Photographic Genres

Photographic Genres:
Fashion:

Fashion photography is a genre of photography devoted to displaying clothing and other fashion items. High-Fashion photography is most often conducted for advertisements or fashion magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, or Elle. High-fashion photography is used on mainly fashions that are produced by the leading fashion houses e.g. Yves saint Laurent, Chanel, Versace est. High-fashion photography are usually featured commercially, in magazines or campaigns to promote the brand name; advertising the brand name/label. I think high-fashion photography enables you to get creative, as the majority of photographs are “out there “and almost unusual. I think that this works extremely well as the viewer’ seem to be drawn to this type of image, finding it almost intriguing. Creativity in a high-fashion photography shoot is a must due to the eccentricity of many of the fashions, an interesting location or photographic style is necessary.

 Commercial photography involves taking photographs for commercial use e.g. in advertisements, merchandising and product placement. Commercial photography also used in corporate brochures and leaflets, menus ect. Commercial photography is used to promote or sell a product or service. 

In regardes to location overtime fashion photography has developed its own aesthetic in which the  clothes and fashions are enhanced by the presence of locations. In location photography all images in the series have a common interest within the location that fits well within the fashions that are being featured. 

Studio photography is photographs taken in a studio, where you have complete control of the environment e.g lighting props... Studio photography images are often used for commercial purposes.

Portraiture:

Portrait photography or portraiture is photography of a person or group of people that displays the expression, personality, and mood of the subject. Like other types of portraiture, the focus of the photograph is usually the person's face, although the entire body and the background or context may be included. With portrait photography I find that capturing raw emotion in a persons face is all you need. Portrait photography can be used in collaboration with fashion photography, in the sense that you can use a models face in order to project or represent what it is that is meant to be sold. Whether that is a style all together, or one particular fashion. Portrait photography could also work incredibly well with  political or documentary photography (requiring a model) As political issues or campaigns worth documenting requires raw imagery to get their point across to the viewer. This kind of imagery could be used as an eye-opener towards what ever cause it is that is trying to gain awareness for. 

There any different types of portraiture that can get very different outcomes: Traditional or Classical portraiture would refer to an image where face is the predominant element. The purpose of the photograph is to depict visual representation of that person. Subject is expected to be looking directly at the camera. With what is described as a head-shot, two thirds or full body framing can be used. The term Environmental Portrait refers to an image where the subject is photographed in person’s natural environment. For example, a worker photographed at the construction zone, teacher in the classroom, sculptor in a sculpture studio and so on. Surroundings are used to compliment the subject and to emphasize his character. Subject and setting are chosen by the photographer.

Still life:

Still life photography is the depiction of inanimate subject matter, most typically a small grouping of objects. Still life photography, more so than other types of photography, such as landscape or portraiture, gives the photographer more leeway in the arrangement of design elements within a composition. Still life photography can be interpreted into almost all other genres of photography

Political and documentary photography:

Political and documentary photography usually refers to a popular form of photography used to chronicle both significant and historical events and everyday life. It is typically covered in professional photojournalism, or real life reportage, but it may also be an amateur, artistic, or academic pursuit. I think that through political or documentary photography the purpose is to get the viewer to see a story or cause through imagery. Because of this the photographs have to be powerful and informative as well as being imaginatively creative as to please and entice the viewers. 

My Proposal

Proposal:

Through researching multiple genres of photography I have decided to incorporate both portraiture, fashion and still life photography in the form of diptychs, using colour as the common factor in the two photographs. 

The fashion side will be incorporated with the still life. I want to use fashion articles (Clothing, footwear, accessories) as one side of my diptych; using articles of the same colour to create the shot using interesting compositions I think that this would be very successful as editorial as well as high fashion photography perhaps used in magazines, posters and other editorial/commercial photography. 

For the other side of my diptychs I will be using a model sporting something with the same colour (make-up, clothing...) as the still life diptych in order to create a common interest. These photographs will be taken with the idea of portraiture and fashion photography in mind. 

From my researching photographers recently, I gathered inspiration from the contemporary photographers Waldemar Hansson and Emily Soto. I find the vintage almost aged style brought into modern photography to be a big influence in the style that I want to use within my own photographs during this project. This style of photography to myself seems almost fantasy like whilst still having a strong place in high fashion. I would like to experiment in this project with composition, lighting techniques as well as after editing to create the modern finish that I am looking for.

I am hoping to work primarily in digital form as to create more leeway to after editing to help influence the fantasy/high fashion style I am going for. Although I will also include film based photography as to evidence a more experimental side to my chosen genres, even if I don't use them in my final pieces of work.

