Glamour Photography Tips

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Glamour photography is the most popular form, whether you use Instagram, scroll through Facebook, or spot it in your local newspaper. So why not learn more about its origins and pick up some helpful tips if this type of photography piques your interest? Let's explore!

Since its inception, glamour photography has come a long way. From the streets of Paris to glossy ads in magazines and newspapers - it is now used as a powerful tool for marketing products that promise to make you look beautiful and feel great.

Erotic Origins of Glamour Photography

Glitzy photography began in the early 1900s as "erotic photography," which was mostly sold on the streets of France through "French Postcards." These small photos were distributed by street sellers and showcased scantily-clad women posing provocatively for viewers. Although some remnants remain today, this genre quickly increased and developed to include pinup models portraying prominent celebrities at that time.

Related article: What is Boudoir Photography?

Glamour Shots: Triangle of Happiness

Glamour photography has become one of the original genres of photography worldwide. Think about it - almost every modeling portfolio and advertisement incorporates glamour shots! This is owing to the allure of this kind of photograph; a successful glamour photographer must be knowledgeable in makeup, lighting techniques, and poses to make their model look effortlessly beautiful. It truly takes an incredible amount of skill and creativity to capture these stunning images.

Even though veteran models know how to appear great on camera, numerous newbies are oblivious that they must master standing exactly and abnormally to express their native beauty. Many books have been published about discovering the ideal pose for a specific model, yet all this knowledge boils down to is triangles.

Humans are naturally attracted to the balanced shape of a triangle, and our neurons search for meaning within the structure. Consequently, an effortless way to add glamour to a photo is having your subject create triangles with their arms, legs, or body. With slight bends in elbows and knees, you can craft beautiful images that draw viewers in and appear organic and artistic.

Though often overlooked, every glamour photograph has something in common - their limbs! Once you peek at these photos' arms and legs, you will never be able to unsee them. If you'd like to examine this phenomenon, pull up any glamorous image and check out the limbs. You may not immediately realize what is unique about them, but soon enough, it'll become clear.

Emotionless Light - A Key Factor for Glamour Photos

Glamour shots are about creating an emotionless, evenly lit portrait of your model. You'll need a backlight and a kicker to form a halo around the face to achieve this look. Compared to three-point lighting that uses key and fills lights for illumination, glamour photography requires illuminating the subject with very flat light to make their skin appear smooth on camera. This is one of the most fundamental tips for shooting glamorous photos.

To create the perfect backdrop, it is essential to ensure balanced lighting and a backlight that separates the scene from its surroundings. If done incorrectly, this can inadvertently send viewers an undesired message or emotion. Pay attention and study how anchors look on television; you will quickly understand why even lighting on all sides of them is critical for a professional broadcast.

Photoshop is Your Friend for Glamour Photography

Photoshop has various uses in glamour photography and is a necessary skill for any photographer. We are all human, which means that none of us is perfect; however, glamor and imperfections do not coexist easily. Regardless if our true beauty or charm isn't affected by these faults, it's essential to be able to use Photoshop as a tool to create the most beautiful final product possible.

When producing a glamour shot, you are ultimately curating the image of this person to be as physically flawless and aesthetically pleasing as possible. That's why these types of images are used so commonly in advertising. With that said, don't forget to pay extra attention when editing—smoothing out skin and correcting any mistakes created by the lighting can have a significant impact on your final product.

Imagine your photographic subject as a timeless Greek statue that will remain an emblem of strength and beauty for years. While all of us may have flaws, it's often fun to pretend we're perfect and capture the essence of glamour in our photos. These tips on glamour photography have been helpful!