Honest Critiques
Writer’s Block! It’s not that I don’t have anything to say, it’s just that sometimes I don’t know exactly how to say it. I wish I had it in me to break off some fabulous technical tips and insight on how to light for black clothing (use side light) or an insider secret on a great beauty shot (use a model with great skin to begin with) but I think I want to write about something else. I know that I haven’t been writing a lot lately. The truth is: I AM BUSY!!! I’ve had a smashing great start for the new year! I’m meeting today with a client for a huge gig that will be a monthly contractual job for 12 months. Love those kinds of jobs!! Getting ready for Dubai in March and I’m so excited!! Just booked my plane ticket yesterday and have already done a couple of interviews for some of Dubai’s newspapers and magazines. Shooting for my book! Shooting for CHURCH, which has now become a regular client needing me to supply monthly images for their upcoming website. Prepping a shoot for MIRRIN Magazine, based out of the UK that I will shooting next Tuesday. So, yeah……pretty busy!
A word to the wise…
One thing I need to mention here is some of my readers have been contacting my clients that I mention here on my blog and that’s just kinda’ a political NO NO. Okay? Do I really need to explain this one to you? Alright then, glad you get it. And BTW, when you send harassing emails to them, it really pisses them off. ; ) WINK WINK.
However, most of my blog readers are just amazing people!! And one of them took me to lunch recently when she was in town. Kitty Maer wrote me a very polite email and asked me if she could take me to lunch. Normally, I just get the sort of email (about 100 a week, and counting) if I could “look at their work and give them an honest critique and some advice on how to break into the fashion photography industry”. So the invitation for lunch was exotic! Plus, I know of her boyfriend, Wolfgang Parker who has won the SOTW a few times on here and has become a facebook buddy. I love his wonderful snarky comments! I knew if Wolfgang was dating her, she must be a cool chick. After sitting down and ordering food, I asked Kitty to show me her work. She pulled out her iPhone and we waited patiently for her Model Mayhem portfolio to load. I looked through her portfolio of work. Kitty has a ton of potential. Kitty has an EYE! Kitty lives in Columbus, Ohio.
Get the heck out of dodge!
“You need to get the fuck out of Columbus!” First words out of my mouth. And there it is! Part 1 of an honest crtitque. Are you ready to hear it? Was she ready to hear it? I thought Kitty shows some strong potential. Her lighting skills are pretty tight. She has an eye for fashion. But she kept saying to me that she felt like there was something “lacking” in her work and she just couldn’t figure out what that was. What lacked in Kitty’s work was A: the models. B: the styling. C: the clothes. And that makes perfect sense when you’re trying to build a body of work in Columbus, Ohio to compete with photographers based in New York, LA or Paris. Or London, Milan or Tokyo. Columbus, OHIO? Apologies a mile long, and I’m sure it’s a swingin’ city (sad to report but I’ve never been) but there ain’t no way you’re going to book those campaigns and editorials if you stay in a city that small. SOTW winner this week is Polina Osherov. When I first saw her name I thought she must be from Europe. When I went to her website’s contact page I saw an area code so then I knew she was somewhere in the US. But I didn’t recognize the area code. I wrote her and asked her where she was based and she wrote back, the “fashion capital of the world” Indianapolis. Her words, not mine. While I’m sure Indiana is a great state (never been there either) it’s going to be hard to “make it” if you’re based there. You have to base yourself out of a city that has a somewhat large fashion market (or any fashion market) in order to compete in the industry. That’s not to say you can’t make a living in Columbus or Indianapolis. You can. Seniors, family portraits, weddings…..sure! Fashion…..no. It’s just IMHO (in my humble opinion or in my HONEST opinion) and you are welcome to argue with me in the comment section ( I don’t moderate the comments…go right ahead! ) but how can you make make a living as fashion photographer in a city that doesn’t even have an ad agency that handles fashion accounts? I know, the main argument is going to be, with today’s internet you can be based anywhere and they will fly you out. Sure, if you’re Steven Meisel or Peter Lindbergh. In other words, if you’re already established and have a reputation and have been published for years, then sure, you can live in Anchorage, Alaska.
