The Politics of Fashion Photography #7

[benjikan]

The Politics of Fashion Photography #7

Your Not Published Until You Are Published

When someone views a fashion or beauty spread in a Fashion magazine, I suspect that most of you think that what you are seeing was what was shot for that spread. Well more often than you can imagine, it is just a fraction of what was actually shot for the magazine.

There is nothing more infuriating than shooting a 16 page story to see it reduced to 8 or 10 pages or a 6 page beauty story reduced to 2 to 4 pages. The politics of Fashion & Beauty photography is a very fickle animal, where those who make the final decision were often those who were not in the loop in the first place.

How one deals with this issue depends on many factors. It could be that they finally didn't have enough space to support the story, they might have decided that it was too strong for their issue or it could come down to purely personal decisions. I react depending on the circumstances. But if a brief has been given to do a 16 page fashion story and your storyboard or mood board has been accepted, it is more than frustrating when you see your story cut in half.

It has happened to me on at least 3 occasions and in all cases, it is medicine that is difficult to swallow. Those viewing the story don't know that this happened, but the team do and that in it's own right is injurious to ones self esteem. You just never know until you get the final layout from the art department, what your spread is going to look like.

I recently did a major spread for one of the Big Two magazines where I was asked to do a 14 page spread, did one and was even asked to suggest the order and layout of it. Luckily all of the images were accepted and I have yet to see the layout, as it is for the July 2010 issue that doesn't come out till the end of June. I had another story in one of the two majors that was destined to be a 5 page story that was reduced to a 4 page spread with 3 of my images. I was quite taken aback to say the least.

I'll get over it, but when it happens, it is something that is inexplicably difficult to explain emotionally. One might feel robbed, befuddled and disoriented, because in your mind you saw it as one thing and it comes out entirely different.

So as the saying goes; "Your Not In Until You Are In"...In fact, not until it is print, can you be sure that what has been shown to you as the final layout will actually make it to press until it has done so.

So, for all of you out there who look at a fashion or beauty spread in a magazine, remember that what your seeing just might be only part of the huge effort made by all of the members of the team...

That's the "BIZ" like it or not...

Benjamin Kanarek Blog | Benjamin Kanarek Blog

 

[dancingsphinx22]

Thanks for posting this!

This sort of reminds me of the documentary "September Issue", have you seen it? I watched it, and I noticed a lot of anger stemmed from shoots being downsized, or thrown out completely, only to be brought back in the last minute. :er:

For me, I don't know if I could handle that kind of environment. I'm sure it can be fun, entertainingly challenging and rewarding though...

 

[benjikan]

Thanks for posting this!

This sort of reminds me of the documentary "September Issue", have you seen it? I watched it, and I noticed a lot of anger stemmed from shoots being downsized, or thrown out completely, only to be brought back in the last minute. :er:

For me, I don't know if I could handle that kind of environment. I'm sure it can be fun, entertainingly challenging and rewarding though...

There is the chance that your spread might be syndicated to another part of the group of magazines under the umbrella of the parent company.

 

[dancingsphinx22]

So you never really know where your work will end up? Does it bother you to not know?

 

[benjikan]

So you never really know where your work will end up? Does it bother you to not know?

You know it will be in the original publication, unless they decide not to publish it all together or syndicate it to another magazine.

 

[cfphoto]

Thanks for this insight...interesting for sure.

 

[pbelarge]

Benjakin
I see this happening in other industries as well.
Unless one who is creating has the power to make decisions (very rare), one needs to steel thy self or be prepared for a lot of gray hair and twisted stomachs.

I would love to see more communications between the two or more parties, but time (egos) generally do not permit this to happen.


So, the creative one (meaning more sensitive types ) usually go 'fishing'.

Good luck with the upcoming July issue, I hope it works out for you.