"The Origins of Fashion Photography"

The art of photography has been used to communicate an idea, style, message or meaning throughout history. For me, photography has always been a great inspiration in any aspect of my own work.

The idea of photography dates back as early as the 4th and 5th centuries BC, where Greek mathematicians Aristotle and Euclid described a 'pinhole camera'. Photography, in the same degree as we see today, was invented in the 19th century with the development of chemical experimentation and the process of 'daguerreotype'. Daguerreotype was developed by Louis Daguerre and Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, with the first ever permanent photography being taken in 1826.

 'View from the Window at Le Gras'

There are many valuable contributors to the historical development of photography. Hercules Florence, a French-Brazilian painter and inventor, whom developed a similar process to which he called 'Photographie' in 1834. William Fox Talbot, and English inventor and 'pioneer of photography' ,who developed a more advanced process of 'fixing' an image, also developing the 'calotype' process that we use in modern photography.

Adolphe Braun is perhaps the most significant name in the creation of 'fashion photography'. In 1856, Braun published a book that included 288 of Virginia Oldoini, Countess di Castiglione, a Tuscan noblewoman, where she is seen in many poses dressed in typical court attire of that time. These photographs are seen as the first ever fashion photographs where the defining subject is the model, clothing and style.

The 20th century brought new advances in the technology used in photography, allowing fashion photography to be published in magazines such as French magazine, 'La Mode Pratique' and Conde Nast Publications which included 'Vogue' and 'Vanity Fair', with Edward Steichen regarded as the most influential photographer in the years 1923 to 1938.

Edward Steichen for Vogue

Throughout the 1920's and 1930's, the magazines Vogue and Haper's Bazaar where the leaders in featuring the new art movement of fashion photography, with photographers of the likes of Cecil Beaton, Louise Dalh Wolfe, David Bailey and Helmut Newton becoming some of the most influential photographers of this time, whom paved the way for the incredibly inspiring artists and photographers in the modern fashion world.  

Cecil Beaton

Louise Dahl Wolfe

David Bailey

Helmut Newton

'UNHATE'

In my opinion ... powerfully inspiring.

"The Shock Factor"

'Shockvertising' is deliberately used in advertisement to stun or startle the audience. These advertisements will most likely push those comfortable boundaries of the norms and cultural acceptances that we all conform to, thus, in most cases offending and ultimately - shocking.

Take United Colors of Benetton's 'UNHATE' campaign featured in the link from The Guardian for instance, is this really classed as fashion advertising or perhaps just another strategy for branding promotion and revenue increase?

This particular campaign is somewhat of a sensitive subject, to say the least, and I can totally understand why religious believers, and others, would be offended by these images. However, in my opinion, the campaign is an honest attempt to 'battle the culture of hate in all its forms' (response from Benetton when accused of being insensitive) This, in my opinion, is never a bad thing. These campaigns, for me, make a much greater statement than using the shallowness of the simple power of sex in advertising.

However, the same question is apparent in my mind ... Are these shock advertising campaigns really necessary for the fashion brand?

Are these advertisements unnecessary, insensitive and disrespectful? Or brave, shocking and powerful?

The emotional stir in the public and controversy that Benetton's advertising campaigns create speak volumes ...

"The Power of Sex"

It seems that where ever we look today some form of sexual imagery is being forced upon us, albeit sometimes in a more subtle way than others, and I have to ask myself, is this really what we have become? Yes, we are all sexual beings, but is this really all we are?

Countless companies use the idea of sex in their advertising campaigns, some trying to push the boundaries of "acceptable" advertising more than others. One could say that in this society that has a globalised obsession with sex it seems the idea of "acceptable" is exactly what campaigns strive to push and break. Are we really that easily led to consume?

Some advertising, that so obviously screams sex makes me wonder about the lack of originality and creativity in advertising. What ever happened to the advertisement that did not need to use sex to sell?

I am certainly not denying the fact that sex does help to sell, but is it the only way?

Some argue, yes, these advertisements that are sexualised do help to boost sales, however, certainly do not sustain this revenue. In my opinion, the brand or company needs real substance and product awareness in order to be able to use sex as a selling point.

It is these advertisements that so obviously jump on the "sex sells" band waggon just to temporarily boost sales is exactly why I feel strongly about this. A great deal of advertisements are directed in some way towards sex, and I feel this is a great shame that it seems that we are so easily distracted and lured by this sexualisation.

In our society, it is becoming more and more apparent of the extreme over use of sexual ideas and imagery in advertising. In my opinion, and I'm sure in the view of others too, this constant bombardment of sexualisation on the "youth of today" is deeply saddening. The younger generation are manipulated into being sexually aware at a much too young age, thus loosing their childhood.

Therefore, I have to ask myself how powerful is the power of sex?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/fashion/gallery/2011/nov/17/benettons-most-controversial-adverts#/?picture=381968502&index=5

Magazine lnspiration

Colour Palette