Degree Course Type
Diploma, Certificate
Entry Level Qualification
Class 10+2
Degree Course Duration
3 Year
Degree Course Entrance Exam
No Entrance Exam
Average Course Fee
30000 - 100000
Average Salary Offered
300000 - 500000
Course Details
Fashion Photography can be classified into the following broad divisions depending on the area of work:
1. Catalogue Fashion Photography: In catalogue photography, the idea is to showcase products like clothes, shoes, boots, bonnets, ties, belts and gloves, bracelets, watches, necklaces, eyewear, and piercings, rings, and other fashion accessories in an attractive way.
2. Runway Fashion Photography: In Runway Photography, vertical shots of models from their shoes to hats need to be taken that suit the pages of fashion magazines. Photographers take photos of the models at ramp shows or catwalk shows. They focus on the clothing and other fashion accessories worn by the models.
3. Glamour Fashion Photography: It is an art that highlights the beauty of a model. In a glamour photoshoot, models' outfits, locations, and makeup styles are impressive. A model or several models or the model's physical features are the main subjects of glamour photography.
4. High Fashion Photography: High Fashion Photography is about selling or showcasing the products and the creative style and vision of fashion houses. It often stars top models, famous actors and actresses, and football stars.
5. Street Fashion Photography: This type of fashion photography focuses on real people and their way of life when it comes to fashion. It is an exciting area of photography that recounts the story of what ordinary people wear and how they style it.
6. Editorial Fashion Photography: Editorial Fashion Photography can tell a story without text. This branch of Fashion Photography represents a mood and can depict a theme without words.
Course Highlights
The table below demonstrates the most important highlights of the Fashion Photography course:
Particulars | Details |
Course Level | Diploma/Certification |
Industry | Fashion Industry |
Eligibility for Fashion Photography | 10+2 passed from a recognized institute |
Fashion Photography Admission Process | Based on Merit |
Fashion Photography Subjects | Impact of product advertisement Beauty point of purchase displays Fashion and beauty products in advertising Product lighting styles and techniques Effective use of propping and background/surface materials |
Fashion Photography Course Fee | INR 30,000 to 10,00,000 |
Fashion Photography Average Starting Salary | INR 3,00,000 – INR 5,00,000 |
Fashion Photography Job Opportunities | Modeling and Fashion Industries, Film Industries, Marketing Agencies, Advertising Agencies, etc. |
About Course
Fashion Photography is a genre of photography that enhances the display of clothing and other elements of fashion by the presence of exotic locations or accessories. The origin of Fashion Photography as a genre took place in the XIX century, under the influence of fashion magazines such as La mode pratique (1898), Harper Bazaar (1867), and Vogue (1892). Fashion Photography course is designed for both amateur and professionals as it focuses highly on inculcating the necessary skill sets and knowledge to build a promising career in the field of Fashion Photography.
The various types of Fashion Photography include Catalogue Photography, High Fashion Photography, Street Fashion Photography, and Editorial Fashion Photography. The duration of the Fashion Photography course ranges from a few months to a year. After graduating from the Fashion Photography course, students become eligible to receive diploma and Photography Certificate Courses.
The subjects included in the Fashion Photography course includes Impact of product advertisement, Beauty point of purchase displays, Fashion and beauty products in advertising, Product lighting styles and techniques, Effective use of propping and background/surface materials, and many more.
Why Choose Course And Required Skills
Listed below are the top reasons to pursue a degree in Fashion Photography:
1. Opportunity to be creative: Individuals with a creative nature can uphold the beauty of the most mundane objects through the Fashion Photography course. This helps people to perceive things around them in a different way than they appear to be.
2. Travel Opportunities: Travelling becomes mandatory in a Fashion Photography course, where they are required to travel extensively to diverse locations to carry out their photo sessions in diverse locations, exotic and isolated sites, on behalf of news organisations or large media.
3. Self-Employment: Self-employed photographers do not work under any authority; they act as their own bosses and prepare their own schedules. Their greatest advantage is that they can work virtually anywhere if they possess cameras and other equipment of fashion photography.
4. Creative Self-Expression: Individuals associated with Fashion Photography often portray in the form of pictures what they perceive about life. Such pieces of work may impact others by invoking reactions and emotions in others giving rise to awareness and deep understanding.
5. Exposure: Individuals associated with Fashion Photography become a part of the community. They may improve their skills in fashion photography by joining photo clubs and meeting others.
6. Opportunity to Work with a Team: Individuals associated with Fashion Photography get an opportunity to work with talented and inspiring professionals from the fashion industry like hairdressers, designers, stylists, make-up artists, and internationally renowned models and celebrities.
7. Publications: To have one’s work published in an internationally renowned fashion magazine or newspaper is the most rewarding experience for a fashion photographer who underwent a lot of sacrifices and efforts.
