Travel with iconic street photographer trashhand as he shares his process for shooting a brand lookbook — the pro approach that built his street photography career.
Having shot for Jordan Brand, Raised By Wolves, Dope Boy Magic and more, trashhand has used fashion lookbooks to grow as a photographer and professional. This 40-minute, documentary-style class is fueled by his experiences and insights, sharing advice on
- Pitching and working with brands
- Preparing for a shoot with styling and scouting
- Shooting wide, medium, and detail photos
- Editing photos with product in mind
Whether you’re an aspiring freelancer or a street shooting hobbyist, this class mixes technical specs with true behind-the-scenes. See the inner workings of pro photographer life, and take your street photography to the next level.
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What You'll Learn
- Introduction. Creating a lookbook for fashion brands can present unique challenges, even if you’re already quite skilled at outdoor portrait photography. Let veteran street photographer trashhand take you along on one of his outdoor fashion shoots as he gives you helpful insights and tips on how to make this type of challenge fun and rewarding. Digital photography for beginners can be fun but complex. The guidance of trashhand will give you the fundamentals you need to create stunning lookbooks and the tools to level up your photography skills.
- Planning the Shoot. Lookbooks are a specific tool that fashion brands use to show off new designs. trashhand gives his firsthand account of how he reached out and engaged with certain brands he wanted to work with, and gives you advice on what you must consider after you’ve gotten the assignment. From how to choose the right model to creating mood boards, much goes into making a great lookbook. In this project, trashhand gives you insight into how he chooses his outdoor locations and the unique challenges he faces. What are the colors of the background? Will you be able to adjust the ISO sensitivity to get every detail you need? The more planning that goes into this stage, the easier your shoot will be.
- Prepping the Clothing. The clothes are king in such projects, and you need to know how to prepare them for a day of shooting. Brands will often simply ship a few pieces that they want to showcase to the photographer’s studio, and it’s up to that photographer to understand how to care for, showcase, and even construct outfits that meet the criteria of the shoot. For this stage, the photographer must act as a kind of costume designer, and trashhand talks you through how to choose certain colors and styles to create an ensemble that will work with your chosen locations. He also gives you a few tips on details you might miss when shooting, and how a lint roller can save you hours of digital photography editing later.
- Location 1 Parking Garage. Follow along as trashhand and his model venture out into a spiral parking garage ramp to capture some stunning photos with available light. As he works, he gives you a peek into his thought process when it comes to the best ways to feature details of the clothing that the brand would want showcased.
- Location 2 Garage Roof. trashhand and his subject then go to the roof of a parking garage and snap a few photos as an elevated train rumbles by in the background. This touch of urban life takes a few adjustments to get right, but trashhand shows you what to look for and how to stay on top of your game to get the best possible results.
- Location 3 Under the Bridge. Next up, they climb the structure beneath a bridge to capture a few gorgeous shots as the lines of the architecture flow to the center, creating a photo that draws the eye to the clothing. Here, trashhand gives you his thoughts on composing a set of photos, from wide, to medium, to macro close-up, that fit together stylistically and create a coherent series.
- Editing for Products. Just as shooting for clothing requires a unique approach, so does editing for the product. trashhand looks to bring out every unique feature in the pieces he has photographed, from a zipper to the logo. Using Lightroom, he’ll show you how to save time by applying your edits to the entire shoot at once, instantly creating a cohesive set of photos. He also takes you through the steps to color correct your photos to best reflect the original colors in the garments. The wrong shade of pink might not matter in most pictures, but in a fashion lookbook, it can be the difference between getting more work and being shown the door.