Fashion Photography is about so much more than taking a pretty picture of a pretty person. It is a visual language. And it is the job of a fashion photographer to make sure that language is clear, concise, and coherent. In this course we’ll look at fashion photography from the ground up. We’ll spend a little classroom time talking about the fashion industry: the ins-and-outs, the dos and don'ts, and the different types and styles of fashion photography. After all, when you say "fashion," you could be talking about anything from a pair of jeans to a red-carpet-worthy gown. Getting fashion photography right is all in the concept. So we start with how we use fashion to communicate, and take you all the way to the 8 elements that you need to bring together when producing a fashion shoot.

At the core of this course is the practice of producing a fashion photography shoot. We'll be focusing on bringing together the conceptualizing, preparing, and executing phases needed. Hands-on sessions will cover set design, lighting design, and looking at those 8 elements to make sure they're all accounted for. Coupled with the practice of producing a shoot is the editing of the images and, maybe most important of all, a debriefing to consider what went right and what needs improving. And we'll do all that three times over the 8 weeks we're together, because, as you know, practice makes perfect.

The photos you'll be taking throughout this course will be a great addition to your portfolio and repertoire. We'll discuss how the fashion industry uses portfolios and what you can do to improve yours.

Included with the course is your own personal course book. Each chapter corresponds to a class in the course and contains all the relevant information you may need. At the conclusion of the course, provided you've attended at least 4 of the 8 sessions, you'll receive your certificate in Fashion Photography.

This course runs only once a year in Spring.

Requirements:

A digital Point And Shoot or SLR (strongly recommended) camera

Recording medium (e.g.: Film, Compact Flash or SD card)

Instruction booklet that came with the camera

Later in the course, a laptop with Lightroom and Photoshop installed will be very helpful

Here's how we help you learn the foundations of Fashion Photography. C1MACFP Course Syllabus:

Class 1:

Overview:

We'll talk about what Fashion Photography is - and what it isn't. Actually, we'll start by talking about what fashion is, because the first step to photographing anything well is understanding what you're trying to accomplish with your image. We'll cover the 8 elements that need to harmonize in order to have an effective fashion image.

Class 2:

The Nuts and Bolts

In this class, we'll move from talking about the theory and philosophy of fashion photography to talking about the practical aspects of it: how do you arrange your set? How do you light it? What impact do compositional choices have on the effect of the final image? And once we've done all that, we'll move into the studio to prepare it for our first fashion shoot.

Class 3:

In-Studio Shoot

We'll engage a stunning model. You come prepared with your camera, your imagination, and your new knowledge of the foundations of Fashion Photography. This will be a fun one as everyone gets a chance to work with the model to create their own stunning images.

Class 4:

Image Editing and Shoot Debriefing

We'll collaboratively edit images from the shoot in Class 3, talking about the tools and techniques that can be used to make great images into jaw-dropping ones. We'll talk about what you learned from the shoot: what went well, where you might have struggled, what you might like to do differently next time. And then we'll set the studio up for our next shoot.

Class 5:

In-Studio Shoot

Once again, we'll engage a stunning model. You come prepared with your camera, your imagination, and your new knowledge of the foundations of Fashion Photography, and the lessons learned from Class 4's debriefing. As before, everyone gets a chance to work with the model to create their own stunning images.

Class 6:

Image Editing and Shoot Debriefing

We'll collaboratively edit images from the shoot in Class 5, talking about the tools and techniques that can be used to make great images into jaw-dropping ones. We'll talk about what you learned from the shoot: what went well, where you might have struggled, what you might like to do differently next time. And then we'll set the studio up for the final shoot of the course.

Class 7:

In-Studio Shoot

Once again, we'll engage a stunning model. You come prepared with your camera, your imagination, and the knowledge of Fashion Photography you've gained over the previous six classes. And, of course, everyone gets a chance to work with the model to create their own stunning images.

Class 8:

Image editing, Shoot Debriefing, and Graduation

Graduation night: We'll edit images and debrief the Class 7 shoot, and then you'll receive your certificate in Photography 3, provided you've attended at least 4 of the 8 classes in the course.

 

This is a relatively new course. Syllabus subject to modification with or without notice.