About Fashion Photographer's Roles

From afar, the world of a fashion photographer seems like pure glitz and glam. You're either hobnobbing with supermodels or working with designers and companies like Calvin Klein and Louis Vuitton. But for every Herb Ritts or David La Chapelle, there are scores of photographers working behind the scenes at everything from commercial shoots to art installations. The roles of fashion photographers have opened up in the digital age, with do-it-yourself fashion websites making everyone with a Kodak and a pair of skinny jeans a published photographer.

History

Critic Aidan O'Rourke points out that the original intent of fashion photography was to operate as a catalog showcasing clothing for sale. In time, however, fashion photographers diversified their role, using the medium for self-expression and treating their profession as an art form. This art form extends back to the 18th century, when magazines featured hand-colored reproductions of the latest style. By the early 20th century, advancements in the fields of photography and mass printing allowed the form to flourish and photographers such as Baron de Meyer, Edward Jen Steichen and George Hoyningen-Huene came into their own, paving the way for the Helmut Newtons and Richard Avedons to come.

Types

Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot live the dream, traveling the world for fashion assignments. Pascal Dangin makes commercial work his bread and butter, but his focus is retouching fashion photos to make models look impossibly flawless. Mario Testino's photographs of designer-clad celebrities from Brad Pitt to Madonna sell at major New York galleries for up to $5,000. Other roles for photographers include working directly for fashion houses, assisting other photographers, and working on the set of television shows or films.

Geography

Established fashion photographers live everywhere from Ibiza, Spain to Moscow, Russia. Up-and-coming fashion photographers do not have this luxury, and typically locate themselves in or near the world's fashion centers of Paris, Milan, Manhattan, London and, to a lesser extent, Los Angeles. Other areas in which design and publishing activity creates promising possibilities for fashion photographers are Hong Kong, Sydney, Sao Paolo, Toronto and Tokyo.

Considerations

Fashion photography is a field that is opening up. Unlike some media careers which have suffered in the shift from print publishing to web-based media, fashion photography thrives in this arena. However, breaking into the field can be challenging. Many places will ask new photographers to work for free or for a low fee, with the enticement that they are building their portfolio. Some photographers circumvent this dilemma by creating portfolios while they're in school or doing an internship.

Expert Insight

Some media critics say that the role of fashion photographers is to push the envelope on style, rather than just photograph it. Terry Richardson is a prime example of a photographer who has made his career by creating work with rawness and shock value. Some people admire his grittiness, while others dismiss his work as merely a trend. Other journalists lament that the days of glamor photography have passed.

Resources

• Fashion photography gallery