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If you have a large budget, go ahead and buy the best. But it is not the best equipment that makes the picture perfect, it is the creativity and uniqueness… An untalented and unwilling photographer cannot take good pictures even with the most expensive camera and the equipment. But a willing and creative one can get stunning results even with the most simple equipment.

Use your imagination. Don’t worry about what you don’t have, try to use the things in your efficiently. I admit that a good DSLR will provide you greater opportunities but it doesn’t mean that you won’t take good pictures without it. The picture below is the example for all the things i told. A very talented friend of mine, Onur Kula, who is interested in drawings, photography and design took this picture with a simple and old compact digital camera. It is probably 4 mpixels or something… I’m really impressed and I really appreciate, the will and creativity of Onur. This picture proves that you don’t need the best equipment to take good pictures. Once again I want to thank Onur Kula for reminding all of us that the first and most important element of photography is photographer not the camera…

Photographer : Onur KULA

Model : Ceyhun PEKUZ

Fashion Photography Tips Part 5;

Markets

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This part is for the photographers who are living in the USA. New york market for fashion and fashion photography is really hard to get in and compete. As a foreigner (to US) i can say that European market is easy to penetrate compared to US. Especially European cities like Paris (France) and Milan (Italy) are providing rich sources in terms of fashion and fashion photography. These fashion capitals of Europe have more runway shows and fashion magazines, which makes it easier to find jobs and chances to gain experience as a photographer, for a photographer. Europe is also provides chance to find, undiscovered talents and beauties, especially in countries like Scandinavian countries and eastern European countries there are a lot of beautiful talented and willing young semi-pro models. Consider this option If you also want to be a talent hunter. In other European countries, fashion industry may not be as big as Italy and France but still they provide a nice opportunity to have a bright career. It is easier to shine in smaller fashion industries of these countries. A quality portfolio will help you to get noticed by the local and international fashion magazines.

Also remember; your portfolio only shows the technical abilities and knowledge of you. If you want to separate yourself from the sack, you need to show signs of talent and creativity. To show these your pictures should be different, aesthetic and impressive. My advice about this, is getting inspired and increasing level of knowledge about not only fashion photography but also other genres of photography. Also cinema, fine arts and all other kinds of visual arts can help you to get a different perspective. Sometimes a picture that you see on Internet, that taken just for fun, can make the bulb on your head shine.

—- End of Fashion Photography Tips —-

>> Fashion Photography Tips Part 4; Equipment and Studio

Fashion Photography Tips Part 3;

Finding Models, Make-up Artists, Stylists and Hairstylists

Modelling agencies, can provide you not only opportunity to contact and find models, but also provide chance to find make up artists, stylists etc. For the beginners, starting with semi-pro models are better for learning and test shots. Another channel that you can find models, stylists and make-up artists is internet and all its tools; such as forums, communities, web sites, groups. Search for the groups and communities on the internet. This will increase your chance to find specialists and models at you level when you are a beginner. Because agencies generally have the contact information of professional make-up artists and stylists. But i really doubt most of them will want to work for a beginner fashion photographer with a small portfolio. I personally believe internet is a better source to find the specialists in your level.

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Internet provides you the greatest source to make necessary connection for the job, fashion photography. Also design schools are good for making connection with the designers. Especially young and passionate designers will be more willing to work with you. Speaking of young designers, i also want to remember you, younger stylists, hairstylists, make-up artists, designers and models are willing to work for free in exchange of a copy of the film or digital image. In fashion sector portfolio is everything and young specialists surely want to increase the amount of work in their portfolios. Also read my article about finding models. And working with models

As an example if you are shooting a race using a fast shutter speed, your shot will be clear and sharp, car is not blur, background is not blur, wheels are not blur, road is not blur…. Your picture will look like picture of a stopping car. But it is a race car, your theme is SPEED, so you should make the viewers feel the speed. How? Well with a relatively slow shutter speed and sometimes (as in the example of race car) by following the moving object with your camera. Most of the time, a tripod and a slower shutter speed will be enough to create the feeling of motion in your pictures. When shooting a waterfall use a tripod and take two different pictures from the exact same spot with two different shutter speeds (lets say 1/250 sec. and 1/5 sec. ). You will see the difference, in the first picture that you took with a faster shutter speed, the waterfall looks like it is frozen in time but in the second picture that you used a slower shutter speed you get a picture with silky surface of smoothly flowing water. Some examples

In the picture above ; i followed the movement of the footballer with my camera while i’m taking the picture. As you see pitch, hands and legs of footballer and ball is blurry but head and torso of footballer is not. Pitch is flu because i moved the camera, footballers legs and ball is blur because of their own movement but torso and head of footballer are not flu because i followed the footballer’s movement with almost the same speed.

When taking the picture above; i zoomed in and focused on #9 and suddenly zoomed out while i’m taking the picture. This is why everything is blur but the #9.

And last one; this is an example for using different shutter speeds, i already told about it in the beginning of this writing.