I was blessed ( and cursed ) to be born in the city of Los Angeles. I have a mixed love affair with this city. I was born and raised here and it is definitely HOME to me. I wake up at 5 or 6 AM most mornings and one of my favorite things to do is get in the car and go down to my local Starbucks on Hollywood Blvd. The sun is just breaking out, the light is low and mysterious, and all the weirdos and freaks are out walking the star studded sidewalk. On any given morning, I get to see Captain Jack Sparrow and Charlie Chaplin grab their morning cup of Joe and head over to the Grauman’s Chinese Theater to get their picture taken with the tourists infiltrating my town. I love it! But even I have suffered in my career by being based here. My work is not very “LA”. I don’t really enjoy shooting celebrities so I never built a book to try to get more work doing that kind of work. I don’t enjoy shooting lifestyle and that’s what a lot of the fashion work is here in LA. My style has always been more NY or Europe. And because of that, most of my clients are in NY or overseas.
What do you need to make it as a fashion photographer?
I know, this isn’t easy to swallow and I feel a little bad writing it, but I can’t tell you how many emails I get from very talented people asking me “what they need to do to make it as a fashion photographer” meawhile they are living in cities that I’ve never even heard of. I know that some of you have families that you just can’t leave behind to pursue your dreams. I know some of you have mortgages you just can’t pick up and walk away from. Some of you have kids. Obviously, you can’t pick up and walk away from your children! I never had kids. I knew that having children wouldn’t facilitate my career and in a sense, my photography is my kid. And marriage? Well, marriage doesn’t exactly facilitate it either! I remember my 2nd husband asking me for a divorce over the phone in 1993 because I decided to sign a 2 year contract for a job that paid very well and was very good for my career. I was only supposed to stay in Australia for 3 months. But I really wanted to stay and shoot. So I got the divorce. There was no way I was going to turn down that kind of career opportunity. In my 20′s, after graduating from Art Center, I literally lived out of a duffel bag. At 28, I got a call from a friend who had become the new fashion editor for a Spanish men’s magazine and he asked me how soon I could be in Paris to shoot a few editorials with him. I was on a plane the next day! My (ex) boyfriend was furious with me! As he drove me to the airport he told me I might not have a place to come back to. So what did I do? I got on that plane! Looking back, I made the right choice. I met some great people, drank really good wine and shot some beautiful guys. The (ex) boyfriend? Who cares! And no, I didn’t have a place to come back to. I stayed for 4 months in Europe ( I told him I’d be gone a month at the most) and then went to NY on my way back to LA and stayed a month there because I kept getting work. He was over it. But there was no way I could turn down the work or the opportunity so the sacrifices had to be made. And it takes that type of commitment and devotion to your career in order to stay in the game and play ball.
Fashion photography is a specific market and you must live in or near that market so you can get work. And we’re in this to work! We’re in this to make a living. Remember, this is a business! So, Yes!! You can start out shooting in Coon Rapids, (look it up, I had to) but you cannot advance to a higher level or begin to promote and market yourself as a fashion photographer in Coon Rapids. Once you start honing your skills and after you’ve decided that fashion photography is the ONLY career you’ll settle for you are going to have to busta’ move!
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AWESOME POST! Thank you for your honesty. You are my idol!
I most definitely agree.
Ouch, that’s gotta hurt!
YOU SAYING NOTHING BUT THE TRUE!!!!
Congratulation!
What a great post! thank u for sharing all that stuff that u live!
Could very well be my favorite post! (note to self: no relationships with fashion photographers) … this is just the truth-when you love something you pursue it no matter what, no matter where. Love what you’ve done with your website. Thanks for this post.
