Rehcy Row in 365 Days to Runway: WHAT THE HECK IS HIGH FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY???

An example of HIGH FASHION photography
It's artistic, not typical fashion, and a bit odd like high fashion should always be...

So I've noticed that many portrait, wedding, and beginning photographers, as well as, up-coming models and start-up publications do not understand the concept of High Fashion photography, oftentimes mistaking glamour and/or beauty photography for high fashion.
This post will hopefully clear up some of the confusion...

High fashion photography focuses on the FASHION, not the model. The point of this type of photography is to tell a fashion story, make a fashion statement, as well as, promote the clothing.
In high fashion photography the clothing is the main focus of the picture, NOT the model or the lighting, as these aspects of the picture only serve as compliments to the clothing. High Fashion photography requires a wardrobe stylist; it's not high fashion photography without a an actual clothing stylist.
While the model focuses on posing and the photographer focuses on the lighting etc., the wardrobe stylist focuses on ensuring that the fashion is pristine, and well, a bit mind blowing. This type of photography is often on the artistic side, as well as being, slightly extreme. High fashion looks are not something you would normally wear in your everyday activities.

Now onto GLAMOUR PHOTOGRAPHY, glamour photography is many times confused with High Fashion, but it is definitely not the same. Glamour focuses on the model and making the model look super hot, and the majority of times includes very little clothing. You may ask, but how can it be about fashion without clothing? The answer is, it can't. Glamour photography is not fashion photography.
I just blew your mind a little bit, didn't I?

An easy way to tell the difference between these two types of photography is by looking at the focus of the picture, if you look at the photo and the first thoughts you have are along the lines of, "Wow, that model looks sexy!" Then it's glamour photography. If you look at the picture and the first thing you think is, "Wow, I want that dress" or "Wow, that's an awesome outfit." Then it's either High Fashion, and I'm throwing another type in just to confuse you a little bit more, or Catalogue photography.

Now the difference between High Fashion and Catalogue is simple: Catalogue photography almost always shows the model smiling and having a great time. This type of photography is simply meant to SELL THE CLOTHING. The smiles say, "If you buy our brand, you'll always be happy while wearing it." or "Our brand is directly linked to happiness." There's no crazy fashion when it comes to catalogue, just simple, everyday, yet stylish, outfits.

And because I know you're probably still a little confused about the different types (understandably, due to fashion and knowing the different types of photography not being a knowledge that you are born with), here are some examples of each type of photography discussed in this post...

Obviously HIGH FASHION--the model's face is barely visible, and well it's telling a fashion story, but you're not quite sure what that story is.

Another HIGH FASHION example--

here the overly styled outfits are obviously the focus, not the models.

In this picture the first thing you notice is the dress, so what does that tell you...

It's HIGH FASHION because the main focuses are the fashion and the story.

The fabric textures, the shocking style, the focus on fashion. Yep, definitely High Fashion photography.

The model's face is almost covered up, but what the heck is she wearing...High Fashion.

Another, what the heck is she wearing...sooo, HIGH FASHION.

Now here are a few examples of GLAMOUR and BEAUTY photography...
(Glamour being a glammed up version of Beauty photography; Beauty focuses on natural beauty.)

What do you focus on when you look at this picture? It's obviously not the "outfit," but doesn't the model look hot?