To become a fashion photographer, one should have an excellent sense of aesthetic sensitivity, a thorough knowledge of cameras, its technicalities and perspective, along with good visual imagination, computer awareness, and communicating skills. He/She should know about the current trends, styles, and its demands. Due to its appealing coverage of glamorous models and glossy prints with exposure to exotic locations and personal publicity in fashion journals and other magazines, fashion photography has become a sought-after career option among youngsters, in particular.
Course Details
One doesn’t need to be a graduate to become a good fashion photographer. The artistic sensitivity, creativity, and ability to work in difficult situations help in establishing an individual as an able photographer. The necessary skills can be acquired through apprenticeships. To gain the knowledge of technicalities and other basic important aspects of fashion and photography, one can take up any diploma, degree, or certificate level course in a reputed Indian institute. Any 10+2 pass student with strong visual imagination and an eye for detail can pursue these courses.
Career Prospects
Those, who are interested in making fashion photography as their profession, should be ready for a stiff competition in this fast changing fashion world. Most fashion photographers work under specialist studios or freelancers hired by fashion houses or ad agencies. They can work for newspapers, magazines, and even big departmental stores. Nowadays, skilled photographers, who have a strong background in graphic designing, are in high demand for several appealing websites as well. Most fashion photographers, however, prefer freelance work. The bright career of these fashion photographers can enable them diversify into a different avenue of freelancing work or by opening an own studio.
Top Colleges Offering UG/PG/Other Courses
A good number of institutes in India provide certificate and diploma courses in fashion photography. The leading institutions are: Academy of Photography, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata; Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi; Film and Television Institute of India, Pune; Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi; National Institute Of Design, Paldi, Ahmedabad; National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi; JJ School of Art, Mumbai; College of Art, University of Delhi, New Delhi; and Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad.
Remuneration
Though it is rare to enter as a fashion photographer directly into the fashion world, one can start your career as an established photographer’s studio assistant. At this stage, one can easily earn around Rs. 10,000 per month. With increasing exposure to the fashion industry, one could learn faster and extract anywhere between Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 15,000 per day. Once established, there is no looking back for professionals. This extremely glamorous profession provides one with a good number of perks and incentives as well. The most demanding features of this career are its nature of freelancing work according to one’s convenience.
