Movers and image-makers: a masterclass in fashion photography from Nick Knight

Fashion photography is a genre that continues to elude itself. Whether it’s polished or undone, minimal or maximal, conservative or experimental, the only rule in fashion photography is that there are none. As the worlds of fashion and fine art have grown closer and closer together, the line between the two has become increasingly faint and has given way to a new generation of photographers who move effortlessly between the two worlds, creating some of the most exciting fashion images today.

One of the remaining and essential differences between fine art and fashion photography lies in the image-making process. By nature, fashion is a collaborative field and creating standout images requires designers, stylists, hair and make-up artists, but building that vital network of collaborators can be difficult even for the most promising photographers. What’s more, increasingly brands and designers want fashion film as well as stills which means concepts need to be fully fleshed out, and being well-versed in the multifaceted processes of fashion photography has never been more important to emerging creatives in the field.

An industry notorious for its closed ranks, Nick Knight is a fashion photographer well known for pulling back the curtain and making his process transparent. He has filmed every shoot he has ever done, and the majority of those have been live-streamed online via his website SHOWstudio for the world to see. Taking that one step further, he is now heading a four-month photography programme on Mastered to assist emerging photographers in going the extra mile.

Drawing on Nick’s insight and experience, as well as that of editors like Sophia Neophitou of 10 magazine, photographers on the Mastered course – which is still accepting September applicants and includes professionals who have assisted the likes of Willy Vanderperre and Steven Meisel, or shot covers for Brazilian editions of Harper’s Bazaar and Elle – can use the opportunity to refine their portfolios and build their network, whilst making the most of chances to be featured on SHOWstudio or be profiled by magazines like Oyster and Wonderland. In short, it’s a brilliant way for photographers to not only get under the skin of image-making in fashion today, but also to keep pushing themselves forward.