I snapped Nadia from the fashion blog FrouFrouu at New York fashion week after the IFB Conference. I was intimidated by her tall stature and incredible style, but she was kind and funny, which put me at ease. Street style photography can be stressful at NYFW because the photographers are quite competitive, plus there’s definitely a social hierarchy within the bloggers themselves. I fall into both categories so it can be awkward to know where I fit in, so to speak.

I also hate the aggressive nature of shooting street style at NYFW and I think that in the not-too-distant future barricades will be set up, destroying the entire experience. If I was a magazine editor or a buyer who was constantly harassed (and even spit on) then I’d welcome the opportunity to move from show to show uninterrupted. It’s hard enough to get to fashion shows on time with the traffic in New York. I come at street style from the perspective of celebrating the unique and individual style of everyday people. I LOVE LOVE LOVE walking around Chicago alone, with my headphones on, scouting for great style and things/people who interest me. It’s a solitary pursuit. That’s how I like it. My blog is for fun, I’m not supporting myself on it, so it’s actually very difficult for me to shoot at NYFW. It feels so predatory, like paparazzi, in comparison to how I work in Chicago. Don’t get me wrong – New York street style is the best in the world, and several of my favorite photographs I’ve ever taken were during NYFW. Most of my favorite blogs are the big streetstyle ones with photos from the New York/London/Milan/Paris fashion weeks. It’s just personally, I’ve always felt limited by street-style photography because it’s showcasing other people’s style. I just want credit for the quality of the image, not for the outfit in the shot, which is why I always include the person’s name and link to their blog/website/twitter/company. THEY deserve the credit, not me. I’m just the lens through which all these beautiful people and things move.

I always feel like the world’s biggest creeper when I take candid photos of people (outside of the Fashion Olympics). Admit it, you know it’s weird. And slightly stalkerish. That’s why I like to approach and pose my subjects. However, sometimes I’m walking down the street and a candid photograph is literally staring me right in the face. Then I kind of shrug my shoulders and say “eh, go for it.”

I went up afterwards to introduce myself, because not doing so is even weirder than taking the photo in the first place! Her name is Katherine and she works across the street at Neiman Marcus. She was running a quick errand when I caught her out front of Tiffany & Co looking positively statuesque in her Marc Jacobs dress. Timing is everything, my friends.