Street Fashion - London Fashion Week AW2020

Hands down one of the highlights of photographing London Fashion Week for me is meeting and taking pictures of those who have dressed up for the occasion.

Always happy to have their picture taken, I find it fascinating hearing more about people’s stories and what fashion means to them.

London Fashion Week always reminds me to be braver and have more fun with fashion, just like those in the images below.

All pictures ©Katie Collins/PA Images

London Fashion Week AW2020

The fashion world once again gathered in London for the twice annual fashion week, this time showcasing the Autumn/Winter 2020 collections for buyers, journalists and fashion enthusiasts.

On assignment for PA Media I covered the weekend shows which included Preen by Thornton Bregazzi and RIXO.

From backstage to runway, I always find London Fashion Week a fascinating spectacle. Here’s a few pictures from the latest event -

London Fashion Week - Spring/Summer 2020

This September must be about my 10th time covering London Fashion Week.

It’s a pretty marmite job for photographers. There’s no doubt it’s hectic with timings and jostling for prime position but it’s always been a twice yearly highlight for me.

The catwalk shows are one of the main features - the anticipation of what colours and styles will grace the runway accompanied by a booming soundtrack to match.

Ports 1961 catwalk show

Stripes and Zebra print at the Ports 1961 catwalk show

Pixie Geldof at the Ports 1961 catwalk show

Without question street fashion has become a much bigger part of fashion week. Fashion students, designers, models can be found perusing the main venue, always happy to have a chat and their photo taken. I got chatting to Christelle McCracken (below) after my last show of the day. I asked what brought her to fashion week, is she an influencer, designer, student? ‘ I’m actually a criminal barrister’ she told me.

Christelle McCracken

There’s another side of fashion week I love to capture - backstage. It’s definitely not as accessible as it used to be but I was lucky enough to watch the make up and hairstylists in action at the Preen by Thornton Bregazzi show as they prepared the models for their first looks and the catwalk show. Backstage photography is for me about capturing those small moments, expressions and watching out for pockets of interesting light.

Backstage at Preen by Thornton Bregazzi

Backstage at Preen by Thornton Bregazzi

As with the previous seasons, London Fashion Week did not disappoint. I can’t wait to be there for the next season.

Natasha Zinko X DUO catwalk show

US Vogue Editor Anna Wintour

A model on the catwalk at the Natasha Zinko X DUO catwalk show

All images shot on assignment for PA Images No reproduction or usage without prior permission

All images captured using either a Canon 5d Mark III or a Fuji X-E2 camera

Night Street Photography - Soho

A few weeks back I slung my camera over my shoulder and hit the streets after dark to test out a new 50mm 1.4 Canon lens. 

Just around the corner from my house I spotted a busy hair salon - unusual in that it was a hive of activity when most businesses had long since shut up shop for the evening.

On a bitterly cold night and through the steamed up windows I could make out a customer draped in a bright pink jacket with long blondish hair admiring her new style in the mirror. 

I knew I wanted to take the picture but I was anxious about being noticed. I did get a shot or two but perched behind a bus stop - getting two sheets of glass between me and my subject. It was an attempt at an interesting shot - I recognised I just needed to be braver.

This is a problem I have struggled with when it comes to street photography- staying too far in the background & not getting in close to the action. Each time I lift my camera to look through the viewfinder, I worry about being interrogated my passers-by.

To some people the idea of Street Photography can be strange or intrusive. I don’t see it this way. The street images taken by Garry Winogrand and Joel Meyerowitz fascinate me - they tell us a lot about style and the way of the world in sixties and seventies New York.

So last week and on a damp Friday evening I met a group of photographers in Soho for a night street workshop led by two experts in the field - Craig Whitehead (@sixstreetunder) and Joshua K Jackson (@joshkjack).

Over the next four hours we would zig zag through the streets of Soho keeping our eyes peeled for interesting/temporary/unusual light sources, fleeting moments, repeating colours and patterns - worrying less about our camera settings and more about what we noticed or had the vision to create. 

Josh and Craig talked a lot about body language and gave helpful tips and demonstrations to encourage us to feel less self conscious and more relaxed when taking shots.

I would hands down recommend a class like this. For months I have immersed myself in Instagram and street photography books. I even signed up and worked through the Masters of Photography online class taught by Joel Meyerowitz (which is brilliant by the way). 

