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Dream of shooting fashion shows? Here’s how to start your runway journey.
Photographing Fashion Week isn’t for the faint-hearted but anyone who is up for the challenge will have an amazing time and leave with some incredible photos.
Photo: Theano Nikitas |
Every spring and fall, designers present their new collections to buyers and fashion editors/writers. Although New York, London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks are the gold standard, the number of fashion events has expanded far beyond the core four. Many cities in the U.S. and around the world host their own version of Fashion Week, so there is likely an opportunity for you to shoot locally whether you live in Philadelphia, Copenhagen, Tokyo and beyond.
The majority of fashion shows present women’s ready-to-wear (and, on occasion, some men’s clothing, too). However, other shows revolve around a variety of genres specializing in swimwear, bridal, menswear, designer collectives representing a specific country or region, kids and even pets. Understanding these options and thinking about the direction you want to follow will help you move forward when applying for press credentials.
I’ve been been shooting New York Fashion Week since 2005. Here’s what I’ve learned in the past 18 years.
Gaining Access
The first Fashion Week challenge is getting access to the shows. While there are some fashion events that sell tickets to the general public, there’s no guarantee that you’ll have a good enough spot to take decent pictures so your best bet is to pursue official credentials. Generally, each designer’s PR agency holds the keys to press passes. Alternatively, some organizations act as an umbrella for multiple designers and have a single press contact.
One of the most basic requirements for press access is affiliation with an outlet that will publish your images such as newspapers, magazines, wire services and blogs. Higher circulation and more targeted publications usually get preference. An assignment letter from an editor adds credibility to your request and is often key (although no guarantee) for a positive response. If you’re working with an accredited writer, they may be able to facilitate a photo pass for you.
Press information can usually be found on each Fashion Week’s site. Once you find the appropriate contact, keep your email brief and to the point. Include your affiliation, the type of access you’re requesting (photo riser, backstage, or both) and, if available, send a link to relevant clips/portfolios. If your application is accepted, you may not hear back until a week or even a few days before the show. Not ideal for planning ahead but that’s how it works.
If you don’t already have a working relationship with a publication, get creative and approach outlets for an assignment. Remember, hair and make-up are an integral part of fashion. Consumer and trade magazines (such as those subscribed to by salons) often report on the latest beauty trends and may need photos from backstage hair and make-up preparations as well as the final beauty looks on the runway.
Another road to fashion show access is via companies that sponsor or partner with designers. In addition to those that supply hair and make-up services and products, vendors that provide shoes, jewelry and other accessories for a specific designer may also need photos of their products on the runway.
“The bottom line is that you need to pull out all the stops and network like crazy to gain access.”
The bottom line is that you need to pull out all the stops and network like crazy to gain access. Let everyone know that you’re interested in shooting Fashion Week. You may be surprised at how easily a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend with connections may be willing to help you out. The power of networking cannot be underestimated, especially in the fashion industry.
Don’t lose heart if your initial queries are met with silence. Seek out local opportunities that may be a little easier to access. High schools and universities may have small runway shows that need photographers. Boutiques and some department stores offer trunk shows to present designers’ collections. Build up experience and your portfolio, develop contacts and, if you’re persistent, you’ll likely be on the photo riser sooner than you think.
The Gear
Even before you apply for credentials, check your gear to make sure you have what you need for a successful Fashion Week shoot and that everything is in good working order. We’ve put together some general suggestions that should cover most, if not all, scenarios. I’ve found the best approach to shooting Fashion Week is to keep it simple (and lightweight). Even if you’re not running up and down NYC subway stairs rushing from one show to the next, the photo riser is always crowded with very little room to stow camera bags or cases. Room to move backstage and at presentations is also limited. and there is generally nowhere secure to leave your camera bag.
More important than the type of camera in your bag is knowing how to use it. Seems obvious, right? But if your exposure or white balance or shutter speed is off, there’s no time to look at buttons and dials or delve into menus to adjust settings. You have only a split second to make changes or you’ll likely miss some shots.
