# London Fashion Week



## Rob (Feb 18, 2006)

Hi,

As those of you who are subscribers know, I was at London Fashion Week's closing day today taking some pictures.

There are a lot of photos, which you can view here: London Fashion Week by Rob

It was a long day, starting at 5.20am this morning! The amount of effort which goes into these kind of events is just staggering. The backstage areas are mega-crowded, with massive consumption of Red Bull, Evian and cigarettes.

Models are made up, styled and dressed all together in one badly overcrowded room.





Although the start was very early, with most models arriving from about 6.30am, it's very apparant that there is limited time to complete a large amount of work! Many of the outfits are literally stitched onto the models.





When the show time approaches, the level of running, shouting and use of the F word increase to a point of frenzy. Model names are shouted as postions are found.

The main auditorium is a large, hot room with loud music, bright lights and plenty of photographers, jostling and generally annoying each other (especially me!). Getting a clean shot is a nightmare, there's virtually no light, what there is can be best described as yellow. A long and fast lens is essential, as is a powerful flash unit. Most of the pros are carrying a number of bodies linked up to quantum packs and multiple flash units.

When a model hits the runway, all automatic settings on your camera will be useless as the subject is bathed in several tens of flashes from all around. This is generally a good point to have a giggle at the people trying to take a picture with their camera phones with led "flash" torch. Many people puzzle over why their PnS cameras can't take a picture. I try and help a couple, and give up, there's no time!







Models, move faster than you can imagine. Although graceful, they stomp down to the end of the runway at a pace us normal shorties would struggle to keep up with. Panning skills are essential, as is a long range zoom, one minute they're here, the next they're over 100ft away.

I made friends with a couple of models and stylists and generally tried to keep away from the fierce security.

Have a look at the rest in the gallery, as ever all comments appreciated. Thanks for looking!

Rob


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## JonMikal (Feb 18, 2006)

nice work Rob. i like how you caught the girls during make-up and then seeing the end result. i can only imagine what a day from them is like. i'm heading over to see your gallery :thumbup:


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## Calliope (Feb 18, 2006)

Thank you for taking us through the process!  Beautiful photos...  I looked at the gallery too!  Wonderful!


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## 'Daniel' (Feb 18, 2006)

Great work rob.  Really like the backstage shots.

I'm interested in how you got an opprtunity like that going backstage.


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## mentos_007 (Feb 18, 2006)

great series! and crowd photos are really nice... especially photog's crowd


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## woodsac (Feb 18, 2006)

Very cool stuff


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## duncanp (Feb 18, 2006)

Great pics looks like u had fun, :thumbup:


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## Rob (Feb 18, 2006)

Thanks for the great comments everyone!

Here's a couple more, as people don't like clicking on links! 

This is from the edge of the runway, as you can see, there are annoying photographers like me getting in the way!






This is one of Tom, remember Tom? In action helping a stylist with a model.






This is one of the models I met outside. Nice young man. All models drink Red Bull (at that time of the morning!), Evian and smoke cigarettes - stereotype? Maybe, but nearly always true!






Thanks for looking again!

Rob


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## Fate (Feb 18, 2006)

Love the shots rob  good job


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## MommyOf4Boys (Feb 18, 2006)

These are fabulous Rob.  I even love the way you framed them, it makes them look as if they are right out of a magazine!


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## LaFoto (Feb 18, 2006)

Oh. I like these! 
Wow.
Interesting to see in how far you and I almost did the same kind of photography this weekend, and while yours was a fashion show and the models real (adult) models on the stage and backstage, mine were little children, bigger children, teenagers, young adults, older adults, all getting made up for their ballet performance and during the ballet performance. And they did not have proper rooms to make themselves up, either, they had to sit anywhere in the room where there was the stage and the audience (pub hall), whether there was light or whether there was none, and they had to change there, too, it was pandemoneum at first... 

