4 Essentials Qualities To Becoming a Successful Professional Fashion Photographer

Over my career as a professional fashion photographer I often stop and wonder to myself, how am I different? What qualities do I have that are conveyed through my images. Is just having a good eye enough? No! It’s more than that. Below I list, some of the main qualities that you bring to a shoot that will make you a real fashion photography success. .

1 Don’t Act Sleazy

When asking the average person on the street about being a professional fashion photographer, somehow one of the top reactions that comes up is ‘someone sleazy’ (maybe Terry Richardson has something to do with it). So it might sound obvious, but when it comes to working with models, you can’t be sleazy.

Once on a fashion shoot I knew the fashion model was a bit modest and did not want to show too much skin. There was one outfit that showed a bit of nipple and I knew it would bother the model. I could see all the guys around getting excited, and being, well, a bit sleazy. I told the model and I showed her one shot because I didn’t want her to see it later and get upset. She appreciated this and we dealt with the issue. We got a band-aid and covered her nipples. She was so thankful that the rest of the day we actually made jokes about her boob boo.

We are all in the studio for the same reason - to get the job done. Fashion models have their job to do and they deserve our respect. Maybe some models are less than modest but that does not mean you can be unprofessional.

2 Be A Good Listener

You want to get the most out of the model on a fashion shoot. So there needs to be a connection, something that me as the photographer can evoke from the model. So, I enjoy sharing a coffee at the start of the day with the model and talking with them as a person and not just treating them as an object or another prop. I always try to give the model a glimpse of who I am and in return (most of the time) they share back with me. This makes the day much more comfortable for both of us. It can be a fine line when being a bit personal with the model, but I have always achieved better results doing this. My clients can definitely see it in my images.

3 Have A Sense Of Humor

Making images is not only work but, as professional photographers, it also something that we love to do. Some days are harder than others but keeping a sense of humor can turn a bad day in the studio into something magical. I have seen this time and time again. As the fashion photographer, whether for editorial or advertising, it is my responsibility to set the mood. Why not laugh and smile all day, it’s better than being a tight ass. As a professional photographer, I am thrown into a new situation everyday, with a new cast of characters and nothing breaks the ice better than a good laugh or an endearing smile. I love working with people and the ability to make people comfortable with a laugh or a smile is just as important as the camera or other equipment that I choose.

4 Be Honest And Ethical

I cannot count how many times my honesty and strong sense of ethics has lead to a great portrait or outstanding image. If I think something is not right, it’s my responsibility to make it right. I have seen so many people be rude or disrespectful on a photo shoot and I just can’t ignore it.

A client once asked me if I could make the fan blow so the model’s skirt would go up just a bit more. I thought to myself ‘now why would he want that?’ and I quickly realized that the model was not wearing any underwear. I really felt bad for her because she had no idea what was going on. She was doing her job and was making sure that there were no panty lines. To say the least, the client was so far from being professional at that point that I stopped and walked over to the model, and asked her to put something on. Then spoke with the client and I told him that if he wanted a strip club I knew a great one that was just down the street and we could go after the shoot. Everyone was happy the model had panties and I paid for the beers.

It might seem hard to do, but trust me the final product, the image, will be so much stronger and so much more believable when your integrity is upheld and you focus on the image with a clear head.

Your Turn!

What qualities do you bring to the a fashion photography shoot and how have they made an impact on your shots?

4 Unforgettable Lessons Learned From Finding the Perfect Location for an Editorial Fashion Photography Shoot

I’ve always loved old dilapidated buildings. It does not matter to me if it’s in a city or out in the countryside. I love the raw feeling about them, the mystery of what happened to the site, why it has gotten to this condition and always how will it look as a backdrop/location for one of my fashion shoots. There is something deep inside me that draws me to them. Every time I drive past one I quickly try and figure out how would I get inside the building. I find something very sexy about old broken down buildings I don’t know why but I do.

Lesson #1: Find the Perfect Location, THEN Worry About Your Gear

Anyway, I had made contact with a local modeling agency, Yuli Models, and we agreed that I would use one of their models for a fashion shoot that I wanted to do. I was new to Tel Aviv and had no idea of the area, no access to a studio so I decided to take it on location. A studio was not the only part of the production that was missing, rental equipment was practically non-existent, I was like a fish out of water. Putting together a fashion shoot in New York City is so much easier but I was determined to do it.

Lesson #2 Trust Your Feelings to Find a Location

As I said I had no idea of the Tel Aviv area. I had never shot on location here. So I first set out looking for my location for this fashion shoot. I am not sure if I could really see it in my mind but rather feel it in my body. I was looking for something that I would only know once I saw it, the location would have to talk to me.

Lesson #3 Don’t Let Carrying Heavy Gear Affect Location Choice

Funny cause the location that I finally choose was a pain in the ass to get to. I had to carry all of my gear, all of the models cloths, the hair and make-up stuff and all through sand. It took 45 minutes of back and forth to the car to get everything to the location. Out of the sites that I scouted this had to be the hardest location to get to. I guess I did not want to make my life easy. I always take the hard way even when it comes to locations.

Lesson #4 Location Shooting Can Be Full of Surprises

I rented a few lights, a brand that I had never heard of and cannot even remember the name. Trust me when I tell you they were very cheap and did not sync with my camera. I was shooting digital and I guess it had something do to with the electronic charge that was causing a sync problem. Fortunately for me I had a little on-camera flash that would give me fill light and a large silk to defuse the hard sun light. It was a day full of surprises at every turn. As a professional photographer I have learned to keep my cool, solve the problem and get the shot.

The end result was that everyone was happy with the images, the model, the agency, hair and make-up and most importantly, me the photographer.

Your Turn!

What have you gone through to find the perfect location for your shoot?

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