Glamour Photography
According to Wikipedia, glamour photography is, a genre of photography where the subjects, usually female, are depicted in a romantic or alluring way
A glamour photograph will usually have one or more of the following attributes
- The model connects with the viewer through their body language and facial expressions.
The photographer uses a combination of techniques, including lighting, airbrushing and cosmetics to create an appealing image of the subject. - IGlamour photography is usually a composed image of a subject in a still position and the model can be full clothed, semi-nude or implied nude, which means either the composition of the image or the pose of the model makes it impossible to tell whether or not she is actually unclothed or only appears to be so.
- A good photographer who views the glamour photograph as a work of art will often be able to draw out the model’s hidden nature by studying the human form and using that knowledge to highlight his model’s interesting and unique features.
Who should consider getting a glamour portrait?
Twenty years ago, glamour photography was only for models and commercial clients. Today, this genre of photography is more affordable and assessable and is quite popular with the general public. Because there are no steadfast rules and glamour photography includes so many variations, anyone can get glamour shots done.
Glamour photographers include the following people among their clientele:
- High school seniors looking for senior portraits that capture their personalities more than traditional photographs.
- Everyday moms, wives and girlfriends who want to have professional, beautiful pictures of themselves either to build their own self-esteem or as a gift for a significant other. Many women who get glamour portraits done say the emphasis on their natural beauty and unique features make them feel better about their bodies and make them feel beautiful, even sexy.
- Men and women pursing modeling careers and are trying to build a portfolio. Glamour photographs can be cropped tight around the subject’s face or pulled back to show the entire body, and are a great way to illustrate a model’s range in front of the camera.
- Students and professionals looking for headshots that stand out from regular corporate headshots. Established and aspiring actors, musicians and others in more creative fields will often use glamour photographs for portfolios and publicity packets to help demonstrate their personality and unique qualities
Of course, a photographer can’t magically make someone beautiful with just a camera and lighting and some people will photograph better than others. But, an experienced photographer should be able to find something beautiful and interesting about their client, whether she’s a Hollywood starlet, an aging mother or a professional looking for corporate headshots that stand out from the crowd.
Beauty and Fashion are two types of photography that are very similar to glamour and sometimes an image can be more than one, incorporating several styles of photography. Beauty is more about the look of the subject and less about the person or connecting with the person. Many times a beauty photograph is a beautiful woman with no expression at all. Fashion photography is all about selling apparel and accessories so the focus will be more about the clothing, the color, the lines, the form and fit, etc…
So, what is glamour photography?
When it comes to popular magazines and websites and still images of women, it’s much easier to pick out what is NOT glamour photography since so much of what we see everyday can fall into this very broad style of photography.
Glamour Examples
