Allure and Illusion – What Fashion Photography Looks From the Outside and What it’s Actually Like

What Fashion Photography Looks From the Outside and What it’s Actually Like

Whenever I meet someone new, and I tell them that I work as a professional fashion photographer, the instantly assume that I live a party life, and I all I do is attend fashion shows and hang out with models. This is a common illusion about the fashion industry, and there was a time when it sounded like fun. However, now the only thing I want to do is take them down to work with me, and show them what it really means to be a professional fashion photographer. Yes, I love my work and it is amazing, but that does not mean I lead a party lifestyle.

There are days and weeks when I have to put in such long hours, that there aren’t enough hours in the day. But the only thing most people see is the image, that they feel that was just taken and then I just took off. I would like to set the record straight and tell you all that being a fashion photographer is not easy. It is a hard life, and it will take up most of your hours on most days. This is why you need to understand what you are getting into. Yes, attending fashion shows is great, but you have to stand amidst the best photographers and take the best shots humanly possible. With the lights changing, and each model rounding up, you only have a few seconds and a limited amount of space to get the best shots.

Even when you are in a controlled photo shoot, you have to plan for hours and days before you can even hit the set. And when you do, you simply just don’t waltz in and take images. You are required to be there from the start until the end, as it is your responsibility to make sure that each aspect of the shoot is perfect. It might seem like glamorous work, and it is. But just like other jobs mine too has a side that does not come up in my images, as the only thing you see as a viewer is a basic image. Not what goes on around the image, or what goes into creating the image that is being presented.

So the next time you see a fashion image, think about all the hard work and dedication that went into creating one single image. As at times it can take hours, to get the perfect shot that shows off the perfect feel, and gives out the right message. Each image matters a great deal, as it tells a story about what is presented in front of the camera, but there is no one that tells you about what goes on behind the camera. So the next time you assume something about someone’s career, you should take out the time to think about what their work really entails. As it does not matter what fashion photography looks from the outside world, it is a completely different experience and image when you take a walk on the other side.