Fashion Photography Workshop

Place: studio 4
Date: 08.02.10
Tutor: Adrian

First of all...LCC do smth with the heating! Poor little students trying to keep warm but still listen to Adrian - that was an image of our morning =D

OK, now about the workshop...I looved it! Adrian gave a lot of practical pieces of advice and even brought 3 make-up artist to our class so we could get their contact details! Girls were lovely and open to work together ;-) Building portfolio is awesoooome!))



We've been showed a slideshow of beauty shots.
Adrian:
"Here you could see cross session of mainstream fashion photos. What makes them so strong? Well, of course, styling is important. Make up is critical. Without it 70% of fotos couldn't be so good. Choice of the right model is crucial for sure. And all these elements come together. You don't have to do a lot of photography here.
You start on lightning, mood, atmosphere. What is important is your ability to put all the elements together! ANd then put your individusl statement. BUILDING TEAM OF PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER- work of a photographer. Coordination of all to make it work, production skills.
When beggining your work in this industry what you can do is to go to a model agency and show our portfolio and if your style is close to their one it can work. So look for their style first, look at pictures, models, style they re interested in. That will be a start what you are looking for.
Usually agencies have so-called "new faces devision". Models there are building their portfolios. So you can go for them.

Working with agencies you need to have flexibility. They can ask u to do photos you don't like, for example. So ry to have couple of photos they want.

-Good hairdressers are important for your teamwork too.
-You have to have a back-up cause if a girl u want to shoot have work this day u can't complain.
-The pictures you make can be used only for your portfolio.

There are a lot of online agencies. Good place to start(modelmaihem.com, onemodelplace.com.) There are 3-4 large online agencies. You have to try to find good ones. There you need to submitt some of your pictures. Response from good pictures would be musch bigger (hello again captain obvious). You also can find make-up artists there.

So you can ask 2 models to come for the photoshoot(this way one of them is a back-up model) If both models come, shoot worse one fast and spend main part of the time wirh better one ( we're eeeevil ;-) )

Don't forget that you NEED to make contacts. It's all quite into link. And don't get paeanoid on copyright. It's fine, that's why you've done the pictures: model, stylist, make-up artist - they are gonna use photos and get on with it, build up a team.

You need to work close to the stylist.

BEWARE ( CHEATING TIP) : You can borrow stuff from the shop and then return it saying that it doesn't fit.

NETWORKING TIP: there is a fashion styling course at LCF. Go thee, talk to the students. You need to be involved in business, to know whats going on.

Next week is fashoon week in London. There are a lot of alternative fashion shows which you can visit. Young designers will make their shows and that's a good chance to network. Do keep an eye on styles, who do what. every top make-up artist go to shows.

Buy magazines!
Places to buy good stuff: frank's books shop -fashion book store, oxford street. Get all trendy fasion magz, free magz. (cheep ones you can find at headen garden market, white cross streer at the big second hand magz store). You have to feed your creative ability. More magz u look at - more creative you're becoming. You can also use libraries at UAL for this.

And remember it's a tough business (no, really? O_O ) . And there is not so much money in it ( foooooooock....). Everybody pays nothing for working in magazines. And it started long ago. Everybody just did it for nothing when magazines didn't have money to pay photographers for this work. And now magz dont want to pay. Photographers contribute. And you have to deal with it. Sometimes you submitt your photos and just hope they'll use it.

BUT don't do it for nothing for too long. There is a limit and you need to find some area to get money from and fashion photo can be fed on miney from it. You need to work on balance between commersial and artistique photography. If you get work from commercial magazines they'll pay you.

Working with free models:
Free models either can or cant (O_o). But remember that they're becoming better from shoot to shoot (O_O). You have to direct them if they don't have an experience (are we STILL talking about photography here???). But some of them work fine in just a work flow. And male models are probably easier to work with. They aren't so obsessed about themselves and don't spend all their time looking into the mirrow. And cause there is bigger demand on female models it's easier for beginner photographer to find a guy model than a girl model.

Then make-up artists came to the studio. We looked at their portfolio works and took their contact details.

alicia-jade@hotmail.com

rachel starbuck 07828131626

lena ostholm 07910942619
lena_80@hotmaol.com

And here you can try to get some work as guys need photographer on LFW:
linnea@renaissancelife.co.uk

After that we've been showed the sideshow again and started to discuss what makes them such strong shots.

I did couple of notes till my beloved smartfone switched off (that's just a life, baby)



Comments: why is it so good: androginous look, messy hairstyle which is so difficult to make though it looks like you just wake up. Interesting lighning from below works perfectly here. Low lightning gives drama. White background with strong back light.



Comments: why is it so good: mainly because of make-up and powerful face. Simple light made with umbrella or softbox and reflector probably. Colours are washed out.

Tip: Tear out photos u like from magz to show to a person. stick into the folder so when you need to make model what you want you have smth to work on.



Comments: why is it so good: This shot is lit from above. Light is hard cause you can see harsh shadow under the lip. Probably for this shot round matted metallic head was used (jusr above camera lens).



Comments: why is it so good: for this lightning ring had been used probably. Maybe small one. Glamorous oily looking skin can be made with using straight light which will give you shine.

IN CONCLUSION: Why time flies so fast, I want MORE information, MORE MORE MORE! =D My only desire after that workshop was to attack all magazines' stores in London, to be honest with you =D
So, boys and girls, next week is FASHION LIGHTNING WORKSHOP! Can't wait to see you all there ;-P

And couple of fasion shots I found on the web, just cause this is my blog and I can publish whatever I want here. :-p