Short note: I have just updated my firmware for my EOS 50D – firmware version 1.0.6. It is said to address the vertical banding noise issue. Please refer to dpreview’s post on the 23 April 2009
here. There is also update for EOS 450D and 1000D, please refer to their text for more information.
After the Rock Party post, here comes the fashion week run-in couple of weeks ago. I’ll start off with the fashion week in the Spring shopping mall in Kuching. I believe it was the first of its kind fashion week, with a private function slot in among the shows. Coincidentally, I just got off fresh from shooting KL Fashion Week in Midvalley and The Gardens, as well as some glimpses in Sg. Wang, the week before. The ones I took in KL will have to wait after this post. I shall cut the post here as short as possible, do expect a lot less photos to be cut off from the blog here as I actually camped at the Spring for 3 days in a row, shooting all the shows they put on stage.
1st of May marks the start of Fashion Week at the Spring, one of the Spring’s major events for the year, showcasing their tenants’ Spring/Summer 2009 collections. This event is officially sponsored by Jetstar Asia. The other sponsors include Borneo Paradise Landscaping, Himalaya, Clarins, Silhouette, Esprit and Padini Concept Store. Stage is the official makeup sponsor, and Richard and Iris is the official hair stylist sponsor.
The Fashion Week at the Spring is a 3-day extravaganza, which kick-started with a “close function via invitation” function. The private function features collections from 3 major brands in the Spring – Esprit, United Color of Benetton and PDI at Padini Concept Store. The private function draws an estimated number of 200 guests in the event’s guest list that evening.
Robin managed to secure the invitation for me, credit to him for the access.
Fashion Week Private Function Invitation
Thanks to Irene Teo for preparing the invitation on such short notice.
I'm proud to see my name printed on the invite.
#222
I had quite a nice number printed on my invite – #222, but unfortunately, it didn’t win me lucky draw prize.
The show started with collections from Esprit.
EOS 50D + EF 90-300mm f/4-5.6 USM @ ISO800
I thought the stage is one of the nicest looking ones in KL, nice and clean. The vibrant color on the backdrop did bring out the spring/summer feel to the stage. I’m grateful that the organizer prepared a photographer’s stage for this event. It helped a lot. However, the restriction for crowd to get near the stage is a lot less on the first night. Due to that, We often get unwanted distractions getting into our frames, such as the heads, mobile phones, cameras and etc. Having said that, there was improvement on the following day, as they extended the space/distance of the restricted area. Which eventually made the shooting more pleasant.
EOS 50D + EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM @ ISO800
EOS 50D + EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM @ ISO800
Although the photographer’s stage gave me height and angle advantage, I had to make do with what I have in my bag. My current telezoom lens is EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM, without IS. The aperture isn’t wide, especially at the tele-end, and it is prone to camera shake with aperture as small at f/5 or f/5.6. The only thing I could do is to boost my ISO. However, for the first night out, I was being too cautious, I only shot with focal length at 90mm whole night.
EOS 50D + EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM @ ISO800
As for AF drive, I opted for AI servo, with one AF point defined. I visualize on how I want to compose the photo, then select the point where my subject would likely be coming through. That’s quite a lot of hassle as I may need to change the AF point from time to time. I only got used to using AI Servo from the shoot in KL. Fortunately, the pace on the runway here in Kuching is rather slow. If you missed a shot, worry not, they will still be there for you to recompose and capture. 
EOS 50D + EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM @ ISO800
I use burst mode a lot that night, and often I manage to catch someone else’s flash in my frame, the effect’s quite nice though. Of the few shots which I caught flash from other camera, I did not perform any enhancement onto the photos, as it came straight out from the camera’s processing.
EOS 50D + EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM @ ISO800
After Esprit, United Color of Benetton was next in line for the show. I like the vibrant color from their collection, as it brings out Summer to us. It sure made me a happier man that time. 
EOS 50D + EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM @ ISO800
EOS 50D + EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM @ ISO 800
The picture above is another example of capturing a flash from off-camera, which I kinda like the result. Too bad the model in the middle turned her head away already.
EOS 50D + EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM @ ISO 800
I personally like the yellow dress on the model herself. 
Anyway, let’s get back to the photography course in this post. Since I was shooting at focal length of 90mm throughout the night, I have to crop many of my shots to get the actual composition I wanted initially.
To round up the show for the night, we had PDI collection from Padini Concept Store on show.
EOS 50D + EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ ISO800
PDI’s collection has a lot of vertical line in the tees, both polo and round neck ones.
EOS 50D + EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM @ ISO800
EOS 50D + EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM @ ISO800
In the photo above, you could see the distraction or obstruction, whichever you wanna call it, gets into the way in my frame. This was caused by the lack of space between the edge of the stage and the ground where crowd is allowed to be at.
EOS 50D + EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM @ ISO800
The models did a round of ‘run’ after the finale walk, before bringing their runway coordinator towards the end of the show.
EOS 50D + EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM @ ISO800
My 90mm focal length on my 1.6x crop-factor body (equivalent to 144mm on 35mm format or full frame body) is not wide enough to fit everyone in. Up next, Day 2 and Day 3 of the Spring Fashion Week. I have uploaded some of the selected photos to my flickr account at http://www.flickr.com/photos/allenang/sets/72157618052967081/. While for the rest of it, I will subsequently upload them to my facebook.