Tell me about it. I live in Buffalo NY right now, And while I do often travel to Toronto for jobs, i cannot tell you how much nicer it would be to relocate to NYC or Toronto Full time. Just in terms of making myself available to clients (and having fun, there are only so many place to go out in Buffalo) Its time I need to start looking very hard at finally jumping in and just moving.
Excellent advice Melissa, I made the move to NYC last fall. But I would love a follow-up to this because for the thousands of us already in the right market this is really the first step. In some ways moving here was a “step up” yet I find myself on the ground floor and NOW the real work begins!
Martin
Thanks for this post. You’re giving some really great insight to the rest of us.
Oh, she was ready to hear it! And Columbus is only a swingin’ town if you like sweatpants and running shoes for day and chinos for dress up at night. It’s impossible to feel like I have a good grip on what’s going on in the fashion world while being so far removed. I’ve always been a believer in immersion. I can’t thank Melissa enough for her time and no-bullshit conversation. Rest assured…plans are brewing.
Your coming to London for a seminar with Vincent!
Now I don’t feel so bad about not being able to get to Dubai.
Ha ha. Love your honesty! You’re the best!
So f***in true!! … I CAN’T imagine ever GO BACK
I love this post. I will second Martin that a follow-up could be helpful. I can be a strategic person… I find myself asking questions like- What would be important first contacts to make before or after moving to a new city?
gad, you’re so down to earth and never condescending…
great title btw, and it makes sense (although at first i thought living in fashion capitals would make it even harder to breakthrough, since you have to compete with everybody else)…
again, about location: i find myself basing shoots and styling out of location.. happened to me twice so far.. i’m sure you’ve made a point about this before.
as always, good stuff!
I forgot to say that your post is very thought provoking. All the way up the the last sentence… I’ve been thinking about the mindset you mentioned for about year now, ‘Is fashion photography the ONLY career I’ll settle for?’
As soon as I can answer this I’m pretty sure I’ll be bustin’ a move!!
It takes a lot more than location. I lived in San Francisco and LA for quite some time. I have been taught by the masters, and am a retouching ninja. I have a great portfolio, and am well connected with models. I’m completely not tied down at all, except to my work, and have never…even…been…published. There is obviously a lot more to it than location. And fwiw, work dried up SOOOOO much in CA I now live in dodge. Hello to my new home in TX. Where I am, btw, still shooting.
I am from Montreal Canada, I am your blog follower, i just read your post. and how much easier to get a job as a photographer in like NY or LA, compared to Toronto or Montreal. I am new to this, but, want to know how great those big cites can benefit me.
is toronto a big opportunity for a fashion photographer for their first step?
Yeah, I feel you on all that. I’m new to the fashion-photo game, but been handling a camera for a few years. Its taken that long to discover fashion photography is the only photography I want to focus on (no did not try to make a line out of “focus”).
I have and will sacrifice, but I won’t compromise (my style)!
Facilitating my first fashion photo shoot this Saturday. Will have a handful of models, a make-up artist, and a hair stylist. Excited about it, and got it all done by gettin’ up early and hittin’ those fashion stores and boutiques.
Thank God for the hustle!
Oh Melissa I wish you were wrong but I fear that you’re not. The big city is an enormous advantage to exposure even in these internet days and a single-minded attitude is paramount.
My pet promotional tool is networking although that can be frustrating and like a spread shot approach at times; going to the right parties, making sure the movers and shakers see your work somehow and rattling the cages of long-lost industry acquaintances. Keeping your website and Model Mayhem/Flickr/Whatever profile up to date is time consuming but also necessary.
As for relationships, Brian Duffy, one of the 1960s trinity of Duffy/Bailey/Donovan photographic ass kickers gave up everything to marry his wife and had four children and still made the top although she was a crucial part of his success. And this was in London in the 1960s so maybe not the same as now.
I would hate to think I was married to my camera although come to think of it it’s much more balanced and reliable than my ex.
What really needs to be pointed out is that all you’ve said is worthwhile if you are a top-class practitioner – which you are. Everything has to be in place then the sacrifices become justifiable.
