There is a mixed feeling of happiness, excitement and fear inside a photographer who is planning to shoot a fashion show. Happiness and excitement is because he or she can get the closest view of the fashion dresses and the models wearing them. Who won’t want to right?
But the fear is only because of one thing. That one thing is that the fashion photographer will have to capture impactful photos of the ramp model defeating the huge sharp spotlight’s exposure on them. This is the toughest part for High Fashion Photoshoot. Another tough part is obviously to capture photos of the models while they’re walking on the ramp on time. Maintaining the time accuracy is really very tough.
To make things easier for a fashion photographer like you. I’ve made a compilation of the most effective tips to improve timing and defeat the harsh light exposure in fashion show photography. These tips are from the professional fashion photographers who have an experience of more than 20 years.
So let’s take out your fear and start checking out the ultimate points for fashion show photoshoot.
Get Prepared with Your Gear
First of all you will need to prepare a checklist of all the necessary gears you will need for the shoot. Then take a backpack and start loading it with all the necessary gears from the checklist. Preparing yourself before the show is very much important. If you miss out any important gear then it may cost you a lot. These are some of the gears you will need for the fashion show photo shoot – Camera, lens, Tripod, Flash lights, Flash diffuser, extra batteries and extra memory cards. These are the gears that you must include in your checklist.
Set the Camera Rightly
Now you will need to keep the camera on the right place of the venue. The position where you’ll place the camera should be such that you can capture the model’s images properly. It should be place which gets the full view of the ramp without any obstruction between. I suggest you to set your tripod on a place that is on high level and is horizontal to the ramp. This will help you capture photos from perfect level.
Adjust Proper Lighting
This is the most critical part for capturing photos in a fashion show. Adjusting the light is a major step before you start shooting the images. You will need to adjust the white balance according to the lights being used on the show. You can place a subject on the stage and set the exposure, white balance and ISO keeping that subject as an example. Make sure you take an assistant with you who will hold the flash on the opposite side of the spotlights this will help you balance the lights of the image.
Shoot Backstage
Before you capture the fashion show that will occur on the stage I suggest you to capture some behind the scenes too. This will help you focus the hard work of all the people that are organizing the show and will also help you get a little bit friendly with them for working confidently and get their best expressions out of them on stage. So go to the backstage talk with the models and capture candids of them while preparing.
Set Correct Focus
What would be the benefit of all the hard work you went through setting up the light and position of the camera if you end up capturing an image where the model’s face is blurred? It would depress you a lot. This is why the first thing you should do is to switch on the Autofocus mode. The autofocus will automatically bring the model’s face and dress on focus all you need to concentrate on is to control the light and choosing the perfect frame.
Shoot from Various Angles
At a fashion show, you will get to see a lot of movements done by the ramp models that are walking at the runway. There is a vast scope of playing with the angles at that point. You just need to roam around and click the photos from different angles. You may find the best angle for fashion photography. Clicking photos from different angles at a fashion show will definitely help you to get at least one perfect shot for fashion show photography. It is not important to click only from straight angle but you can also shoot fashion show photos from side, upper and lower angles too. You never know, doing that, your photo may look extra-ordinary.
Click the details
Details matter and add a special element into your photography. While doing fashion show photography, I would let you know one of the best fashion show photography techniques which are to paying attention to the details. Architects endeavor to style their models so focus and zoom in tight to snatch close-up shots of intriguing hair and make-up, adornments, shoes, packs and different frill. Indeed, even the breadth of an outfit’s fix or a fascinating material can make a decent shot. So do not only click the entire body frame of the models or the location, bur change the setting and click the photos of small details attached with the fashion show.
Capture Everyone
I was checking out some of the fashion shows photography of my friend that day. There I actually got a good fashion show photography advice. That advice is not to focus and click the photo only of one person/model. While clicking photos at the ramp, click each and everyone’s photos that are walking at the ramp. Not only capture them but you should also click the photos of the designer who comes at the end. Click the photos of the audiences so that you can see their response in the photos. Click the photos of the celebrities present at the event. You will get varieties of photos from varieties of people. So avoid monotony clicking everyone’s photo at a fashion show.
Click Continuously
Fashion is dynamic. Even fashion photography is dynamic as well. You have to have the knowledge of fashion photography before going for it. A fashion show is something which will not allow you to take a long time and click photos. You always have to be prepared for the next rapid shot. You may miss something if you click the photos slowly. Continuous shooting is the most mechanized technique for shooting and functions admirably if your camera’s AF can stay aware of the models as they swagger down the catwalk. Single-shot AF gives you more control so you can choose precisely when to trigger the shade.
Keep Backup
One thing you must keep in mind before going for fashion show photography is keeping the back-up with you. At a fashion show, everyone usually remain at rush. It will not give you the time to go home and fetch another camera or battery. So to avoid this kind of unwanted circumstance, you should keep extra battery or extra camera so that you immediately change the battery or take the camera and start shooting again.
Conclusion
Defeating the light and overcoming your fear should have gone easy by now hopefully through our tips. All you need to do is enjoy the show and capture the photos with all your passion and heart. This will help you forget your fear and focus on becoming the man of the occasion. An extra tip I would like to give you. And that is you should go for apparel photo editing services to make sure your apparel in the fashion photoshoot looks awesome. So best of luck and keep clicking!
