I use photoshop because I cannot afford to spend a lot of money in sets and etc. I am a fashion designer, and I don´t have the faintest idea about photography...but I have to do it on my own. Photoshop is a good help when you don´t have much money, and when you cannot hire a professional photographer.By the way, you can see my work here: http://www.iqons.com/jean+claude+court
Photography and Filmmaking
Creative, conceptual and technical; contemporary and historical
In reply to jeanclaudecourt:
Since you like knives and guns, you could consider shooting on location ie)parking garages or alleys with graffiti. Spray or splash some water on the brick or cement walls along with moody lighting and you will be much further ahead and it will save you in photoshop.(JMHO) You would also have another look if you like it. :)
In reply to jeanclaudecourt:
I think if you could get your hands on a digital camera and a tripod, doesn't need to be professional standard at this point, because if you are not going to make prints only put on web you could get away with lower standard camera. And just play with exposure time and f-stop, because the kind of mood and atmosphere you want to create could only be done with actual location. And you could always use photoshop to enhance and push it more.
Fashion shoots can cost thousands of dollars, or pounds, or euros, but they can also cost a fraction of it. Jeancluadecourt if you know friends who are studying photography and want to build their portfolios, you could trade with them, you provide clothes and model(also an amature one, she would need tearsheets as well), so everyone could get something they need from the experience.
Thank you to all of you for your reply. The problem is that I do not know any photographer in my town who wants to work just to build portfolio (for no money). All of them want money (300 euros the cheapest one)...and I cannot afford it. But I am willing to learn from my mistakes!
This one was shoot in an actual location, but walls are rusty texture from photoshop; and red light is photoshop red filter.
In reply to jeanclaudecourt:
....if you were to build the shoots as a story telling...and always taking into account what is really neccesary to use in the background it would increase the focus on the clothes...you can add that extra 'suspense' by playing with the light....Have a look at old films, they are always fascinating to wacht and see how film directors used to play with the light to create moods....having said that, one of my favourites today is David Lynch...
In reply to jeanclaudecourt:
In some of the documentary photographs, or street photographs, there are elements which could cross over into fashion too, and there are some fashion photographs which have the casualness and elements of street photography and documentary photography. Helena Christensen is a wonderful photographer she started as a model, and I think because she works so much with makeup and staging as a model, in her photography work, they seem to have the opposite elements, of naturalness, using available lights, moods, casual elegance and certain unpretentiousness. If you could get a better understanding of the equipment and techniques, taking good fashion photography doesn't have to be very costly at all.
In reply to jeanclaudecourt:
....you're welcome...looking forward to your next pics' n all the best !