I love reading your postings. Straight fucking truth from one who’s lived it. Nothing standing in the way of a driven passion. Thanks for sharing your path to success.
-j
Love this posts!!!
Stay on your path – wise words.
my heart started pounding in my chest when i read this. i knew that eventually i was going to hear the words in your blog but i didn’t think it would be so soon. i am honestly scared and frustrated about the possibility of being jerked all over the world or country in order to live my dream of becoming a published fashion photographer. but i guess, as i continue to build my portfolio (i have a shoot today) i can begin to work up the confidence and courage that it would take to do what you and apparently all fashion photographers must do. thank you very much for giving it to me straight.
Hey Coon Rapids is 10 minutes from my Minneapolis studio. lol
Great post, Melissa! And you’re right, to “make it” as a fashion photographer, I think living in a place where the fashion industry is thriving is vital. But I do want to give a little encouragement to those living in the fashion boondocks like yours truly.
Starting out in a small city has it’s perks. Namely, if you are any good at all, in short order, you will literally know everyone who has even a small “fashion bone” in their body. The pickings are slim, but even small towns have folks dreaming of doing make-up, hair, modeling, styling and designing for big time fashion – find those folks, create a team and keep shooting like you are in LA or NY. Actually, trying to build a NY/LA worthy book in a small city is great for developing resourcefulness & for testing your mettle because you have to work twice as hard as the folks in the big cities to procure items such as clothing or locations or even talent. It takes a great deal of commitment and dedication to continue shooting self-assigned projects in an environment that is depressingly un-chic!
The other thing is that a big city, filled with so many talented, driven individuals can crush a talented, but uncertain beginner; small cities don’t have quite the same competitive jostling nor do they judge you as harshly – this gives the opportunity to hone your craft and start developing a style without feeling like you could never compete. I think the biggest challenge facing us, small-towners is knowing WHEN the time is right to make the move. My suggestion would be build the best book you can, then pay a professional to review it – spend the $500-1000 to have a pro in the industry to give you an honest opinion – it might be that you need to stay in the “incubator” a bit longer, but then again, maybe you’ll be ready and you can relocate with the quiet confidence of someone who knows what they’re doing and what they want. 
A great as always Melissa. Whoa you are coming to the UK in August, I am so meeting you. Have a nice weekend
Great Post…..You have come a Lonnnnnngg Way Baby : )
just came across your awesome blog! albeit i am not a fashion photographer (more of a portraiture photographer) i think the advice is priceless! For any career you have to make the distinction on how far you are willing to go and what you can settle with. Great post! and love the refreshing honesty!
I agree with your post completely…
But there is ONE good thing about shooting in some small town or city that’s not LA or New York. You can ask to shoot in someone’s bar or basement and they will usually let you as long as you’re polite. If you ask to shoot someone in LA, it’s usually $2000 just to get in the door.
If I’m Lucky Austin TX. Will Become A Good Fashion Place. Austin Is Opening Up More To The Fashion World! Then Maybe I Wont Have To Leave My Family…
Awesome! Love this blog.
Please come back to Australia
Stumbled into this blog…subscribed!
Where can we sign up for London?
Very well put MR! How successful can you be in the fashon photography industry if the location doesn’t allow for the saturation of opportunities to succeed?
-TW
I thought this was going to be another long boring blog post, but I was pleasantly suprised. I will be posting a backlink on my blog, as I am quite sure my readers will find this more than interesting.
Some would argue that even Los Angeles is a podunk town when it comes to fashion. How do you personally deal with (or work around) the “Not New York” syndrome?
Melissa, I think you are so right in what you are saying specific about the photography world. On the other hand, I can’t agree with you that fashion isn’t thriving outside of the fashion centers of the world. There is plenty of fashion going on all over the world. Yes, you don’t have the sheer numbers of people needed and you wouldn’t be able to make a solid living and retirement as a photographer outside one of those fashion cities strictly as a fashion photographer. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Sure, you may not have been in very many of these cities, but fashion exists everywhere.
