Through my connection to the Moments In Motion photography community, I was presented with the opportunity to assist fashion psycologist and journalist Jennifer Heinen at Fam Ivroll’s London Fashion Week (LFW) show, for the Autumn Winter season 2026.

This was a very exciting prospect that I could not pass up. I watched youtube videos for tips in the week leading up to it and packed my bag ready for the day ahead.

The show was scheduled to start mid afternoon, so naturally I arrived early morning haha. I wandered around shoreditch for a few hours getting myself in a good headspace. As it got closer to the time I made my way over to the venue and was able to catch fashionable people lining up for the show before Fam Ivroll.

It was amazing to see all the creatives in their outfits- and also very interesting to see all the photographers swarming like flies to sugar. The delicious sight of colourful and textural outfits, with the harsh lines and shadow of light- displayed against colourful graffiti backdrops.

I myself was too shy unfrotunately to take any photos of strangers- I was also unreasonably paranoid about filling up my SD card as I had only got a 16GB spare (inconsequential, barely worth bringing).

So instead I admired from a distance and complimented some people as they walked by.

Part of me felt bad for the nicely dressed people- they would be approached by photographers, treated like a manequin to pose and shoot, then quickly disgarded- spoken to only to exchange social media handles.

I wonder would these people enjoy a conversation about their look, or their work, their opinions on the show they’re about to see. I would be more inclined to chat than simply use them for content.

But I felt intimidated by my lack of fashion knowledge so didn’t feel equipt to chat.

Maybe next time.

Once Jennifer arrived and it was almost time for us to enter the venue- I was given an insight into the logistics of fashion shows. We were guided to the back entrance to check in for our backstage passes (as Jennifer was going to be speaking to the designer directly after the show) It was funny to see how hectic everything was. I think London Fashion Week as sold as this prestigious and high honour event, which you would assume runs with Devil Wears Prada style efficiency. But in reality it is as much run on crossed fingers and spontaeous problem solving as any University Theatre production and Short Film set that i’ve been on.

One of the things I hope to do more of through my career is de-mystify the world of art, and bring much of it down to level of ‘common folk’ so as to engage as many people as possible in art. It shouldn’t be hidden behind pay walls and intimidation, we should all get to experience a wide range of art. Because it is expression, it is connection, it is life.

To clarify what I mean by that- I see Art within almost all aspects of Life, and Life is in almost all aspects of Art. The two things are mirrors of one another. And for someone to not engage in art is to deny themself a part of life.

Back to LFW.

I had many reasons to be nervous during this experience. I am inherintly an anxious person, especially around social situations- so the idea of being a crowded area with (what I had assumed to be) people who knew what they were doing was scary. (Similar to how it feels when you first visit London; everyone walking so fast on the underground or streets, knowing where they want to go and shoving anything that stands in their way)

Simillarly, I am not good with loud noises or bright lights for long periods of time. By the end of the day I did indeed have a headahce and every part of my body ached. My shoes had been a fashionable but uncomfortable choice, my back was killing me, my shoulders and neck were fatigued by the bag and camera straps, and my knees were also behavingly concerningly.

Despite my physical and mental battles, what worried me most during this job was my ability to produce images of a high standard. I am historically not very good at indoor photography, so I was praying for a very well lit stage.

I knew I wouldn’t have time ot change settings once the models started walking so being able to test settings before hand was key, and thankully I had that chance.

I made a couple of tweaks during the show but for the most part my attention was on getting the models in focus.

everything moved so fast and I had not been able to get a spot at the pit (the very end where the models stop to pose) so was having to reach over the heads of people sat down in rows. This meant my camera was sometimes focusing on their heads or phones. I tried to use this artistically in some shots but sometimes it was sabotaging me.

I will admit I missed some good shots and the focus is on the opposite row of people more than I’d like. But overall I am very pleased with the photographs I took at this show and thing for a first time I did very well.

I am excited to attend more events like this and improve my skills.