After More Than 10 Seasons Photographing New York Fashion Week, I'm Taking This Season Off — Here's Why

After more than five years and more than ten seasons photographing New York Fashion Week, I'm doing something this September that feels surprisingly unusual:

I'm taking the season off.

I've been telling myself I was going to do this for a while.

Pretty much every season, after photographing several shows, spending days running between venues, shooting thousands of images and then editing everything on extremely tight deadlines, I tell myself:

Okay. Next season, I'm taking a break.

And then the next season approaches.

An email arrives.

A designer or client asks if I'm available.

And I say yes.

Because apparently nobody warns you that New York Fashion Week is slightly addictive.

But this September, I'm finally keeping the promise I keep making to myself.

And honestly? I'm very happy about it.

I Absolutely Love Photographing New York Fashion Week

Before this sounds like a breakup letter to Fashion Week, it's definitely not.

I love photographing NYFW.

I've been doing it for more than five years and have photographed more than ten seasons. During that time, I've worked as a house photographer, photographed for designers and publications, and covered backstage, fittings, first looks, guest arrivals, runway shows and everything happening somewhere in between.

There's an energy around New York Fashion Week that is difficult to describe until you've experienced it.

But photographing Fashion Week professionally is also an incredibly demanding job.

Not necessarily stressful.

Demanding.

And there is a difference.

Photographing One Fashion Show Is Much More Than 15 Minutes

From the outside, you might think:

You go to a fashion show, photograph the runway for 15 minutes, and you're done.

I wish.

When I arrive at a show as a photographer, there are usually multiple objectives happening almost simultaneously.

First, there's backstage.

I'm looking for beautiful moments while hair and makeup are happening. I'm photographing details, designers, models, styling, accessories and the enormous amount of work taking place before anyone steps onto the runway.

And backstage moves incredibly quickly.

You have to observe what's happening, anticipate moments and work efficiently without interfering with the people who are actually preparing the show.

Then come the first looks.

First looks can be especially competitive because there may be many photographers trying to photograph the same models in a relatively small space.

You need to move quickly.

Find your angle.

Get the photograph.

Move on.

And then it's time for the runway.

Runway Is an Entirely Different Kind of Pressure

A runway show itself might last approximately 15 minutes.

But those 15 minutes require your complete attention.

When I'm photographing for a client, I can't simply come away with a few beautiful photographs and call it a day.

I need to capture every model.

Every look needs to be photographed beautifully.

The outfit needs to look good. The model needs to look good. The timing needs to be right. I need enough frames to make sure my client has strong images of the entire collection.

And there isn't a redo.

If you miss a look, you can't exactly ask everyone to restart the runway.

That's what makes those 15 minutes so intense. You're constantly watching, shooting, checking and anticipating the next model.

And then the show ends.

But the job doesn't.

The Photographs Need to Be Delivered FAST

Fashion Week photography has some of the fastest turnaround times of the work I do.

The exact deadline depends on the client.

I've had clients who needed photographs within just a few hours of the show. Others might have a 12-hour turnaround.

Either way, we're not talking about casually going through the photographs sometime next week.

The images need to move quickly because the fashion industry is moving quickly.

Publications need content. Designers need images. Social media teams need photographs. PR needs assets while the show is still relevant and everyone is still talking about it.

So after spending hours photographing, I'm back at my computer.

Import.

Cull.

Color correct.

Edit.

Export.

Upload.

Deliver.

Then, if I'm photographing another show, I might wake up and do the whole thing again.

Fashion Week Can Take Over an Entire Week

One show is manageable.

Several shows during the same season become something completely different.

When I photograph multiple designers or publications during NYFW, I essentially have to dedicate that entire week to Fashion Week.

It's shooting, traveling between locations, downloading cards, charging batteries, preparing equipment, editing, delivering galleries—and then doing it all again.

And every season, somewhere in the middle of that process, I think:

Next time, I'm taking a break.

Then six months pass, February or September approaches, someone emails me, and apparently I forget everything I told myself.