Suggested basic gear list:
- 1-2 camera bodies
- 24-70mm lens, f/2.8 or f/4 (best for backstage, presentations and very short runways)
- 70-200mm lens f/2.8 or f/4 (possibly longer, depending on venue/position on the riser)
- Extra batteries (fully charged)
- Extra media cards (formatted)
- Lens pen or microfiber cloth
- Monopod
- Small flashlight for finding things in your bag
- External flash (backstage/presentations but optional; never for runway)
- A turtle (small folding stool for sitting or standing on the riser; optional)
- Business cards
- Snacks and water
Feel free to use flash backstage or doing a presentation where models remain in static poses, as shown above, but never use flash on the runway.
Photo: Theano Nikitas |
My Fashion Week set-up changes according to the show venue. I try to travel with the least amount of gear as possible. My kit most often includes a Nikon D850 with the Nikon D500 as backup. Lenses include the AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED, 70-200mm f/2.8 GII ED VR or the 300mm f/4E PF ED VR. When shooting backstage, I’ll bring a Profoto A1. For the runway I’ll sometimes use a Gitzo monopod with an Acratech ballhead and I always carry extra batteries and a variety of media cards from SanDisk, ProGrade Digital and Lexar. Images are downloaded to SanDisk SSD drives, edited in Adobe Photoshop and prepped for upload to a wire service with Photo Mechanic software.
Suggested camera settings
I prefer to shoot on manual so I can adjust shutter speed or aperture as needed since lighting may be uneven with hotspots and deep shadows along the length of the runway. A perfect exposure when the model is halfway down the runway may be a couple of stops slower than the bright spot in front of the riser where the model stops to pose so you may need to make split-second adjustments. Alternatively, some shows, as seen below, have a fixed spotlight that perfectly illuminates the model.
For most runway shows I’ve found that a good starting point is F4 with a shutter speed between 1/250 – 1/400th second with an ISO that delivers the best exposure at those settings. It’s unlikely that you’ll have to venture into noisy ISO territory with those aperture/shutter speed settings but it’s something to keep in mind. Get to know your camera’s ability to handle high ISO ahead of time.
Shooting JPEG and Raw (or, just Raw) is ideal as is utilizing dual card slots with the second slot set as backup. I once had a card failure in the middle of a show and having that second card was a lifesaver.
Occasionally, a show will create its own dramatic lighting that works perfectly once the model hits their spot.
Photo: Theano Nikitas |
White balance is often a challenge especially when lighting is a mix of artificial and window light or the runway is spattered with moving colored spots or other gelled lights. If you’re on the riser early enough to watch the rehearsal, take some shots to gauge the white balance. Very occasionally, the show producer will visit the riser with color temperature information or the house videographer will share their readings. But when you don’t have a Kelvin reference, go with auto white balance and Raw.
“I once had a card failure in the middle of a show and having that second card was a lifesaver.”
Continuous AF works well and while low continuous shooting can be helpful, take care to not go overboard – remember, you have to download, review and edit all those files, often on a very tight deadline. Additionally, center-weighted metering often delivers good results at shows.
These are just suggestions to get you started. Every show is different so what works for one show might not work for the next. Be prepared to prep your camera each time.
Shooting tips
The “standard” runway photo is a vertical shot of the model including full-length, 3/4 and a close-up head/shoulders shots directly in front of the riser. While there’s heavy competition for the center position, those best spots are usually reserved for the house photographer and videographer. If you have a backstage pass, you can usually get on the riser before it’s overcrowded and get a decent spot.
Other factors, such as the models walking up and down the sides of the runway or a unique runway layout, also affect the angle at which you’re shooting so you may need to get creative when composing your shots.
If you get on the riser early enough, you may be able to snag one of the coveted center positions and get the perfect straight-on view of the models.
