Behind the Scenes of a High-End Editorial Shoot

No permits. No permissions. Pouring rain. Beautiful photos.

Chris Nicholls is a fashion and beauty photographer based in Toronto, but for this shoot, he brought his team down to a rainy NYC. While the original intent was not to have a rainy NYC as the backdrop, when the rain started to come down, Chris was sure to think on his feet, and instead of going with his original idea, he leaned into the wetness to change up his vision and feature it, rather than hide it. 

The entire video is worth a watch, as you get a great look at a fashion photographer's workflow as he shoots for Dress to Kill magazine. I love these sorts of videos, as they aren't too vloggy. It is just a behind the scenes look at a beautiful photo shoo, with multiple looks and locations, designer clothes, and a moderately sized photo team. 

Shoots like this really show the importance of communication. Working fast like they did meant that they all needed to communicate with each other properly to keep things smooth. 

Have you ever shot with a team like this? How did it go? What did you think of the video? Sound off in the comments below!

David J. Fulde's picture

David J. Fulde photographs people. Based in Toronto, ON, he uses bold lighting and vibrant colours to tell people's stories. His work in the film industry lends a cinematic energy to his photographs and makes for an always-colourful studio -- whether he's shooting portraits, fashion, or beauty.

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3 Comments

That's quite eye opening and a lot of work. Now I know why I like shooting wildlife and landscapes! :-)

Great team, great results!

Few thoughts here (some are maybe obvious) :

- Nice video of horrible work conditions. Not only the rain (humans are waterproofs ;-) but working among people in the middle of the street is a challenge by itself.

- As it's written in the article, communication is the key. Fashion shooting is a teamwork. Everybody has to focus and concentrate their efforts to get the best shot possible, setting aside anybody's ego (and smartphones).

- The model is part of the team. She is not just an object, and neither a fragile little thing made in sugar. She came to be shot, and she is paid for that, and has to be involved in the creation process.

- Working tethered (or wireless but with a big screen to check the shots) is a major point, especially in these conditions. Checking sharpness, light,... In case of mishap, you can reshoot on the spot, not 2 days after.

- Staying positive is also a game changer. I noticed that, during a shoot, if the result is not good, it's so much profitable for everybody to say joyfully "let's try something else", rather than "No, it's not good. It doesn't work".

- It would be interesting to elaborate about the issue with the flash. If it was because of the rain and the cables, it means something can be improved in this domain, and can be helpful.

Oh, I almost forgot : great photos !