|
With the economic downturn affecting everything we see, hear and do, it is almost impossible to decouple business and art. As a fashion photographer with an MBA in my bag, the marriage of photography and business has always been at the forefront of my vision and goals.
There are many elements to business within the photographic realm and it would take volumes to even attempt to cover them all. But fresh off my lookbook shoot for Thrive, I thought I might give my insight into the job of a high fashion photographer with respect to helping create a successful clothing line.
In an ideal creative world, artists would have free reign to explore their canvases. Painters could just paint, writers could just write, musicians could just play and photographers could just shoot. These acts are essential from not only a creative exploration standpoint but also as a way of portraying your skills and unique point of view.
These are the reasons you are hired and you should always stay true to your vision. But when working with a clothing line on a lookbook shoot, an agency on an advertising campaign, a development company for a product shoot… the key to success is finding a way to stay true to your vision while enhancing their vision. As they say, listen first, shoot second. (Not exactly sure who says that but if they don’t, I will.)
Find out what their vision is and they absolutely have one. If they are unable to articulate it, it is your job as the photographer or designer to help bring it out through asking the right questions, providing samples, test shoots, story boards...etc. Stay open and flexible to your ideas throughout the planning and photographic process. Create and maintain a truly collaborative environment with the clothing line, agency, stylist, hair/make-up artist and model. A shoot ultimately can only be successful if in the long-run it helps the company be more successful. And their success is the key to your success – assuming you like to be rehired. :) Listen first, shoot second. |