Photo: Theano Nikitas |
As you’re shooting, keep an eye on the model’s feet. Ideally, both (or at the least the forward foot) should be flat – or close to flat – on the floor. The best way to achieve this is to pace your shutter clicks to the beat of the music since that’s how the models (generally) time their steps.
At the same time, both arms should be visible whenever possible and the model’s eyes should be open and looking straight ahead. If and when models need to turn – let’s say, to go back up the runway – they will look down at the floor, so avoid shooting at that time.
Don’t forget to include the backs of particularly interesting designs. It’s your job to show off the best of the look and that includes the full 360°.
Pay attention to the backs of the looks. The ideal shot is when the model pauses at the foot of the runway and looks over their shoulder.
Photo: Theano Nikitas |
Frankly, I’ve found that shooting a little off-center provides a unique point-of-view and a more interesting photo. Including the audience in the shot (which is sometimes inevitable), gives a better sense of the fashion show experience as well. And don’t be afraid to shoot wide to give your images a more expansive overview of the scene.
Don’t be afraid to shoot wide and tweak your exposure to darken the audience.
Photo: Theano Nikitas |
When the scene allows, I like to tweak exposure in order to darken the audience to achieve a more dramatic look. This works best when the runway is well-lit or the model hits their spot with brighter lighting.
At the end of the show, all the models will walk the runway. The finale is also a good opportunity to shoot any looks you might have missed earlier.
Photo: Theano Nikitas |
For the finale, the models walk the runway together, generally in a straight line so you can play with composition or grab a photo of a look you might have missed the first time. Once the models have exited the runway, the designer will usually come out for a bow so don’t put your camera away until the very end.
Keep your camera pointed at the runway after the models’ final walk to capture the designer when they take a bow.
Photo: Theano Nikitas |
Once the show ends, make sure you have all your belongings before you join the crowds exiting the venue. If you have more than one show scheduled for the day, allow plenty of time to get from one location to the next keeping in mind that once you get to the venue, you’ll need to check in, pick up credentials for that show and make your way to the riser – which almost always takes longer than anticipated. Maybe slot in a little break to grab a bite to eat, too.
“Sometimes, at the end of a season I’ll say, “that’s it, I’m done, it’s too exhausting.” But…about six months later, I’m back on the riser as excited to shoot as I was the first time I pointed my lens at a runway.”
Shooting Fashion Week can be physically taxing, especially when you’ve scheduled back-to-back shows over the course of a few days combined with the nightly task of editing and submitting images. Sometimes, at the end of a season I’ll say, “That’s it, I’m done, it’s too exhausting.” But the Fashion Week force is too strong and about six months later, I’m back on the riser as excited to shoot as I was the first time I pointed my lens at a runway.
Camera
Merry Christmas and happy holidays from DPReview!
Season’s greetings! We’ve almost reached the end of 2024, and as is our custom, the DPReview team would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Boxing Day, Happy Kwanzaa, Joyous Festivus, and Happy Holiday to all. We’re incredibly grateful you’ve stuck with us for yet another orbit around the sun.
2024 was an important year for DPReview symbolically. One year ago today, on December 25, 2023, we celebrated the site’s 25th anniversary. For the past 12 months, we’ve been looking back at some of the moments and milestones from that past quarter century. We couldn’t have reached this point without your support.
2024 has also been an important chapter for DPReview as a business. Many of you know we’ve been going through a period of rebuilding. Every person at DPReview, including many folks behind the scenes, has poured their heart and soul into this effort. Why? Because at a fundamental level, we believe that an internet with DPReview is better than one without it.
The hard work is paying off. You might recall that a couple of months ago, we advertised some new editorial roles on the site, and I’m thrilled to report that we’ll have a couple of new faces joining the team early next year.
“At a fundamental level, we believe that an internet with DPReview is better than one without it.”
A huge factor in that success has been our community. Whether you’re a regular in the forums or just pop in to comment under the occasional article, we’re grateful for your contributions. Our forums are a goldmine of information, crowd-sourced from knowledgeable people for over 25 years. Our homepage may get a lot of attention, but the forums are where the magic happens: exchanging ideas, forming communities, and forging personal connections.
