I ran into Claudia on Rush Street where she was shopping on a Saturday afternoon. She told me through a thick Irish accent that she’s studying abroad here in Chicago. We had a nice chat about street-style blogs in general, and she was quite excited since this was her first time being stopped. I was surprised considering her hometown Dublin is one of the bigger European cities and she has such great style, but I suppose not every city is crawling with street-style photographers!
I love how she mixed typically “goth” creepers with a peace sign necklace and a flat circular hat for a funky vibe. And heightening the great sense of personality, Claudia even tied a vintage silk scarf on her vintage leather bag. The bubble-gum pink faux fur coat adds such a delightful sense of texture. Oh, and need I even mention the purple pants?
This photo appeared on Refinery29 on November 11, 2011. To view, click here.
A few weeks ago I was hanging out at my friend
Megan Weinerman’s apartment teaching her how to blog. I decided to give her a sneak peek of my street-style photos because we both needed a break from our discussion of why she needs a Tumblr. Bottom line: everyone needs a Tumblr. We were flipping through my photos on Flickr when Megan was drawn into this photo. I paused from the rapid-fire clicking. We both sat there and absorbed the image. She adored this photo because it reminded her of how she used to dress in high school, and was elated with the throwback style. I love this picture because of the sunlight (yes I’m obsessed with sunsets). The more I thought about it, the more I realized Megan’s reaction really touched me in a profound way. But why?
Finally, I figured it out. The personal chord that Monica’s outfit struck in Megan is precisely the type of internal reaction I am hoping to spark in the people who read my blog. I cannot tell you how happy it made me to see that kind of reaction in someone looking at my photo. I never get to see that in real life because I’m separated from you readers by cyberspace. It’s why I include photos of brides jumping and little girls playing alongside the more typical street-style images like Monica’s or a PS11 at NYFW. This blog has evolved into a record of my journey as a photographer. In a very strange way what started off as a site dedicated entirely to other people became a blog about myself.
But let’s be honest here, the real credit goes to the over 1,100 individuals who have been featured on my blog. My job as a street-style photographer is to provide a platform for all the stylish people I meet to express their creativity. The people who are actually on my blog is where the primary focus should be. They’re the true stars. It’s why, whenever I’m asked in interviews ‘who inspires me,’ I always respond with, “the people on my blog.” That being said, as I get better at photography I’m trying to make the images beautiful too in terms of lighting and composition. I don’t want to be just “xeroxing other people’s outfits” as my mother so eloquently refers to it. Although to be fair, that kind of is what street-style blogging is about.
Since I am separated from you by a computer screen and I can’t see how the pictures make you feel (like I did with Megan), you can always leave a comment or send an email. For those of you who already do, thank you. Although it’s not the same as seeing your faces it’s the closest I can get to feeling your reactions to my work. Next time you like a photo or a post, please take the time to leave me a comment.
And most importantly, thank you for reading this tl;dr post!
xo,
Amy
A few weekends ago I was walking down Michigan Avenue doing my “rounds” around the Gold Coast* when I happened upon this adorable girl. She was running back and forth between the steps of the historic Water Tower and the fountain in the center of the plaza. She radiated pure, unbridled joy. I think we can all connect to the spirit of this young child, whose enthusiasm and lightness is inspiring in its simplicity. Every one of us has memories that stretch way back to when something as elementary as doing somersaults down a hill created so much enjoyment. I’m sure that’s exactly what her parents thought as they sat on the steps, watching her play. They smiled at me while I took a few snapshots, and I’m sure they thought I was thinking the same thing. And they were right.
*In my defense, I spent this past weekend and the weekend before shooting in Wicker Park. I’m so behind that I’m still playing catch up with old photos.