Whilst that’s all well and good, I’ve realised the only way to learn and get better is to shoot the streets regularly, practice and make it a habit. This was emphasised by both Craig and Josh who are out shooting and looking for those moments all the time. The results speak for themselves on their impressive websites and Instagram accounts.

I have come away from the class excited to try their techniques and with a better understanding of how impressive street photography images can be created.

Day of the Dead Festival - V&A Museum

Eight years ago on a Caribbean cruise, we docked in Mexico. I was puzzled by the skeleton figurines that seemed to be in every shop window. That’s when the Day of the Dead Festival was explained to me.

Dia de Muertos is a November holiday where family and friends gather to pray for and remember those who have died and help support their spiritual journey. Some people mark the day by visiting cemeteries and building private altars where favourite food and drink, photos and memorabilia are left in remembrance.

This year I joined the Day of the Dead Festival at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

Nearly every person I photographed had some connection to Mexico and it was clearly special and important to them to be marking the day.

Here are a selection of images from the night:

All image: ©Katie Collins for EMPICS

Mikey & Mia the macaws

On a beautiful, sunny morning in my favourite Wimbledon park a few weeks ago I met Nimal and Claire and their wonderful pet macaw Mikey.

Mikey definitely stops you in your tracks. He’s a large, tropical parrot and not what you’d expect to see in the park at 9am.

I explained to musicians Nimal and Claire that I’d love to take photos of them with Mikey at home. They very kindly invited me round for tea a few days later and let me capture their lives at home with not only Mikey but new arrival Mia the macaw too.

The following week I joined them in the park where I watched Mikey once again enjoying a gorgeous Autumn morning flying through the trees.

Mikey and Mia are blue and gold macaws and can live for over 50 years old. As well as being super bright birds they are also YouTube stars! Their bond with Nimal and Claire is beautiful to see.

All images © Katie Collins for Empics

London Fashion Week SS19

Last Saturday I found myself back at London Fashion Fashion Week. It was always one of my favourite jobs of the year when I was staff at The Press Association. When I was asked to cover a shift, I jumped at the chance to be there shooting again.

To some photographers, London Fashion Week is hell. It’s extremely hectic, lots of jostling for positions and dashing across London from show to show. I however have always loved it - the bright lights, loud music, intricate or occasionally plain crazy designs - I just love it!

Julien Macdonald SS19

There’s no doubt London Fashion Week has changed a lot. It’s no longer at Somerset House which is a real shame, there is no longer sponsorship by Canon (and the chance to get your cameras cleaned) and there are no longer free bottles of Peroni in the fridge in the editing room (yes, this used to be the case!)

When not shooting the catwalk shows that day, I was mingling and photographing some of unusual and bizarre outfits on display outside the venue. I met some lovely people who simply enjoy dressing up and expressing themselves through fashion.

All in all it was a brilliant day.

Julien Macdonald SS19

Julien Macdonald SS19

Julien Macdonald SS19

Alan Carr, Julien Macdonald and Kelly Hoppen

Julien Macdonald SS19

Julien Macdonald SS19

Julien Macdonald SS19

Molly Goddard SS19

Sadie Williams SS19

Short break in Guernsey

Rainy days, beach days, blackberry picking, storytelling, colouring, ice-cream eating, fish and chips on the beach, car sickness (not so good!), playdates, catching up with old friends, lots of laughing, 'goodnight feasts' and sandcastles.

Seven happy days and nights in Guernsey.

Family Photo Session - Surrey

An annual family picnic beside the lake at Windsor Great Park was the perfect setting for one of my most recent family photo sessions.

It was at the start of the very hot spell we have been having so beside the lake, in the shade of the trees we stopped to take some relaxed family photographs.

The six grandchildren gravitated towards a clearing in the trees to play. The harsh midday sun was diffused through the branches creating a soft and warm glow - perfect for more portraits.

It was a relaxed, fun few hours of photos in between stopping for lunch, drinks and of course ice-creams.

Norwegian adventures

This was our third visit to the breathtaking Norwegian Fjords. Some people may find revisiting the same place again a little boring but there’s so much to like about Norway. For me personally it’s the beautiful landscapes, clean air, friendly people and relaxed pace of life. It’s always a welcome break from London.