In fact, we’re planning to ramp up support for our online community in 2025. Remember those new staff members I mentioned? One of them will be focused on supporting our forums, including our team of volunteer moderators. This will be the first time we’ve had a person on our team dedicated to this task, and to be candid, it’s overdue.
Before you leave today, we’d love it if you’d take a moment to leave a comment and let us know what made 2024 at DPReview memorable for you. Or, if you’re feeling prophetic, please tell us what you’d like to see in the coming year.
From all of us at DPReview – the editors who craft the stories, the tech wizards who keep the lights on, and the business team who keep us on solid footing – we wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season. We’re genuinely excited about what the future holds and look forward to having you by our side as we embark on the next 25 years.
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2024 in review: the most important trends in photography this year
2024 In Review
2024 is just about over, so we thought it’d be a good time to look back and identify some trends that started emerging or kept going strong throughout the year. This isn’t a recap of all the news that happened – we’ll be releasing one of those soon enough – but rather a broad look at the direction the industry is going, which may give us an idea of what to expect throughout 2025.
Global Shutter
It’s hard to say that global shutter was a trend in 2024; in terms of consumer mirrorless cameras, there was only one with the tech, the Sony a9 III. Given the benefits it brings, though – the ability to sync with full-power flash at almost any speed, the ability to shoot stills at 120fps, and to use shutter speeds up to 1/80,000 sec to capture the fastest subjects without any blur – we fully expect to see it come to more high-end sports / action cameras.
That’s not to say that the a9 III’s sensor is perfect. Compared to its rolling shutter counterparts, it takes a hit to absolute image quality with its 250 base ISO, which means it has about a stop more noise than most of its competitors.
However, if you need the performance a global shutter offers, it’s likely none of those caveats will be deal breakers. We just mention them to say that we don’t expect to see global shutters in cameras that are focused on image quality above all else, such as the Sony a7R series or a follow-up to the Nikon Z8 – at least not in 2025 or even 2026.
Physical color mode controls
This year, it felt like every other camera had a physical control for color modes. Fujifilm’s Film Simulation dial, included on the X-T50 and X-M5, feels like the obvious example, but it was far from the only one: Panasonic put a LUT button on the creator-focused S9 – and then gave its users the option to backport one onto other cameras – and Nikon included a button to bring up its Picture Control menu on the Z50II.
Physical color mode controls aren’t a brand-new thing. We saw one on the Olympus Pen-F in 2016. But this is the year they definitively became a trend.
Only time will tell if they stick around. Camera manufacturers will likely be paying very close attention to whether consumers actually value being able to easily change the look of their photos and videos using a physical button or dial. If it turns out they do, this year’s crop of cameras likely won’t be the last we see with a color mode control.
APS-C shooters have more options than ever
2024 was the year that Canon and Nikon started allowing more and more third-party APS-C lenses onto their systems. At the beginning of the year, you only had a handful of options if you wanted a third-party autofocus lens for RF or Z-mount. Now, you have significantly more.
The change came from some of the usual suspects, as well as some smaller companies. Sigma and Tamron were the first to announce they’d be bringing their lenses to RF mount, but Samyang slid in under the wire with an announcement that it, too, would start producing lenses for the system.
Most of Sigma’s DC DN primes have been available on Z-mount since early 2023, but this year, we’ve seen a slew of autofocus primes become available for the system from brands like Siuri and Viltrox.
There are still holes in the lineup for each brand, though – neither has a great telephoto option, and there aren’t any fast zoom Z-mount lenses – which is why we’d like to see this trend continue into 2025. If we’re really dreaming, maybe Canon and Nikon will allow more third-party full-frame glass, but we’ll save our fantasies for a different article.
