Written by Menswear Style
in
Business
on the
16th December 2024
If you want to pursue photography as a career, the most sensible starting point is to choose a niche that makes good use of your strengths. For instance, if you’re a well-travelled individual, then being a travel photographer may help you successfully combine both your love for travelling and your eye for capturing the best moments of your journey. However, if you’re interested in working in trend-driven environments, fashion photography may be the perfect niche for you. This line of work will allow you to collaborate with designers, models, and brands to create visually compelling narratives together that, when launched into the public, will influence style, culture, and trends.
That being said, a portfolio is a must if you’re interested in starting a career as a fashion photographer. Having a strong portfolio will help you get more clients while also showcasing what techniques and styles you’re capable of. To help you set up your fashion photography portfolio and catch the eye of people in the fashion industry, here are some helpful tips:
1) Define Your Style and VisionÂ
Before building your portfolio, take the time to reflect on your unique style and artistic vision. Are you aiming to work on high-fashion magazine shoots or commercial campaigns that feature everyday wear? Establishing your niche will allow you to fine-tune your portfolio to reflect your strengths, all towards making a strong first impression. A clear style and vision also signals to clients what they can expect when working with you.
2) Include a Range of Themes and SettingsÂ
While it will be important to focus on your niche, you should also be willing to practise versatility within that niche—and to show that versatility within your portfolio. For instance, if you want to specialise in high fashion photography, include photos that feature various environments such as outdoor shoots, studio setups, and unconventional locations.
The studio setting is a good starting point for taking your best fashion photos for virtually any niche. If you happen to be around Los Angeles, book photo studio rental Los Angeles spots online so that you can demonstrate your flexibility in a controlled and well-equipped environment.Â
3) Highlight Your Collaboration SkillsÂ
Fashion photographers don’t work alone. If you aspire to be one, remember that you’ll most likely be collaborating with models, stylists, and even other photographers during the job.
Make sure your portfolio showcases your ability to collaborate effectively by incorporating work you’ve done with stylists, makeup artists, designers, and models. Caption your photos as well with a brief description of the project you took part in to highlight your experience in team-oriented environments, which happens to be the standard in the fashion industry.Â
4) Strive for a Professional-Looking LayoutÂ
No matter how stunning your photos may look, a portfolio with a poor layout still reflects badly on you as a photographer. The presentation matters as much as content, especially for a discipline like fashion photography.
Take care to use a clean and professional design for your portfolio to make it both visually appealing and easy for clients to navigate. Put some thought into the arrangement of photos you’ll include as well. Ideally, you’ll want to start with a captivating photo to hook viewers in, then organise the rest by similar styles or themes to give your portfolio a logical progression.
Avoid overloading your portfolio with filler images. A tight selection of your best works will leave a stronger impact. Always think quality over quantity when arranging your portfolio.
5) Include Behind-the-Scenes ShotsÂ
Including behind-the-scenes shots in your portfolio may seem contradictory to wanting to emphasise your best fashion photography works at first glance. However, these shots can actually give your clients a glimpse into how you approach shoots, thus adding a human touch to your portfolio.
These photos will also help build trust and demonstrate that you’re organised, professional, and easy to work with. Moreover, behind-the-scenes shots can also be used as a means to tell a story in your portfolio, allowing viewers to better appreciate the end product.Â
6) Create an Online Portfolio and Update it RegularlyÂ
Many fashion photographers still keep physical portfolios, particularly if they have offices that clients can visit. But it’s a must to have an online portfolio as well. If you have a website for your photography business, make sure it has a section for your portfolio so that people browsing can easily check your works. Ensure your online portfolio is also well-organised and is hosted on an appealing interface.
Include contact details and links to your social media accounts on your portfolio. Also make sure that you regularly update your online portfolio to showcase your improvement while also keeping it fresh.Â
7) Seek Constructive FeedbackÂ
Building a portfolio isn’t just about curating your best works; it’s also a means to seek out constructive feedback to help you grow as a photographer. Don’t be afraid to share your portfolio with industry professionals, peers, or mentors to get valuable insights on your practice.
If you’re still new to the fashion industry, those with experience in the field can suggest improvements in your photos to help them align better with industry expectations. Being open to feedback will also make it easier for you to revise your portfolio and make it as strong and impactful as possible.
As seen above, an excellent fashion photography portfolio is more than just a collection of images, but an ongoing project that is meant to highlight your talent, creativity, and professionalism. You’ll want every image there to reflects the best of what you can do and your potential as a fashion photographer. With the help of the tips above, you’ll be able to build a fashion photography portfolio that’s sure to catch the eyes of clients and major fashion industry players alike.