The Value of Fashion Photography in the Culture of Social Media

Choi Sau Wai Athena (2017)

Despite the essential function of fashion presentation and visual communication, fashion photography appears to be a relatively neglected research topic. This research aims to examine the impact of social media on the perceived value of fashion photography in Hong Kong. The perceived values were initially categorised into six domains: identity expression, artistic expression, fashion trend diffusion, taste leadership, bloggers’ self-branding and fashion branding. This study adopts Rose's (2012) visual methodology for collecting data that pertains to the three sites of the image: the site of image production, the site of image audiencing and the site of the image itself. A theoretical framework is proposed, which illustrates the current fashion communication scenario of Hong Kong and how fashion bloggers build their self-identity as a self-branding process. The findings suggest an urgent need to develop a new curriculum in fashion studies and may serve as a practical guide for supporting the fashion media industry in Hong Kong.