The rise of smaller full-frame lenses
Speaking of full-frame glass, this year we’ve also seen a trend of smaller, lighter full-frame lenses. Panasonic’s 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 for L-mount is the most obvious example – the company says it’s the “smallest and lightest interchangeable zoom with autofocus for full-frame mirrorless cameras” – but Sony’s FE 24-50mm F2.8 is also a great, compact new lens that makes a ton of sense on smaller bodies like the a7CR.
Even the big lenses have been getting smaller – Sigma’s second-gen 24-70 F2.8 is 10% lighter than its predecessor, a difference that’ll definitely be noticeable in hour eight of shooting a wedding. Sony’s 85mm F1.4 GM II also boasts a 20% weight reduction compared to the original.
Again, this trend isn’t exactly new. We’ve seen a few lenses that have been largely defined by their size; Canon’s original RF 70-200mm F2.8 from 2019 and Sony’s 70-200mm F2.8 GM II from 2022 come to mind. But with further advances in optics and manufacturing techniques, we hope to see even more full-frame lenses come out that are smaller and lighter than the ones that came before… even if they still won’t be able to out-compact Fujifilm’s XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR II.
The AI age
Pretty much every industry has had its own deluge of AI-related news in 2024, and photography is no exception. The continued proliferation of AI-generated images and text has sparked near-endless debates about what place, if any, the technology has in photography, with some people even taking the extreme position that the ubiquitous ability to generate images will destroy the art form altogether (assuming those comments too, aren’t AI-generated).
It’s not all existential doom and gloom, though, as some companies have used AI to try and improve the experience of photography rather than replace it. For instance, the new Canon EOS R1 and R5 II have Action Priority AF modes, which use machine learning-based algorithms to determine which subject to focus on during key moments in certain sports. It could be thought of as context recognition, rather than the subject recognition that’s become table stakes for most cameras. The EOS R1 and R5 II also have built-in AI-derived noise-reduction and upscaling functions, should you choose to use them.
AI-powered denoising and upscaling are also making their way into photo editing software, such as Lightroom or the apps from companies like Topaz Labs. And while Adobe has added plenty of generative AI features to Photoshop, we’ve also seen other AI-powered improvements, such as its distraction removal mode and Adobe Camera Raw’s new Adaptive profile and reflection removal feature.
However you feel about the technology, it’s almost certainly here to stay. The good news is that another facet of the AI trend this year has been companies working on improving transparency around AI, creating tools to prove a photo’s authenticity or show exactly how it’s been manipulated, either by AI or through more conventional means. The tech is far from ubiquitous, but it seems likely that we’ll see it spread to more and more platforms as AI becomes even more prevalent.
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Have your say: Best gear of 2024 – Reader's Choice Award winners and final vote!
Have your say: Best gear of 2024
For the past few weeks, readers have been voting on their favorite cameras and lenses released in 2024. Now that the first round of voting is over, it’s time to reveal the winners.
Remember, though, it isn’t over just yet! Now it’s time to pick an overall winner. Make sure to cast your ballot for the 2024 Reader’s Choice Product of the Year – this one’s for all the bragging rights.
Best prime lens runner-up: Nikon Z 50mm F1.4
First up is the 2024 runner-up for best prime lens, the Nikon Z 50mm F1.4, a fast prime that retails for less than Nikon’s own 50mm F1.8 S model. The tradeoff? Although it’s faster than the 50mm F1.8 S, it trades some of the clinical sharpness of that lens for more ‘character’, and you’ll likely see more vignetting and longitudinal chromatic aberration at some apertures. However, it gets you a fast prime at a popular focal length for under $500.
In our poll, the Z 50mm F1.4 barely edged out its sibling, the Nikon Z 35mm F1.4, effectively splitting the vote, suggesting that Nikon’s new F1.4 optics have struck a chord with enthusiast photographers.
