Fashion Photography

Artist statement:

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Growing up, I was always helping my mom out with Farmer’s Market from the Spring to Fall seasons, which was incredibly labor-intensive, and so there wasn’t ever a time when I could dress up and be in pretty clothes. I would always wear a hand-me-down t-shirt and whatever pants my mom got from Goodwill, Walmart, or school supply drive that also provided free secondhand clothes. Though, when it did come to shopping for clothes, it was usually my mom and older sister who shopped while I was forced to tag along. We would spend at least a treacherous two hours at Goodwill or Walmart, and it’s not that they’re bad places to shop at given our financial situation at the time, but more so spending the two-plus hours watching my family go through clothes was the part I dreaded. Maybe that was why I started to intentionally avoid dressing up as I approached my teenage years. I absolutely dreaded the thought of shopping and the long process it took to decide whether to get shirt A or shirt B. I also began associating the concept of fashion as being expensive clothing brands, such as Gucci or Prada. No one I knew had clothes from these brands, so there was no way I’d be able to afford such luxurious items. This was a major barrier that prevented me from getting into fashion for the longest time. However, as I got into my college career, and especially as I worked on this semester-long project, I started to think otherwise. 

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This project was an opportunity for me to get out of my comfort zone and get into what I thought I’d never be able to get into: Fashion. Fashion isn’t just about high-end products, but rather a form of self-expression. I’ve found that fashion played a heavy role while I was still finding my identity throughout my college career. In short, this project, not only was it about exploring fashion trends, but it was also about self-identification through these fashion trends. 

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With the budget and wardrobe that I had this semester, I decided to explore how I saw different fashion styles. This consisted of doing google research, but primarily observing my surroundings and going through social media. My project does have an urban/street theme to them, and it’s because a lot of my clothes are as such; growing up with hand-me-downs that you’d eventually grow into, you learn to be comfortable with what you grew up wearing. Although I do wish I had explored unique fashion styles, I would like to say that I’m proud of where I started with my fashion photography portfolio. 

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I chose to use the lighting studio for a few reasons; while stepping outside of my comfort zone by doing portraiture, I wanted to control the space as much as possible for the best results, and being in the studio allowed for that to happen. Another reason for studio photography was that I wanted to experiment with it in general. Having a lighting studio is such a privilege, and if it was provided to me at no additional cost, you bet I’ll be utilizing it while I have the chance. 

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As I end my undergraduate career, I plan to continue working on my portfolio and exploring fashion photography, but also the different styles of photography in general. I can only see myself improving from here, and I’m so incredibly happy to say that and believe that.