Each time we have visited, it’s been on a cruise. Norway is expensive so hopping on and off the ship to discover a different town each day is a great way of exploring such a beautiful country without paying a fortune. Travelling on the water through the Fjords is just magical. I’d go back again tomorrow.

100 days of Summer

This week I started a 100 days of Summer project.

The idea is to capture everyday, family photographs - everything from the picnics in the park and ice creams on the beach to tantrums and meltdowns - real family life over 100 days.

A 365 photography project has been on my radar for a while but it felt a bit daunting to create and post an image each day. 100 days of Summer will be a great way of dipping my toe in the water and seeing how I find it.

I’ve joined up with other photographers around the world for the 100 days challenge - sharing and discussing our work in a Facebook group.

I’m a big believer in personal projects - doing a project just for yourself and I can’t wait to put together an album at the end of the Summer.

Here’s some of the pictures so far:

This place, my home

Ok, so you're probably looking at this image above and thinking what the...?!

I've been out with my camera shooting my surroundings for the past 4 weeks after signing up to an online documentary photography class through Click in Moms (a US based photography website).

The class called The Full Frame: Life on Scene has hands down reminded me why I love photography so much.

Photographer Lauren Mitchell who ran the class has really taught me to open my eyes to what's around me. She's encouraged me to take notice, to get out there with my camera and shoot for myself - to not get so caught up with Instagram.

What I love about Lauren's own images and what drew me to take the class is that they are honest and real. One of my favourite pictures is of her young daughter eating McDonalds with a picture of Neil Armstrong above. Lauren is based in Florida near to the Kennedy Space Center and the Center plays a big part in her body of work.

The class had a few rules. You must shoot at F8 and above for the four weeks of the class, you must use a wide lens and you must share your camera settings with the class. Lauren also suggested not sharing our work for the class on Instagram until after we finished.

Each week we were urged to go out shooting and submit our homework by the Sunday night. Our assignments ranged from shooting the mundane and everyday, to thinking like a tourist and looking at our hometown through fresh eyes.

High Path Estate, South Wimbledon - proposed for demolition - Canon 5d Mark III, 35mm, F8, 1/1250

Public tour of the All England Tennis Club, Wimbledon - Canon 5 d Mark III, 35mm, F13, 1/1250

South Wimbledon Industrial Estate - Fuji X100, 23mm, F11, 1/250

Caravan on an Industrial estate, South Wimbledon - Fuji X100, 23mm, F11, 1/1250

Pylon at Colliers Wood, Canon 5d Mark III, 35mm, F10, 1/1600

We were encouraged to think of long term projects and delve deeper into the work of photographers like Luigi Ghirri, William Eggleston, Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb. The most important take home from the class was to fill the frame, adding layers - everything in the shot must matter.

This is honestly one of the best online courses I have taken. It’s probably the most money I have spent on an online class ($200) but to have one-on-one critique was invaluable for going forward.

Most of all I learnt to switch off from Instagram a little bit and just get out shooting for the fun of it. It was a great reminder why I fell in love with photography in the first place.

I see the pictures in this blog post as a springboard to a bigger project about where I live. It's a world away from the surroundings I grew up with and our home is an area that continues to fascinate me.

Royal Wedding Street Party - Fuji X100, 23mm, F8, 1/210

Royal Wedding Street Party, Fuji X100, 23mm, F8, 1/1900

Royal Wedding Street Party, Fuji X100, 23mm, F8, 1/200

11th London Photo Festival - 17-19th May

The depths of a church in Borough plays host to a collection of incredible street photographs this weekend - entries into this year’s London Photo Festival.

Founders Emma Mapp & Kit Shah decided to set up the festival 11 years ago to showcase emerging talent and provide photographers with an opportunity to have their work appraised and sold to the public.

I’ve long since been interested in street photography immersing myself in the work of photographers like Matt Stuart, Trent Parke and Joel Meyerowitz.

I took a class last year with photographer Paul Russell and quickly realised it is so much harder than it looks. It takes incredible patience, observation and perseverance.

The London Photo Festival covers a complete range of styles from colourful portraits on the street to the use of techniques like layering, mirroring and great use of light and composition.

