Fashion

Constraints and challenges in photography aren’t disappointments. They are obstacles to be maneuvered towards and they increase creativity.

Sometimes, to grow as a photographer, you have to take two steps back to go three steps forward.

Finding inspiration for your next shoot can be difficult, but going for a vintage vibe can offer so many avenues with all the various eras to choose from. While it's nice to see Gen Z embracing the 90s, we don't often see much love for the 70s in popular media these days, but thankfully this world-famous fashion photographer found just the right props at bargain prices to produce something magical.

One of the best parts of photography, speaking from my own experience, is all the amazing creative people I have had the opportunity to collaborate with and all the great places I’ve been able to experience. In this video, Mike Gray really pushes the envelope by creating fashion images under harsh sunlight on a helipad.

Fashion photography is a team effort. You just can’t be the photographer, makeup artist, stylist, retoucher, assistant, and a whole crew by yourself. But how much should you outsource? Most photographers are happy to leave makeup to a dedicated specialist, but when it comes to retouching opinions differ. Some claim that retouching is solely the photographer's job as no one can convey the exact vision, while others choose to trust a professional.

So many photographers talk about testing, test shoots, and time for print (TFP), but what are these things exactly? In this article, I will explain my take on them.

Somewhere between Allen Funt and season 245 of Survivor, reality television has become the most popular genre of television. We’ve seen a handful of photography-centered shows, but not nearly enough. Frankly, even I got tired of watching the drama of America’s Next Top Model just so I could watch 10 minutes of photography. Thanks to Rankin and the BBC, we’ve been giving something much better.

As portrait photographers, we dream of great models, great light, and a great location. Well, this shoot quite comfortably has all three in abundance and required a helicopter to get there.

Photography, like anything, has its trends that rise and fall, seemingly at random. Except it never is at random, and the latest trend of film point-and-shoot cameras has seen a surge in the last few years.

Despite being a lawyer for 10 years in California and a former professor of Business Law at UCSD, I only recently started using contracts in my client portrait work. Here are the reasons why I wish I used them sooner and how they could benefit your business.

Every few years, some brilliant young mind at an ad agency decides that the best way to promote the imaging capabilities of the latest and greatest upcoming smartphone is to create a series of campaign images on the phone. At this point, it’s a convention but proves the point: “This camera is so great that anyone can take great images with it. You know you want to be that person!”

Great portraiture can be created with anything from natural light to a studio full of the most expensive equipment, but if you — like most photographers — are closer to the natural light setup than a high-end studio, perhaps this video might show you just what you can produce with one, cheap light.

The vast majority of fashion photographers have worked with nude models. A smaller minority work only with nude models. As a fashion photographer, I am often asked if I shoot nude models. While I find the question silly, it’s important to understand that nude photography is absolutely not fashion photography.

Planning any shoot can be intricate and stressful, but fashion editorials sometimes take that even further with the level of preparation you need. Well, here are some key tips on how to better plan that sort of shoot, with some behind the scenes footage.

Any genre has bad habits that people routinely fall into, and that includes fashion photography. This excellent video essay discusses eight common bad habits fashion photographers fall into, why they are bad, and how to avoid or fix them.

YouTube and photography blogs seem to be all stocked up with quick BTS videos these days. We see photographers swinging lights around and talking about post, but I don’t think we see enough of their thought processes. Here, with Nathan Elson, we get a little bit of everything.

With film's popularity on the rise, photographers shooting both film and digital is becoming more and more common.

Fashion photography often makes use of complex setups with multiple lights, but that does not mean you can't create compelling images using just a single light. This excellent video tutorial will show you four different ways to use a single light for creating fashion imagery.

The new flagship Canon mirrorless has an impressive spec sheet, even if some questions have been raised over its performance in some of the more cutting edge capacities. The question is, how is the ISO performance when put into testing environments?

A few days ago Patrick and I posted two images and asked you to vote on your favorite. What we didn't tell you was that one was taken with an iPhone and the other was taken with a Nikon D850. The majority of you chose the iPhone shot as the better photo.

Update: The results are in. Patrick and I are once again competing to see who can photograph the same model best. It's up to you to decide.

Back in March, Globe Newswire reported that the global facemask market is expected to reach $21.2 billion in sales by 2026. For many photographers, this represents an opportunity to try out a new revenue stream as other sources of income dry up. So, how do you get started selling face masks featuring your photos? We'll take a look at a few vendors on the market.

Drug and alcohol addiction often go hand in hand with art. Painting has Van Gogh and Pollock, poetry has Coleridge and Ginsburg, music has The Beatles and Jim Morrison, and novels have Burroughs and Welsh. I was, however, surprised by how little information I could find about photographers’ substance abuse. Where are the in-depth books about photographers that were inspired or crushed by their addictions?

Known for his fashion and royal wedding photographs, Alexi Lubomirski is looking to change how the world views him. And this starts with his title. Perhaps pigeonholed as photographers, we should all be looking to adjust how the world views us. Do you express your creativity outside photography?

So, I went ahead and launched a virtual model agency. Let me tell you about Gen V.

Over the last few years, we've increasingly and very publicly questioned our behaviors, our politics, our history, our heroes, our statues, and our art. It's only reasonable that we question our photography idols. Where do Helmut Newton's hyper-erotic photography and his ruminations on power fit into our new world?

Shooting in hard natural light can be extremely difficult, especially when you're photographing bright, white clothing. Join me in breaking down how I got the shot, and pick up some tips for shooting a similar image!

In striving to become a better photographer and business owner, I’m always trying to learn more about how others have found their way to success. I recently had the chance to speak with Natasha Gerschon about her journey. Gerschon was more than happy to share.

One sign of a good photographer is their ability to make something out of nothing, and finding locations that work well for shooting fashion and portraits can be hard work — until you know how. Photographer Julia Trotti runs you through some great advice on how to find and create the perfect spot.

When it comes to photographing models, a comfortable subject can make for exceptional photos. Making your subjects feel like they are in a safe and welcoming environment will make your photoshoot a successful photo set for both your portfolio and the models. As a photographer, it is your responsibility to make the subject of your images feel comfortable and in a safe space.