Want to Get Started With Fashion Photography? Here are 7 Tips to Help You

Fashion photography is one of the niche areas in photography. It involves taking photographs of fashion products that include clothing and other accessories. Fashion photographers need to present the fashion product or trend in such a way that it appeals to people who see the photo.

Fashion photography is not easy and requires a lot of effort. At the same time, it is not rocket science. All you need is basic photography knowledge and an interest in the subject. If you want to get started with fashion photography, we have useful tips for you. Follow these tips to get started on your journey to becoming a fashion photographer.

The Best Fashion Photography Tips

1. Get all the equipment ready

If you are into hobby photography, you can even shoot using your mobile phone. Fashion photography is a serious business, and you need good quality equipment to take professional photos. The following is a list of all that you need:

• You need a good quality DSLR camera. A full-frame camera is ideal. Look for a camera with an image stabilization feature and at least 42 megapixels. 
• You will need lenses for the camera. A prime lens of 50 millimeters is required. A telephoto lens is another useful accessory.
• You need a tripod to mount the camera to avoid shaking.
• Lighting is essential for fashion photography. You need a 5-in-1 reflector (32 to 42 inches). A softbox will offer the lighting source.
• Of course, you will need other things like memory cards, reusable batteries, a battery charger, a bag, a cleaning cloth for the lens, a cleaning solution, etc.

You can start by renting the equipment when you need it. Once you get established, you can look at investing in the best equipment.

2. Find the best models

Fashion photography requires models to wear fashion products and accessories. Before you choose the models, understand your client’s requirements. Also, know the target audience for the products. Your models should appeal to potential customers who would buy the products.

You can find models from agencies, but you need to pay them their professional charges. If you have budgetary constraints, advertise on social media. But the models you get will be raw and you need to prep them before the shoot.

3. Use different camera angles

In fashion photography, you need to take photos from different angles. Usually, you will take a straight shot at chest height. But this is not the norm. You can shoot from different angles depending on the kind of shot you want. If you want to capture the background, then consider a high shot. If you want to make the model appear taller, take a low shot.

4. Get them to pose

When the model wears the clothes or accessories, they need to pose for the photo. Start by asking the model to turn a bit away from the camera. Ask them to try out poses like:

• Tilting the head.
• Looking over your shoulder.
• Bringing a hand towards their face.
• Leaning on a chair or a wall.
• Turning away from the camera with 3/4th of the body being visible.
• Sitting while leaning forward or backward.

5. Location and background are important

Decide the location of the shoot (indoors or outdoors) depending on the product and the client’s requirements. Outside locations allow you to use natural lighting. However, the weather can play spoilsport. Shooting in busy places can be tough with people moving around. If you are shooting inside, book a studio to shoot peacefully.

Have an appropriate background that does not dominate. For example, if the clothing is bold then use a simple background. Else, you can consider a striking background. Experiment with the background to get the best effect.

6. Focus on the fashion

Remember you are not shooting the model, you are shooting the fashion. Ensure the fashion product, the clothing or the accessory is highlighted. Nothing should distract attention from the product. You may need to focus closely on the product and its design elements.

7. Editing is important

Once you take the photographs, you need to edit them before submitting them to the client. Download the photos onto your laptop and then review the photos. Take as many photos as possible, so later you can filter out the best. You then need to use good quality editing software (Photoshop, Lightroom). Crop the image to make sure the subject is highlighted. You can then correct the exposure to ensure clarity. Lastly, adjust the colors. Noise reduction, image masking, and white balance are other options you may want to try out.