2. Fashion photography is a genre of photography based on displaying clothing and other fashion
items. Fashion photography is most often used for advertisement or fashion magazines such as
Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Vanity Fair and Harper's Bazaar also worn by many celebrities such as Marilyn
Monroe.
Fashion photography is controversial to commercial photography where the emphasis on the whole
shoot is the product itself. Where as in fashion photography the emphasis does not lie on the clothing
garments but on the mood and styling of the image. The garments are just an accessory to portray a
certain lifestyle. Therefore the whole image is much more complex. Usually fashion photography is
designed to sell clothes by making them and the model look good. It has now become more of an
art often using dramatic images.
Where we see these images:
◦ Magazines – Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar
◦ Billboards
◦ Newspapers
◦ Models
◦ Online/ social media
What is Fashion Photography?
3. Where Did Fashion Photography Come
From?
Cameras and photography were created around the year 1830. The first pictures of a pretty woman wearing
fashionable clothes were made in 1856. These artworks were made by the famous photographer named Adolph
Braun.
Adolph created a photo-book for Virginia Oldoni, a noblewoman of the court of Napoleon III, who was the first
model in history to be portrayed in official clothing. The first fashion magazines created were Harper’s Bazaar (1867)
and Vogue (1892) that originally used images and sketches of illustrators (like Christian Bérard and Georges Lepape).
The first fashion photographer was Baron Adolphe de Meyer, hired by Condé Nast in 1913 to shoot experimental
pictures for Vogue; the images represented portraits of aristocrats, actresses and models wearing their usual clothing.
Fashion Photography During 1920s to 1930s
The rise of the fashion photography happened from the 1920s and until the 1930s. It started when “Vogue” and
“Harper’s Bazaar” conducted a competition for the best and perfectly captured photos within the fashion industry.
There were certain photographers named Edward Steich and Cecil Beaton who became famous and they gained
their popularity by being house photographers throughout these years. The competition continued until the 1940s and
the famous photographers for fashion photography at that time were Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon and Irving
Penn.
4. Techniques
◦ In fashion photograph you rarely see plain white or off-white backgrounds and the models
are usually styled very dramatically with thick eyeliners, dramatic eye shadows, or anything to
make them bold and stand out to help enhance the photo.
◦ With the increased complexity in styling also comes an increased complexity in lighting to
make the image look more dramatic. While many commercial photographers only stick with
one light for the model, fashion photographers tend to use a wide range of lights and lighting
accessories. During a fashion shoot some photographers use ten or more lights, however you
a dramatic effect can be achieved with only one light, for example when using a beauty
dish or an octabank.
◦ Fashion photography tends to use long shot photographs and the camera angle is
positioned so that the viewer can see the full effectiveness of the model and their clothing if
that’s what they are trying to promote. Moreover a lot of the models use direct eye contact
with the camera when having their photos taken in some ways to make what they are
wearing look more seductive but also to draw in the viewers attention.
5. These two photos show the comparison
between vogue models in the 1940’s and
today. In the 1940’s vogue model
photography was very formal, the models
dressed very appropriately and safe. They
had most of their skin covered, not much
body was every revealed taking a more
dignified modest approach to the way the
dressed. The colours were much darker/
duller. The models usually wore black
clothing.
Now days vogue model photography is much
more daring and revealing, with lots of skin on
show. They dress very adventurously. We now
experiment more and aren't afraid of
controversy. Now days Vogue models wear
much brighter vibrant clothing to help them
stand out. Women in 1940’s were more limited to
what was socially acceptable to wear, where as
in the 20th century fashion has changed and
women are able to express themselves freely.
Fashion Photography – Past& Present
Over the years fashion photography has changed a lot. These changed are due to these three main ideas:
• Technology – the use of more sophisticated camera equipment and the use of editing software such as Photoshop
enhancing and changing the way models look.
• Attitude – we now have a different idea of what is acceptable in society.
• Competition – in a crowded market there is more need to make photos stand out and look different.
Another example of how fashion photography has chan
ged over the years is the magazine “Seventeen”. In the
1940’s both the magazine design and the model were m
uch more plain and simple, in comparison to 2010’s editi
on which is much more cluttered and covered in text to
help it stand out on the shelf because of the increase in
competition.
