NOiR XVII
Be Kind. Be Bold. Be You.
28th October, 2015
Last year I was introduced to NOiR Runway Fashion through my friend James. At the time I had no idea what the organization was about except that they were involved with fashion and put on an annual show. I had absolutely no idea how huge this event really is. I was, unfortunately, unable to attend the event last time but I certainly hope to attend this year. I was able to shoot some photos for their executive board, however, and this was an experience in itself.
I had the honor of being asked back again this year, and I'm somehow even happier with the results. We trekked up to the Matthaei Botanical Gardens for this year's shoot. Matthaei has four fairly distinct areas, and each is awesome. Just past the entrance is a tropical garden, followed up by a desert habitat. Outdoors are a flower and herb garden as well as my favorite, the bonsai garden. We were able to encompass three of these areas and the images all came together quite cohesively.
I don't often work with large groups, and when I do I worry about achieving the level of intimacy between the camera and the subject that I so enjoy. This time I feel great about what we were able to accomplish. Everyone had their own place in the group shots but it still came together holistically.
Working against a hard stop — Matthaei does have a closing time, after all — is always a challenge too. Fortunately I had plenty of people taking the initiative in queueing people up and making sure we all had enough time. Maybe I should hire an administrative assistant! I'd name him Q.
Each of these individuals pulled out the stops on their outfits. I was pretty impressed with the color palette and the variety of fabrics and styles that still fit within our chosen mood and theme of nudes and muted tones. Each successive subject got me just as excited to keep shooting! Three hours later I found I was not mentally tired; only physically tired from the shoot. I like that feeling.
Now that NOiR has finally announced their website relaunch and shared these photos out into the wild, I'm excited to do the same! The suspense killed me last year and it was no different this time. Seeing the feedback from each board member's friends and family has been really rewarding. I often hear only from my direct clients but sometimes I'll admittedly creep on their Facebook or Instagram to see how things are going!
NOiR chooses a charitable origanization to donate to each year. They donate the proceeds from their fashion shows to these organizations, often dealing with embetterment of a nearby community like Detroit. These shows often feature pieces from local designers or retailers and rely on support from businesses in the community around them. Events like this are an impactful way to bring people together to achieve something greater than its individual parts.
See if you can get involved this year. They have so many opportunities — from being a model to being a sponsor, there are so many ways to help. Most importantly, prepare yourself for the amazing event in the spring!
