This was my 4th fashion runway shoot. All were under different conditions. Dark nightclub, expo hall, outdoors, etc. Shooting runway offers many challenges. Poor lighting, crowds (people wanting to take pics from where you are shooting), varying skin tones, weird angle of shooting and a very fast pace. Sometimes, more exhausting than wedding photography. You have one chance and only one chance to get each end of runway pose. There is no redo.
This particular show was an extremely low-level (ambient) lighting. Most fashion photographers I've talked don't like to use strobes for runway and I've wondered why. I mean you are there to capture the designers collections. Poor ambient lighting will not show off colors, details. I applied what I've learned from David Hobby's amazing Strobist site to my style for runway shooting. Each show needs a different style of lighting depending the venue, space, etc. This show was happening in between two bands to add to any set up problems.
I always show up early that day during runway coaching and get some BTS shots and scout out the place to see what I can do for lighting. This event was going to be a challenge. The elevated stage was 3 1/2 to 4 feet. That puts me at shin/knee height with the models who can be 7 feet tall in heels. I was skeptical about a ladder due to a crowd that is drinking. I decided to go with a milk crate or small step ladder to get some elevation. Now for the lighting challenge. The shooting angle was lower than I wanted so I definitely didn't want my light to shine upward giving the spooky campfire flashlight feel. I decided to try out my new Cybersync hand-held mod from the previous post. Shoot with my right and hold my flash off-camera statue of liberty style with the left to get some height. And to get some sort of diffused/softer light, I went with a DIY foamie thing like this. After some test shots the night of the event, I noticed a blending of subject to background due to the black curtains behind where the bands played. I decided to stick a second flash with a colored gel to provide some contrast. Wasn't the best placement but I literally had a minute or two to set it up after the drum set from the first band came down and the next set was put up for the band that was playing after the fashion show. Designs by Hoi Polloi, Silversark and Gypsy Couture. More pics.
