I'm definitely not the fashionable one. Outdoor gear and bulky camera bag hardly comes as 'fashionable' in a city... Fashion becomes enslaved by practicality, protection and comfort. Instead I usually laugh at 'badly' coordinated fashion - or people who spent heaps on most ridiculous (i.e. uncomfortable and impractical) overpriced rugs - I mean top-brand fashion items.So, although photography and fashion go hand in hand, I never really was that bothered or interested and found most of the models too grumpy to point a lens at. But then one day...
One day you might get invited to a fashion show. If it comes with free nibbles and drinks it would be rude to say no! And since you going there anyway - may just be worth to try and see if can get a shot or two. From the moment of arrival - forget about any decent spot at the end of the catwalk where the lights shine and the models pause, turn and sometimes even might smile (or more likely smirk...). This is already full of better-dressed pros with accreditation cards, step-ladders, big flashes and even bigger lenses. It looks like a vertical bamboo forest from a distances - small and big tubes pointing in one direction, swinging from left to the right.
Finally we found a spot at the other end of the catwalk, near the entrance. It felt pretty low to the stage. Introductory speeches seemed to be delivered by very high heels as could not really see the designer from the low vantage point at the very end of the catwalk. What can I possibly do in here? what the choices might be? Go wide and capture the walks? Take out the mini travel flash to get some extra light? Go with a 50mm f1.8? Wasn't really sure what to go for, what to choose... So started off with a zoom - but wide angle just did not work. The high-heels looked stupid from that perspective (speeches are still going on so some time to experiment and see what just might work the best). Than, of course, is the problem of not having a vaguest clue who Trelise Cooper is and what to expect! Not the best start ever...
But as things started rolling out soon I realised that the flash is too restrictive (OK - should have changed the batteries!) - it takes too long to re-charge and the models did not seem to be too keen to stop and wait! Standing at the far end of the catwalk means the models whizz past and do not give you that split second to pause and pose. F1.8 and manual mode was the best bet as often needed to shoot into the light. And most of shots would be upwards - a bit like shooting puffins in a flight...
Fortunately, following the mundane 'office' fashion things picked up: colours filled the stage and with the backlit the hair were just looking amazing.
The speed of the models moving meant there was no time to plan too much - just check the exposure every few shots and try to get the frame... Considering that at that spot the models were passing each other and just coming from the backstage a lot of shots meant one of them just walking into the frame. Argh... patience... planning, panning and forecasting. It finally worked with a few shots that give the feel of dynamics of the catwalk: models whizzing past each other, the stage being pretty dynamic at all the times.
And then the umbrellas came - a twist in its own right that made for some really nice compositions. Not an easy task as the 50mm was a wee too long for the job - but again, with a bit of planning and nearly hurting my back the photo was bagged...
So all in all - not a bad experience, a few good shots and lots of practice - and all for free (plus nibbles!)
Hair, fish and event by Trelise Cooper.
