Confessions of a fashion photographer: ‘I don’t know anyone who isn’t owed thousands of dollars’
As the rise of digital continues to transform the fashion industry, no role goes unchallenged, photographer included.
Failing print magazines, once a photographer’s lifeblood, often lack the budget to pay for their work, while brands largely forgo traditional advertising methods in lieu of the endless product promotion done by social media influencers. Photographers themselves, like everybody else these days, are expected to wield online influence, as well, which sees agencies and clients vetting them more on follower count than talent alone.
As a result, photographers today must think of themselves like brands — and even if they succeed on that front, appropriate payment is not ensured.
For our latest installment of Confessions, we talk to fashion photographer Kristiina Wilson, who has worked for more than 12 years in the industry, shooting for clients like Allure, L’Officiel, Glamour and Opening Ceremony.
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