The 9 Best Fashion Photographers in Raleigh

When someone mentions “fashion photography,” it’s a good bet a certain image style pops into your head. That just shows how much fashion and photography are intertwined and inseparable. Fashion photography is a specialty niche that needs a creative eye to pull it off well. As these top Raleigh fashion photographers demonstrate, fashion can be different things, do different jobs, and serve multiple purposes. Browse through their work and see for yourself!

1. Dimitri Williams

The images Dimitri Williams shares on his Instagram account don’t really do justice to what he’s capable of. However, visit his website and it’s like seeing a whole different level of wow. It’s packed with highly prepped and stylized commercial fashion images, heavy on the flash and artificial lighting. In fact, his work stands out, whether in studio, on location, or even when it’s light out.

It also leaves zero doubt that Williams has abundant experience. Another thing he doesn’t show on Instagram is the much wider range of photographic styles he very skillfully executes, like black-and-whites and classic portraits. Unsurprisingly, his work gets published a lot, and that we can see on the ’gram.

2. Alonza Mitchell 

Preferring to employ a straight-on portraiture style, Alonza Mitchell’s more direct visual approach clearly appeals to his clientele, which counts top magazines like Elle and Cosmopolitan among them. His straight-on compositions with simple or fuzzy backgrounds bring full attention to the models and their attire.

Mitchell also deftly eliminates the usual resulting harshness from his use of flashes and artificial light. He even manages to impart a touch of visual warmth despite the highly produced setting. Really masterful work.

3. Tawny Elise Masteller

No messing around in studios for this highly-skilled portrait and lifestyle photographer. In fact, Tawny Elise Masteller takes her shooting out on location. An eclectic variety of everyday normal locations at that. So too are her models’ poses, expressions, and attire, all usually normal. The same goes for the lighting, with an everyday average available light feel. However, they’re all just simply too consistently perfect to be normal.

It’s a well-planned and prepared “normal.” The just-right compositions that bring full attention to the models, the perfectly balanced light always hitting just the right spots, even the choice of attractive outfits that are nicely balanced. There’s a lot more going on in creating these images than meets the eye, and Masteller works them superbly.

4. Susan Delene

Susan Delene demonstrates an uncanny ability to emulate different photographic styles. Color and b/w, indoors and out, artificial and available lighting, surreal and edgy realistic … Delene likes to try different things and has the skill and know-how to execute them well.

She’s also not averse to sharing her experiments on her social media accounts either. We often see her playing with new techniques and the latest photo tech toys, making her portfolio fun to explore.

5. Terrence Jones

As commercial a photographer as they come, Terrence Jones delivers pictures that have a very clean, precise, almost corporate look and feel. Among the Raleigh fashion photographers here, there is absolutely no question about the purpose of Jones’s photography. In fact, fashion and beauty are one of the many subject subcategories he does for business clients.

But subcategory or not, he nails them. Usually in-studio, his shots are brightly lit, high production affairs, with the models’ pretty forms showcasing the fashion “product”. If the look you’re going for has that serious catwalk crowd in mind, Jones is your guy in Raleigh.

6. Sara Coffin

Sara Coffin has run her successful lifestyle and branding photography studio for over a decade, and there’s no mystery why she’s done well. Her work is contemporary, lifestyle magazine slick, with that upbeat and comfortable feel wrapped around an upscale style and sensibility.

While smiles are typically scarce with fashion photography, Coffin’s photos seem to be on a mission to do the exact opposite. These are friendly images, very bright, both figuratively and literally. No harshness or contrasty edginess. In fact, her work often has a palpable softness and subtle diffusion present. Coffin doesn’t have to say her work is positive — we can see it.

7. Carrie Gilliam

Favoring more natural, almost rustic hues and warmer, neutral tones, lifestyle and family photographer Carrie Gilliam doesn’t really seem to feature or talk about fashion much at all. In fact, Gilliam prefers to devote much of her commentary on the family part of her photography, which makes up a large portion of the pictures she displays.

However, it’s evident her models’ outfit selections figure prominently, stylistically, and thematically in a significant number of the pictures. They’re key elements in the look-and-feel throughout. This meticulous preparation and attention to detail are practically imperceptible as we marvel at her results.

8. Bobbi Vinson

Through her Frolic & Co. Photography practice, Bobbi Vinson devotes much of her professional photography time to portraits and professional branding. Her pictures are strait-laced, clean-cut, and squeakily so. We love how she features her models’ outfit choices that serve as a foundation for the personality and image each wishes to present to the world. Their poses are similarly safe and solid, with Vinson skillfully letting her compositions and model placement creatively support the image’s intent.

Like a number of other Raleigh fashion photographers, Vinson doesn’t often use a controlled studio environment, instead largely shooting on location. She also expertly uses flash to supplement natural light to produce her crisp, clear, and very professional shots.

9. Patrick Richardson

Patrick Richardson calls his service All Pro Photography, and that’s exactly what he unquestionably delivers, professionally-produced vividly bright, and striking images of beautiful, perfectly made-up and clad models. His is pinup poster-caliber work. Although Richardson does both studio and on-location shoots, settings are practically secondary.

These shots are crafted with a simple objective: to draw your eye to the model and see how great she looks. Unlike some of the other Raleigh fashion photographers here, there’s no attempt at subtlety. Richardson wants to grab your attention and hold it. And he knows exactly how to do that.

True talent never goes out of style

downtown photo studio in raleigh
Source: Peerspace

Raleigh’s chock full of talented photographers. And thankfully for the fashionistas out there, there’s no shortage of amazing fashion photographers here. The best Raleigh fashion photographers are technically adept, have a sharp understanding of the power of clothing, and an impeccable visual style. We love the work they’re doing, and we’re sure you will, too.

If you’re a Raleigh-based photographer looking for new spaces to shoot, check out Peerspace. As the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals, you’re sure to find incredible and inspirational settings.

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