How to Become a Fashion Photographer: Career Guide, Courses, After 12th, Jobs, Scope, Salary

Types of Fashion Photographers 

Fashion Photography can be classified into various broad divisions based on the area of work. The various types of Fashion Photographers are listed below for your reference,

• Catalog Fashion Photographer: Catalog Fashion Photographers must show people clothes, shoes, boots, bonnets, ties, belts and suspenders, gloves, bracelets, watches, necklaces, eyewear, piercings, lanyards, rings, and other fashion accessories so that they can sense and know how they look in that fashion item. The catalog fashion photographers’ purpose is to attract people to use the items.
• Street Fashion Photographer: Street Fashion Photographers have to take photos of the real world on the streets. They take photos of people and what they are wearing and their views on styles and fashion.
• Runway Fashion Photographer: The Runway Photographers take vertical shots of models from their shoes to hats. They also take photos of the models at ramp shows or catwalk shows. They focus on the clothing and other fashion accessories worn by the models.
• Glamour Fashion Photographer: In this photography course, the professional photographer takes photographs of the model and shows the beauty of the model, as well as their outfits, locations, and makeup styles. So, in this discipline, the glamour of the model is the main purpose of the photographer.
• Editorial Fashion Photographer: Editorial Fashion Photography tells the story of the photograph. These photographers take photos with a theme, where people can see and understand the photo without seeing any words in the photograph.
• High Fashion Photographer: High Fashion Photographers typically photograph models in a variety of outfits to demonstrate their versatility.

Steps to Follow to Become a Fashion Photographer 

Interested learners should follow some important steps to follow their dreams and achieve success in this profession.

• Decision Making: Without a proper decision, no one can go ahead with this career. One should be dedicated and enthusiastic to pursue this career. Before taking this course, one should see the pros and cons of this career. And it is also important what to study next to pursue this career. And thus, make plans and, according to them, make a decision about whether you want to pursue this course or not.
• Subject Choices: The course can be pursued after passing the 12th exam in any stream, and so you can take any courses related to fashion photography. Choose a subject or course where you can learn about photography techniques. There are many courses one can take after passing the 12th board exam. Custom design courses, BFA in Photography, Digital photo-editing techniques, Diploma in fashion photography, Diploma in wedding and events photography, BSc in film and photography, etc. are some popular courses one can pursue to be a fashion photographer.

Read more: Fashion Photography courses after 12th

• Entrance Exam Preparation: Admission to the fashion photography courses is done either on the basis of merit or performance in entrance exams. And therefore, one should be well prepared to get admission to this course. The entrance exam syllabus will be provided by the institute or university where you will apply for the course. According to the syllabus, prepare and study the notes and the most important thing is to always stay calm to appear in the exam.
• Selecting Colleges: There are so many institutes and universities for photography courses in India. Hence it is most important to choose the institute with the best academic quality. See the ratings and ranks of institutes before applying for the course. It is necessary because your career is fully dependent upon the courses you will learn.
• After Qualifying Exam: After passing the photography course exam, you can work in the fashion industry and at fashion houses, or you can start your own.If you work under the supervision of an experienced fashion photographer, you can learn more about photography and editing.

How to Become a Fashion Photographer in India?

Photography is a good career and nowadays most people aspire to be a professional photographer. But to become a professional fashion photographer, one must understand the profession and career path.

School Level Preparation 

Students can start their preparation right in their schools. They must have an interest in photography and must try to hone their skills in every way possible. They must join photography clubs, attend workshops and also try pursuing part time photography courses.

How to Become a Fashion Photographer in India after the 12th?

There are many courses one can take to learn about photography and can earn a certificate after completion.

UG Level Preparation 

After qualifying 10+2, candidates need to have at least 60-65% to get admitted to a good college and complete a 3 years graduation degree. It is recommended that during your graduation, you keep on working on yourselves and also try to maintain a portfolio of your photographs.

PG Level Preparation 

After completing the UG-level photography course, you will be eligible for the PG-level photography course. Several colleges offer admission only on the basis of an entrance exam, hence candidates must prepare for the exams well in advance.

Courses to Become Professional Fashion Photographer 

Many stand-alone institutes and universities offer different photography along with fashion photography courses. Some of the best fashion photography courses available in India are given below.

Certificate Course in Photography 

Certificate Course in Photography is a 6 month certificate course that aims to instill the fundamentals of photography in its candidates.

How to Become a Fashion Photographer Abroad 

To become a Professional Fashion Photographer Abroad, one must have to earn a degree or diploma course in Photography. Along with that, understand fashion photography, learn about photography and lighting, and editing, retouching of photos, work under a professional photographer, and do all the paperwork.

How To Become a Fashion Photographer in UK 

To become a Professional Fashion Photographer in the UK, you must have to pursue a degree course in photography and also have basic photography skills.

Admission Process

Admission to the course is based on knowledge of photography and skills in photography.

• Educational requirements
• One A level degree or BTEC Extended Diploma
• Other requirements
• Work under an experienced fashion photographer
• English Language GCSE at grade C/4 or more.

The top colleges providing Fashion Photography courses in the UK are shown below.

How To Become a Fashion Photographer in US

To be a professional fashion photographer in the USA, you need to learn basic photography skills and, for certification and degree, pursue a photography course. To gain experience in this profession, practice with models and take their photos. Develop your creativity to design and create new fashion items. Also, read some of the best fashion magazines to know more about fashion photography.

Admission Process 

Admission to fashion photography schools or universities is done on the basis of your knowledge of fashion skills and creativity.

• Educational requirements
• Students must pursue a general education course before pursuing photography courses
• Other requirements
• Must have skills in photography

Some of the top colleges in the US offering Fashion Photography courses are tabulated below.

Benefits of Career as a Fashion Photographer 

Fashion Photography Professionals have great demand in the job market. Many aspiring photographers in the world want to pursue fashion photography courses.

• Salary: The salary of professional fashion photographers is high in the job market. They can earn around INR 5 to 15 lakh per annum. The salary may vary for the different types of fashion photographers.
• Job Security: Every career has job security if the professionals have enough skills. To stay in this career one must have to earn a certificate, degree, or diploma in photography along with experience in this field.
• Positive Impact of the Career: Professional fashion photographers can be creative in their field of work. They can travel around the world in order to take photos of different things and models.
• Higher Studies: Fashion photographers also can go for higher studies, like, Master’s Degree in Photography after completing the UG level of studies.
• Unique Experience: As a fashion photographer, one gains much experience in this field, because they have to deal with various fashion accessories or items in fashion industries. They have to be skilled in creative thinking, artistic works, etc.

Skills Required for Fashion Photographer

Some of the basic skills that are to be inculcated by an aspiring Fashion Photographer in order to pave a successful path ahead are tabulated below,

Salary of Fashion Photographer in India 

The salary of professional fashion photographers is different according to their specialization, level of experience and types industry-wise.

Specialization Wise Salary

Specialization-wise salary structure of the fashion photographers in India.

Experience Wise Salary 

How to Become a Fashion Photographer?: FAQs