1/12/2016

Skills A Clothing Photographer Needs

By Marie Barnes


To photograph apparel is totally different to taking pictures of landscapes or other objects. As a clothing photographer, you are required to have a particular skill set, where you need to be able to understand movement as well as structure. You need to know at the end of the day exactly what your image is saying to the person looking at it.

As someone who is photographing garments, you may actually be working closely with whoever designed those pieces. If that's the case, then you need to be very clear with designer about their aesthetic, or what is known as their brand image. A designer usually has a particular idea in mind that he or she wishes to convey to the consumer and it is your job to make that happen.

A photographer should first understand exactly what kind of clothing he or she is going to be photographing. This will then lead to the next steps of how to do it. Active wear will be depicted very differently from red carpet gowns, for example. The model, poses, expressions and setting are just some of the aspects that will change accordingly.

Apparel can be shot in studio or on location, meaning at an existing place rather than a set up. A studio shoot gives the photographer a little more control when it comes to lighting. Lighting is a major component of getting the right shot.

Shooting on location works well for creating atmosphere. This is particularly useful in cases where the apparel requires additional aesthetic in order to sell better. One example is swimwear or beachwear, which looks all the more enticing to the consumer when shot in a tropical setting that encourages thoughts of vacationing. Sports or active wear connects better with the consumer when placed in the relevant environment so the garment can be seen 'in action'.

Bear in mind, though, that not all clothing needs to be photographed in a way that says what it is for. If you are good at what you do, you can use elements like juxtaposition to make a statement that stands out from the rest. Putting garments in environments that they would not normally appear in can be quite an interesting concept, and would set a designer's work apart from the norm.

You may not even be interested in doing photo shoots, but still want to photograph outfits in action. This means that runway photography may be your calling, which is a huge market considering the numerous runway events that happen throughout the year. You would be photographing from the pit. You would also need to take several shots of the same outfit to ensure you have a good set of options to choose from that depict the garment as best as possible.

Runway photography is very important in fashion. It requires that you as the photographer understand timing and movement, as well as angles, in order to capture the perfect shot that will sell the outfit to the consumer. This is your chance to make a basic item look stellar and create sales for a designer.




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