He Photographed the Supermodels | Greg Kessler’s Backstage Stories

What did fashion week look like before backstage became a constant stream of social media content? Photographer Greg Kessler takes us inside the world he captured. From bringing a camera backstage as a teenager to building trust with models and delivering images under pressure, Greg shares the stories behind a career spent close to the runway. Expect camera disasters, unexpected encounters and reflections on how backstage access has changed—plus memories of rising models, major shows and an unforgettable Alexander McQueen moment. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introducing backstage photographer Greg Kessler 03:05 Taking a camera backstage at 13 07:26 The atmosphere of fashion week’s early days 10:46 Learning photography in a laundry-room darkroom 14:47 His first published photograph in New York Magazine 20:56 Building trust with supermodels 26:17 When backstage was a closed world 31:10 The pressure of delivering photographs for Style.com 32:50 Mariacarla Boscono & the coffee story 35:27 A broken shutter at the worst possible moment 40:05 Why photographers were removed from backstage 46:55 Backstage privacy, safety & protecting designs 50:09 Recovering a camera left in a New York taxi 59:46 Getting the shot during a ten-minute runway show 01:04:58 The model who delayed an Oscar de la Renta show 01:09:10 Recognizing future stars: Sigrid, Kendall & Natalia 01:17:44 Photographing celebrities & changing backstage access 01:19:56 Career regrets & advice to his younger self 01:26:54 Rapid-fire q