This is my favourite photo of the night. The girl with the blue lipstick on is very Boy George, don’t you think? I don’t mean to go on and on about it, but I still find it weird that the things I wore in junior high and high school are now the height of fashion. How can that be? I feel like I only graduated high school a couple of years ago. Oof. Apparently it’s been longer than that. Moving on…
Last night I was invited to attend the Opening Gala for Vancouver Fashion Week and take photos of Fred’s collection for Spring 2013. DARN. I forgot to ask Fred why they show the spring stuff in the fall. Oh well, I’ll ask him tonight because I’m going to another fashion event tonight at the Chinese Cultural Centre.
Fred only showed one piece in the show last night, so I really had to be on the ball when it was his turn on the stage. I muscled up to the front with a number of other photographers and fashion bloggers and got right up against the stage. I figured it would be my best chance of getting a decent photo of his dress.
Thankfully, my new camera works very well in low light – the venue was very dark, with cement walls and had a basement feel to it. I brought my big flash and changed settings to find what worked. I hoped for the best. I had lots of opportunity to practice as there were some speeches, an MC, a comic and some dancers…
…with kitty whiskers and dancers…
…in yards of tulle. Actually, I spotted a lot of tulle last night, including these men in hats.
I was pretty nervous that I was too close to my subjects in my position at the front, but there was no way to get further back without losing my spot and having no way to see the stage at all. I also had to rely on my concert moshing skills because once the show started there were elbows and shoving all around me. So, I put my elbows up and started shooting.
I had to remind myself to shoot the clothes…the clothes…not the faces…the clothes! I got a couple of full length shots as the model and Fred walked on the stage. But as you can see from the next photo, I was REALLY close to the people on the stage.
This was the toughest fashion show I’ve shot so far. I know, I’ve shot 4 shows in my whole life, but still. YIKES. Low lights, one piece of clothing, shoving in the pit. Phew. I’m glad I made it through.
To me, this next photo is a bonus because Fred whispered to me, “You’re not supposed to be here.” Heh.
The hair and make up area! Where the magic happens!
The Flight of the Conchords were right! Fashion really is Danger!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Heehee!! Fun, & nice shots!!! (& they show spring in the fall, and holiday & fall in the spring, for sales, the fashion buyers work about a year ahead. )
Fashion shows are not for the public – they are for buyers from stores and chains. So you show spring in the fall so that buyers can place their orders, the designers have them manufactured, and then voila the spring clothes show up just as little tulips start to show their heads.
Are old episodes of Fashion File available to watch on line? Jeanne Becker has been my fashion expert go to since I was 13. But also lots of images of the photo pit.