Anita Sadowska (@sadowskaphoto) is a professional fashion photographer whose educational YouTube Channel about photography has earned her over 300K subscribers. She's been working in the fashion industry for over a decade, and likes to share what she's learned along the way with others. “When you’re working with fashion, the most important thing is the clothing,” she explains. “For years I didn’t really understand very well, I kind of treated it as more of portrait photography in a way. You know, the model was the main subject and then the clothing was just an accessory. So I think that’s how it’s different – it’s all about the clothes.” In this video, Sadowska shares her tips and tricks for fashion photography along with some of her favorite Sony gear she uses.

Fashion photographer and YouTuber Anita Sadowska shares her go-to tips, along with some of her favorite cameras & lenses for making striking, dramatic images.

Fashion Photography Tip #1 - Assist A Photographer

Sadowska’s first tip is to try to find another fashion photographer you can assist. “There is no better way to learn fashion photography than from somebody who has already experienced it and has already been in it. Not only will you learn how to take photos but also potentially learn the business side of things which is much more difficult, especially when it comes to rates and dealing with clients and dealing with people onsite and so on.” If you can’t assist someone, she says to at least watch YouTube videos from other fashion photographers to see how they do things.

Fashion Photography Tip #2 - Experience With Lighting

Sadowska says lighting is very important in fashion photography because it’s how you tell the story. “I would recommend that you decide what kind of style you want to go for by exploring different things. Try to shoot natural light. Try to shoot studio. Try different focal lengths because sometimes you might be surprised by what you like.”

Sadowska’s Cameras & Lenses For Fashion Photography

Sadowska is currently using two cameras for her fashion photography – the Sony Alpha 7R IV and Sony Alpha 7 IV – which she says she uses interchangeably. When it comes to lenses, she says she’s pretty minimalist, mainly using the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master, Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master and Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master.

“My day-to-day lens is the 24-70,” she explains. “I’ve been using it for years, it’s so versatile. You can go to 24 and get some nice wide shots that incorporate a lot of nature in it, as well as your subject. Or you can go up to 70 and get more of an intimate shot as well.”

She continues “I’m a recent convert to the 70-200 and I really love using it, especially if I’m having a beachy shoot or I’m shooting in a location that might not be as nice as some of the other ones. It does a great job of blurring out the background, making the bokeh really beautiful and smooth, and I just really enjoy shooting with it. I think this is really helpful when you’re trying to capture something that is a bit closer to a realistic image rather than something that is a bit more distorted.”

Sadowska has also been using the 12-24mm and says she really loves it. “I love the distortion it gives you. I love how it looks, especially in direct sunlight.” She also mentions you have to know your angles and how to pose your models to properly use this lens and to make it look really awesome. 

See more of Sadowska’s work on Instagram @sadowskaphoto.

See more videos like this one on the Alpha Universe YouTube Channel.