Timo Frank from Berlin is a fashion photographer who uses Rollei equipment. He posts his especially colorful pictures on Instagram, where he now has almost 15,000 followers. We wanted to know from him what he thinks is important in fashion photography.
1. Which area would you categorize yourself in – beauty or fashion photography?
2. What are the differences between fashion photography and beauty photography?
3. What should be the first consideration when you get an assignment for a shoot? And why?
4. Can you name the five most important points to cover during a shoot?
5. How important is it to have one or more assistants during a shoot?6. How important are stylists & make-up artists in this regard?
7. Do you prefer shooting in the studio or outdoors and why?
8. Are there any particular differences in the process when photographing male and female models? Which is easier and why?
9. Before an assignment: Who approaches whom? Photographer the model or the model the photographer?
10. Have there been shoots where it just didn't work out with the model? And if so, why?
11. How important is social media as a marketing channel for you?12. How important is the subsequent image editing? Are there situations where an image gets worse with editing, because it works better without it?
13. Test shots before the shoot – yes or no?
14. How do you get a foothold in this industry? What are the first steps?
15. Out of ten shoots: How often can you be creatively expressive and how often are you limited?
1. Which area would you categorize yourself in – beauty or fashion photography?
If I had to choose, definitely fashion. Beauty is primarily about portraits and makeup, which I'm hardly doing right now. I used to do that, but not so much anymore. I prefer to work with the whole body. Since working with light and color is so important to me, the whole body offers more possibilities. That's also because I was able to add another room to my studio. That simply provides more opportunities.
2. What are the differences between fashion photography and beauty photography?
I don't do people photography, meaning I don't portray the person. For me, the models are more like actors. It's about creating a mood. In beauty photography, the focus is more on classical, market-oriented beauty, and that's not so important to me. The feeling I'm interested in is more about lifestyle. The beauty comes from the person, through the light, the pose, and it's less about creating something perfect.
3. What should be the first consideration when you get an assignment for a shoot? And why?
My shoots are always very small. Most of the time, I'm alone with the model; sometimes I have stylists with me. In most cases, we decide spontaneously. I always have designer clothes available, so we put together the outfits and I vary the lighting according to the outfit. Not much is planned. What I do plan are the clothes, and ideally, I also have the lighting settings in mind. If you plan meticulously, something can still change spontaneously. If I were to decide everything beforehand, it would be very boring and the pictures would also look very similar. That's why I'm absolutely dependent on the model getting involved.
4. Can you name the five most important points to cover during a shoot?
There are key points that are important. For example, there's preparation, especially regarding the lighting setup and which colors I combine. Brightness, of course, too. That's something I have to deal with beforehand. During the shoot, I also make sure to do a close-up sometimes and be further away at other times. Or that I have different lighting setups. I don't have a checklist. That probably comes with experience.
5. How important is it to have one or more assistants during a shoot?
That's completely unimportant to me. And I hardly ever have one. The bigger the project, the more important, of course. If I have a job where clients are present, there are things an assistant can take care of. If you're being observed, then it's nice to have someone adjust the lighting.
6. How important are stylists & make-up artists in this regard?
It depends. The closer I get to the face, the more important the makeup artist is. If it's about the face and beauty, then a makeup artist is important. Especially for hair and also if it's about a special makeup. A stylist has the advantage of having good sources and being able to get special clothes. For my personal work, I use very urban textiles that can be changed quickly, and for which you don't necessarily need a stylist. As I said: the bigger, the more important.
7. Do you prefer shooting in the studio or outdoors and why?
I prefer the studio: I always plan to shoot more outdoors, on location. That involves a completely different effort. In the studio, I have everything I need when I need it. And I have a lot of time in the studio. In the park, there are many people who might walk through the shot, and I have to pay a lot of attention to the surroundings. However, location is always exciting too, because there are many factors I can't account for. It always happens that I want to photograph from a different perspective. These are challenges where you can learn a lot. My lighting concepts only work in the studio so far.
8. Are there any particular differences in the process when photographing male and female models? Which is easier and why?
15 years ago, there wasn't even the possibility to present yourself like you can on Instagram today. Back then, it was embarrassing to post like that. Nowadays, it's a matter of course. Women have a completely different instinct and perhaps a different need. More women exploit this, and that's why they are often more experienced than men. Men are often a bit more reserved. But maybe that's also because I see more photos of women than men. With photos of men, I also don't often think: Wow, great pose. And with women, I have to motivate them less to pose.
9. Before an assignment: Who approaches whom? Photographer the model or the model the photographer?
When it comes to a paid job, I can go to agencies or approach models. Or you can do open calls. That's a lot of work because many people who aren't suitable show up. Agencies, in turn, cost a lot of money. For personal projects, I sometimes ask myself or get asked.
10. Have there been shoots where it just didn't work out with the model? And if so, why?
Of course there have been. In the end, it's like in normal life. There are people you don't get along with well. But it's not due to specific things; you can't say that directly. Sometimes it also happens that the shoot goes well, and then the editing doesn't suit one or the other anymore.
11. How important is social media as a marketing channel for you?
Especially Instagram is very important to me. Most of the models I currently use come from Instagram. Since I started doing that, I've neglected all other social media. Since Tumblr blocked nude photos, that's no longer an alternative, and Facebook is no longer an issue for me either. There are sometimes very helpful groups there, but I don't present my pictures there anymore.
12. How important is the subsequent image editing? Are there situations where an image gets worse with editing, because it works better without it?
When I started photographing, I did a lot of editing. Meanwhile, that's reduced to a minimum. Of course, I clean up the surroundings. Stains on the wall, for example. For the person, my approach is: How does the model want it? You would, of course, remove a pimple, but otherwise I don't do anything with the skin. My goal is to take a photo that looks good as it comes out of the camera. I make it a bit nicer, but basically, it's just about optimization, not alteration. There are pictures from the past, and when I look at them today, I think, oh my God. There was a time when airbrushed pictures were in fashion, but today that's no longer the case. I once submitted pictures to a magazine, and they whitened eyes and teeth. Like with white-out. Some people think in unrealistic beauty ideals. But what is no longer realistic is also no longer beautiful.
13. Test shots before the shoot – yes or no?
Test shots: Yes, of course. If the model isn't there yet, I check the light, and when the model is there, I check again. That doesn't take more than 5 minutes.
14. How do you get a foothold in this industry? What are the first steps?
When I did more portraits, it was much more about the portfolio and also about production for the book. But I've moved away from that. I think it's important to take time for personal development. And to try not to chase after any particular styles. You have to see where you feel comfortable, then everything else will easily fall into place.
15. Out of ten shoots: How often can you be creatively expressive and how often are you limited?
That's hard to say, but there are always limits. I'd probably do different shoots if I had a budget every time. I'd probably have more location shoots then. Budget is probably one such limit.
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