You could probably assume as much, but in the event that you didn’t know, NYC Fashion week is a huge event from which many of the forthcoming year’s fashion statements and styles emerge. It’s big for the fashion industry, and fashion PHOTOGRAPHY of course follows suit. But while the fashion mags and fashion blogs and fashion photogs always go nuts during these semi-annual events that smatter the globe–and I admit to dig following along from the sidelines–I’ve grown to think a lots of those photos seem from inside the fashion industry take on a similar stance/look/gravitas.
And it should be of little surprise, right? This happens in every industry–things from within often carry the same torch, the same vibe, the same message, just with subtly different content to the others within/around them. The challenge of “working from within” any industry is how to differentiate. Breaking that mold of sameness–IMHO from whatever industry or perspective–is what helps draw notice.
I guess it’s for that reason, that I was so interested and impressed when stumbling upon a behind the scenes gallery of images from NYC Fashion Week from the Boston Globe. These images were stunning and different. And born not from fashion photogs, but from journalists and news photogs with some sort of palpable undercurrent of fashion within them. A fashion “approach”? What I love about them, is that the images seem somehow suspended between the two genre. Or perhaps they bash both genre. I’m not sure. Are they news? Are they fashion? I suspect that news photogs would call them too fashion-y and fashion would call them pure news. The challenge rears it’s head again.
Regardless, I hope you’ll agree the gallery is stunning–some images more so than others, of course–but overall I am intrigued and damn impressed. A few more shots plus a link to 30 others after the jump…
What you see here is just a sample. To see the full 36-image behind the scenes…or as editor Paula Nelson said “behind the fashion,” pop over to the Boston Globe gallery here.
I’ve gotten so used to seeing video on your blog, it’s really nice to see stills. #32: Is that a hand held light meter? Do people still use those? A serious quesion: I am super removed from fashion photography, are those guys (fashion photographers) shooting film? Are there any niches still shooting film? Thanks, as always, for sharing.
I don’t know about people, but pros still use light meters. Movies, television, high-end photo shoots have not stopped using meters.
There is still some film being shot, Juergen Teller for one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBO1BsaTjM0&NR=1 That’s a Contax G2 he’s using.
CHASE! check out Jeff Mermelstein’s work for New York Magazine at Fashion Week
http://nymag.com/fashion/11/spring/71642/
Great photos showing the other side of the fashion industry!
sweet!
I’ve always sensed a barrier between fashion and non-fashion photography blogs. Sometimes it’s as if it doesn’t even exist. Yet fashion has always been one of the richest most innovative areas of photography. Even if you don’t “like” clothes, the lighting alone should provide interest for any photographer. Only cinema rivals some of the mood and care that goes into some of the fashion shoots done today (and before).
So thanks, Chase, for breaking down that barrier a little.