Most serious photography hobbyists tend to show interest in Fashion Photography. In fact, it is usually a photographer's ultimate dream; to be a celebrity fashion photographer.
Yet, not many quite understand what Fashion Photography really is ... or how to capture images worthy of being considered fashion material.
That is true, for fashion photography is not capturing images of a pretty model dressed up randomly just for the sake of snapping a few picures. Fashion photography is all about the design; be it a garment, a gown, a top, skirt, accessory, shoes or even a piece of furniture. Showcasing the design flawlessly is of essence. Of course, the aforementioned elements must be designer pieces for it to qualify as Fashion.
There are four main categories in Fashion Photography:
1. Beauty: Used mostly for advertising cosmetics, makeup, accessories or jewellery.
2. Catalogue / Lookbook: A series of images showcasing the collection released by a Fashion Designer usually shot on a clean white backdrop.
3. Advertorial: Use of fashion designer pieces in adverising a product.
4. Editorial: A fashion shoot organized specifically to be submitted for publication - usually to a magazine.
In order to get into Fashion Photography, you'll need to reach out to a Fashion Designer (probably a fresh graduate) and collaborate to create content for them. This will provide you the opportunity to work with unique pieces and some exposure in your local market.
Don't forget that Fashion Photography is one of the most demanding fields of photography. You need to perfect your techniques and skills to create images that reflect the designer pieces perfectly; colour, embroidery, cuts, shapes and patterns.