Bluff it as a fashion photographer

By Chris Stevens on 21 December 2006

1.  The idiot
2.  Using flash
3.  Stay relaxed
4.  Be creative
5.  Pick and choose

6.  Tweak the image
7.  Choose the style
8.  Use Photoshop
9.  Print it
10. You're a pro!

9. Print it
Home photo printers may seem extremely appealing, and for professional photographers they are an invaluable tool -- it's a bit like having a small film lab on your desk. Maintaining and calibrating a photo printer, however, especially a large-format printer, can be a nightmare.

If you're serious about fashion photography, it's still best to get your prints proofed by a professional chemist. There are several great online stores that you can upload photos to and have them delivered, printed, the next day. Their machines are carefully calibrated and will tend to give better results than a home printer.

It's also much more expensive to print photographs at home. The expense of cartridges and paper soon adds up. If you do want a large-format photo printer, be aware that you'll spend some of your time tinkering with it like a car mechanic. Many of us would prefer to just get on with driving.

You can see that the front cover here looks punchy and legible. The photograph is certainly quirky and there's enough space around the edge for the designer to lay down copy around the figure.

< Use Photoshop You're a pro! >

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