I also strongly agree that there are many hard choices one will have to make. Because of this, you MUST love what you do if you really want to be successful as a photographer and really know your craft. There are costs (not just monetary), and people need to make sure they really love photography enough that it becomes their world. In a smaller town, you can do other things in photography to add variety to your photography. In the big cities, it is your life.
Defiantly packing up the family in a suitcase and gonna move to NY or LA soon… Not to mention its cheaper to put the family in a suitcase than buying an airplane ticket. lol Great Blog btw
Great post – just what is needed to be known for anybody trying to make it. Thanks, and heads up from Moscow!
you said it. i go to school in athens ohio, about 1 hour from columbus and let me tell you..it is hard, as a photography student, to get the high end fashion shots i have in my head. i’m city girl, nyc girl to be exact, and i’m counting down the days until i can move away from the god forsaken state. your post couldn’t be more true. places like this just don’t have the j nes se quoi that the major cities do. that is why they are so unique and so fashion forward. i would never dream of doing fashion here and i would never dream of staying and doing portraits or weddings for the rest of my life. i can’t wait to make those sacrifices you have made and jump on this exciting roller coaster of a job!
For has been one who said, “yes but with internet the place doesn t matter” I know now that it s false.
I moved in nyc 3 months ago, and what i can say is the quality of the people you meet, everything is about networking. You go out to a party and you meet the photo editor of such magazine or the publiscist or such brand. I gave a card to a lady because i wanted to shoot her family (i am not that much in fashion yet) she was from london so she gave my proposal to her friend who called me back, and she was working at InStyle magazine. So of course it was interested, if I would have been a fashion photographer ( I am going to kids fashion) maybe it could have been a Vogue person. and if you get a good contact with a key figure its a great starting point.
the photo editor just gave birth and she didnt reply me yet, maybe she wont. but as celebrities have also baby and Instyle also show this kind of story it could be so a great contact. 4 hours to photograph her baby while speaking about everything, that create connection. If I would have pictures of Bunchen”s baby, oh my, I wouldn t be worried with my future
what I mean is that NYC is a concentration of artists and business person with lot of talent so your chance to meet the good person are way better. And it also pay much more.
That´s absolutely true. We all have to leave some things behind to pursue our dreams. In the end, you have to look back and make a + and – list, and I´m sure that the + will win. But first, believe in yourself! Nobody will do it if you don´t, right! Great critique!
Good post, and nice to hear something after a while. Also good to hear you´re keeping busy!
I live in Helsinki, Finland, which sure as hell ain´t a fashion capital in the global scale, but it´s the hub for all finnish design. In that sense I feel like one could make a career in here. Lot´s of people are, but it always has a great ring to it to say that one has had “international experience”, so now I am applying for some schools in the UK and more known countries around europe. I am married, and luckily my wife is very flexible and is psyched at the idea of taking off and going on an adventure for some years. She is also a well worked photo assistant.
I hope my marriage to her can withstand my marriage to photography, and vice versa.
Very well said Melissa. I have to agree that being in a locale with the ability to work closely with great talent, whether designers, mua’s, hair stylist, wardrobe stylists, assistants, etc. is key to building a great port and carving out one’s niche. I cannot imagine trying to make it anywhere other than where I am now (NYC) or only a few others places on the planet. Fortunately, since I’m already here, I haven’t had to make the personal and family sacrifices that you made in establishing yourself in this crazy, competitive field. That is truly an awesome thing, because if you are in NYC, Paris, London, etc., you can have a great career in the industry as well as a life outside of it. It is possible!
Excellent post! Just as you are saying, I found it out by myself, so I am moving to Milano.
btw: I love your blog!
