The idea of Utopia and Fashion Photography

<p>I want to explore the possibility of utopian ideals or dreams influencing the photographic vision in extremely creative fashion photography. I am formulating my thoughts and wondered if anybody would like to suggest any possible readings or photographers whose works I could explore a little more. More interested in fashion photography and perhaps portraits at a stretch. Thank you.</p>

<p>This is an interesting and worthwhile project, Starvy. I am interested in fashion as a political statement. All fashion is that. Utopian fashion photography? If it exists I would like to know about it.<br>

<br /> Meanwhile, here are some utopian novels in which fashion plays a part: Utopia (Thomas More), News from Nowhere (William Morris), Men Like Gods (H.G. Wells, whose utopians are naked), Herland (Charlotte Perkins Gilman), Ecotopia (Ernest Callenbach).</p>

<p>This may be stuff you have already read. Good luck. keep us posted.</p>

<p>Check out Deborah Turbeville.</p>

Hiro, Chris Von Wagenheim, Helmut Newton, Albert Watson, Annie Leibovitz, Nick Knight, Cecil Beaton, Sarah Moon,...

<p>Fashion photography is product photography. Some terrific people work in it (my own favorite is Ellen von Unwerth) but the main goal of "extremely creative" fashion photography is to get viewers to look the ad or article, to make it stand out from the more run-of-the-mill photos. The problem for photographers is that yesterday's "extremely creative' is today's "mundane" so the photographers keep working on it. But the desired end result is always to sell a product.</p>

Yeah, commercial fashion photography is to sell wearables. There is also reportage and candid photography. These are

important in creating fashion tends. Jeans for instance.

 

Fashion is a political statement. The difference in women's fashions in 1910 and 1925 represents the degree to which

women could liberate themselves. The fashion industry capitalizes on trends but the trends themselves begin at the

grass roots.

 

Utopian fashion. Second life may be the best play to find it. It is primarily graphics.

<p>Thank you for your kind responses. While fashion photography is product photography, in my opinion, there are and have been some extremely talented photographers who have gone beyond that. Emily Soto calls herself a fashion photographer and so much of her work falls into a little more than selling the product.</p>

<p>Wow Phil. It does have a true sense of fantasy but is it fashion? <br>

I'm interested in what Alex said about fashion as a political statement. I have a good friend who does fashion photography and he got me interested in Helmut Newton. Newton's vision of women seems in a sense a fantasy, maybe not utopian, but also very political. My friend was telling me how Newton changed the way the world sees women forever in the sense that he portrays women as strong, often in control, sexually aggressive and powerful, not the former medieval fantasy of women as princess and a figure of idealization. </p>