This week , The talented 21 years old photographer Kyle Galvin shares with us his experiences making his first step in the fashion Industry. You can check out his amazing work on his website :
www.kylegalvin.comWhat inspired you to start your business?
The immediacy of the medium. I was always drawing and involved with art but I never had the patience to really excel in it. Photography offered an immediate creative outlet. The creativity and beauty that is exclusive to fashion and by that I mean the models, the clothes and the styling. It’s a combination of so many different skills and creative outlets of individuals with the united vision of creating a beautiful aesthetic. I guess meeting all these pretty girls is a bit of a bonus too.
What have been your favorite client experiences?
Last year I shot a lookbook for the brand Goddiva. All expenses were covered, the team were really nice, the location was great and the shots all came out really great too. It was my first paid fashion job too so I think that was pretty memorable. I shot another lookbook for ABO London, who specialise in scarf designs and that was filmed for a channel 4 docu being released soon, so that was another cool experience. I recently just shot some street style for Noctis Magazine during London Fashion Week too. It was my first season and I got to attend some of the shows thanks to them, so on the last day I took my best friend’s girlfriend along with me because she loves fashion and we saw some crazy shows and presentations. I also bumped into P’Trique from America’s Next Top Model and Shit Fashion Girls Say! Haha, he’s an absolute hero and that was insane and only happened because of the really great team at Noctis. Those are a few highlights for me.
What advice would you give to someone starting up in your industry?Well I’ve only really started too. I’ve been shooting roughly five years now but in terms of booking editorial and commercial work, I’ve only really started to book those jobs in the past year but I recently heard someone say that it’s not necessarily who you know but who you make yourself known too and that is so true. All the agencies, the stylists, makeup artists and hair stylist that I’ve worked with are generally because I’ve emailed, phoned and harassed them to notice me. If you think you’ve got talent and you want to really take it to the next level but no one will let you get that foot in the door then you just have to keep banging on the door till they open it. I’d also encourage people to meet everyone they’re working with. I meet all the model bookers who I work with for example because I think it’s professional and then they can put a face to the photographer. Personality makes you memorable and sets you apart from the competition in both your work and who you work with.
What are your long term goals?
I don’t like to have super long term goals because it stresses me out. I turn 20 on the 26th of February, so before I’m 21 I’d like to have some fashion stories published in some mid-level fashion magazines. Decent editorial work means an agent can promote you better to get the commercial work. I’m currently studying at the London College of Fashion, so I’m not too worried booking the paid jobs at the moment. I want to have some decent editorial titles in my resume by 21 and around then I’d also like to be signed. Whether I stay in the photography side of fashion, I’m not sure yet. It depends on how constant the jobs flow and what other areas that I gain work experience in and if I enjoy those other areas of the industry.
The Simone Williams label ethos is to create wearable glamour for all women. Do you think that women are celebrated positively in fashion?
Well from a man’s perspective you may take this with a pinch of salt but yeah I do, definitely. The fashion industry is dedicated to celebrating women’s beauty and designers spend their lives trying to create the perfect clothes to make women look the very best and feel the very best they can. Surely the industry wouldn’t thrive and be so successful if they didn’t generally celebrate women positively?
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