My performance pics were try and error only, since I had never done stage photography before and ... I don't have a FAST long lens. Can't afford one. But oh! how I would have liked to have one. Well. There was a second performance tonight (couldn't go) and there will be a third tomorrow afternoon. I might as well go back and try to work on my mistakes from yesterday night .

My first "backstage" pics (actually taken ON the stage ) are to be found here: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42744


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## ShutteredEye (Feb 18, 2006)

Awesome Rob!!


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## PlasticSpanner (Feb 18, 2006)

Great shots Rob!

I can see why metering is such a problem with all those light & camera flashes!  

I'm amazed by photo IMG_1244.jpg in your gallery (Crowd)  How daunting is that to walk down the catwalk into all those photographers waiting for you!


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## Arch (Feb 18, 2006)

Great shots rob, you caught the atmosphere brilliantly. I was gonna be the immature one and ask if you got to see any of the ladies naked, but i won't....this is a better thread than that! good shooting rob :thumbup:


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## omeletteman (Feb 18, 2006)

Great shots rob. What a cool opportunity to get to do stuff like this.
That wall of photog's is ridiculous


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## danalec99 (Feb 18, 2006)

Rob said:
			
		

> there's virtually no light, what there is can be best described as yellow. A long and fast lens is essential, as is a powerful flash unit.


What do you mean there was no light? From this image, the ramp is flooded with ample lights. Wasn't that enough? Besides, I see just one guy with a flash (image 1, image 2). But I'm only _assuming_ they are the pro gang.

From the catwalk series, composition wise, I like the _Harrods_ shots (girl and the guy), sans the unavoidable distraction on the foreground .

You did great for the first attempt!


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## jocose (Feb 18, 2006)

Rob,

Good job (as we all knew you would do).   I, too, like the backstage to catwalk pics...gives an interesting perspective.

(I'm going to check my inbox for those pictures I specifically requested )


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## Rob (Feb 19, 2006)

Thanks everyone! To answer your questions:

Nudity - there's lots of it. They're getting changed at a phenomenal rate to swap outfits. They are also mostly in the 14-19yo territory. FWIW, I avoided the changing as much as possible - we're all professionals and there isn't time or inclination towards that kind of thing.

Foreground distraction. Yeah. Not a lot you can do but be pushier or taller. When you're lying on the floor (which I was) next to the catwalk, you take what you can get! 

Light. That's a funny one. Although they are lit properly at the pro end of the runway, if you hadn't noticed, I was at the backstage end, which isn't lit as brightly. The majority of the media were using monopods, and had the advantage that as the models are advancing, they can focus and take a longer exposure. As I was at the side, I had to pan and flash. That picture was taken as they came in, not set up. I can assure you there was a wall of flash coming from that end of the show. 

Chris, if it was daunting, they didn't show it! Perhaps the Red Bull, Evian and cigarette consumption increased, but there was no fuss at all when the show had started. They were very hyped though - but then again, so was I!

Thanks for the comments everyone, I really appreciate them. The pictures in the media so far have sucked, so I will view the press with interest and see what they come up with!

I'm looking forward to next time!

Rob


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## Arch (Feb 19, 2006)

Rob said:
			
		

> Thanks everyone! To answer your questions:
> 
> Nudity - there's lots of it. They're getting changed at a phenomenal rate to swap outfits. They are also mostly in the 14-19yo territory. FWIW, I avoided the changing as much as possible - we're all professionals and there isn't time or inclination towards that kind of thing.



You know i was joking, right


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## Rob (Feb 19, 2006)

Archangel said:
			
		

> You know i was joking, right



Yes, the comment was for a certain young man who PM'd me!


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## jocose (Feb 19, 2006)

Rob said:
			
		

> Yes, the comment was for a certain young man who PM'd me!



Geez,  I didn't think there were such immature people on this Forum.


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## Rob (Feb 19, 2006)

jocose said:
			
		

> Geez,  I didn't think there were such immature people on this Forum.



