Photographing Fashion – Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
I was given 1 hour to capture all my backstage content at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. I barely slept the night before. I kept having nightmares that backstage, my shutter button stopped working and I left the show with empty memory cards. I debated all morning how I was going to shoot. Did I want to use flash? What lens should I use? Did I want the images to be journalistic? Or beauty moments captured with a softbox? All these decisions went completely out the door the minute I entered backstage. Escorted backstage by a PR representative, I was led down one hall, then another, and another, before arriving at the last check-in next to the stage. Side note: I had to check in a total of three separate times and had my pass scanned twice. This is White House-level security (or better). I leaned to the right to look into the space, which shined like a diamond. A security guard yells “stay to the left!” I jolt back in line. The curtains open and I am engulfed in what feels like heaven.
Photographers are refrained and scorned for shooting models in underwear, which would violate their privacy. This was an exception to the rule.
Literal angels grace the hot pink carpet. All in matching satin robes, bras and glitter underwear, the models are in hair and makeup, doing interviews, and shooting with photographers. I pinch myself and whisper under my breath… 1 hours, let’s go. My time was limited. I would only be able to capture what I was given — a challenge I was willing to accept. Typically, backstage photographers are refrained and scorned for shooting models in underwear, which would violate their privacy. This was an exception to the rule.
Typically, models are running around because they just came from another show and have only 10 minutes to change. This time, it’s me running around and getting the workout in. I crouched down next to Gigi Hadid listening to her tell her a story about the time Zayn Malik surprised her with a projector installed in her home. Before I know it my time is up. I take one last look backstage and gracefully exit. Photographing the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was a huge tick on my bucket list. I would have taken five minutes backstage, just to be around the angels and say I was a small part of the biggest fashion show of the year.
