Fashion portfolio - opinions?

Yv

Hey all,

I put together a fashion portfolio today, with a view to applying for a position aimed at recent graduates who want to add to their portfolios. By the sounds of it, if I did get the gig I'd be paid in experience rather than euro. That's fine by me, as I am a recent graduate working on my portfolios; it just sounds like they're not looking for someone with much prior experience.

With that in mind, could some of my fellow boardsies please take a quick look at the portfolio & tell me what you think? What should I change? What kind of images should be there that aren't there?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yvphoto/sets/72157624180498880/show/

Thanks, I really appreciate it

*braces self*

[Edit: took on board some of Fajitas!'s suggestions - I'm still all ears for some more ]

Fajitas!

I'm a bit short on time, but here goes...

You've got some good ideas coming into your shots, you seem to know how to light 'em up.

I think you need some simpler set ups, reduce the number of props in your backgrounds and on the models and cut out the random odds and ends coming into your shots. You're trying to sell the clothes, not the clutter

I think your colours need some cleaning up in some of the shots, to show them off at their best.

There's a few shots I'd take out - Generally I'd say 20 photos in a port, but tbh, there's no point in having 20 ok or shots that aren't exactly relevant to what you're applying to - I'd without a doubt take out the photos of the other chaps fashion shoot, and the articles in the newspapers - You can always put these in print in your CV, but they're out of place in a portfolio

If I were you, I'd keep No.2, 7, 8, 10, 11 & 18 from there, and try get 4 more shots in, keep the editing to a minimum, and just have simple shots. Try going outdoors to show some shoots on location. You've got some great shots on your blog (Like this one) that show you can do it, or if you had more from this series.

Yv

I actually had both of those in at the start & then took them out... might pop them back in so! I'm planning an outdoor shoot in the next few days (soon as another of my fashionable friends is free :P ).

When you say "clean up" the colours, what do you mean exactly? Limit the range / amount of colours, or make them bolder, or..?

Thanks for the advice - most helpful.

Fajitas!

Well, if you take this one;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yvphoto/4475837987/in/set-72157624180498880/

You could white balance and work your colours to bring more detail into the image, as it is, the model is blown out and the orange lights around don't do anything for the image.

Or

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yvphoto/4414627521/

I think the colours need a small bit of work - I know in the second one, you're going for the toned, 50ish look, but it could still pop a bit more - Leveling up your reds, greens and blue's first to get the colours on the clothes ok, and you can work the toning into other areas - It looks dull as is (In tone, not content!).Not everything has to pop, but it's no harm to get them standing out a bit more.

I actually had both of those in at the start & then took them out... might pop them back in so!

Rather than just pop them back in, try reshooting with them in mind

Yv

I'll shoot the next stuff with that in mind, but until I do, I'll pop them back in

The first shot (with the leggy model) was on 35mm so not much that I can do about the blown highlights. The second one - I see what you mean.

It's great to get proper considered feedback - thanks for your time, Fajitas!

thefly

I would never have known they where fashion shots had you not told me. Imo, thats a bad thing

Fajitas!

Yv, is there any fashion mags you'd frequently buy?

melekalikimaka

Al the fashion king

Dazed and Confused, recently subbed to it(got it el cheapo through a waiting room mag supplier). Is great for the fashion shots

Yv

thefly wrote: »

I would never have known they where fashion shots had you not told me. Imo, thats a bad thing

Ok, any advice as to what would make them more "fashion"? Different lighting or angles or poses or something? Looking for advice here Some of the photos were shot as band portraits / promos, as I'm a musician & they're the people I hang out with & need photos done. The portfolio is very much a first step as I'd like to move more towards fashion work & any pointers you folks could give me would be very helpful.

Fajitas, I don't buy any magazines at the moment actually. Now that you've mentioned it, I realise that's kind of a massive oversight :$ I follow a few fashion blogs & the likes, but maybe I don't soak enough of that stuff in. I generally like the kind of thing i-D magazine do. Might pick that up today. Wish they weren't so expensive!

Fajitas!

i-D is a good start, dazed & confused, wonderland and a couple of other names are definitely worth picking out - you can always give a flick through them or get a quick preview online to see if it's worth picking up this month, but it's definitely worth keeping an eye on what the other folk are doing - especially because you can see what you like or don't like from other peoples photos :-)

wasper

Yv wrote: »

Hey all,

I put together a fashion portfolio today, with a view to applying for a position aimed at recent graduates who want to add to their portfolios. By the sounds of it, if I did get the gig I'd be paid in experience rather than euro. That's fine by me, as I am a recent graduate working on my portfolios; it just sounds like they're not looking for someone with much prior experience.

With that in mind, could some of my fellow boardsies please take a quick look at the portfolio & tell me what you think? What should I change? What kind of images should be there that aren't there?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yvphoto/sets/72157624180498880/show/

Thanks, I really appreciate it

*braces self*

[Edit: took on board some of Fajitas!'s suggestions - I'm still all ears for some more ]

Like the photos in general, but fashion it's not. There are 3 or 4 strong images. The rest are street portraits.

PCPhoto

have a look at some fashion photographers work and take the images as a starting point....be different....get a make-up artist/hair stylist to work with you and go crazy on your models.

there was someone posted up a link recently to an "artist" who made people look like paintings...and then photographed them....something like that will get the attention of the people looking at the portfolio....the objective of a portfolio is to display your work, to stand out from the rest and display yourself as the best !! (I like that ...it rhymes)

Yv

So I did a couple of shoots in the past fortnight with my friends to fill out the fashion portfolio. What's the verdict now? Any opinions? Constructive criticism welcome!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yvphoto/sets/72157624180498880/show/

bullpost

Just had a look through .
Some good ones there (like the girl with old vinyl records) but the lighting on a couple of shots looks harsh with shadows.
Not sure if this is an issue with these portfolios (and if it is might be worth hiring a studio and reshooting?) but just my tuppence worth.

Xiney

I love the one of the girl with the records. It's probably my favourite photo I've seen on boards in a good long while.

Kbeg3

The records one is great!

Hugh_C

Fajitas! wrote: »

i-D is a good start, dazed & confused, wonderland and a couple of other names are definitely worth picking out - you can always give a flick through them or get a quick preview online to see if it's worth picking up this month, but it's definitely worth keeping an eye on what the other folk are doing - especially because you can see what you like or don't like from other peoples photos :-)

Yeah, but it strikes me that a lot of people are watching a lot of the same people and what's happening is that fashion photography is becoming more convergent as a result. Not divergent. A decade or so ago it was all about non-photography and negative space and I think the industry is still trying to leave that behind. Don't know about you Al, you have a great eye anyway plus you're book-learnt in your craft.

Yv

Thanks for the support folks, more work needed here anyway!