Well, I'm sure he's learnt his lesson. :mrgreen:

Rob


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## jocose (Feb 19, 2006)

Rob said:
			
		

> Well, I'm sure he's learnt his lesson. :mrgreen:
> 
> Rob




People with their minds perpetually in the gutter should be banned...OR given more rep!!


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## Rob (Feb 19, 2006)

jocose said:
			
		

> People with their minds perpetually in the gutter should be banned...OR given more rep!!



No they shouldn't.


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## xion (Feb 19, 2006)

Rob - that was a great insight and pix into a fashion shoot.


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## duncanp (Feb 19, 2006)

nice extra pics u have added you've capture the atmosphere of the event well


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## Rob (Feb 19, 2006)

xion said:
			
		

> Rob - that was a great insight and pix into a fashion shoot.



Thanks, means a lot to me! And we're back on topic as well! 

Rob


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## 'Daniel' (Feb 19, 2006)

Robbity, could you answer my question if you have time?


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## LaFoto (Feb 19, 2006)

Daniel said:
			
		

> *Robbity*, could you answer my question if you have time?


 
*"Robbity"????*






What is going on? Am I missing something?


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## 'Daniel' (Feb 19, 2006)

:lmao::lmao::lmao:


It's his nickname...


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## LaFoto (Feb 19, 2006)

As far as I know his nick here is just "Rob" ... but "Robbity"!?!?!?!? :shock: 
Give me a break!


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## mad_malteaser (Feb 19, 2006)

Wow! Those are all amazing shots, it must have been one hell of an experience. I can't imagine how frenetic the pace must be there although you captured it well with the backstage shots. 

The crowd shots in particular were amongst my favourites, in particular one you captured of a model at the end of the catwalk and the flashes from all the photographers at the end clamouring to get her photograph. 

Great work!


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## 'Daniel' (Feb 19, 2006)

LaFoto said:
			
		

> As far as I know his nick here is just "Rob" ... but "Robbity"!?!?!?!? :shock:
> Give me a break!



I think it will catch on.  You wait - in 2 months everyone will be doing it... remember I did it before it was cool!


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## bace (Feb 19, 2006)

These are amazing. I did a fasion show some time ago and totally bombed the whole thing. Needed better equipment for sure. I was basically using the standard Minolta package. 50mm 1.8 aperture and built in flash. So much movement and bluring. Mind you, the lighting for the event wasn't exactly the best.

http://www.bacemedia.com/images/dazzling/

http://www.bacemedia.com/images/christina/

If anyone wants to look.


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## Jeff Canes (Feb 19, 2006)

Daniel said:
			
		

> Robbity, could you answer my question if you have time?


If you where a subscriber you would know


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## 'Daniel' (Feb 19, 2006)

So you're discriminating against the poor now are you?!



please tell me :x


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## jocose (Feb 19, 2006)

daniel, I think it was just a case of being at the right place at the right time, and slipping a Franklin or two....oh, right, that joke doesn't work...erm...slipping a Sir Houblon or two :mrgreen:


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## Rob (Feb 20, 2006)

Dan: I've PM'd you mate about the how, can't discuss it here! 

Rob


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## Rob (Feb 20, 2006)

bace said:
			
		

> These are amazing. I did a fasion show some time ago and totally bombed the whole thing. Needed better equipment for sure. I was basically using the standard Minolta package. 50mm 1.8 aperture and built in flash. So much movement and bluring. Mind you, the lighting for the event wasn't exactly the best.
> 
> http://www.bacemedia.com/images/dazzling/
> 
> ...



Yeah, they're good, especially considering the length of lens!! It looks pretty calm compared to mine!

Rob


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## Becky (Feb 20, 2006)

Nice job Rob, some of the ones on your site are awesome too... 

which brings me neatly to ask, any joy with that link yet?


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## sebastienmis (Feb 20, 2006)

Good job!


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## Mansi (Feb 20, 2006)

hey rob, great job   
thanks for taking us thru it... you did great 
sweet set of pictures


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## Rob (Feb 20, 2006)

Thanks for the comments again everyone!

Rob


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