6. Over the years as fashion photography develops we’ve became more open-minded and
society has pushed the limits of what’s considered acceptable.
Black people are now idolized on magazine covers in our aims to beat discrimination. As
women have earned more rights over the years, they now take control of their sexuality.
And Vanity Fair’s most iconic cover this year is a woman who used to identify as a man.
As shown in the example below Bruce Jenner is now Caitlyn Jenner and Vanity Fair aloud
this which back in the 1940’s would have been frowned upon.
7. Fashion Photography and
Photoshop Controversy
As technology evolves overtime, Photoshop editing has become a huge part of fashion
photography and has both positive and negative effects.
On one hand Photoshop makes the model/ product look better and helps enhance the
overall effectiveness of the photo. It is great for personal photos and creative photos for
many things, art etc. There is nothing wrong with altering a photo for a different effect, or
to get rid of unwanted elements in photos, or make certain colours stand out to promote
a product etc. Moreover Photoshop is great if your photo is blurred or distorted, editing it
can make it sharper.
Some people may argue that it is okay in some ways such as covering up a few blemishes
but altering their bodies drastically is wrong and Photoshop takes editing to far.
On the other hand some people may argue that Photoshop creates a false illusion and
impression on how we should look, resulting in teenagers for example have confidence
ad self- esteem issues convincing them to change their bodies to try and fit an unhealthy,
unnatural image e.g. size zero models; which is potentially damaging effects on young
women. Another point of view is that it gives a sense of false advertisement that most of
the models you see in fashion magazines such as Vogue don’t look like this in real life and
the product they are promoting is being falsely advertised.
8. David Bailey
David Bailey changed photography drastically in the 1960s.
Bailey began the 1960s with a contract with Vogue to become the decade's iconic chronicler with two defining portrait
publications.
Before David Bailey, the magazine photography was heavily stylised with a focus on elegance, shape and social aspiration.
The models were often photographed in gowns in stately homes or other classy environments.
Today this sort of style would appear out of context but at the time David Bailey felt this style didn’t reflect youth culture,
beauty or fashion adequately. Below are some examples of fashion photography in the 1950’s compared to when David
Bailey introduced his new approach to fashion photography. He gave his photos a more youthful and care free approach.
They focussed on a new social order that evolved from the decade
of change. Bailey was a leading figure in the Swinging Sixties
London scene and provided some of the inspirational model photos
we have today.
He used dramatic lighting effects and transformed British fashion
and celebrity photography. His work reflects the 1960s British cultural
trend of breaking down rigid class barriers by injecting a 'punk' look
into both clothing and artistic products.
Photo-
Henry Clarke
David Bailey’s model Jean Shrimpton, who’s looks were considered less refine
d than the models used for magazines such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar . B
ailey’s work with Shrimpton made her a key face of the 1960’s, moreover it cha
nged the approach to fashion photography for the future. Bailey embraced S
hrimpton’s movement within the frame and his photos of her showed true New
York scenes including street signs and passers by. This relaxed and realist appro
ach was completely new for publications who were used to showing aspiratio
n and class.
Jean Shrimpton by
David Bailey
9. Mario Testino
Mario Testino is one of the most influential fashion and portrait photographers of all time.
His photos have appeared in famous magazines such as Vogue and Vanity Fair and he has also made images for
popular brands such as Gucci.
Most of his photos are ‘out there’ with paint or make up on the model’s face this is shown in the photo below, he
also does classic ones in black and white.
◦ Testino’s work transgresses genders, mixes masculinity and femininity and suggests sensuality rather than sexuality.
◦ Suzy Menkes, Vogues international editor explains “Testino’s skill is first and foremost to catch the moment and
bring out the humanity in his subjects.”
◦ His subjects always appear confidently alive and he captures their energy by creating an openness and intimacy
with them. He is known for the fantastic way in which he can capture the most private moments. His spontaneous,
intimate portraits offer the viewer new perceptions of famous faces, often establishing new fashion icons.
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10. Landscape photography
What is landscape photography?
