The Art of Glamour Photography
Have you ever wondered why some models look unbelievably amazing in
their photos --- flawless and glowing skin, perfectly formed mouth, a
twinkle in the eyes, a captured emotion? That is glamour photography.
Though often mistaken for fashion photography, glamour photography is
a different genre. Fashion photography focuses more on fashionable
clothes and accessories mainly used in advertising, but glamour
photography is more on highlighting a person or a model as the main
subject. The main difference between the two is the fact that the latter
is not for endorsement purposes.
Although glamour photography has been popularised by high-fashion
magazines like Vogue, the trend was actually started in the 1920s by
American photographer Ruth Harriet Louise who added a glamorous touch to
celebrity portraits, which were then used in magazine covers as well as
billboards. Glamour photography became even more popular among soldiers
during the Second World War in the form of sexy pin-ups. But glamour
photography's milestone came when Playboy started to feature Marilyn
Monroe's glamour portrait in the December 1953 issue of the magazine,
which subdued public outcry on nudity publicised by the magazine.
Playboy's historic move paved the way for men's magazines like Maxim and FHM to focus more on art and glamour than plain nudity.
Today, glamour photography has jumped a notch higher, and talented
photographers have made digital photography a staple in advertising as
well as in publishing. With the advent of new technology and modern
techniques, photographers have more opportunities to experiment and
create a wide array of photography styles.
But not everyone who knows how to use the camera can be a glamour
photographer. The main difference between an amateur and professional
glamour photographer is the mastery of the right photography techniques.
Beginners may benefit largely from basic photography classes that will
teach them the ins and outs of glamour photography.
A skilled photographer is a fusion between an artist and a scientist
because an eye for beauty and art is as important as using the write
equipment and techniques to best frame the subject and to come up with
note-worthy shots. Hence, creativity and skill should go hand in hand.
The professional glamour photographer must also have mastery of
light, which is a major component in photography. It can create the mood
of the photo such as mysterious, playful, or it can enhance the natural
radiance of the model.
Another essential element that the photographer should take note of
is the background. No amount of make-up, clothes, and lighting can ever
cover up for a bad or inappropriate background. A pro should be able to
foresee how a background will affect the final photo. Glamour photos are
often taken in sophisticated studios, but the outdoors is becoming a
more popular choice nowadays because of how natural lighting adds more
depth and drama to portraits.
It is also worthy to note that Photoshop and other photo-editing
software have made glamour photography more sophisticated especially in
today's digital world. Taking glamour photos is like shooting
traditional portraits with standard lighting setups. But modifying the
traditional portrait photography by digital means adds more life and
interest to every shot.
Many photographers have actually made a fortune out of glamour
photography by becoming experts in the field. Some have even put up
their own studios and made a name for themselves. Becoming a well-known
glamour photographer is no easy feat, but it sure can be done.
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