This year’s winner is Daniel Bradley with this image ( below) titled ‘Lost in the City’ taken at Canary Wharf. It's described as an image which reminds us we can all feel alone even in vastly populated area surrounded by people.

If you are in London and near Borough market over the next few days, this exhibition is well worth a visit. If you are interested in or new to street photography this will certainly inspire and give you ideas.

The London Photo Festival runs from Thursday 17th May until Saturday 19th from 11am- 6pm (late opening until 8pm on Friday) in the Crypt at St George the Martyr Church, Borough. Entry is free.

Lessons from my daughters

I keep looking at Alice, my eldest and thinking ‘How can you be 4 already?’ School starts in September and soon we’ll be shopping for uniform, shiny new shoes and a backpack that looks way too big on her tiny shoulders.

I didn’t return to work after having my two girls. Instead I have become self-employed - I look after my girls during the week and work as a photographer and on client photo sessions at weekends, editing in the evenings. 

Not going back to a 9-5 has meant I can really enjoy these early years with them. They continue to teach me so much. Probably the biggest thing I’ve learnt since having the girls is to slow down and appreciate the everyday. 

When they notice the heavy rain lashing at the patio doors - so do I. When they point to the blossom that’s fallen from the trees - so do I. When they spot bugs scampering on the patio and it’s the highlight of their day - I investigate too. These are things I never paid attention to before, I was always rushing.

Noticing the little things - as they do - has definitely had an impact on my photography too and given me ideas for new projects. It’s re-energised me and made me keen to read and learn more about other photographers, listen to podcasts and take many online classes.

I absolutely have my ‘tear my hair out’ days with my girls but being with and photographing my little family who continue to teach me so much feels very special indeed.

Cherry Blossom in Wimbledon

I really started to notice the Spring Blossom in London 4 years ago. 

It was just after my eldest was born.

She's a March baby. I was taking those first tentative steps out of the house, bruised after a C-section, giddy on little sleep and powered by coffee when I noticed our street lined with pretty white blossom.

I don't know why I never really noticed it before - I guess I was always rushing to and from work.

After a few weeks it was falling like confetti and it felt like summer was on the way. 

Instagram is awash with cherry blossom pictures at this time of year.

Like many, I had plans to take my camera out and capture it in all its glory.  I'd heard and seen wonderful pictures from Greenwich, Battersea and Regent's Parks from over the years.

In the end I popped on the bus and headed to Wimbledon Village on a bright Spring day.  There at the top of the hill I was greeted by a spectacular blossom tree, its branches stretched out, proudly boasting its sea of pink blooms.

Just as I started to photograph, I noticed riders from the local village stables setting out onto the common, padding through the muddy puddles left after a damp Easter break.

I was so taken with the tree I went back a week later, planning to take some more pictures (you can tell I like blossom)! but as I once again stepped off the bus, the tree stood before me was bare, the blossom dry and the pink flowers gone.

That's the thing with blossom season -you blink and its gone but it’s always special while it lasts.

Andreas Gursky Exhibition (with my 4-year-old)

"The Gursky Exhibition is brilliant, you MUST see it!" a good photographer friend reported back to me after visiting with her baby soon after it opened. 

Her advice was to book tickets in advance and aim to go at the opening time - 11am. This was great advice and I would say the same - plan in advance - it gets busy.

I was a little unsure about taking my 4-year-old but figured it would be great mother-daughter bonding time - afterwards there was the promise of a new sticker book and pizza.

So we headed off together to see the work of Andreas Gursky at the newly renovated Hayward Gallery at the Southbank Centre.

Amazon
2016 

This exhibition explores the work of the photographer over the past four decades and is the first major retrospective of his work in the UK.

There are over 60 of the artist’s photographs, from the 1980s through to his most recent work. The images are packed full of detail, an Amazon warehouse, 99 cent store and huge, impressive landscapes. There's also the fascinating Paris, Montparnasse (1993), showing all 750 flats in the city’s largest apartment block, created using multiple shots taken from two different vantage points. It's one of Gursky's early examples of digital manipulation which he started experimenting with in 1992.

Review
2015 

SH- 1 Iron Man (2013) one of Gursky's more recent works

Pyongyang VI
2017 (2007) 

Tokyo
2017 

Though I originally planned to sneak out and see this exhibition on my own (leaving my young girls at home)  I loved having my 4-year-old for company. 