Soccer pictures are also added to my Photography Page -> People and Portrait

• Meet the model 1 hour before you start shooting; buy him/her a drink and chat for a while that makes the model feel comfortable. Tell him/her about what are you planning to do and what kind of poses you want from him/her. Make small jokes! In the meantime keep examining you model to determine the strongest point that you want to focus on. (eyes, lips, etc.)
• When you go to the location that you will take pictures, let the model take has his/her time for getting used to the environment. (not so long; waiting too long also can make the model nervous. You can play music related with you concept (fast, slow, angry, cheerful) to help changing model’s mood.
• Being natural is important; if you have a sad , sorrowful concept make your model feel the pain, even if he/she is not sad at the moment he/she has to look like he/she is sad. Your model shouldn’t look like he/she is pretending, you have to show the viewers it is real.
• Just before starting; so far you have done the preparations try some poses without taking pictures with your model that way your model will have an idea when you say him /her how to look, how to stand. Let her/him know that you are doing your job just like a doctor and there’s nothing to be shy about, and send everybody away (if there are people with you) , if it makes your model more comfortable.
• Start shooting; when you are taking pictures, focus on the points that you want to emphasize in your picture.( Crying eyes, happy smile etc.) Try different angles.
• Sometimes let your model use his/her creativity; let him/her decide how to pose, outcome may be fascinating. (As i said sometimes… not always)
• The rest is up to you and your photography skills!
• If the results are successful go out and celebrate

It is really hard to keep our lenses clean no matter how careful we are. Actually the problem is not cleaning the lens, the problem is cleaning the lens properly and without damaging the lens. Do not clean your lens with ordinary clothes; to not deform the special layer on the lens it is important to know the right cleaning tools.

Air Blower

Air blower is a simple air pump that blows air from a thin pipe. It helps you to clean the dust on lens or on sensor (if you are using Digital SLR) without touching it. There are types that have brush on them so you can also sweep the dust out of lens. But i think having blower and brush separately is better because hairs of brush will definitely reduce the air pressure, thus creating a less powerful blow. You can also use blower for the dust inside your camera so this is a useful tool, get one.

*When you are using a blower inside your camera, you may move the dust from somewhere else in your camera, directly onto your sensor. And believe me you don’t want to deal with the dust on the sensor. Dust will appear all of your pictures with high f values. It is hard to get rid off and if you scratch it , it will cost you quite much…

Wash Leather

Wash leathers are basically animal skins that are used for for cleaning and polishing. You can use them for cleaning your lens or filter. However it loses its antistatic feature after couple of uses, because there’s no chemical on wash leather. That means instead of cleaning the dust, it may carry the dust on it and leave them on your lens. So be careful with these…

Antistatic Clothes

These are like wash leathers but there are two main differences that makes them better. First antistatic clothes carries a chemical on them which prevents the dust hang on to your lens, even if there’s dust on your lens after cleaning it with antistatic cloth you can easily blow it out with air blower. The second; they don’t lose their antistatic ability as fast as wash leather does. Keep it in a bag away from dust and do not leave it under direct sun light (chemical vaporizes under direct sun light). And throw it away as it gets dirty, antistatic clothes can not be cleaned or washed.

Air Spray

Air spray are based on same principle with air blower but air spray creates much more air pressure than blower. It is basically compressed air in a can, just like a deodorant (of course it has no chemicals inside, only air). Some say it lefts stains on lens if you apply it too close, so be careful with it. It is mostly advised to use air spray for removing the dust on the body (not sensor) and rings of lens , but not directly to lens or sensor of D-SLR’s.

Lens Cleaning Liquid

Lens cleaning liquid is a special solution that removes dirt and oil (that your hand leave on lens when you touch it). Especially it is hard to get rid of oil on lens but you can do that easily with lens cleaning liquid. Apply the liquid on lens and wait for until lens dries. You can use cleaning swabs to apply it on lens or you can just use the spray lens cleaning liquid.If you are using cleaning swabs (two cotton headed straws) there are two things that you have to be careful; first try not to leave any cotton pieces on lens and second which is more important than first; check for any plastic pieces coming out of the cotton tat may scratch your lens. If you are using spray just do not spray it all over the camera (it can harm plastic parts) , use it just on lens and let lens dry.

Optical Tissue

Thin fibres for single use that have chemicals on them to clean lenses and filters. Do not use them more than once because optical tissues loses their sensitivity and chemicals on them moreover they may left some particles of fiber. Just throw them out after using once.

Lens Pen

An equipment specially designed for cleaning dust on lenses. There’s antistatic brush at one side and lens cleaning pad on the other. There’s also reservoir for chemicals inside the pen which prevents brush losing its antistatic ability. It is highly effective against dust but not so useful against oil and finger prints on the lens. When choosing a cleaning pen; try to buy ones that have soft and quality brushes.

Some Extra Tips

• Use a filter; using an UV filter will help protecting your lens and has not so much effect on your photos (but try to choose quality ones). When using a filter you will be cleaning the filter instead of your lens and as you know lenses are a lot more expensive than filters so even if you scratch the filter, you will not be sorry as much as you scratch the lens.
• Use lens caps; while you are carrying your camera inside your bag a cap will keep your lens safe and clean
• Face the camera down when changing lenses; that way you will decrease the risk of letting the dust enter inside your camera

Still if you believe that you are not experienced enough to clean your lens or sensor (especially be careful about sensor) please take your camera to authorized service of your camera’s brand. Because making a mistake may cost you a lot of money.

Note : The article above is informative, please clean your sensor or lens with your own risk. Ermany Photography is not responsible for unexpected and unwanted results of your actions (such as scratching your lens or sensor.)

*(More cleanly we are not responsible for any damage you have done to your camera, lens or any equipment you have.)