Nicky's Rag Tales

Yesterday I spent all day at Heidi Higgins Fashion shoot for her Autumn/Winter collection. This is my story of the days events. It all started for me at 6am. I loaded the car with several bags full of shoes, hosiery, gloves, jewellery and hats and of course my picnic basket stuffed with good cheeses, bread and crackers plus a bag of energy food (nuts). A last minute change of location which nearly scuppered the whole event meant that we were now heading for a stud farm in the midlands. I had my fingers crossed as I headed to pick up the model Laoise Quinn from Morgan Model agency. At 7.30 am we were heading on the open road, Laoise slept while I fought sleep and we arrived at the Hotel where we would be based at 8.30. Heidi and I were on the phone and as she collected the clothes and headed to us the make up artist Sinead Flanagan arrived and as there was a race against time from the start Laoise settled onto the make up chair and we discussed the theme for the day so Sinead could work her magic.

Scene One, The Hotel Bedroom. Present: Model, Laoise, Designer, Heidi, Heidi’s Assistants, her Dad Leo, Laura and Jaclyn, Makeup Artist, Aoife Callaghan,Photographer German Collins (pronounced herman, with an Argentinian accent), his assistant Fiona, Hairdresser, Alfredo, Stylist, Sinead Flanagan and me.

The Scene is set; Act one

Aoife Callaghan working on Laoise 9am Friday 11th June

Alfredo gets started.

Themes for the shoot under discussion

Tear Sheets to mull over

Jaclyn starts to tape up one of the pairs of shoes to protect them, a task repeated many times through the day

Scene 2; On Location( which will remain secret.) Suffice to say it is a very large stud farm, very beautiful and very quiet. The weather is perfect and we are all anxious to get through two distinct stories and 16 separate changes of outfits. Heidi is like a whirlwind and totally focused on what needs to be done and her work ethic and passion is infectious. I go ahead with German, Leo and German’s assistant to do a rekkie while the others are back in the Hotel preparing the clothes. Laoise is in hair and make-up. As each outfit is put together with a tear sheet attached it is hung in the small bathroom.

Everyone gathers at the Stud Farm, it is now 11.30 and there is a lot of work to get through. This whole event is very costly and Heidi’s Autumn Winter publicity hinges on everything going to plan. There are several fabulous photographs needed at the end of the day. It looks like a tall order as each change takes some time.

First find somewhere to put the clothes so the model can change and the makeup artist can work. We find a tack room which smells none too good but needs must and there is no time to lose. The rail of clothes is wheeled in. Everyone has their job to do and watching everyone focused is incredible. The hairdresser moves each hair in place, the photographer checks the light and moves the model who works incredibly hard and totally focused. She moves smoothly and quickly into different poses, listens to the direction of the photographer with all of us watching and has no problems as she is totally professional. It all hinges on Laoise getting it right. It’s up to all of us to place everything correctly. We move her, poke her, prod her and she never makes even a slight grimace. If anyone ever says the job of a model is easy they are wrong, full stop.

Fiona and Laoise survey the Tack (changing) room

Meanwhile the work of the yard goes on...

Jim who tells me he never looks at the Internet!

Scene ; The real work begins…

One of many touch ups

German Collins at work

Emergency supplies

Heidi working at perfecting the image

I go on ahead to find the next location and this is it.

Heidi and German head for the Bridge

Fiona sits on the fence

Nearly the end of the day, Heidi with her best man, Dad, Leo

A model smiles and it's a wrap!

I arrived home at 11 pm last night shattered. The location ended up better than the original planned. The model was superb and the whole crew were delightful and focused on the work to be done. I can’t wait to see the final photographs and just want to thank Heidi for allowing me to be there to capture some of the work of the day.