Developing my Ideas:

Developing my ideas:

To help towards developing my ideas I am wanting to experiment digitally (using photoshop) Including layering, colour casting, and just general editing. To ensure I know what areas I need more work in or to help increase my knowledge of I will need to do further online research in order to see what I can do to make my photographs successful to the style I  am after. 

Another thing I've thought to research further on in still life photography seen as I haven't used in much in the past, I've wanted to extend my knowledge on what it takes to make a successful image as well as still life purely in fashion photography. I have only previously dabbled with this type of photography I found it successful in the past.









As I am wanting to use diptychs as my final photographs I think it's necessary to research into this further in regards to what other things can link to the two or more images, and what kinds of these links are used in different types of photography primarily the genres I have chosen: still life, portraiture and fashion and if these genres can be successfully combined. 

Still Life Photoshoot

Still Life Photo shoot: 

This still life shoot was completed to help myself as a photographer incorporate still life into my chosen genre. I found still life merged with fashion photography was the best way to go with this as I find that still life in fashion photography is a great substitution for live models, as I think this could be a more creative form of fashion photography in regards to composition and personal style. 

My first Image I have chosen from this shoot is of a pair of shoes, I think that this particular image was successful and to the criteria I was trying to meet. I found that using a prop "the tape" not only worked extremely well with the product but also draws the viewer into the image in the form of leading lines from the bottom left hand corner. Overall I found this image to be successful as a still life fashion photograph.

I found this shoot successful, as I amwanting to use still life in my final shoot I fund this task beneficial as it gave me an insight to what I might need to do to make that shoot successful.

Presentation reseach

For this project I have extended research on different ways to present my final work. Through this research I have come to a firm decision on how I am going to present my work. A few techniques that I've come across are: 

Simply mounting your work/photographs on paper or card is a rather simple yet clean and effective way in which to present your work to your peers. This can be used for series of images as well as a singular photograph. If completing a series the images must have some form of common interests this could be found through genre, colour, or just general style.

Magazines/Books/E-zines I have found have very positive feedback, as editorial presentations are more easily accepted and more commonly viewed. Physical prints give the viewer the choice to take the magazine on the go which may appeal to several people. With online magazines/E-zines I find that this approach to presenting will appeal to more people as they are cheaper to sell and create and can include many things that a physical magazine can't such as videos, slides ect.

I think that presenting with a Power Point Presentation, is a strong and informative way in which to get your images across. 

With this research I have decided to go with an E-zine created on the website Joomag. I have chosen a magazine because I think I it fits incredibly well with the fashion side of my project, and will also give me a greater understanding into how my target audience will view it and what will appeal to them. 

Target Audience

Target Audiences:

Portraiture was first used for upper class families almost as another way to add status although now it could be widely used for less serious matters for example: creating memories, for gifts, some are just simply taken for ID purposes. Portraits are  easy, cheap and quick to achieve. I think that portraiture is not appreciated by just one genre but appreciated widely through many. 

Fashion photography targets someone that has a general interest in fashion. Depending on the subject for example: clothing, shoes, for male, female or children different ages, it is typically someone that have an interest in trends and the fashion industry as well as people who want to look for inspiration and general styles. It's the type of fashion, that creates a different audience, high fashion products will usually be the focus for higher class viewers as the product is usually that product of a leading fashion house. Commercial fashion is less competitive and viewed my most through magazines and for online shoppers.

Portrait Shoot Plan:

Date and Time: 

I would like to complete my shoot during the afternoon as for this shoot I am not wanting to use any artificial light. I believe a good time to get this is with shooting midday. 

Style: 

The style of my shoot is portraiture incorporated with fashion, I have decided to use some of the props/products used from my previous still life shoot, to create a link with the two. When researching different genres of photography I discovered a type of photography I wanted to use. Using my model in her natural environment so I will have my model act natural in regards to facial structure and body positioning as I think this will create a strong finish. 

My model will wear simple clothing as not to take focus from the product I place in there; fur coats, make-up and other clothing and accessories I will have on hand. Unless configuration with my shot I will have my model have natural hair and make-up, again not to draw too much attention and steal the focus.

Location:

For my location I will be using a natural outdoors area by my models home so that she feels like she is in her natural environment. Also I will be using a coffee shop as a location as I think that having a little something more going on around my model gives the feeling that it is more natural and not posed,

Time frame:

My time frame for these images will consist from midday onward, making it quite flexible. 

Equipment:

For this shoot I am going to need to take, my camera and spare batteries as well as a spare memory card just in case. I will also be bringing along my props used from my still life shoot.