Some equipment will work with a variety of brands, so you need to shop around if you use different brands of cameras. Serious work in fashion photography might require an even more expensive camera and accessories: the medium format single-reflex camera. Not often used now, it was, until the digital age, the best format for fashion photography. Those cameras, lenses and accessories can run into the tens of thousands of dollars, if you get the digital camera backs to replace the actual film. The most trusted names for medium format photography are Hasselblad and Mamiya. Both are still used by professional photographers.The good news for the aspiring photographer is that all of this equipment can be rented. There are companies throughout the United States that will rent any and all photography equipment so you don't need to have $12,000 in equipment to get started. As the business grows, you can purchase more equipment as needed. Fashion photography, as with any profession in the arts, is a tough business; you need to not only look your best but professional as well. Serious professional equipment says a lot about a person's commitment to their job and career. You only get one shot at success when you get the big break. Everything has to be perfect. |
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 ●► Fashion Photography Lighting Setups Fashion photo shoot lighting requires a knowledge of traditional lighting systems, such as three-point lighting, as well as an experienced and dedicated eye specifically tailored to the subject, or model. Additionally, fashion lighting also often makes use of high ceilings and varying amounts of natural lighting, as well as high-key light. 1.Three-Point Lighting System The basic setup for most fashion shoots--including most photo shoots of any kind--has historically been the tried-and-true three-point lighting system. This lighting system is critical to the shoot and, as the name suggests, features at its core three lights that are utilized to bring out the best in the subject. The three lights are the key light, fill light and back light. 2. Identification Irrespective of how many lights you have on hand, the key light is always the main light and usually packs the most punch. The key light lights up one side of a subject's face. This light is thus placed directly to one side of the subject. As a result, the other half of the subject's face will lie in shadow. The second light is the fill light. This light is located on the other side of the key light. It is also placed a longer distance away than the key light is, as it does not have the primary job of providing a strong flood of light like the key does. The back light is the final one. As the name suggests, it provides light from behind the subject. This back light in fashion shoots enables the model to stand out from the background. It helps give the model a more three-dimensional look. In combination with a more stark or simply white background, the back light helps highlight the model's clothing. 3. Benefits The fill light diminishes some of the shadows of the side of the subject that is not directly affected by the key light. Additionally, the back light serves as a soft light that helps the subject stand out from the background area, creating that necessary "pop" for the model in a fashion shoot. For the sake of the model, the key light should be on the model's perceived "good side." Many models and actors believe they have a side of their face that is more pleasing or "even" than the opposite side. If relying more heavily on a key light than natural lighting, the key light should ideally illuminate this good side of the model's face. 4. Considerations The inclusion of one or two skylights provides a suitable amount of natural light that will help add a warmer feel to the fashion lighting setup. Thanks to these skylights, the fashion shoot will look less cold and sterile. However, an indoor shoot can't always be adequately rigged for natural light due to a lack of sufficient window or sunlight openings. Consider the available influx of natural light in a shooting location ahead of time. Additionally, outside shoots can be a tricky endeavor. While natural light and a natural setting can be ideal in many model shoots, unpredictable weather has been known to shut down a shoot for days, at high expense to the companies involved. Fashion photographers always make a conscious decision regarding the virtues and pitfalls of shooting in a natural environment. 5. Expert Insight A 13- or 14-foot ceiling is also an ideal feature in a fashion photo shoot, as it opens up the feel of the room and creates a roomier environment for the people that will be walking about. Also, as simple as it may sound, always map out a photo shoot area ahead of time, ensuring there are a large number of available electrical outlets. There is no greater pain than arriving to a shoot with a bevy of lights but not enough power to supply them with. |
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| Fashion Photo Shoot Ideas A fashion shoot, according to the website Digital Fashion Photography, consists of many elements: a model, photographer, and stylist, plus makeup and hair artists. When you have a stellar fashion shoot idea, choose your model based on the theme. Make sure that you have a good model who can execute the shoot's aesthetic. There are many great shoot ideas that can you can customize and make your own. Clothing Style Choose a specific style of clothing to inspire your shoot. For example, you may want to use only black dresses or lace gloves. If you have four models, for example, have each model display a different dress or wear different gloves. This method allows each model to play with their personality and aesthetic. Though you are using the same sort of item on each model, the magic occurs between the model's unique sense of self and the general direction of the shoot. Juxtaposition Take your models to a specific location and juxtapose the setting against their fashion. For instance, you may want to have the models wear very futuristic outfits (silver usually helps achieve the futuristic look) and place them in an antiquated location, like cobblestone streets or plantation fields. Likewise, you could place your models in the busy streets of New York or a large city and have them dress in simple, country belle-style dresses. Decade Have your photo shoot set around a particular decade's fashion. Have the set transformed into the style of the decade as well, or shoot the models in the decade's fashion without a set. The 1950s saw many women wearing ponytails or beehives and high-waist skirts with cardigans. The 1920s had a definitive look of their own: short, wavy hair with loose-fitting silhouetted dresses. Do your research and make sure you understand the decade's fashion thoroughly. Use the website Fashion-Era.com to learn more about fashions. |
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| ●► How to Get Involved in Fashion Photography The fashion industry offers jobs in various areas. One area is the position of a fashion photographer. This is a great way to be involved in the artistic side of fashion and to make designer clothing into your own pieces of photographic art. 1. Know the fashion industry. To get involved in fashion photography the first thing you must do is have extensive knowledge of the industry. In order to be hired you must know trends designers and models. 2. Be social. Fashion photographers have to work with all kinds of people including the fashion designers as well as the models. Interact with these people. 3.Build up your photography resume. Fashion photography is a hard business to crack into because of the importance of a quality picture. Practice your photography on other things and book other jobs until you have a portfolio worthy of getting a fashion job. 4.Have a good sense of marketing. Being in the fashion industry especially as a photographer requires you to sell an image. You have to have the marketing savvy to get your pictures published. 5.Be flexible. The best way to get into the fashion photography business is by having a lot of experience which means taking any job offered to you. Even if it isnt your dream job be flexible and willing to work with anyone to show how interested you are. 6.Give good directions. As the photographer of the fashion shoot you must call the shots. This means you have to know where you want the lighting to be how you want the make-up done and how the models should pose. As the photographer you must be assertive. |
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