Glamour photography is similar to portrait photography in that it always uses human subjects. But glamour photography always sets out to capture the beauty of the model. Glamour photos are all about classic beauty. Anything else in the image — the set, the model’s clothes, the makeup, props — are all secondary and are meant to enhance the beauty. Most glamour photos have an emphasis on the model’s face.
Glamour photography vs. other genres
Glamour isn’t well understood because it’s often confused or lumped in with fashion, portrait, and even boudoir photography. While there is quite a bit of overlap between these styles, there are some distinct differences, too.
- Glamour vs. fashion: While they can often look similar, in fashion photography, the emphasis is more on clothing, shoes, or accessories. The model may be beautiful, but the ultimate goal of the photograph is to sell what he or she is wearing.
- Glamour vs. portrait: Glamour photography is a type of portrait photography. But the portrait genre is very broad. It encompasses many types of photography including pets, fashion, boudoir, wedding, families and many more.
- Glamour vs. boudoir: Glamour and boudoir can be very difficult categories for some people to distinguish between. But, there are differences. While they both set out to enhance the subject’s beauty, boudoir photography tends to lean more to the sensual side. Boudoir is also shot in a more private and personal setting than most glamour photography. Additionally, boudoir photos include more full-body shots, whereas glamour tends to focus more often on the face.
