The Art of Street Style Hunting

Seeing as I am still new to the world of street style clicking ( I'm no Sartorialst /FaceHunter- just a big fan) I have gathered a strange bit of habits from doing street style pictures in L-town.

Strange habits-

1. I am constantly scanning people on both sides of the streets for a good street style . I see now why its called hunting, its coz I'm almost eyeing prey.

2. If I see a good street style hunt I pounce, literally. Its completely unconscious but on a dry spell day one photograph can make my day.

3. For a real JACKPOT of a street style hunt I would risk my life running across the street, mocha coffee spilling from my Starbux cup, to tap that certain stranger on the street for a photo.

4. It's a bad habit when instead of chillaxing and catching up with friends over tea, you've got one eye on your friend talking and another on passers-by. My friends are learning to deal. Thanks guys.

5. As a whole- since I've started my blog I've always been on the look out for ideas for my blog. I'm not really digging around but am always aware of whats around me, so it is a 24 hour thing. Even when clubbing or food shopping I have one eye on a can of pasta sauce another on all the other shoppers clothes.

6. When scanning people I do tend to start from the bottom up, there must be a psychological reason for it, but it does come out as rather superficial and intimidating. I cover it with a quick smile, and whoever just got the stare usually smiles back but I do feel a certain kind of sorry as it feels rather judgmental.

On a good day (like the Red Bull festival) spirits are high and people are all up for a little pose while I take my shot. On a bad day where crowds get mustered together around station stops you do get the occasional 'Sorry I have to run', 'I can't', or 'No thank you'. Which after a couple of rejections can put you off and set you in a temporary blue mood. ( Mine lasts for about 30 minutes). But on the other hand the pluses beat the negatives by so much more, as I find my confidence has increased, I'm not shy of picking out a street style hunt from within a crowd, or ask them to pose for me at the bus stop with an audience watching. I have also met some very cool people, another cool blogger miss Kirsty from That is Just My Vibe, a photographer, a model, two writers, and a person who has a day job as a clown. ( He wasn't really in a clown suit when I met him). Some really nice people ask my blog address when the clicking is done which I then jot down on a piece of paper ( am getting business cards in July made in my home town where its 30 pounds for 300 cards..good deal huh! )

Now seeing as I've been street styling for a short while I have picked out some street style hotspots who have never failed me or my camera. Now against all selfish rules I shall reveal them to you, some are obvious, some are not. I don't know if I just frequent these places a lot but I do know that I am guaranteed no less than 30 street style pics depending on how tired I get of tapping people on the shoulder and saying ''Hi can I take a quick photo of your street style for my fashion blog ?'' It's lame but now its stuck with me as I don't have much time to think of what I'm going to say before my hunts escape off to their destination, and boy do Londoners move fast !

So best hotspots/tips:

1. Sunny days are the BEST days for street style hunting. Everyone puts on their best dress like its an international holiday. So you can practically find good street style anywhere.

2. Carnaby Street has to be the NUMBER #1 hotspot for me. There are so many fantastically dressed people its hard to choose one when four are coming your way.

3. Brick Lane and Spitafields. This is a given, on any given day , you can find edgy people touching on trends that haven't even seen the catwalks.

4. The back alley and Topshop side of Selfridges. I don't know why the alley, but it has never failed to produce the most fantastically dressed Italian bikers I have seen.

5.Topshop Oxford Circus. You have to compete with the model agencies who are looking for new faces who've got the whole entrance covered but its def worth owning your corner for a couple of minutes before you walk into Topshop.

6. Walk from Oxford Circus to Tottenham Court Road, especially around the Borders area. Great stuff, but people are usually in a hurry so you have to be quick.

7. Music/Film festivals : mood is really positive and the outfits worn match the loudness of the events. Great fun!

8. Large stations. Victoria having been my personal favorite, and Baker street station has always surprised me with some hits. Maybe because its my local station I assume there's nothing good there.

9. Davies Street, University of the Arts London building. Or anywhere near the Uni of the Arts London. People are dressed with great creativity and make it look extremely simple and effortless.

I don't really plan on turning my blog into a worship o f street style, its something I do when it comes my way , its fun meeting new people and 8 out of 10 times people get excited, and start squealing/ giggling. You get some real posers who you can tell do much practice in their mirror back home. It's really fun when you stop someone who is walking with friends and you get their friends excited about their other friend being photographed. Did that just make sense?

But all in all - people love being appreciated for what they wear, especially if they've put some art into it. I see this has turned into one hell of a long post so I shall ease the speech and show you the moolah.