Although losing patience towards the end, she was really well behaved while we looked round and I loved watching her taking it all in. It was wonderful sitting and chatting on her bed later that evening, deciding which was her favourite photograph (the one with the cows, in case you're interested).

If you get the chance to see this exhibition, it's well worth it. The images (many of which are large in scale) are beautifully exhibited over several floors of the Hayward. I enjoyed it so much and plan to go back.

Andreas Gursky runs until 22 April 2018

A month of birthdays

February kick-starts a month of birthdays with my two girls celebrating 4 weeks apart.

Fancy dress was a big theme this year with Anna from Frozen, a Mermaid, Fairy, Witch and Tinkerbell costumes all being unwrapped and making it into the dressing-up box!  

Moana also featured heavily with her face appearing on party plates, cups, tablecloth and party bags - the online store Party Bags and Supplies have great themed sets like this.

It's hard to believe my eldest is now 4. I know people say time goes quickly but it does only feel like yesterday when we walked into the door for the first time as a family of 3 (now 4).

The girls are just getting to the stage of (kind of) playing together nicely and really looking out for each other, which is wonderful to see. Don't get me wrong, we still have the most horrendous tantrums too!

Moana party supplies by Party Bags & Supplies

I decided last minute to make a card to (hopefully) be read on CBeebies. I was frantically cutting, pasting and dashing to the Post Office one Saturday morning to try and get the card there on time. We managed to feature last year so kept our fingers crossed for another mention. 

I slightly cheated this year by doing a joint card (even though the girls don't actually share the exact same birthday) and they were thrilled to be featured!

As we gathered round to watch the birthday section, seeing the card appearing rounded off a great few weeks of celebrating with family and friends.

You can find out more about CBeebies birthdays here.

Baby photo session in Greater London

Photographing little ones at this time of year takes me right back to having a newborn baby myself.

Both of my girls were born in Winter. The weather is bitterly cold, there's threatening snow and cold winds. It's the perfect time to cosy up indoors, safe in the knowledge that the glorious walks through Spring blossom are just around the corner.

The Saturday morning of this particular photo session was freezing cold with lashing rain. I was welcomed into my client's home with a hot cup of tea and introduced to baby Eva, who at just over two months old was so contented, relaxed and full of smiles.

When I arrive at a client's home for a photo session I always scout out the best locations for pictures with good natural night.

In this case an upstairs bedroom and conservatory were the perfect spots, the conservatory in particular welcoming in the daylight from all angles.

I always think around 2 months is a great age to for a family photo session. The hectic first month is behind you and babies are producing their first smiles.

From my own experience, I was a little bit less emotional two months along than in the first 8 weeks of having a baby. I was also in more of a rhythm with feeding.

I look back on photos I took myself of my girls around Eva's age and also images taken by a good photographer friend. I'm so glad we took pictures of this special time as the days whizz by so fast!

Here are a selection of images taken from my latest photo session. 

Cloud mobile (above) by Velveteen Babies

And you can click here for more information on baby photography sessions at your home.

Christmas in the countryside

For the first time this year I really witnessed how exciting Christmas Day is through the eyes of a child.

It was the first year our eldest, who’s three, really experienced the build up - Nativity at school nursery, learning Christmas carols, writing a letter to Father Christmas and streaming Arthur Christmas on Netflix on an almost daily basis during December.

The 25th was therefore an exciting, eagerly anticipated day for her, her sister and three young cousins (all under 4 years old) as we gathered together to celebrate Christmas in a beautiful rented house in the countryside.

I had my camera close by as I really wanted to take lots of pictures this year.

I also edited the pictures as I went along this time by using an Apple SD card reader that plugged straight into my phone. Once imported, I edited the images in Snapseed, my favourite editing app.

Once I returned home I did a more thorough edit on my iMac using Adobe Lightroom but it was great to have the option of editing on the go, without packing a laptop for our travels.

Now the Christmas decorations are packed away, I'm looking at the photos and thinking how pleased I am that I didn't just rely on my phone to capture Christmas Day. 

I love my iPhone but it just doesn't cut it sometimes when my children are running around like crazy. 

My new motto this year is to print more pictures. So next on my list is to get some hard copies and make a good old fashioned photo album to look back on in years gone by.