DAY 137

FASHION & BEAUTY

Wardrobing Your Subjects

TEXTURES AND TONES THAT WORK

The right assemblage of beautiful clothing is crucial in fashion photography, and a good balance must be struck between the clothing and the model. Choose your print, color, and fabrics carefully. The texture and sheen of materials reflect and refract light in unique and various ways and should be evaluated when formulating the wardrobe options for a photo shoot. Color harmonies and tones can be experimented with to create added depth to an image.

Try working with fabric tones that are close in hue to your background. If the background has a reflective surface, then a dress with similar visual properties, like satin, can create a complimentary texture palette throughout the image. The lighting should be used as a tool to bring out the dynamic intricacies of the details of the clothing.

The model should be encouraged to interact with the clothing in inventive ways. Encouraging the model to tug on a belt or the lapels of a jacket brings motion to the image and can accentuate the lines of the clothing. Fashion photography is about selling clothing, so think about how to make every inch of materials luxurious and visually stimulating. —MR