Landscape photography shows spaces within the world, some types of landscape photography images are vast and unending on the other hand
some images are microscopic (macrophotography)
Landscape photographs focus on capturing the presence and pureness of nature without any human influence or disturbances of landscape, however
as the world as drastically evolved by humans combining nature together with man-made objects can also be considered a form of landscape
photography. A landscape photograph is a section of scenery as seen from a single viewpoint. Scenery is the subject of a landscape photo. Even
though as I have previously mentioned people and animals are not shown in a landscape photograph, they are sometimes used if they are relatively
small in the image and have been included in the composition to show scale. For example taking a photo of a man stood in the foreground of a photo
looking up to a large mountain helps emphasis the size of the mountain in comparison to the man and adds depth to the image.
We mainly see this kind of photography in travel, some scientific and geographic media. One of the uses of landscape photography is it allows viewers
so capture nature and appreciate its sheer beauty as a whole. Some people lay not be able to witness it for themselves and landscape photographers
bring the wilderness and beauty to them as it is.
Landscape photos should have a purpose:
◦ Tell a story- A good landscape photo should connect with the viewer and tell them a story. It should be able to entertain the viewer within the
singular moment the photo was captured. It can remind someone of a certain point in time or period of their life.
◦ Landscape photography shows the beauty of nature consisting of mountains, deserts, rivers, oceans, waterfalls, plants, and animals etc.
Where is landscape photography seen?
◦ Magazines and books such as the National Geographic
◦ Websites Gallery's
◦ Newspaper/ brochures
◦ Social media
◦ Travel, scientific and geographic media
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11. How Has Landscape Photography Changed Over the
Years?
Landscape is no longer limited to just tree’s, mountains and beautiful sunsets. Once this largely dominated the
nature photographers such as Ansel Adams and Eliot Porter, but now has been taken over by scenes that
reflect human’s interaction with the natural world.
The physical landscape that has been photographed in the past has changed dramatically. What was once
there many years ago has now gone or been destroyed. The pristine wilderness is gone and some may argue it
has been spoilt but the destruction of man made features. The wilderness that remains in the world is
preserved and carefully managed by governments and even there are issues such as, clearing the trees' and
nature to prevent forest fires. Over the years landscape photography has became more personal, more
conceptual, and more minimal. All these factors were present in early photography. This personal sense has
stayed with it, but the conceptual and minimal elements faded out slightly.
In todays build up developing world we now have discovered “Urban Landscape”. These are photos taken of
the city in the manner of a landscape, using buildings and other man-made features as graphical elements of
composition that are treated in the same way the photographer would treat mountains and trees. Although
things that are kept the same are the scale in which the picture is shown. For example in bot instances there
may be a subject in a photo which helps show the scale of the rest of the photo whether that is a tree or a
man-made feature such as a sky scrapper. They are both long shot photos as well.
Before
After
12. Top Tips and Techniques for Landscape
Photography
12
These are some of the best tips when taking a landscape photograph:
• Natural and ambient lighting that is already present in the location of the photo.
• Timing is key when taking a landscape photograph, the best time to shot a photo is early in the morning or late
afternoon, with the worst light at mid- afternoon.
• Zoomed out long shot photos to show maximum detail and broaden how much of the photograph is taken to
get the full effect of the landscape this can be helped by using wide angle lens.
• Use a large depth of field to get as much in focus as possible. You can create depth by keeping all the different
elements of the image in focus. To do this you need to use a small aperture because this keeps objects in the
foreground and background sharp. Place your camera on a tripod (to stop your camera from shaking) when
using a small aperture, as less light will be entering the lens.
• Use the rule of thirds. This is where there are 4 lines, two lying horizontally across the image and two vertical
creating nine even squares. Some images will look best with the focal point in the centre square, but placing the
subject off-centre or on one of the intersections will create extra interest as it creates a pleasing layout.
• When shooting during the day you can use a smaller aperture of f/22 to capture a sharp detailed image. If you
are trying to capture movement of water or of people and birds, then use a filter to reduce the amount of light
going in and change he shutter speed.
