I just shot my first fashion catwalk show. This is my favorite field.... To be quite honest, I don't relish using my flash (Metz Mecablitz 48 AF-1) too much, but knew that it was essential for this. Now, I did manage to get some awesome shots, but several pictures were out of focus :-(
I use my Canon 7D. Set to Auto-Focus. I've attached one of the shots, taken on f4.5, 1/100, ISO 320, with a 18-135mm. I had the flash set, and the White Balance set to Auto.
A thing of beauty is a joy forever! This thought holds complete significance in the fashion industry. It is an exciting industry that attracts many brilliant, ambitious, creative, talented, committed and hard working people. Success in the fashion industry calls for an ultimate passion and enthusiasm to achieve set targets. The desires to create, see, explore and appreciate beauty must be inherent. It’s a creative field and one needs to possess as well as acquire certain skills that are indispensable, such as thinking creatively beyond the obvious and the ability to carve a niche in almost all the possible projects by making it different yet stunning than the previous one.
Catwalk Choreography aims at training models to present their attire in an appealing and professional way. Designers hire talented choreographers because they know that every movement with the background music counts on the ramp. It can make or break an entire fashion show.
It’s full of beautiful and wonderful clothing but you only have a passing glimpse before it’s back down the runway again.
Fashion Photography is a very demanding career that requires the utmost dedication, sincerity, sensitivity and at the same time objectivity towards the subjects. It is the job of the fashion photographer to present clear expression to almost all the possible facets of style such as fabric, design, designer, model and the like.
For one you were in a sense lucky to be able to use flash. That does not happen too often. Especially if the TV cams are there. Problem with flash though is the nasty shadows that can be left in the background. Tried my hand at a fashion shoot, Its definitely not as easy as it looks. These models don't want to stand still long for to long.
If you end up using an external flash, make sure to bring along and use a diffuser, or bring down the power of your flash. Nothing will make the other photographers angry than some fellow photographer’s harsh lighting in their pictures.
On that same note, it’s not half as easy as it looks. Most of these opportunities are like a flash, the model is only at the top of the runway for about two seconds at the most; in that instance you have to get the shot, the outfit looking incredible and the pose. All in two seconds and one opportunity, with the designers, the models, make-up and press all counting on you to get each image.
The main difference between portraits and a fashion show is that your models are going to be walking and they might be walking quite fast.
The light conditions often change during the show or they are not the same at different points of the catwalk and as this is a live event, you don’t have the time to change your aperture, shutter speed and so on all the time.
Regarding how to take the pictures, I heard some advice from a fashion magazine editor once which I take as the golden rule, the point of fashion photography is to SHOW OFF THE CLOTHES. So let your creativity run loose, but don’t forget this rule.
The other thing I will add and stress is use a “fast lens”! I love the muscle tone in models legs when she walks. You know your camera and how to shoot it best. So the best advices I can give you are relaxed and have fun.
Designers generally want fabric to show well so the models and clothes will usually be lit well. Use flash on manual with flash exposure compensation dialed back if necessary.
Try to get very early so you can be there at the last rehearsal. Why? it will give you a sense of timing on the catwalk and you’ll be able to get a fine seat and the perfect place for shooting and also remember they are walking so you’ll have to freeze them to show every detail of the clothes. There must be an assigned place or range that you can go to or else you might be in a "catch as catch can" position. There maybe nothing you can do about that! In any case get there early to stake out your position at the end of the runway.
Remember that the flash can freeze the action but if it’s to close can burn the picture and may be forbidden to use there so try a high ISO but retain details.
Getting a gig shooting a fashion show is a lot of fun and the drama and intensity of the music along with the audiences reactions can make for an intense experience.
Your position can mean the difference between a great photo or no photo at all. The best position is at the end of the catwalk. This way, you can get photos of the models as they walk all the way down to the end. Getting this plum position may require you to get to the show early or to push others out of the way.
Before the show make sure that all your memory cards are reformatted just to ensure a good clean slate of ample memory. Expect to shoot well over a 200 photos, figure out how much memory will be ample, as you’ll look the fool if you’ve shot half the show and you’ve run out of cards.
I like to use 8GB cards. You should have sufficient fresh/charged batteries too and back ups for your camera and flash if you have one.
If you end up using an external flash, make sure to bring along and use a diffuser, or bring down the power of your flash. Nothing will make the other photographers more angry than some fellow photographer’s harsh lighting in their pictures.
If you simply can’t get a spot at the runway’s end, position yourself up higher than the crowd. You can do this by standing on a chair at the back of the room. Use your zoom to get close shots and make sure to keep your camera steady.
Many fashion shows incorporate colored lighting. For accurate photos of the clothing colors you will need to compensate for the lighting by adjusting the white balance on your camera or by adding filters to your lens.
The best shots are captured at the right moments. As a model stomps down the runway, she will display the garment she is wearing. This is when the money shots are made. Here are some basic model movements you should look for:
· Taking off a jacket or wrap and throwing it over the shoulder
· The pose and turn at the end of the catwalk
· Unzipping a garment
· Putting hands in pockets
· Flipping the end of a train or skirt
The best fashion runway photography tip is to stay alert. You never know when a great shot is about to happen. The catwalk show is something like shooting dance where there are predictable peak actions which you have a few seconds only to get. So you need to be familiar with what is happening.
Suppose you need a long lens to get the girls as they appear and then be able to track them as they approach or leave. When they are really close at the end of the runway, they will pause and get into one or more poses. If you catch her eye she might even prolong the pose for a split second if you are lucky, but you have to be ready and be able to zoom and frame on her. She will often have a second pose or 3rd pose in another direction. If you have the rhythm, it's not difficult at all.
If you cannot get the end of the runway, you can do well at the side since they will pose or march out with a great initial attitude and then although the end of the runway close up pose will be lost, the model will make alterations in her position and often those angles capture even way up front to the place you'd rather be are still great. Shooting is opportunistic.
Remember that the designers want their models to look great at every point on the runway, so you have to be able to harvest that look at any position in the walk. Often, one of the pauses on the easy back after turning will be perfect for you when you are at the side.
Fashion makes readers feel like our world only contains beautiful people who dress with exquisite fashion sense.
I think it certainly helps to be a lover of fashion at events like these, to keep that camera glued to your face for the whole show and continuously shoot. It’s like being a kid in a sweet shop; until you’ve been dragged out you just can’t put your camera down.
