Street-style photography
This style is so huge right now, with everyday bloggers and fashion enthusiasts stealing the spotlight from A-list celebrities.
Fashion week is a huge catalyst for street-style photography, but its roots go WAY back.
A snapshot of history
In the late 19th/early 20th century, Eugéne Atget led the way by capturing the street scene in Paris. Candid and documentary photography were hard to do at this time because of the camera equipment available but he blazed the trail.
In the 1930s, Henri Cartier-Bresson was considered as one of the greats say that a picture is ‘a joint operation of the brain, the eye, and the heart’. The photographer was said to be seen dancing along the pavement with four cameras on him, snapping away.
Bill Cunningham started his ‘On the Street’ column for the New York Times in 1978, which was said to shape the concept of street style as we know it.
From 2008 onwards, personal style bloggers have risen to the top, dominating social mediums such as Instagram to create a loyal following.
Read more about the history of street-style photography in this article from Elle.
Street-style fashion
Over the last five years, those fashion-savvy individuals being papped outside of the fashion shows are now garnering more attention than the models on the catwalk!
A recent issue has arisen in street-style stars taking the images from a photographer’s Instagram feed and using them on their own pages. Without permission or a fee, this is seen as stealing another person’s intellectual property. Even with a credit, this is not good etiquette.
This year, about 40 photographers decided to draw attention to this issue with the #NoFreePhotos campaign, aimed at brands, bloggers and influencers.
Street-style photographers
Timur Emek – Timur is a Getty Images street-style photographer who likes the authenticity of street style. “I really enjoy the freedom that comes with shooting outside as a street style photographer; you are quite independent and able to pick and choose who you shoot, when and how. I get a buzz from shooting in the street because it is so much more realistic than the catwalk.”
Scott Schuman – Known for his street-style blog that has been going since 2005, The Sartorialist, Scott is very well known for his style of photography. He has also published two books – The Sartorialist and The Sartorialist: Closer – featuring his photographs.
Caroline Blomst – A former model herself, Caroline has been covering Sweden’s street-style scene for years. Her blog, Caroline’s Mode, created in conjunction with her husband, has enabled her to take her interest in photography internationally. She still gets in front of the camera too for fashion campaigns, mixing her time between model and photographer.
Let us know your favourite street-style photographers on Facebook and Twitter. Also check out our blog post on how to capture this autumn season correctly.