• Another way to get an effective landscape photograph is to take a panorama. This is very popular among
landscape photographers and cityscape photographers. Panoramic photography is also known as wide format
photography, it is a special technique that stitches multiple images from the same camera together to form a
single, wide photograph (vertical or horizontal). The term “panorama” literally means “all sight” in Greek. This
way you can capture all the beauty of one location in one single photograph. Some multi- row panoramas
don’t always work for sunrise/sunset shots where light changes quickly and clouds move to fast, but single- row
panoramas are very effective for landscape photography.
13. Ansel Adams
◦ Ansel Adams worked long and effectively to preserve the wilderness. For 70 years Adams had an
active involvement and showed a true passion for natural landscapes. Wilderness has always been
for Adams “a mystique: a valid, intangible, non-materialistic experience.”
◦ Through his photographs he has touched countless people with a sense of that mystique and a
realization of the importance of preserving the last remaining wilderness lands. This inspirational
legacy of Adams‘ art constitutes his major significance as an environmentalist.
◦ Moreover, he was an important activist in the work of several conservation groups and had
personally lobbied congressmen, cabinet officers and Presidents on behalf of wilderness values.
◦ Ansel Adams was famous for his impressive black and white landscapes of the American West and
whose devotion to clarity and precision made him one of the best known photographers in the
United States.
◦ His black and white images were not “realistic” photos of nature. Instead, they sought an
intensification and purification of the psychological experience of natural beauty.
◦ He created a sense of the sheer magnificence of nature that infused the viewer with the emotional
equivalent of wilderness, often more powerful than the actual thing.
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14. Advertising Photography
What is advertising photography?
Advertising photography is used for promotional purposes rather than preserving a memory or telling a story like they do
photojournalism. The main purpose is to sell products to an audience and to convince them to part with their money for
something they feel they must have. On the whole advertising photography is broader than the more limited techniques used
in commercial photography.
The advertising photographer uses a wide variety of photographs to sell not only products but lifestyles, concepts and ideas.
The advertising photographer has greater creative freedom to interpret how products, services, lifestyles and ideas can be
presented photographically. Advertising photographers are often experts at marketing, layout, business management and
sales trends. An estimated 80 percent of all advertising campaigns use photography in order to promote their products.
Where is advertising photography seen?
◦ EVERYWHERE! Wherever you look in todays society adverts are everywhere you just cant escape from them. They have been
embedded so heavily in our lives, it is said we said around 2000 adverts each day but most of the time we don’t even realise
we are mentally taking note of them.
◦ T.V and Radio
◦ Magazines/ newspapers
◦ Bus stops
◦ Displayed on vehicles such as buses
◦ Broachers/ posters
◦ Food packaging
◦ Bill boards/ buildings
◦ Online websites /social media
◦ Racing car’s and drivers suits
15. What makes a good advert?
There are many important factors needed in order for an advert to be successful and sell products, here are the main ones
that I have highlighted as the most important.
◦ Make sure it’s memorable- you can do this by editing a photograph or a video so that its creative. For example the babies
street dancing and the photos being edited to look like it was them dancing instead of professional dancers.
◦ Doesn’t confuse or overwhelm the viewer – a picture immediately draws in the readers attention and can give away a lot
of information they are trying to put across without overwhelming the viewer with a lot of unnecessary text.
◦ Connects with its audience, their needs and desires- an image can evoke certain emotions in the viewer and encourage
them to buy the product. For example a chocolate cake by M&S, their adverts and photographs make the product look
more tempting and luxurious than it actually is making the viewer want to buy it by making it look delicious and to die for
in the advert. Or a advertising a new gadget that helps with back pain, the advert may connect with the reader as they
may be able to relate on a personal level to their pain.
◦ Includes a clear, prominent brand logo. The photo needs to haves some recognition of the brand so that they know who
has made it and where they can buy it from.
◦ Stands out from the rest- they’re so many adverts out there intertwined in our lives, bombarding our screens therefore it is
important that it looks different and stands out from the others or the customer wont be interested/ take notice in
something they have already seen and can get somewhere else. It needs to stop make them think or wow them into
buying the product.
