Being a fashion photographer

Being a fashion photographer

“The audience may not remember the creator who molded the beauty but will always salivate for the creation. Such is the power of visuals. What with the advent of Photoshop and its benefit of transforming looks.

BY MUSYOKA NGUI

The glamour and glitz that comes with fashion and modeling is something else. The photojournalists who engage in this art know better. The shots are wild, the poses explicit.

Fashion and modeling is slowly shaping up as a well paying venture for both the model and the photographer.  A local showbiz magazine, Pulse wrote on February 14, 2014 p.19 that the art fetches between KSh. 500 and KSh 70,000 depending on the complexity of the photo.

Most of the clients are models desiring to grace the cover pages of lifestyle magazines. This is normally the entry point to a high stake stage of show business.

Once the models appear on the front of magazine, they get noticed. This is a wish come true for some who aspire to be socialites, models and attract men. They hog the limelight like moths do a spotlight.

The next thing is being called by advertising agencies to audition for their brands. That explains the seminude billboards carrying these models. The business booms as the buyers relate to the products courtesy of their favourite celebrity being associated with them. The fashion photographer too gains status and money for creating such an awesome photo.

The biggest winner of course is the model. S/he is the most visible character in the whole chain. The audience may not remember the creator who molded the beauty but will always salivate for the creation. Such is the power of visuals. What with the advent of photoshop and its benefit of transforming looks.

Be that as it may, the Kenyan society is still conservative about nudity and the definition of privacy is ambiguous. Models stand accused of being “immoral”. Some are labeled sluts, lesbians, gays and social misfits. But do they care? As long as the fashion photography is paying their bills, that is what matters. Kelele ya chura haimzuii ng’ombe kunywa maji. (The noise of frogs does not prevent the cow from drinking water).

The writer is a student of Bachelors of Arts Degree in Communication and Media at Chuka University. He blogs at musyokangui.blogspot.com

Email your thoughts to musyokangui02@gmail.com