<p>Sandesh Jayakar confesses that it was a gorgeous camera — not a glamorous model — who lured him into fashion photography. <br /><br />“An SLR camera gave me focus in life,” says the Mumbai-based photographer. “Everything I focused on looked beautiful. After a visit to a photo exhibition, I was hooked,” he gushes.<br /><br />Fashion photography is essentially about selling a brand, a label or a trend. The essence is in shooting images that grab the eyeballs. If your images have recall value, then you can call yourself a success. Fashion photography largely involves shooting for advertisements, posters for clients, catalogues of new collections, etc.<br /> <br />Where to study<br /><br />There are several photography schools in India and abroad. There are diplomas and short-term courses as well as regular, full-time courses on offer. Fashion schools also offer fashion photography as an elective subject. Another way to learn the art is to assist an already established photographer on his projects. <br /><br />Some Diploma and Certificate courses available in India are offered by: <br /><br />Film and Television Institute of India, Pune<br /><br />*JJ School of Art, MG Road, Fort, Mumbai<br /><br />*National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi<br /><br />*Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad<br /><br />*Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi<br /><br />*Academy of Photography, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata<br /><br />*National Institute of Photography, Mumbai<br /><br />*Shari Academy of Professional photography, Mumbai<br /><br />Career scope<br /><br />Fashion photographers usually begin their career as assistants to established photographers. You could also approach magazines, newspapers, fashion houses and garment and textile industries. Finding work as a freelancer is a common trend in this field. Your income could vary depending on the size of the project. Insiders say Rs. 9,000 for a catalogue shoot is a reasonable fee, to begin with. Freelance photographers, who take on projects that stretch up to a few weeks, charge Rs 8,000-Rs 10,000 a day.<br /><br />Required skills <br /><br />Photographers must be skilled when it comes to lighting and body angles. <br /><br />A strong visual imagination, an eye for detail, attention to colour, shapes and shadows are important too to create the right image. <br /><br />Varun Rawat, a fashion photographer who works in Delhi, says: “You must be able to translate a client’s artistic vision into a photograph. You must also possess strong interpersonal skills because a fashion photographer is often called upon to lead teams of stylists, make-up artists and other fashion professionals.”<br /><br />Making a portfolio is very important. Madhur Shroff, a Mumbai-based fashion photographer, advises freshers to build a portfolio by test shooting friends or aspiring models. </p>
<p>Sandesh Jayakar confesses that it was a gorgeous camera — not a glamorous model — who lured him into fashion photography. <br /><br />“An SLR camera gave me focus in life,” says the Mumbai-based photographer. “Everything I focused on looked beautiful. After a visit to a photo exhibition, I was hooked,” he gushes.<br /><br />Fashion photography is essentially about selling a brand, a label or a trend. The essence is in shooting images that grab the eyeballs. If your images have recall value, then you can call yourself a success. Fashion photography largely involves shooting for advertisements, posters for clients, catalogues of new collections, etc.<br /> <br />Where to study<br /><br />There are several photography schools in India and abroad. There are diplomas and short-term courses as well as regular, full-time courses on offer. Fashion schools also offer fashion photography as an elective subject. Another way to learn the art is to assist an already established photographer on his projects. <br /><br />Some Diploma and Certificate courses available in India are offered by: <br /><br />Film and Television Institute of India, Pune<br /><br />*JJ School of Art, MG Road, Fort, Mumbai<br /><br />*National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi<br /><br />*Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad<br /><br />*Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi<br /><br />*Academy of Photography, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata<br /><br />*National Institute of Photography, Mumbai<br /><br />*Shari Academy of Professional photography, Mumbai<br /><br />Career scope<br /><br />Fashion photographers usually begin their career as assistants to established photographers. You could also approach magazines, newspapers, fashion houses and garment and textile industries. Finding work as a freelancer is a common trend in this field. Your income could vary depending on the size of the project. Insiders say Rs. 9,000 for a catalogue shoot is a reasonable fee, to begin with. Freelance photographers, who take on projects that stretch up to a few weeks, charge Rs 8,000-Rs 10,000 a day.<br /><br />Required skills <br /><br />Photographers must be skilled when it comes to lighting and body angles. <br /><br />A strong visual imagination, an eye for detail, attention to colour, shapes and shadows are important too to create the right image. <br /><br />Varun Rawat, a fashion photographer who works in Delhi, says: “You must be able to translate a client’s artistic vision into a photograph. You must also possess strong interpersonal skills because a fashion photographer is often called upon to lead teams of stylists, make-up artists and other fashion professionals.”<br /><br />Making a portfolio is very important. Madhur Shroff, a Mumbai-based fashion photographer, advises freshers to build a portfolio by test shooting friends or aspiring models. </p>
