Fashion Photography, Some History

Magazines such as Allure, Vogue and Vanity Fair are known to display some of the best fashion photography that you will ever come across. Photography is a way of showcasing models wearing the trends in clothes, jewelry, sunglasses, hairstyles, necklaces, shoes and other items. The first known record of fashion photography was the portfolio of the Countess de Castiglione, Virginia Oldoini in 1856. The world's first fashion photographer was Adolphe Braun, as he was the one responsible for shooting the first fashion model. Spark and color were added to fashion magazines once halftone printing was introduced to the fashion photography industry. The first magazines to make use of fashion photography were the French magazines Les Mode and La Mode Practique.

At first, fashion photography consisted of staging the shoots in natural environments using natural poses. Baron Adolf de Meyer was the person who first developed and adopted this practice. In the first part of the 20the century, the magazines that were the leaders were Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. The moguls of the industry still pay tribute to the likes of Yva, Edward Steichen and Cecil Beaton, and George Hoyningen Huene. These were the individuals who help to establish fashion photography in Europe. Irving Penn, Richard Avedon and Martin Munkacsi made significant contributions after World War II.

What Is Fashion Photography?

With more and more people into photography and with more and more people wanting to have their own photo shoot experience these days, it's also likely that people have false or insufficient information about the various types of photography. Take fashion photography for instance. While it's true that many people have their own version of it, it's also possible that their idea or notion of fashion photography is insufficient or worse, entirely wrong. This, of course, is not good.

Hence, in order to clear things up about exactly what fashion photography is, let's take a look at its history, the fun and stylish details and even talk about the players involved in fashion. You might be surprised at what you will find out.

First of all, fashion photography is a genre of photography. It's not what photography is all about. It's just a sub-type of photography. From the name itself, one can deduce that fashion photo shoots has something to do with clothes, accessories, shoes and other fashion items. Because of its image of being "glamorous," "stylish," "fun" and even "lucrative," fashion photography has become an industry entirely on its own. Photographers involved in fashion are, of course, called fashion photographers. A lot of fashion photographers have already started and developed careers entirely involving fashion photo shoots. Several talented ones have already succeeded in this photography genre. Take note, however, that not all photographers can be fashion photographers. And this is for the simple reason that not all photographers have enough skill, connections, "eye" and - while this may sound rather odd for many - patience to last as a fashion photographer.