Eligibility
In order to pursue a career a fashion photography course, the candidates must qualify for the following eligibility criteria:
1. The candidate must have completed 10+2 education from a recognized board or university.
2. The candidate must have an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in the relevant field such as photography.
3. The aspiring candidate must have completed a diploma or certificate level course in Fashion Photography.
4. Possessing work experience in the field of Fashion Photography or completing an internship makes one eligible for a better job.
5. Candidates are required to exhibit a portfolio of work during job interviews.
Entrance Exams Details
Admission to most of the institutes in India into fashion photography courses is based on merit. However, few institutes offer admission based on scores of the entrance examination:
1. Andhra University – AU Entrance Exam
2. Creative Hut Institute of Photography & Film Entrance Exam
3. Delhi School of Photography Entrance Exam
Degree Course Syllabus
The syllabus for Fashion Photography differs slightly at different institutes. The syllabus of the Fashion Photography course has been tabulated below:
Sub-topic | Syllabus |
History of Fashion | The origins of fashion The role of photography in shaping fashion trends Major historical movements in fashion photography Society photographs of aristocrats, actresses and society models wearing their clothes in 1910 Chic Neo-classicism of the 1930s Fashion arrives in advertisements 1930s Supermodel 1940’s Dynamic location Photography 1940’s Romantic/impressionistic Modernism Androgyny Contemporary The use of human sexuality in fashion and advertising photography Role portrayal of strength or submission Use of nudity in fashion, advertising, and fine art photography Body image standards and self-image issues The role of photography in changing cultural standards of body shape, perceptions of beauty, and the level of acceptance concerning the use of sexuality Ethical considerations concerning body representation Photographic masters and trendsetters. Adolph De Meyer Louise Dahl-Wolfe Horst P. Horst George Hoyningen-Huene George Hurrell (Glamour) Richard Avedon Helmut Newton David Bailey Irving Penn Contemporary and emerging photographers |
Overview of Production | Composition through pose, propping, and scene elements Make-up Hair Lighting patterns and effects Hard light Soft light Contrast for mood and effect Studio/location Sensitivity, set and model considerations Digital retouching |
Fashion/Model Headshots | Pose Expression Applications of lighting Lighting styles Use of low and high key Background selection |
Working With Models and Figure Fashion | Pose Visual mood Black and white vs colour Model portfolio requirements Model promotion piece, “Zed Card” |
Catalogue Fashion and Fashion in Advertising | Visual advertising Model as a prop The role of the stylist Studio figure fashion Location figure fashion Non-figure fashion Flats Stacks |
Fashion Still Life | Impact of product advertisement Beauty point of purchase displays Fashion and beauty products in advertising Product lighting styles and techniques Effective use of propping and background/surface materials |
Image Retouching and Colour Correction | Colour corrections for proper skin tone Colour corrections for accurate garment or object reproduction Retouch methods for skin, eyes, and clothing Advanced retouching techniques |
Top Colleges
The subjects included in the Fashion Photography course include the Impact of product advertisement, Beauty point of purchase displays, Fashion and beauty products in advertising, Product lighting styles and techniques, etc. The most eminent colleges in India offering Fashion Photography courses have been listed below:
1. JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Delhi
2. Creative Hut Institute of Photography
3. International Business School Washington, Karnataka
4. International Institute of Fine Arts, Uttar Pradesh
5. National Institute of Photography, Maharashtra
6. School of Photography, Rajasthan
7. Delhi College of Photography
8. Light and Life Academy, Ooty
9. Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University, Hyderabad
10. Pearl Academy, New Delhi
11. Asian Academy of Film and Television, Raipur
12. National Institute of Photography, Maharashtra
13. National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
14. Maheshwari College of Commerce & Arts, Rajasthan
15. The Indian Institute of Digital Art and Animation
The top colleges offering Fashion Photography courses in UK are as follows:
1. University For the Creative Arts
2. University Of Hertfordshire
3. Birmingham City University
4. Falmouth University
5. Bath Spa University
6. University Of Bolton
7. Plymouth College of Art
8. Leeds Arts University
9. London Metropolitan University
10. Solent University, Southampton
Top Colleges Offering Fashion Photography Courses in the USA
The top colleges offering Fashion Photography courses in the USA are as follows:
College/University | Program Offered |
University of Central Florida | Bachelor's |
New York University | Bachelor's |
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Bachelor's |
University of Washington - Seattle Campus | Certificate & Bachelor's |
Brigham Young University-Provo | Bachelor's |
University of Houston | Bachelor's |
California State University - Sacramento | Bachelor's |
Grand Valley State University | Bachelor's |
Temple University | Bachelor's & Master's |
Virginia Commonwealth University | Bachelor's & Master's |
Top Colleges Offering Fashion Photography Courses Around the World
1. Goldsmiths University of London
