As Vancouver Fashion Week prepares for its F/W 2025 season, I thought it was interesting to share how those amazing runway images you will see come about. Arun Nevader is the head photographer for Vancouver Fashion Week and Global Fashion Collective. Last fall, during the S/S 2025 VFW, I sat down with the Getty photographer and runway photography aficionado for a conversation. I have used Arun Nevader's photographs on this website for many seasons. Through his lens, Nevader tells the story of the designers, models and hair and make-up artists who create runway excellence. Capturing the runway is an art that the fashion industry thrives on.
In fashion photography, few names shine as brightly as Arun Nevader. Known for his electrifying shots that capture both the art and essence of fashion, Nevader has solidified himself as a powerhouse behind the lens. With a knack for blending bold creativity and technical precision, his photos tell the story of each collection, turning fleeting moments into timeless images. Through his lens, emerging models and designers as well as seasoned professionals come to life, leaving a trail of unforgettable visual narratives. Sit tight as we dive into the world of a true visionary photographer in this interview.
I want to start with how you became a runway photographer.
Well, that is a fascinating, almost accidental happening. In 2000, my family started a successful celebrity photo agency called Wired Image. We had some of the top celebrity photographers in the world shooting for us. Our agency had a bent on shooting live events. These were the type of photographers who shot on stage with the likes of The Rolling Stones or Lady Gaga or at red carpet events like the Academy Awards. I started doing a lot of that from 2000 through 2002. But we had very little in the way of fashion.
One day, when we were all sitting around the table, my son, the CEO, said we needed to expand our scope and cover more fashion. We went around the table to a chorus of photographers saying they weren't interested till they finally landed on me. "Guess what? You're the new kid on the block and our new fashion guy".
Emma Builley walks for John Fabio Garcia at VFW, S/S 24
What was that like to be just thrown into something?
I knew nothing about runway photography but jumped in and started shooting. First, it was in Los Angeles, and soon, it was in New York. It was 2002, and those were the days of the fabulous shows in Bryant Park. I shot all the big shows. Then, in 2007, we sold our company, and my son retired. And many of the Wired Image photographers and I overnight became Getty photographers. I stayed in fashion. I have a great relationship with Getty, and from that day, I have worked with them and built my client list.
Georgia Gray walks for Alex S. Yu at VFW S/S 24
How did you come to be the head photographer for Vancouver Fashion Week?
Well, that's an interesting question. I was working for the Hearts Arts Fashion Shows; I've been their lead photographer for ten years. Jamal( Jamal Abdourahman VFW, CEO) had heard about me; he searched me out, shooting swimsuit week in Miami. Jamal approached me and invited me to Vancouver. We hit it off, and that was 10 years ago. I have been shooting VFW ever since that first year. For the last three years, I have travelled with Global Fashion Collective, firstly the European Shows in London, Paris, and Milan; this is the second season that I'll be shooting the entire circuit, adding Tokyo and New York. I hope to keep doing this for at least a few more seasons. I love the work and am delighted to be a part of Jamal's international team.
Hannah Biro walks for V. Zoux at VFW S/S 24
Now that I've got your background, let's get to the art. What makes an excellent runway photo?
Every great runway photo starts with great lighting. The images will only be as good as the lighting the photographer has to work with. Once the lighting is set, you are looking for that magic moment. Being a runway photographer is a remarkable experience because you feel the show is just for you. It is the camera and the model. A runway photographer who loves their work is immediately transported into another space. An almost dream-like zone exists between the photographer and the subject. What is unique about runway photography is that it is caught in the fleeting moment. That exact moment with the model, lighting, clothes, and makeup won't be captured again.
This is what separates still photography from video. Granted, we live in an imperfect world. In video, the goal is to capture and recreate that imperfection—an instant replay of the world surrounding us. There is nothing wrong with that, but still photography is different—the photograph freezes that moment in time and transforms it into something other than the moment itself. As a still photographer, I try to capture and transform that imperfection into an enduring picture of perfection.
Michaela walks for Eduardo Ramos at VFW S/S 24
When do you know that something extraordinary is happening on the runway? When you've got that money shot.
A professional photographer is greedy for those special moments. The greedier you are, the more likely you are to capture that specific incident where you are connecting with a model, where she, or in some cases, he, ultimately realizes the role they are inhabiting. When all elements align, it is often a transcendent moment. I've had those experiences; they don't always happen, but when they do, you realize why you do what you do.
Sam Gousheh walks for DoDot at VFW S/S 25
We've discussed the model and the relationship with the photographer; I'd like to know about the clothes and how the garments and the designer play in that remarkable photo.
I think it's a question of how a model inhabits the outfit. When you see a garment, it is just a flat article until the model puts it on. The clothes only really live when there's a body in them. But as far as I'm concerned, everything has to come together to make a genuinely exceptional photograph. Therefore, the tailoring, fabric choice, and the silhouette must go together. They don't necessarily have to be unique, but they need to be perfectly resolved, and that's where the designer's talent and craft come in. Dynamic clothing that has movement helps the model and the photographer.
Model walks for Emma Ireland at VFW S/S 25
So, how do you know when you've got that fabulous shot where everything comes together?
I learned from a great photographer, Steve Granitz, early on in my career, that you can't overshoot. The more you shoot, the more choices you have. So, when I'm shooting, I'm shooting at 20 frames a second; I shoot from when the model enters the gate to when they leave it. So, that could be up to 500 images for just one look. So when you shoot that many, you'll get everything the model does; therefore, you have a choice. In the old days, you were shooting with film before digital photography, a maximum of 32 shots before changing rolls. The considerable difference is that I now have a team to edit the photos. I've trained them to look for what I want in a shot and make selections, and I trust them in the final edits. Yoy have to trust your editor to make the right choices.
Sidney Chuckas performs for Eduardo Ramos at VFW F/W 24
Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to become a fashion runway photographer?
Firstly, I would say you have to love what you're doing. This is a very fulfilling job. You have the opportunity to meet incredible people and contribute meaningful work. You have to find it rewarding because this is not an easy job. People underestimate how difficult it is to travel to 8 or 9 cities in the space of two months and take over 300,000 photographs while running around with 130 pounds of gear to every city. However, I wouldn't be doing anything else.
IN CONCLUSION
This is my first post to mark the opening of VFW F/W 2025. A special thank you to Arun Nevader and his team for contributing to this article. During the next few weeks, watch this space for complete coverage of Vancouver Fashion Week. If you attend VFW, make sure to come by and say " Hi. "Also, make sure to follow me on my Instagram account for all the latest shots and stories.
ARUN NEVADER AND J. ANDREW JACKSON AT VFW S/S 2025
CIAO FOR NOW J. ANDREW JACKSON