There often seems to be some confusion over whether your Fashion Photography belongs in Photography -> People & Portraits -> Fashion Portraits or Photography -> Commercial Photography -> Fashion. Unlike other galleries that we are slowly defining and educating on through this series of articles, the difference between these two is quite clear cut and there are certain aspects of your Photography that will dictate where it should go. Have a read through the article and hopefully that will clear up some things if you were previously confused!

What are Fashion Portraits?

Photography -> People & Portraits -> Fashion Portraits
Fashion Photography is a genre of Photography that's dedicated to showcasing clothing and other items such as accessories i.e. shoes, scarves, hats, jewellery and so on. Within the People & Portraits Gallery here on deviantART there is a sub-category for Fashion. This means that if your work is being submitted to this gallery it must include a person or persons. Additionally there must be an element of fashion - so clothing/accessories and so on. If your work is show-casing just makeup then there is a specific place for it within Body Art. If it's showing an emotional facial expression, an emotive pose or a spontaneous type portrait without emphasis on clothing from a fashion point of view then it belongs within another sub-category of People & Portraits.

What is Commercial Fashion Photography?

Photography -> Commercial -> Fashion
Commercial Photography, to begin with, involves taking pictures of something for commercial use. For example in adverts, merchandising and with product placement. It can also be used in Brochures, Catalogues, Leaflets and other literature items used to promote services, products or businesses. In terms of Fashion - it's one of the strongest and most used forms of Commercial Photography. They can be used for a range of promotional things from posters and billboards to catalogs and editorials. If you're going to use the category here on deviantART for your Fashion Photography then your shoot must have been undertaken for one of the purposes listed above. *If you are simply undertaking a shoot with a model to better their portfolio - and yours - without monetary gain with regards to use of the after product then it's not Commercial Photography. *

When to use the Still Life Photography Gallery for Fashion?

Photography -> Still Life -> Other
If your work is of Fashion items but excludes the use of a person to showcase them, then it will likely fit into the Still Life Photography - Miscellaneous Category. Items of clothing Photographed on their own without a person present, or without parts of a person present, are categorised as Still Life.