2. Rochester Institute of Photography
3. Vevey School of Photography
4. California Institute of the Arts
5. Ryerson University – School of Image Arts
6. Academy of Art University
7. Accademia Italian
8. Institute Europe Di Design
New York Institute of Photography
Cracow School of Art and Fashion Design, Kraków, Poland
UpToDate Fashion Academy, Milan, Italy
Future Institute of Higher Education & Training, Rosario, Argentina
International Institute of Arts and Photography, Stanmore, Australia
Course Fees
The course fees for Fashion Photography range from INR 30,000 to INR 10,00,000 that have been tabulated below:
Name of the Institute | Average Fees (in INR) |
International Business School Washington, Karnataka Course Fee | 1,20,000 |
Creative Hut Institute of Photography Course Fee | 3,83,500 |
Light and Life Academy, Ooty Course Fee | 8,30,000 |
JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Delhi Course Fee | 1,75,000 |
School of Photography, Rajasthan Course Fee | 65,000 |
Top Recruiters And Salary
The most eminent recruiting agencies in the field of Fashion Photography are mentioned below:
1. Vogue India
2. Lakme
3. Femina
4. Myntra
5. Elle
6. Tanishq
7. Malabar
8. Verve
9. Grazia
10. Photographers Direct


The average compensation of a beginner in fashion photography is around INR 5 lakh per year and can rise up to 15 lakh per year. After gaining experience, a fashion photographer can expect between INR 30 lakh to 40 lakh per year. Given below is a table that demonstrates the job profiles and salary packages for Fashion Photographers:
Job Profile | Description | Average Salary (in INR) |
Fashion Photographer at Fashion Studios | The job involves carrying out photoshoots in the fashion studios. They are responsible for presenting clothing in advertising campaigns, catalos, and fashion magazines. | 4.5 LPA |
Fashion Photographer in Advertising Agencies | The Fashion Photographer is responsible for producing high-quality and eye-catching images so that the brand's message becomes engaging in nature and is delivered to customers in a way that creates a lasting influence on their minds. | 5 LPA |
Fashion Photographer in Cloth Catalogues | The job role involves focusing on the outfit of the model since the purpose of the photoshoot is to sell clothing. The Fashion Photographer must uphold the clothing brand’s collection. | 4.7 LPA |
Fashion Photographer at Magazine Houses | The fashion photographer works with renowned models to bring to the notice of the customers their clothing, accessories, and apparel to increase sales to the maximum extent. | 3 LPA |
Freelance Fashion Photographer | They work with renowned models and celebrities in the fashion industry to produce their portfolios. They also conduct photoshoots for Fashion Exhibitions and Shows, Fashion Websites and Magazines, Event Management and Organisations, etc. They are also involved in independent workshops to enhance their skills in photo shoots that tend to portray the clothing, accessories, and apparel worn by models. | Up to 10 LP |
Course Scope And Career Options
The average salary in the field of Fashion Photography at the beginner level begins from 3 LPA. After pursuing a degree in Fashion Photography, individuals may seek employment in the areas of Advertising Agencies, Clothes Catalogues, Self-Employment, Fashion Studios, etc. A fashion photographer can seek employment in many renowned domains. that have been mentioned below:
1. Advertising Agencies
2. Clothes Catalogues
3. Self-Employment
4. Fashion Studios
5. Fashion Labels
6. Fashion Exhibitions and Shows
7. Fashion Websites and Magazines
8. Event Management and Organisations
9. Freelance Photography
10. Photographer's Assistant
11. Photo Editor
12. Director of Photography
Admission Process
Individuals must consider the following to become eligible for fashion photography courses in India:
School Level Preparation for Fashion Photography: Start Practising Fashion Photography on a Consistent Basis
Students with artistic abilities, creative minds, and a passion for photography must start their preparation at the school level itself. They may start with practicing portrait photography, nature photography, and any other specialties. Through practice, they will gain insight into how to direct models, use the natural light and navigate different camera features. Students may also enroll themselves in photo clubs for detailed learning.
UG Level Preparation for Fashion Photography: Consider a Degree in Fashion Photography
It is not mandatory for an individual to pursue a degree in photography to qualify for a Fashion Photography role. However, a professional degree increases the chances of one’s employability since the degree program provides one with in-depth learning experiences. Photography courses are available online or at local community colleges and art centres. It is feasible for aspiring students to opt for Photography as an elective during high school or college. In a photography course, students get to learn about ISO, lighting, exposure, composition, photo editing, and other important foundational components. Students also have to work on photography assignments that can be added to their portfolios.
PG Level Preparation for Fashion Photography
Individuals become eligible for a photography course at the post-graduate level only after completing the course at the undergraduate level. The admission process to some of the top institutes offering Fashion Photography courses depends highly on the candidate’s performance in the following entrance exams:
1. Andhra University – AU Entrance Exam
2. Delhi School of Photography Entrance Exam
3. Creative Hut Institute of Photography & Film Entrance Exam