Behind the Scenes at New York Fashion Week

The gear, the setup, and of course, the photos

A few weeks ago, I shared some details being invited to document one of the most hyped events at New York Fashion Week: Funny Business from KidSuper. I went into detail about capturing one specific portrait that was a bit outside of the show experience. This week I’m gonna walk you through what I was actually there for and how I got it done.

The goal for this project was to create some stunning backstage portraits that felt like a look book for the evening. There were some other deliverables around video that had to be executed but I wanted to focus on curating a series of images that felt rich and elevated the story of the show. And to do this, I’d needed an incredible team.

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The Team

When I got the green light to be backstage, I knew that I couldn’t do it alone. I had to bring in a team that could bring my vision to life. If you’ve been reading Church & Street for a while, let me repeat something I share often: creativity is a team sport.

First, I needed a killer that could shoot all the video backstage but also come in as this art director to execute the portraits I wanted to capture. That was Jason Roman (seated right). He is an absolutely incredible photographer and cinematographer, but also one of the most generous creatives in the industry.

Next, I needed someone that could roam with a camera and capture photos around the venue before/during/after the show. Someone that is well-versed in documenting events and easy to work with. That was Jacob Feingold (seated left). He’s a very talented photographer and has become an invaluable friend.

Last, I needed someone that could assist me with the portraits, manage the gear, and just stay cool under pressure. There’s nobody cooler than Sire Roman (centre). He’s a very talented creative, the deputy manager at the Leica Store in New York, and just one of the most reliable humans I’ve ever met.

I don’t get to create great work without great people. And with this crew, I knew we were setup for success.

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The Setup

We worked with the KidSuper production team to source a backdrop, table, chair, and C-stands to create this set backstage. The crew at the Apollo Theatre were patient and made sure to build it to the spec we wanted.

Once the pieces were in place, Jason jumped in to set up his Profoto lights. With him on site, it made my process much easier. He would tweak and adjust the lighting while I fired test shots to see where it was landing. Again, having a great team makes all the difference in the world. Within 30 minutes, we had our set ready with the lighting dialled exactly where we needed it.

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The Gear

We brought a lot of cameras and lenses on set. A lot. All of which were different tools to tell different stories. For the backstage portraits, my main driver was the Leica SL3. I needed a versatile lens for these portraits and decided use the new Sigma 28-105mm F2.8 Art lens. It’s a lens I’ve tested before and would give me very clean results that could work extremely well for a fashion environment.

When it came to lighting, we had a pair of Profoto B10X Plus lights. One was on a large umbrella with a sock to deliver this large, diffuse source of light. The second was pointed at the ceiling with a bare bulb to bring in this fill light and round out our subjects. If we had the space, we would’ve added a modifier on this light and angled it elsewhere, but this ceiling trick did the job and less us manage the space better.

It took the better part of two hours to get everything in order but we still managed to get locked in well ahead of schedule. After a quick lunch and a few more test shots, it was time to get to work.

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The Flow

I knew that I would only have a few minutes with each subject. So my focus was to earn the rapport quick, be direct in my asks, and shoot only what I needed. What that meant was that I would compliment the fit and let them know what I was here to do. I’d then place my subject and give very clear instructions. Then I’d shoot quickly, confirm my shots, and move on.

Sounds easy right? Haha, it’s a bit trickier than it sounds. But let me share with you some of my favourite photos and how they were captured.