Making an impression

BENGALURU: There is a lot of thought and work that goes into making a designer collection speak for itself. Of course, there is the design, fabric and craftsmanship, but a picture speaks a thousand words. Photography plays a major part, the play of lights can change the narrative and the location can either make or break the collection.

The approach towards aesthetics has changed and the collaboration between fashion designers and photographers is more complex. CE spoke to designers and fashion photographers about professional fashion photoshoots and what goes into it to creating an image that truly brings out the beauty of the apparel without ceasing from the story.

“I begin thinking about the presentation from the initial stage of designing. From the selection of the fabric and texture, I have to think about how it would look and what kind of appeal it will have through the photographs,” says Ganesh Nallari, who runs Chic Pea Studios.

According to him, presenting the design through photographic display is equally important as designing. “The process to achieve a perfect fashion photo is complex because two minds work together to attain it. The picture has to tell the story and not mess with the display of the apparel,” says Nallari.

These days, both photographers and designers are breaking the rules to get perfect pictures. Most of them, instead of grandiose and ornate backdrops — which were preferred until recently for ethnic wear — are opting for dull backdrops. “We want a grandiose-royal setup, but the grandeur is lost (such as ruins and deserted historical sites). Through these places, the grandeur of the apparel is highlighted and 
the intricacy with which the design is achieved. 

The backdrop exists — it is not blurred out, but is dull,” says Harpreet Singh, a freelance fashion photographer.Without a proper theme, the clothes wouldn’t tell the story which they meant to. The photographer decides the visual appeal and the theme. “It takes contrast to make the apparel stand out from the noise in the background. I use colour theory and find complementary colours to accentuate  the background, yet keep it in sync with the apparel,” says Fahad Amjad, a fashion photographer.

“A good story includes a lot of characters apart from the main one. Photographers need to use accessories, lighting, background and a location to tell a compelling story,” he says.