Hello World! My name is Raymond Woods, 18 and an up and coming Fashion Photographer. Taught by Althea Brown Photography and self-teaching. I'm always telling people about my experience in my journey so i decided to blog for everyone. This blog is about the journey of an up imcoming Fashion Photographer. I will be blogging about Fashion, Photography, Style, Beauty, and modeling. This blog is through Raymond (Photographer) eyes ONLY. This is what i see, believe and view the world around us. I'm just blogging what i have exprience so far. This blog will nothing less then interesting. "Gimmie what i need. Your Love, Your affection. Your drop Dead Fashion. Freakin Fashion Forward". ENJOY :D
Even though i have only been discovering this world for merely 6 months everyday i learn something new about "fashion". FASHION IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING SO CHANGE WITH IT. One way how am learning more about Fashion is writing down and searching clothing stores and study there clothing. Now anybody who love cloths in general knows the different between Gap and Jcrew or Hottopic and Banana Republic. But as people in the fashion industry whether it being make-up artist, fashion photographers, stylist ect. it's our job to know how "Gap" clothing store line sets there cloths apart from another clothing line. You can look how it's advertise in magazines and television, the way it's website template is laid out and the choosing of the Models.
2nd way that i'am learning about Fashion is buying Fashion magazine every week or every 2 weeks. Might sound crazy but it's so needed for "Everyone who wants to work in Fashion"! Fashion is constantly moving forward and changing so it's our job to contribute to it by learning the latest trends. Even if you have money issues magazines are only $4.99 and there are plenty of on-line magazines at your finger tips. I look at about 100-300 Images a day and if there were more time it would been a bigger scale. Magazines, Fashion shows, FashionTv, ect gives you insight on "Whats Hot and What's not". So to me "if you wanna make-up or get your foot in the door you have always.. ALWAYS.. ALWAYS... conduct yourself professional. and be honest! Just because have done high school Fashion shows or local Fashion doesn't mean you know how to walk. People in the fashion indusrty can see right through that. But if you honest and tell them the type of Fashion shows you have done and know the "Fashion lango" you have BETTER RESULTS.
It's okay do those shows but if you wanna make it you have to THINK BIG! Model mayhem is a GREAT source for you to look for casting Call. There are numerous series designing who are looking for inspiring models as yourself. But be professional! know your weakness, strengths, likes, don't likes and skills because that ultimately sets you apart from another model. Learning the "Fashion lango" can really save your ass!
My top Fashion Magazine
Deadline Production
1 word. EMPOWERING. Deadline Production is all about empowering the youth through entertainment. We all have 1 goal which is to be successful in whatever we choose to do. DeadLine is that program that is going to give you the shot that you have been witing for. DeadLine is a program that if you understand what teamwork, loyalty, trust and hard work is then you are in the right program. DeadLine looks for One to Two people a year between the ages of 18-26 and makes there dreams come true along with there help as well.
Deadline works with your strengths, weakness, skills and your own personal goals by assigning interning jobs. we provide book knowledge as well as hands on experience."What does this have to do with Fashion"? pretty much nothing. I have been part of Deadline Production since the beginning. I was there intern for Marketing for about a year and now i'am the art director".
Marketing/ Art Director
So before i fell in love with photography in January 2010 i had my heart set on Marketing for about 3-5 years. I have taken nothing but business classes (Marketing 101, Entrepreneurship, Administrative service 1, 2 and many more.) in fact through high school i took nothing but business. Well except 2 Art classes. I was in BPA, DECA (Business Clubs that competed with other high school locally and nationally. I learn alot ab out Art in marketing. How to sale products/service to different Ages, sex, etc. But i always grow fund about selling Fashion which what we call it today " Fashion merchandising". After that dream faded i fell in love with Photography itself and then Fashion. I was told that "Having the power to freeze time, You make forever memories, Your making a story" is a beautiful thing to have a skill of. Before i choose the path of Fashion photography i took numerous photographs of everything. But it became tedious at times. I need a person who knows how to pose, a need a person who can emote with any location, and i needed a person who takes the cloths he/she is wearing to the next level. LOL! FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY. So when i begin my journey i'm getting most of my learn from Althea Brown. Lighting, business, Directing, being responsible for EVERYTHING in the PHOTO SHOOT, and more. Which made me love it more. I research trends, Celebrities and anything i could think of. So when i do shoots when i'am first starting oof in my journey i basically have to be everybody in one (Stylist, creative director, Hair stylist, assistant and more.) learning all of that help me become a better photographer and more respectful of my craft! I felt like being intern Marketing for Deadline production restricted me and i was promoted to art director. From then on i have it my all in photography as well as Art Directing. Styling the team was only the beginning from here.
The Passion Vs. Hardwork
I'am a photographer now. The reason why iam calling myself this after about 6 months because when i begin to label myself i want to be sure to back it up. Not many can't.
Can't tell you how many photographers these days call themselves photographer or even Fashion photographer but don't know half there talking about. It's cool that you are passionated but it takes more to make it in this field. I just started to call myself a Photographer because i took what i like as a cool hobby to a goal i want to achieve. But Ray has a long way to go to fill up the "photographer" role.
Educating 101
Everyday i'am always studying and finding new things in my career pathway. Whether studying make up, directing models, the business side of things, etc. Even though i'am NOT in the Fashion Industry i want to follow there trends, style, and eye so when i get the opportunity to contribute i already know what they are somewhat looking forward. Trying one's mind and eye in Art general helps us artist EXPRESS what we are feeling better then before. There are countless sites, videos and tv shows to help you get that eye that you always wanted
( ANTM, Tyra show, Rachel Zoe, Youtube, H&M Direies, FashionPhotographyblog and many more.) College can only prepare you with so much but it's up to you to make your career. When i talk to people who are i guess passionated about Fashion i want to make sense. I know i love what i do and see but expressing it to other people can be a little tricking. For the pass 2 months. i share to Facebook the pictures that have inspire me in an photo album and the picture i really like i default that. Since i'm on facebook quite alot i want to look at my default picture everytime i get on and train my eye. Lookin at the picture 18 times throughout the day will not only train the eye but helps you train the eye for Style, Model development and more. "Yeaaaa now it makes since facebook".
See more at
"http://www.youtube.com/user/RayWoodsPhotography"
Moving to Philadelphia
I was once told that when i'm ready I "need to move where my job demands the most". Of course moving to NYC, Atalanta, L.A or Florida was out the picture because pretty much i had no money. I always picture my career starting in Philly and since i have tons of family members who lve there and is willing to support me it was obvious i would get my wish. In Delaware being a member in the Fashion world would be a constant struggle because there are not many of them. If you are your pretty much stay there for about 2 years for college and moving to a big city. Photography in Delaware isn't that competitive because there are a wide range of photography who does portrait, events, landscape, etc. The hard part is to "How to get clients to invest there time and money in your career". i practice and study my craft as other photography would hate. Really i'am doing what i love and i will shoot any professional model for free all day long if i wanted to ( but of course i need to eat). I think over coming Haters who constantly put me down wheather them saying bad things about me, not accepting friend request, deleting comments, etc. made me realize how much of an impact im making and how much more i can do when i train my eye even more. I say this to EVERYONE. MY GOAL IN LIFE IS TO SHOOT FASHION. I'm noot here to in a sense compete with you other photographer because at the end our work says it off. With that being said. I'm done :) lol. jk
So moving to Philly has so many opportunities for me! Can't wait to explorer!
No comments:
Post a Comment