◦ Unusual - this makes the product more memorable so the customer is more likely to buy the product if it is different and
something they remember previously seeing and where interested in buying.
◦ Makes you want to find out more- If the viewer is intrigued and likes what they see they are more likely to look into buying
the product and encouraging it to people they know.
16. Example of How Adverts How Changed Over the Years
Ford – 1970s Ford - Today
As you can see from the two photos above, Ford adverts have changed very dramatically from when they were promoting their ca
rs in the 1970s compared to today. Firstly in the 1970s the advert is very plain and boring with a simple background. It only has a pict
ure of the product it’s trying to sell. Whereas todays advert not only includes the car but an attractive young women leaning back o
n the car. They may have done this for two main reasons. One of which being to expand their audience and make the car more ap
pealing to women, whereas in the 1970’ it looks very manly and by including a women character in the photo it immediately engag
es females too. Also as the woman is attractive it may encourage women to buy the car because they think if they drive this car the
y may look as good as the women in the photo. On the other hand by including a good looking women it may attract the male au
dience for the sex appeal and she is stood very seductively which may draw in male attention. The advert from the 1970s had all att
ention on the one subject being the car whereas now days it is shared with a female character. Moreover in the 1970s photo the co
lours are much more plain and dark with mainly blacks and greys, in comparison to todays advert which is in high definition and the
picture is much more vivid and eye catching with the vibrant green; they have also got the lady' dress and shoes to match the car
which looks effective. In addition in the 1970s advert the photo is taken from a long shot so the viewer can see the full details of the
car, whereas in todays advert the photo is more of a close up photo shot and the camera has been taken lower down so it is positio
ned in an angle to make the car look bigger in comparison with the women and it’s reflecting in the sun with its wheels turned slightl
y to the side so it looks more professional and sophisticated.
17. Example of an Advertising Company
◦ One of the main advertising companies I came across and starting researching was BBDO. In 1891, a small
agency called Batten Company opened in a single room on Park Row in New York City. The company began to
develop and in 1928 merged with Barton, Durstine and Osborn. Hence the name BBDO. Today, BBDO Worldwide
is 15,000 people consisting of 289 agencies across 81 countries.
◦ They have been responsible for the filming of many famous, well-known adverts for popular companies such as
Pepsi Max and Samsung.
◦ For example for a one day only special Pepsi Max and AMV BBDO partnered with Uber to give London-
based Back To The Future fans the ride of their lives in a DeLorean– to celebrate the 30th anniversary of
Back To The Future II.
◦ In Back To The Future II, Marty McFly travels to the future, and orders a Pepsi Perfect from Café ‘80s. To
celebrate and remember the iconic scene on Wednesday 21st October 2015, DeLoreans transported
Londoners around town - with iconic Pepsi Perfect bottles and Pepsi Max on hand for the journey.
◦ All consumers had to do was enter the promo code “PEPSIMAX” into the Uber app to unlock the
DeLorean icon, giving them the chance to ride in the iconic ‘time machine’.
◦ Alex Nicholas, Senior Brand Manager at Pepsi Max says: “The ‘Pepsi Perfect’ scene in Back To The Future II
is an iconic moment in the film, and we wanted to give back to fans on Future Day. Giving consumers the
chance to ride in a DeLorean via Uber’s promo code.”
◦ This advert helped promote the brand “Pepsi Max” by connecting it to a will known and loved film, this
makes it memorable and people are more likely to but the product if it is a limited edition one time
special and they have a chance of getting involved in some unusually specular.
18. Portrait Photography
What is portrait photography and what are some of the techniques used?
Portrait photography is a photo of a person or small group of people that displays the expression, personality, and mood of the subject.
The focus of the photograph is usually the person's face, although the entire body and the background or context may be included.
In portrait photography the photo tends to capture the likeness of a person/ small group, where their face an expression is predominant. The objective of
the photograph is to show the likeness, mood and personality of the subject. A portrait photo often shows a person looking directly at the camera. Either
that or the subject might “gaze” where in the picture they are staring in a different direction to the camera so the viewer is curious to what they are looking
at, giving a sense of atmosphere. Wide-angle lenses are a great choice for photographing environmental portraits, where you want to show a person within
a specific context. However, wide-angle lenses used close-up will distort facial features and creative unflattering pictures. In portrait photography you also
get medium shot photos where some of the background is seen. Moreover you can get extreme close up shots where the photo tight that only a detail of
the subject, such as someone's eyes, can be seen.