Best prime lens winner: Sony 85mm F1.4 GM II
The 2024 Reader’s Choice Award for the best prime lens goes to the Sony 85mm F1.4 GM II, the same lens we named as the best prime lens of the year in our 2024 DPReview Annual Awards. It’s not a fancy, exotic lens, but it’s a solid workhorse that gets the job done and delivers great image quality. It’s also lighter, sharper, and has faster and smoother focus than its predecessor. As we said in our Annual Awards announcement, the Sony 85mm F1.4 GM II delivers “consistent excellence you simply take for granted.”
Best zoom lens runner-up: Nikon Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR
Placing in the runner-up position for best zoom lens is the Nikon Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR, which covers a huge range of focal lengths in a single lens. This lens remains relatively compact in its retracted state, making it an option for travel or a one-lens setup for general use. It’s even dust- and drip-resistant if you get caught in the rain on vacation.
Although the lens’ maximum aperture of F8 at the long end might seem a little restrictive, you can’t beat physics; however, Nikon’s Vibration Reduction technology – along with in-body image stabilization in many camera models – can assist at slower shutter speeds. It may not be as flashy as some of the faster zooms that were on the list, but the Nikon Z 28-400mm F4-8 VR provides a lot of versatility in a single lens, which is probably why it did so well in our poll.
Best zoom lens winner: Sony 28-70mm F2 GM
The 2024 Reader’s Choice Award for best zoom lens goes to the Sony FE 28-70mm F2 GM. While it doesn’t go as wide as the popular 24-70mm zoom range, the FE 28-70mm proves it’s possible to maintain a relatively compact size while sporting a fast, F2 aperture, all with an internal focusing design. Its four linear motors even allow the FE 28-70mm F2 to focus when shooting at 120fps on Sony’s fastest camera.
We had a blast shooting this lens in 2024, so we appreciate why you collectively chose it as the top zoom lens of the year. If you’d like to see this lens in action, check out our video of Richard Butler using it to shoot portraits in New York City, along with a sample gallery that includes many of the portraits featured in the video. Congrats, Sony!
Best camera runner-up: Canon EOS R5 Mark II
Grabbing the runner-up position for best camera is the Canon EOS R5 Mark II. It may deliver the same 45MP resolution as its predecessor, but just about everything else has changed.
The camera’s stacked sensor brings performance improvements to both stills and video, while Eye Control AF, Action Priority AF, and improved subject recognition AF are standout features that we hope to see percolate down to other Canon models. The R5 II also highlights Canon’s efforts to unify its mirrorless cameras with its Cinema EOS line, including codecs, gamma profiles, HDR video technology, and video tools. It’s hard to imagine many things this camera can’t do.
Best camera winner: Nikon Z6III
The 2024 Reader’s Choice Award for best camera goes to the Nikon Z6III, making Nikon the People’s Choice winner in this category for the second year in a row.
The third generation of the Z6 series kicks things up a level. It features what Nikon calls a “Partially Stacked” sensor to deliver some of the benefits of a Stacked CMOS sensor but at a lower cost, delivering improved performance and autofocus while retaining the Z6’s reputation for excellent ergonomics. It also features significant video upgrades with higher quality output and a useful video tool set, reinforcing Nikon’s intent to be a player in the video market.
In our 2024 Annual Awards, the Z6III walked away with two trophies: Best Enthusiast Camera and our 2024 Product of the Year. It looks like it may be trying to make a clean sweep of the Reader’s Choice Awards as well.
Have your say – vote for Product of the Year!
You helped determine the winners in the individual categories, so now’s the time to cast your vote in one last poll! Choose your favorite product from this list of winners and runners-up between now and Thursday, January 2nd. Watch for an announcement of the winning products shortly after the poll closes.
As always, thanks for casting your votes and being a part of our community throughout the year.
Please note that for the best experience, we recommend voting on our desktop site.
Poll Rules:
This poll is meant to be a bit of fun. It’s not sponsored, promoted, or paid for in any way, and DPReview doesn’t care how you vote. Our Reader’s polls are run on the basis of trust. As such, we ask that you only vote once from a single account.
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