Is there such a thing as a "fashion portrait?"

[RDKirk]

Had this debate in another forum discussing when a picture that contains a human being becomes a portrait.

Is there such a thing as a "fashion portrait" in which the style of clothing, even if it's not representative of the subject's personality, is the most obvious characteristic of the picture. Should that still be called a "portrait?"

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

Good question. I have no idea. It’ll be interesting to see what portrait shooters think.

 

[Jack Dawe]

I don't do people, so I'm not sure I'm entitled to have an opinion, let alone comment, but I think I might have some difficulty in regarding a shot of a fashionably dressed manakin as a 'fashion portrait'. For me, a human being would be an essential element.

 

[mjp3210]

There was a 1950s New York photographer named Gerry Low (1919-2007) who became well-known for his fashion portraits.

 

[joayne]

What would Richard Avedon be if not a fashion photographer, the models (humans) are only the medium, the clothes are the subject.



*He actually crossed many genres. I'm just taking a side here.
He was actually a Portrait and Fashion photographer, and that distinction is made.
So, I do believe that you can be a fashion photographer without taking portraits.
Isn't it the subject that matters:? The clothing in fashion photography or the representation of a person through portraiture.

 

[RDKirk]

What would Richard Avedon be if not a fashion photographer, the models (humans) are only the medium, the clothes are the subject.



*He actually crossed many genres. I'm just taking a side here.
He was actually a Portrait and Fashion photographer, and that distinction is made.
So, I do believe that you can be a fashion photographer without taking portraits.
Isn't it the subject that matters:? The clothing in fashion photography or the representation of a person through portraiture.

"Is there such a thing as a photographer who can be both a fashion photographer and a portrait photographer" was not the question.

 

[rantercsr]

To me there are portraits which are clearly 'fashion portraits'. It's obvious 'the look' was put together by a stylist and not just picked out of the subjects personal closet.

So yes. It's still a portrait, to me

 

[nevermore]

I agree that there are indeed portraits with fashion styling. But in a strict sense, I would say no for the reasons previously stated. To me, it all comes down to the purpose of the image. And I think there can be crossover when the purposes are blurred. Here are some thoughts that come to mind:

If your "fashion" model during a shoot also happens to be a notable figure (e.g, entertainer, author, artist, academic, politician, industrialist etc.) it would be difficult for the public to see the person as only a clothes rack. While the paying client may be promoting something like formal wear, since the half life of that purpose is 15 minutes the portrait aspect is likely to endure.​

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If it's an amateur "fashion" shoot (e.g., portfolio building or goofing off) you're probably promoting the model much more than the fashion, so I would call that a portrait. You could, of course, argue whether or not that was a genuine fashion image in the first place.​

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And I wouldn't be surprised if a professional fashion model with a straightforward headshot from a shoot, used it for something like a passport photo. Put that in the portrait column.​

I prefer to not overthink it.

 

[OhLook]

I agree that there are indeed portraits with fashion styling. But in a strict sense, I would say no for the reasons previously stated. To me, it all comes down to the purpose of the image. And I think there can be crossover when the purposes are blurred. . . .

If your "fashion" model during a shoot also happens to be a notable figure (e.g, entertainer, author, artist, academic, politician, industrialist etc.) it would be difficult for the public to see the person as only a clothes rack.​

I go along with all the distinctions you made. On trying to think of borderline cases, I got these:

• A paparazzo follows Taylor Swift as she goes shopping and snaps her leaving a store wearing a dress she just bought. The photo appears in a movie magazine.
• A clothing manufacturer pays Taylor Swift to model and endorse a dress from its new line. The photo appears in an ad with a caption quoting her saying she loves the design.
• Every year during and after the Oscars, we can see "red-carpet photos" of celebrities posing in what they wore to the event.

Entertainers make good examples because what they wear is part of their act and their public image.

 

[Tjay]

I’m a fashion photographer for one of the worlds top fashion model agencies, this type of photography is two fold.
1- it’s about the clothes and how it pleases the eye through the designer
2- it’s about the fashion model and how she presents the clothing of the designer
Multi- billion dollar industry for those who make it, by designing, modeling and photographing it for magazines, billboards or models portfolio.
It’s a very demanding, high energy, world traveling profession, but lucrative lifestyle.

 

[ImageMaker]

Dunno.