Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.
Behind the pages and pages of beautiful street style photographs flooding in from New York, London and now, Milan, there are sleep-deprived photographers. As anyone who's experienced the frenzy can attest, getting these shots isn't as easy as it may seem. From paying it forward to dealing with the paparazzi, some of our favorite street style photogs agreed to share what life is really like behind their lenses.—Erika Graham
Image via MrNewton.net
Eddie Newton, MrNewton
"A few seasons ago, in Paris, as I was standing in the middle of the sidewalk, camera to face, shooting a photo, a woman drove her Mercedes up onto the sidewalk and completely on top of my foot. I was pinned there until someone explained to her in French why I was not moving out of her way. She then backed off of my foot, got out of her car and checked it for damage, then drove off without ever saying a word."
Image via Karl-Edwin Guerre for MarieClaire.com
Karl-Edwin Guerre, Guerreisms
"Street style, like everything else, is about give and take. You take good photos and people give you good shots.
The take: I remember my first NYFW. I had walked up to a photographer, not because of who he was, but because he had a big camera, and asked if he knew how to make the subject sharp and background blurry. The chap was Craig Arend, who I later found out was the creator of modelsoffduty.com. He has since continued to give me tidbits of advice and a friendship has flourished.
The give: I remember a chap coming to me two years ago and asking for advice. I told him to find a niche and be recognized for something specific. He came to me a few months ago and told me that those few moments of conversation led him to focus on beards, and he has since published 100 Beards In 100 Days and is working on (or finished) with the second volume of that series. I believe he is currently shooting for MrPorter.com."
Image via Le 21ème
Adam Katz Sinding, Le 21ème
"Paris is absolutely the worst as far as paparazzi are concerned. In London, any show with Cara [Delevingne]...forget it. The paparazzi are so crazy about her there, they trip all over themselves, literally! I think we all do our best to stay away from them so we don't become part of that 'problem.'"
Image via Dapper Lou
Lougè Delcy, Dapper Lou
"Generally, women have a certain charm and energy about them. But some guys are super laid back and have to get comfortable before you'll get the shot. Sometimes, I tell a joke then the subject loosens up and their personality shines. Perfect example: While in London, I shot a guy named Martell Campbell and he was serious in the first couple of shots then I got a smile out of him. The trick is to keep shooting because if and when their expression changes, you want to capture it. It's always worth the extra work."
Image via Driely S. for Racked.com
Driely S., PeladoPelado and Racked
"At the Marc Jacobs show [last September], Anna Dello Russo came and everyone was, like, jumping in to get that photo. Some guy just pushed me [because] I was right in front of Anna. I fell, almost broke my camera, and scraped both my knees and my hands. I just freaked out, like 'What is this? Is this necessary?' But that's the spirit right now, out there. People just want that photo, they have to get it, and they don't care if you're in front of them. If they've got to get it and you're in front of them, they're just going to get you out of their way."
· The Reality Behind NYFW's Most Breathtaking Photographs [Racked]
· Say Sayonara To NYFW With 30 Street Style Shots From Day 8 [Racked]