A better choice for portraits is either a standard lens or a short telephoto lens. These will help to compress features and provide a more natural-looking result.
Portraits are usually close shot photographs the main focus being the subjects face, however you can get full body ones or long shot photos in group photos
to show context and show the mood of the photo.
What was life like before portrait photography?
Before photography people sat and had their pictures painted as a way to preserve their likeness. Drawings and paintings were the only visual record they
had, so portraits were highly prized. Only the wealthy could afford to pay an artist to paint their portrait. As the middle-class population began to wish for
their own pictures, the miniature-portrait was born. Silhouettes also became very popular.
Where do we see portrait images?:
◦ Art galleries
◦ Social media(selfies)
◦ Fashion
◦ Advertising
◦ Photo journalism
19. Formal and Informal Portraits
Formal Portraits
Formal portraits and informal portraits are very different. In a formal portrait photograph the person appears
formally dressed and is situated very specifically, looking directly into the camera. Formal portraits were
used when the camera was first came around in 1850s because the cameras weren't very high tech or
developed so the person had to stay in the same position for a long time before the shot was taken,
because the shutter speed was incredibly slow. Where as now days as technology has developed pictures
can be taken instantly. If you go to have a formal portrait done, you will be in front of a lighted backdrop,
with two or more lights aimed at your face to show more detail. The photographer may ask you to do
several different poses (they aren't natural like informal portraits) and will take multiple pictures of each.
Afterward, you can look at the pictures and select the ones you like best. It focuses on clearly showing
facial features and may be designed to highlight a certain characteristic of the subject, such as
occupation or personality.
Informal Portraits
Informal portraits on the other hand show the subject in casual natural poses, maybe looking away or
engaged in some activity. In an informal portrait the person is usually in any position and does not look
directly into the camera. The position of the hands and body language can tell the viewer alot about
informality or formality as well. Hands deep in the pockets and a relaxed position is definitely a lot more
informal than straight arms down to the side and a stiff body.
20. Formal and Informal Positioning
Formal balance can be described as symmetrical balance. This is where in the frame the
shot is so that one or more identical or similar subjects are repeated symmetrical on each
sides of a given point. By having equal visual weight in a photo it makes it look more
appealing and helps attract the viewer. You could do this by using the rule of thirds, this is
where you place the main subject of your photo off centre which creates a more
dynamic photo. Framing a subject in the middle of a portrait can help to reduce any
visual distractions a background may contain.
Where as in informal portraits they may have dissimilar features that balance each other
out on each side of the frame. The size of each element can be irrelevant, but it’s better
to have a larger element juxtaposed with a smaller element or elements to make an
effective composition. A well composed photo using informal balance is usually more
visually appealing to look at compared to a formally balanced photo.
21. Annie Leibovitz
Annie Leibovitz, is considered one of America's best portrait photographers, she developed her
trademark whilst working at Rolling Stones which is her use of bold primary colours and surprising poses.
In 1970 she took a job at Rolling Stone magazine. In 1983 she began working for the entertainment
magazine Vanity Fair. During the late 1980s, Leibovitz started to work on a number of high-profile
advertising campaigns. From the 1990s to the present, she has been publishing and exhibiting her work.
Her photographs for Vanity Fair varied from presidents to literary icons to teen heartthrobs.
Some of her work includes, an issue from the Vanity Magazine that featured a nude John Lennon curled
around his fully clothed wife, her photo of the former Beatle who was shot just hours before his death.
Many of her portraits for Vanity Fair covers are often controversial photos of celebrities. Demi Moore who
very pregnant and very nude and Whoopi Goldberg half-submerged in a bathtub of milk.
Known for her ability to make her viewers become physically involved in her work, one of Leibovitz’s most
famous portraits is of the late artist Keith Haring, who painted himself like one of his canvases for the
photo.
