Timo Frank from Berlin is a fashion photographer and flashes with Rollei equipment. He posts his particularly colorful pictures on Instagram, where he now has almost 15,000 followers. We wanted to know what he thinks is important in fashion photography.
1. In which area would you classify yourself in beauty or fashion photographye?
2. What are the differences between fashion photography and beauty photography?
3. What should be the first consideration when getting a shoot assignment and whym?
4. Can you say what the five most important points are that you work through in the course of a shoot?
5. How important is it on a shoot to have one or more assistants?6. How important are stylists and make-up artists??
7. Do you prefer to shoot in a studio or outdoors and why?
8. Are there any particular differences in the process of photographing male and female models Which of the two is easier and whym?
9. Before an assignment: who speaks to whom to the photographer the model or the model to the photographern?
10. Were there any shootings where the model didn't work at all and if that was the case, whym?
11. How important is social media as a marketing channel for you???12. How important is the subsequent processing of the images There are situations in which processing makes the image worse because it works better without processingt?
13. Test shots before the shooting yes or non?
14. How to get started in this industry What are the first stepse?
15. Out of ten shootings: How often can you express yourself creatively and how often are there limits?
1. In which area would you classify yourself in beauty or fashion photographye?
If I have to choose, then definitely fashion. Beauty is all about portraits and makeup, thatmakeI hardly at all at the moment. I used to have thatmade, not anymore. I prefer to work with the whole body. Because working with light and color is so important to me, the whole body offers me more possibilities. This is also because I was able to build another room into my studio. It just gives you more options.
2. What are the differences between fashion photography and beauty photography?
I don't do people photography, so I'm the personportray. For me, the models are more actors. It's about creating a mood. In beauty photography, the focus is more on classic market-oriented beauty and that's not so important to me. The feelingthat's what I'm about is more lifestyle. The beauty comes from the person, the light, the pose and it's less about creating something perfect.
3. What should be the first consideration when getting a shoot assignment and whym?
My shoots are always very small. Most of the time I am alone with the model, sometimes I also have stylists with me. In most cases we decide spontaneously. I always have designer clothes so we put the outfits together and I vary the light depending on the outfit. Not much is planned. What I have planned are the clothes and ideally I already have the light settings in mind. If you plan it meticulously, something can change spontaneously. If I decided everything beforehand, it would be very boring and the pictures would also be very similar. I am therefore absolutely dependent on the model getting involved.
4. Can you say what the five most important points are that you work through in the course of a shoot?
There are key points that are important. For example, there is a preparation, especially with regard to the light setup and which colors I combine. Brightness too, of course. That's something I'll have to deal with beforehand. During the shoot I also make sure that I sometimes do a close-up and sometimes I'm further away. Or that I have different light setups. I don't have a tally. That probably comes with experience.
5. How important is it on a shoot to have one or more assistants?
That is completely unimportant to me. And I hardly ever have. The larger the project, the more important, of course. If I have a job that involves clients, there are points that an assistant can work through. When you're under surveillance, it's nice to have someone direct the light.
6. How important are stylists and make-up artists??
Depends on. The closer I get to the face, the more important the makeup artist is. When it comes to the face and beauty, a makeup artist is important. Above all with the hair and also when it comes to a special make-up. A stylist has the advantage of having good sources and being able to get special clothes. In my free work, I have very urban textiles that you can change quickly and for which you don't necessarily need a stylist. As I said: The bigger the more important.
7. Do you prefer to shoot in a studio or outdoors and why?
Dear Studio: I always plan to shoot more outside, on location. That's a whole different effort. Everything is there when I need it in the studio. And I have a lot of time in the studio. There are a lot of people in the park who might walk through the picture and I have to pay a lot of attention to the surroundings. However, location is always exciting because there are many factors that I cannot take into account. It always happens that I want to photograph from a different perspective. These are challenges from which you can learn a lot. So far, my lighting concepts only work in the studio.
8. Are there any particular differences in the process of photographing male and female models Which of the two is easier and whym?
15 years ago there was no way to present yourself like you do on Instagram today. Back then it was embarrassing to post like that. Nowadays that goes without saying. Women have a completely different feeling and maybe also a different need. There are more women who push this to the limit and therefore they are often more experienced than men. Men are often a bit more reserved. But maybe that's also because I see more photos of women than photos of men. When it comes to photos of men, I don't often think: Wow, great pose. And I don't have to motivate women as much to pose.
9. Before an assignment: who speaks to whom to the photographer the model or the model to the photographern?
When it comes to a paid job, there is the possibility that I go to agencies or approach models. Or you make tenders. It's a lot of work because a lot of people come who are out of the question. Agencies, on the other hand, cost a lot of money. In the case of free projects, I ask myself or am asked.
10. Were there any shootings where the model didn't work at all and if that was the case, whym?
Of course there was. In the end, it's like normal life. There are people you don't get along with very well. But that's not due to specific things, you can't say that directly. Sometimes it's the case that the shoot goes well and then the editing didn't fit anymore for one or the other.
11. How important is social media as a marketing channel for you??
Instagram is very important to me. I currently get most of the models via Instagram. Since doing this, I've neglected all other social media. Ever since Tumblr blocked nudes, that's no longer an alternative, and Facebook is no longer an issue for me either. Sometimes there are really helpful groups, but I no longer present my pictures there.
12. How important is the subsequent processing of the images There are situations in which processing makes the image worse because it works better without processingt?
When I started taking photos, I did a lot of editing.This has now been reduced to a minimum. Of course I clean the area. Stains on the wall, for example. My approach to the person is: How would the model wish? A pimple would of course be removed, otherwise I don't do anything with the skin. My aspiration is that I want to take a photo that looks good as it comes out of the camera. I'll make it a bit nicer, but basically it's just a bit about optimization, not change. There are pictures from before, when I look at them now, I think oh my god. There was a time when clean-cut images were all the rage, but today that's not the case. I once gave pictures to a magazine and they whitened my eyes and teeth. As with Tippex. Some people think in unrealistic ideals of beauty. But what is no longer realistic is no longer beautiful either..
13. Test shots before the shooting yes or non?
Test shots: Yes, of course. If the model isn't there yet, I'll check the light and if the model is there, I'll check again. This takes less than 5 minutes.
14. How to get started in this industry What are the first stepse?
When I did more portraits, it was much more about the portfolio and also about production for the portfolio. But I renounced that. I think it is important to take time for personal development. And that you try not to chase after any style. You have to see where you feel comfortable, then everything else will easily follow.
15. Out of ten shootings: How often can you express yourself creatively and how often are there limits?
It's hard to say, but there are always limits. I would probably do other shoots if I had a budget every time. I would probably have more location shoots then. Budget is probably such a limit.
