How to connect with the viewer in fashion photography

Like in all types of advertising, fashion is all about catching people’s attention.

 It is all about giving the viewer a feeling or thought that makes them remember the image long after it has passed them by.

There are two major methods of how to make this possible. One is to give us a clear idea exactly what is happening in the image and make us feel some kind of connection. One example of this is the Kate Spade campaign “Visiting Tennesse” photographed by Larry Sultan.

"Visiting Tennesse" Larry Sultan

In these series of images, Sultan creates a fictional narrative about a family that goes to New York and visits their daughter. He is using a very familiar theme that is simply a family going on holiday; it is showing the “American ideal” on how a family should be. In the images the people are interacting with each other in a fun, caring way. This is a way of simply taking something that is recognizable to most of us and allows us to have a glimpse into these peoples lives. It has no beginning or no end, but we do feel something when we look at these images because it has something familiar that we, as viewers can connect with. In each of these images they have different clothes and even though “the clothing becomes secondary to the story that is unfolding,” (Clifford n.d p1) the way we are connecting with the characters gives us an idea of the fashion without realizing it is there.

 Cuba Libre, Philip-Lorca Di Corcia

The other, more successful way to get the viewers attention is to use the technique of mystique that raises questions in people’s heads. Philip-Lorca Di Corcia is using this idea of creating a mysterious story plot in many of his works and one example is the series: “Cuba Libre,” which was published in “W” magazine in the year 2000.  All we see is this woman in different locations and different styles, and we are very much intrigued by this character even though we know nothing about her. “In each image she is wearing a set of clothing, and she might be lovely while wearing said outfit, but at least this viewer is much more focused on what might be occurring in each frame” (Clifford n.d p2). 

 Cuba Libre, Philip-Lorca Di Corcia

Why this is more successful then the narrative way Sultan is using, is because when we look at these images we have to question what is happening and makes us want to dig deeper. Which  means that we think more about what the people are wearing as well. “The viewer must look for the plot as well as the clothes, to buy a dream, a story, an attitude, a mood and a dress” (Stevens 2004)

References:

Clifford, E n.d New aspect of narrative being used in photography, viewed 25 August 2012

<http://thoughtsonart.com/artists/new_aspects_in_photography_narrative/new_aspects_in_narrative_photography_crewdson_garfield_diCorcia_1.html>

Stevens,M 2004 Mirror Images, viewed 26 August 2012
<http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/art/reviews/n_10211/index1.html>

Philip-Lorca Di Corcia 2000, image, viewed 25 August 2012

<http://www.lslimited.com/cgi-local/view.cgi?level_5=72>

New aspect of narrative being used in photography, n.d, image, viewed 25 August 2012

<http://thoughtsonart.com/artists/new_aspects_in_photography_narrative/Larry_Sultan_Visiting_Tennessee_photograph_1.jpg>