Take My Picture

TAKE MY PICTURE from GARAGE Magazine on Vimeo.

This is a phenomenon that frightens me, the look-at-me-looking-at-you street style bloggers. And its hard as an [ex] street style blogger to not be a hypocrite! My old blog CAPITAL THREAD had a kind of mission statement: 

CAPITAL THREAD documents daily creative assemblage. It is not concerned with price, power or prowess.

This statement was roughly based on how I thought and saw The Sartorialist operate - more pictures, less text. But even The Sartorialist's style of blogging shifted and this comes with the monetisation and popularity of blogging, how to make a living and develop connections with potential clients, such as magazines and designers?

Also how do you best represent the subject?

The Sartorialist, amongst others, developed a more editorial style. Interviews, videos and hosting meet-ups, finding the story behind the clothes.

And that brings me to now. As a emerging designer I recognise, like the designer in the video, the potential for promotion. 

As a street style blogger I didn't want to know the subject's name, occupation, label or where they were from, I wanted the picture to be start of a story that you finished in your own imagination. Often I felt obliged to share interesting details or moments in support of Australian fashion, and definitely the idea of a fashion culture in Canberra, I've had Melbournians look at CAPITAL THREAD and say "... oh Canberra looks interesting, I had no idea".

Now on the other side of the lens, when a blogger takes my pic I'm incensed when they don't tell me where the photo will end-up or discuss the reason they took my photo. 

Maybe that's what's missing - the dialogue. Why is this important to them?

Is it for blog stats, segwey to fashion journalism, recording a moment in history, are they fellow designers.....

[For previous discussion on street style blogging, see my post on a similar topic on my old street style blog CAPITAL THREAD]