History of Fashion Photography

Some people may think how the fashion photography started? Fashion photography was originated in the court of Napoleon Bonaparte in France in 1856. It was when Adolphe Braun published a book that featured the shoots of a noblewoman named “Virginia Oldoini” known as countless di Castiglione, who posed wearing the fashion of the day and became the first model of her time. In the early 1880s, the magazine publishing grew and as the business grew there was seen an international exchange of ideas.

In early 20^th century,

there emerged a photographer that played an important role in the history of fashion photography named as “Edward Jean Steichen” from Luxembourg. He popularized the practice of capturing a model on different sets. In 1911, he began working with “art and decoration” – a magazine. Later, he developed studio lighting by incorporating side light and came to known as the modern fashion photo shoot.

During the early 20^th Century,

Because of printing press growth, fashion magazines such as “Vogue” became capable of their fashion shots with print. The fashion illustrators who drew fashion lines for the magazines were replaced. man ray created a surrealistic ideal that brought the era of surrealism that was seen in the early 1920s, that showed the dreams of subconscious and reality in the images. Ray discovered that if you can alter the studio lighting you can create subconscious images.

Then appeared another early fashion photographer, “Baron De Meyer”, who was known as “Debussy of the camera”. De Meyer used soft backlighting. Further, he experimented with Art by making each model to reflect fantasy elements.

In the mid-20^th century,

photographers started focusing on themes that changed the look of their fashion shoots. Later, the photographer started collaborating with the fashion designers seeking to launch clothing lines.

By 1960s, photographers started focusing on women’s fashion that symbolized free culture. The clothing was bolder and brighter coloured because of the contrasting patterns and colourful designs.

Then the consumerism occurred, or the promotion or increase in the number of sales could be seen. Now the photographers are changing their old methods for the better output in the fashion industry. In the 90s there came another thing, photographers rejected consumerism and moved towards “art and composition” in the name of impressionism. Impressionism is an artistic movement that emphasizes capturing visually a feeling about a moment. In this, the photographers also focused on the beauty of the models and showing their unique qualities.

In the 21^st century,

many changes occurred in the profession in fashion photography. First, the interest in surrealism revived and then return to the concept of super models and well-established model took place.

It is still considered as a form of art, the fashion photography today is all about commercial and aesthetic art. Some photographer of the “new millennium” think its best to capture the unique essence of the models. There are many major fashion magazines like, ‘Vogue’ and ‘Harper’s Bazaar,’ the magazines ‘Elle,’ ‘Cosmopolitan,’ ‘Seventeen,’ ‘GQ,’ ‘W,’ and ‘Vanity Fair’. They all display today’s elites.

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