Fashion photography is an art not so many photographers have mastered. This is because it entails hard work, passion and dedication. You may have the most beautiful model on set but taking the best photos may not be as easy as many people would think.
What makes one photographer better than the other is his/her ability to master the fashion photography tips and be able to execute each and every one of them. So just like any other photographic genre, skills are also needed in the fashion photography composition. So here are composition tips that will make you a better fashion photographer.
1. Visual narrative
Budding fashion photographers always make one common mistake and that is failing to tell a story in their shoot. A keen look at a fashion magazine and you will notice that there is one particular theme that connects all the photos in the magazine. They will not have words to tell the reader what is happening but they will have clues that will complete the visual narrative. So make sure your photos tell a story too.
2. Rule of the thirds
To ensure your composition is on point, it is always important to master the rule of thirds. To apply the rule, you need to divide your frame mentally into nine squares with all sides equal. You can then place ypur model in any of the points exactly where the lines intercept if you want to achieve a balanced composition.
Your camera can also come in handy to help since most, if not all modern cameras come with grid-line function to help you out when composing your shots. After you have activated it on your device, you can move the camera until your model is in one of the intersections displayed on the screen.
3. Center your subject
Photography composition rules can always be broken to get the shot you want especially when taking fashion photos. You can as well overlook the above mentioned rule and put your model in the center. But this style will only work perfectly for fashion portraits if you do it correctly. The viewer will easily see the model since it will be at the center.
But this is not a tip for the beginners since having your model stand at the center can sometimes go wrong and make the photo look static and boring. So, you need more skills to make an unusual composition work to your advantage.
4. Create a counterbalance
It goes without saying that the secret to composition is having balance. But there comes a time during a fashion shoot where you will be forced to place your subjects in the most unusual places. But you can always use a counterbalance to rectify your composition if this happens.
This tip means creating harmony by using another component in the frame. In the case where a woman in your photo sits on the cart and she is by herself, the composition would most definitely look lopsided since she will be at the center. But you can add another model who will push her from behind to create some balance.