So, you are considering leveling up your fashion photography game and trying to figure out how you can do that? Perhaps consider throwing a great fragrance into the mix. Yes, you read that right! The olfactory dimension can profoundly impact your fashion shoots, adding another layer of depth and emotion that resonates beyond the visual experience. So, let’s dive into how a scent like, say, oud perfume can help influence your results and how to seamlessly blend scent into your fashion photography and embark on an exhilarating journey that transcends the traditional boundaries of visual storytelling.
The Invisible Layer of Fragrance In Fashion Photography
Fashion photography is art and should be treated as such. Take, for example, great actors who immerse themselves in a role–they look at the character that they are portraying, their motives, and their character, and they start morphing into them and getting into that character. If it is a role based on a real-life person, they spend time doing the things that person did, wearing their clothes and immersing themselves in their favorite actions like smoking a cigar. While we, as viewers, never get to see this background work, we feel its impact on the screen. The same goes for fashion photography. Producing a great photograph that shows off a great fashion piece goes beyond the piece itself. It even goes beyond the angles, the lighting, or the perfect model. It is all about telling a story that shows that piece at its best. That means the people behind the scenes have to believe the story to tell it right. Perfume can help engage the senses of the people behind the scenes, which will then lead to the creation of an epic photograph that will, in turn, engage the viewer!
Crafting a Narrative with Scent
Integrating fragrance into a fashion campaign begins with storytelling. Each garment carries a message, and so does each model/subject and venue. Let the fragrance carry it, too. Say you are shooting some enchanting summer frocks? Beyond just creating a summery set, you could spritz the model with a lovely floral scent or something that has some strawberries to really play up the summer vibe!
Or maybe you’re curating a mellow and flouncy romance collection filled with pastel colors and luxurious laces. How about using a subtle flowery/floral scent with peony or jasmine notes? On the other hand, if the collection is bold, young, vibrant, and edgy, then give it a fragrance that resonates with the audacity of such a shoot by using oud perfume or something that has tobacco and leather notes in it.
Enhancing the Sensory Experience During the Shoot
Now, let’s explore the practical sense of how you can incorporate scent into your photoshoot set. Here are some ideas to get you started on leveling up your shoots:
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Ambient Scenting: Creating an Experience
Start with setting the mood– by gently perfuming the air of your studio or location with a light fragrance to set the mood. And while this seems so simple, it has a profound effect — the fragrance infuses the environment, making everyone feel just that little bit more enveloped in this creative space. When models feel comfortable and can experience a pleasant-smelling environment, it makes them more likely to relax and thus give you more authentic and beautiful expressions.
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Model Engagement: Scent as a Confidence Booster
Gift your subjects the scent and have them wear it throughout the shoot. A great perfume can help boost their style and confidence. Could the graceful woman in an evening dress have an added dash of decadence with the addition of a woody sandalwood perfume? How about the model in androgynous streetwear who finds her magnetic allure in the presence of a sharp and uplifting citrus perfume? With the right scent, you can help your subject translate how they feel into emotion, making it all the easier to capture the moment in a photo.
Marketing and Presentation: Scent in Post-Production
The unbeatable scent and fashion photography combination does not have to end behind the scenes, and in the pages of a magazine, it can go beyond that as you market the photographs.
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Interactive Exhibits: More Than Just Photos
Say you are exhibiting your work at a gallery. Consider making your showing an experience by recreating the scenes that helped you create your photographs and by accompanying your pictures with scent stations where the vicarious attendees can experience the odorant sensations that you paired with your images. This will give people who loved the subject pieces of your photographs and the photographs themselves an opportunity to see how it was done and immerse themselves in the moment.
Consider using your platform to help tell the story of your vision with a multi-part narrative. You could plan a whole week of content around your photographs. Stream behind-the-scenes IG Lives, where you show off the fragrances you’re pairing with your gorgeous pieces, the story panels you put together, your mood boards, or whatever else you think is important for conveying your hard-fought intentions.
Where To Get Your Scents
When it comes to sourcing the scents you want to use, you want to get as many options as possible that are great quality without blowing the entire budget. This is where Dossier comes in. Dossier is a dupe brand that essentially allows one to have luxury fragrance quality at a cheap perfume price. So head on over to Dossier to create a luxury cheap fragrance arsenal that you can go to for set inspiration.
Scent And Fashion Photography: A Scent Match To Die For
Fashion photography is more than just some frivolous still photograph. It is an art form that is certainly aided by engaging all the senses. Knowing, understanding, and utilizing this helps those who are behind the scenes to create timeless photography that will tell the intended story and continue to tell it for ages to come!