Who Gets Their Street Style Photo Taken at Fashion Week?

Throughout the Fashion Week circuit in New York, London, Milan and Paris, people all over the world are not only taking in the new designs that grace the various runways, but also the street style of those outside of the shows. Whether it be editors, models, influencers or other industry figures, photos of exceptional outfits headline many of the world’s biggest websites, newspapers, magazines and social media accounts. So, of course, getting one’s picture taken is seen as a big deal by many.

For as long as these photos have been published, those who want their picture taken have been trying to find the secret to having their style snapped. But according to the photographers on the scene each season, there isn’t exactly one simple formula for ensuring that happens.

“I shoot everybody,” Johnny Cirillo, better known as @WatchingNewYork on Instagram, tells Fashionista. “I’ll pass over a big celebrity if I see someone I don’t know behind them in a really good outfit. I’m more interested in how creative people are getting and how cool they look in the city.”

But what makes an outfit “good?” Given that what makes anything “good” is entirely subjective, it’s only natural that photographers gravitate toward outfits they connect with personally. “If I kind of resonate with [someone’s] outfit, then I’ll usually snap it,” says fashion photographer Noelle Ochocinski. Sophie Sahara, WWD’s street style photographer echoes that same sentiment: “I try to look for photos that I want to stop and look at. That’s usually my criteria. Like, what makes me say ‘Wow.’ If it doesn’t make me say, ‘Wow,’ it’s a no.”

That said, photographers do align on some of the elements that factor into a “wow” moment. “I think I’d be lying to myself if I said that I’m not attracted to maximalism,” says Cirillo. “[Maximalism] is what I’ll run after more than anything…I’m hunting for that, so when I see it, it’s very exciting to me. It’s so eclectic. There’s so much going on. It’s like a garage sale on their shoulders. I can’t get enough of it.”

Ochocinski feels similarly: “I find that each season, it’s a lot of neutrals and one pop of color. I’d love to see more maximalism through color in the outfits that people wear.”

Each photographer developed their unique perspective over time; what initially drew them to fashion week street-style photography was mostly happenstance. “I was just walking by the Bronx and Banco show in September 2019,” recalls Ochocinski. “Just seeing all of the guests going in and out and the fashion that they were wearing was absolutely stunning.”

Cirillo, who captures street style in New York City year-round, was inspired by the late The New York Times fashion photographer Bill Cunningham, arguably the originator of street style photos. “I used to look at his photos incessantly. When he passed, I thought [taking street style photos] would be a cool thing to do for the day to honor him. I went into Soho and didn’t know what I was doing or what I was looking for. But I had fun, so I just kept going. It’s just evolved over time.”

Hiyam Yacout, an Atlanta-based photographer, shot New York Fashion Week for the first time this season. She approached her visit by seeking out a particular demographic — the younger crowd. “I decided to wait outside of Sandy Liang because I knew all the fashion girlies would be here,” she explains. “I was expecting a lot of very dressed-up and model-esque people everywhere, and that’s what I saw.”

The specific show a photographer decides to wait outside of also plays a key role in what photographs end up being taken and published. “A couple of years ago, I really loved Tommy Hilfiger‘s show and the people I saw outside, so I plan to go to that again,” shares Ochocinski. “At a show like Sandy Liang, I like to capture the bows and the cute outfits, so I end up with photos that go with the vibes of the designer.”

On the other hand, some photographers prioritize lighting, choosing which shows to go to based on the time of the day. “Sometimes I’ll pick a show that’s happening at a certain hour of the day that I like shooting at,” explains Sahara. “I love shooting in the evening light before it gets dark.”

Yacout also came to New York Fashion Week with the intent to capture a more narrowed-down vision. “I like capturing interesting elements of outfits, like different socks and shoes.” But one detail Yacout kept in mind while shooting is far more crucial than any outfit detail: “I’m looking for people who actually want to be photographed. No one wants a random camera in their face.”

Consent plays a bigger role than some may expect when it comes to street-style photography. Online, images from Fashion Week can often seem candidly captured, but the truth is that they’re typically planned out, with photographers approaching potential subjects directly.

“What I really love about fashion week is the participation between the person being photographed and the photographer,” says Sahara. “It’s a great anecdote…because it’s kind of weird to assume [someone wants their photo taken]. It’s a hard thing to navigate, but the best thing a photographer can do is shoot people who want to be photographed.”

Cirillo takes a different (but still consensual) approach. Sometimes, to get an authentically off-guard shot, he’ll take the photo first and then ask if he has permission to share it with his more than 1.3 million Instagram followers. Though there’s typically no issue when it comes to the younger subjects who are familiar with his account, it doesn’t always work in Cirillo’s favor when he engages with older New Yorkers.

“Sometimes I take their photo and talk to them, but they’re confused on what the concept is,” he says. “They think I’m selling them something or trying to expose them in some way, so they deny me the right to use their photo. I probably have a 25% success rate when I take a photo of someone over 60 years old.”

As a result, his followers have actually called him out for a lack of age diversity: “It’s the toughest [group of people] to obtain.”

So long as they have subjects’ permission, inclusivity is of the utmost importance for the majority of street-style photographers. “I try to make sure I’m capturing people of all sizes, all races, even different [abilities],” says Ochocinski. “I think we’ve definitely come a long way [toward seeing more diversity being published], but not enough.”

Sahara agrees: “There are certain demographics that are showcased more so during fashion week, so I focus a lot on trying to find diversity in terms of body, clothing and just how people show up. I’m five feet tall. I’d love to see more short girls out here repping.”

Ultimately, no single factor compels photographers to take someone’s photo. But if there is one overarching takeaway from this group, it’s that showing up as your most authentic self is your best bet. 

“I think social media has played such a big part in people wanting to wear something nice every day in case someone will take their photograph,” says Cirillo. “Sometimes I notice people wearing [a lot of trends at once], and it doesn’t always work. When I see someone wearing something [unique] and rocking it…it feels authentic.”

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Source: Fashionista.com