I feel like I should add to the previous that in Finland, there are basically no photographers who do fashion and fashion only. the most common combo is fashion/portrait/advertising. and many peopla do food/product too. it’s such a small market that no one can afford to be so specified. so in here you could talk about commercial photographers and documenting photographer or photo journalists rather than fashion photographers or product photographers etc. though, I have to say that there are few “big names” who are just so undeniably good at what they do, that they don’t need to do anything else. but it’s an exclusive club!
Please don’t tell me the image on top was shot with a D2X!
See you in Dubai
Great to hear you’re coming to London in the Summer!
Very good post.
I like the lightning on the top image, well done.
The post speaks the bitter truth about the complete emptiness between the two coasts of US in terms of fashion resources (mainly models in my opinion).
It looks like it is difficult to really isolate the photography work from the styling, modeling and clothes. You can have wonderful lighting and good angles, but if the model is not good, then the image is not good either. However, those who judge photographers should be able to separate the modeling/styling and clothes from the true photographic work.
Soooo true… i’m like 25 miles east of columbus… and how it may be a big city…. its def not big enough.. its the biggest buzz kill ever….
Nothing here, I just wanted to check out my new Gravatar..LOL
Your avatar rocks, David. Lol.
Melissa! I think it’s fly that you’re doing your photography and being very transparent with who you are and what you do! It’s definitely keeping me going! Also nice to see DLA commenting on here (i’m in Chicago)!
London baby!!!
Thanks melissa, loving everything on FPB..
Where do we sign up for London seminars? Keep me posted please….
Simply Gorgeous your mood !!!! I like it so much !!!
Thank you for this post, very good advices!
Keep up the brilliant work, your images are inspirational and amazing =o)
I just have to tell you how amazing your blog is! I stumbled across it while trying to find some tips on shooting fashion, but kept coming across info about glamour portraits.
I live near a University with a fashion design school and a girl who designs costumes wants to set up a few sessions to have photos of her work for her portfolio. So I knew I had to do some research and found it a bit frustrating until I happened upon your blog! Fashion photography is obviously a new venture for me, but since I’m surrounded by friends who are models and fashion designers, it only makes sense for me to explore that avenue of photography. Your blog is so honest and inspiring! Thank you!
This was a great post. I like your writing style and your photography speaks volumes. Consider me a new fan.
I especially agree with the location aspect, plans are afoot to get down to London within the next year or two, it just seems to make sense.
OMG I just noticed upon reading this post again… you were here in Dubai darn! How could a major fan miss something like this… this is heartbreaking… oh well… I hope you had a blast…
Hey Melissa,
I love your honesty and bluntness in your facts and descriptions about being a professional photographer in this world….makes me smile, all the way over here in London, every time I read one of your posts…The truth as it is and as it should be…. Keep them coming.
Next time you are over here in London, please get in touch, would be great to take you for dinner and laugh about giving our soul to the world in the form of our images. lol. You can find my details on my web.
Love your die hard commitment and no bullshit!
Hey there! I had a brief conversation with someone in the business today and she took it one step further. I live in L.A., but she said there isn’t a market for what type of photography I’m into (specifically I told her my passion lies in men’s formalwear, fragrance and underwear). She said that all the fashion work is in New York, and I should consider leaving L.A. for NYC if I really wanted to “make it” (a term which I realize can mean any number of things, but for lack of a better term…). Now, I’m not nearly at the point in my career where I should consider uprooting myself to change coasts. My portfolio needs some work first. However, do you feel there is truth to needing to be in NYC? I mean, obviously you do quite well for yourself out here, but do you feel at a disadvantage being in L.A. vs New York? Thanks as always for your time!
Moving to where your market opportunities are is a no brainer if you are serious about your craft.
But I hope that sacrificing personal relationships on the altar of ambition is not a criterion for success.
We all have to make choices, and everyone is in different life situations. But putting self and career above all else is not something we should applaud.
I would love to move to fashion photography.
I love your writing style! You’re very candid and humorous! No wonder you have a lot of readers!
But, really? Some of them have the nerve to try and filch your clients? Geez, talk about a squat sense of dignity!