Fashion photography is a glamorous and exciting career. It is diverse in nature and entails shooting product photography for selling online, studio shots, lifestyle photographs of clothing, and high-fashion editorial photoshoots with makeup artists and supermodels. If you are interested in a career in fashion photography, you should be aware of the basics first to get started.
Bruce Weber photographer tips for beginners in fashion photography
Bruce Weber is an iconic name in the world of fashion photography from the USA. He is extremely talented, and his vision defines an epoch. His photographs for prominent fashion houses like Ralph Lauren and Calvin during the 1980s and 1990s were outstanding examples of fashion photography. They are some of the most iconic photographs of the 20th century and are considered to be high art.
Initially, he studied theatre at Denison University in Ohio before he started his career in fashion photography while studying film at New York University in the 1960s. He had a chance to meet with Diane Arbus at Greenwich Village. She was a popular figure of street photography in New York, and she became an advocate of his work. She introduced him to the New School for Social Research, where he trained under the Australian-born photographer Lisette Model who was Arbus’s teacher too.
Today the Bruce Weber photographer images and collection are displayed in prominent art galleries and museums in the USA and Europe.
Beginner tips for practicing fashion photography
The following are some beginner tips to help you get started with fashion photography-
- Practice as much as you can
According to him, practice is the key when you want to start a career in fashion photography. He recommends you should practice by yourself to gain the confidence you need. Begin with casual shoots, and you can use a friend as your model. You will improve the quality of the photographs with practice, from the styling to the lighting.
- Use what you have for clothing and fabric
You do not have to worry about the right clothes in the beginning. Just take a fabric and wrap it around the model. You can use household items as props, and if you can make something outstanding from what you have, this is your first step to success. Also, focus on how the cloth is draped on the model, and when you are taking close-up shots, check whether the model’s face has wrinkles that need to be covered up.
- Accessories for the shoot
For accessories for the photo shoot, besides your camera, the backdrop, and light source, get a white sheet and shoot indirect natural light. Use a window that helps this light to come in. In case you are photographing yourself as a model, keep a tripod handy. You should start simple and remember these easy tactics to help you over time to progress.
One of the most important Bruce Weber photographer tips is to be patient. Practice will make you perfect. It is prudent to study the works of prominent fashion photographers to get the inspiration you need for an exciting career in the future.