Because, again:

Fashion Week is addictive.

But This September Is Different

This time, I've decided I'm actually taking that break.

And there isn't one dramatic reason behind it.

There are simply a lot of very good things happening in my life and my photography career at the same time.

I recently returned from almost four weeks of traveling, spending time with my family and working on several very different photography projects.

It was an incredible trip, but it was definitely not four weeks of vacation.

I photographed an editorial project. I worked with a hotel. I created lifestyle photography. I worked on several creative projects and produced a huge amount of content along the way.

Those projects don't necessarily have Fashion Week-style deadlines where someone needs photographs within hours, but they still need my attention.

I'm still going through the work, editing, organizing and making sure everything is delivered properly.

And then I came home to an already busy September.

September Was Already Booked Before Fashion Week Arrived

I'm incredibly grateful that I already have quite a few client sessions booked throughout September—many of them scheduled well before New York Fashion Week.

Those clients already have their place on my calendar, and I want to give every project the time and attention it deserves.

Technically, could I squeeze Fashion Week into the spaces between everything else?

Probably.

But I'm starting to realize that “technically possible” isn't always a good enough reason to say yes.

Especially because there are several other things I'm working toward right now.

I'm Also Working Toward Something Completely New

I'm currently preparing for my FAA Part 107 drone pilot knowledge test.

Passing it will allow me to expand another part of my photography work and professionally offer drone photography services in the United States.

It's something I'm genuinely excited about, but it also requires time to study and prepare properly.

And shortly after that, I have another major photography adventure coming.

I'm heading to California for a volunteering photography assignment, followed by a work and photography road trip.

There are already so many things I'm looking forward to creating, learning and photographing over these next couple of months.

At some point, I had to look at everything on my calendar and ask myself:

Do I really need to add Fashion Week too?

And for once, the answer was no.

Learning That I Don't Have to Say Yes

Maybe this is actually the biggest reason I'm taking this season off.

I feel like I've reached a point in my career where I'm learning that being capable of doing everything doesn't mean I need to do everything.

Could I photograph Fashion Week, fulfill my existing client bookings, finish editing my travel projects, study for my Part 107 test, prepare for California and deliver everything on time?

Knowing myself, yes.

I would find a way.

I'm a perfectionist when it comes to my work. If I've promised a client something, it will get done.

But the better question is:

Why would I intentionally overwhelm myself when I don't have to?

There is a difference between working hard because you're excited about an opportunity and continuously filling every available space in your life simply because you know you're capable of handling it.

I'm learning that sometimes being professional also means knowing your own capacity.

Sometimes you need to protect your time.

Sometimes you need to leave space between projects.

Sometimes you need to rest.

And sometimes you simply need to say:

Not this season.

I'll Be Back

This isn't goodbye to New York Fashion Week.

Not even close.

I'm already looking forward to coming back next February with my camera, standing backstage in the middle of all that beautiful chaos and inevitably wondering why I ever thought I could stay away.

But this September, I'll be cheering from the sidelines.

To all my photographer friends heading into another NYFW season: good luck. I hope you get incredible positions, beautiful light, cooperative memory cards, fully charged batteries, every single runway look—and maybe even a little sleep somewhere in between.

I'll see you next season.

More From My New York Fashion Week Photography Journal

While I'm sitting this season out, I have more than ten seasons of stories, photographs and experiences to share.

If you'd like to see New York Fashion Week through my camera, you can continue with these articles:

What I Love Photographing Most During New York Fashion Week

A look at the parts of Fashion Week I love photographing most, from the beautiful chaos backstage to runway and guest arrivals.

Behind the Scenes: Photographing Son Jung Wan's Spring/Summer Runway Show

Come behind the camera with me and see what it's actually like to photograph a New York Fashion Week show from preparation through the runway.

How I Became a Runway Photographer at New York Fashion Week

The story of how I first found myself photographing NYFW—and how what started as a new experience turned into more than five years and ten seasons behind the camera.

For this September, though, the camera and I are taking a little Fashion Week break.

And I think we've earned it.