Try if you will to remember a time pre-Street Style blogs...yes, when life was easy and getting dressed for Fashion Week didn't require multiple trips to Opening Ceremony and refills of Percocet. From Garance and Craig to Tommy and Pete, our favorite street-stalking snappers have really made it impossible not to scrutinize our outfits daily. But well, we love it, and we know you do, too. That's why we've assembled the ultimate backgrounder on fashion's MVP of street photographers (besides The Sartorialist, who you already know so well!)--they're the folks you want to be noticed by, but, truth be told, it helps to notice them, too. Where they prowl, who they hunt, and how they like to shoot...our cheat-sheet may not guarantee a spot on Jak & Jil, but it will make you ready for anything.
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The Hunter: Craig Arend, Altamira NYC
The Hunted: Models Off Duty.
Background Check: One day in Paris he was inspired by a stylish couple walking their equally stylish cream-colored Shar Pei and was compelled to start snapping. He launched his blog Altamira NYC in 2007, which has since distinguished itself with its focus on models. Other clients include Teen Vogue, Elle Germany, and Style.com.
NYFW Habitat: Outside a show at least three hours before it begins, style hunting near the backstage entrance and after-hours at the Ford models party.
Sound Bite: "My ultimate goal is to get a model comfortable enough to explore those aspects of herself that she's kept locked away. If I can get her to experience that side of herself in front of the camera, we both win."
Weapon of Choice: A Canon EOS 5D Mark II.
The Hunter: Eddie Newton, Mr. Newton (coming soon!) & Refinery29 this Fashion Week
The Hunted: Cute hipsters, styling assistants, Wangsters.
Background Check: After producing fashion shoots with everyone from Meisel to Diddy, he started DJing fashion shows, which lead to snapping pics of models and backstage scenes for fun. Soon he was shooting street style and parties like MisShapes and Trash. He now shoots for Lucky, Teen Vogue, H&M, Style.com. He just finished a stint at Style Sightings to launch his own blog (coming soon). Look out for our collaboration with Mr. Newton this Fashion Week!
NYFW Habitat: Around Bryant Park, Milk Studios, the Erin Wasson x RVCA show, the MisShapes party, wandering around Topshop, and sitting in front of his computer editing photos.
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Sound Bite: "I go for the cool girls who mix Alexander Wang with vintage with Topshop with something they made themselves--the girls who realize that the glue that pulls an outfit together is often just confidence and attitude."
Weapon of Choice: Canon digital SLRs.
The Hunter: Garance Doré
Background Check: She began as fashion illustrator and started her blog as a place to share her drawings in diary form, and later expanded into photography. Now Garance contributes her writing, illustrations, and photography to mags including Paris Vogue. She also styles, consults, and has an upcoming exhibit with Gap at London Fashion Week.
The Hunted: Decidedly refined, she seeks subjects with "allure and originality."
NYFW Habitat: Inside and outside the shows, at cafés, the Maritime, and shopping--always on the prowl for surprising shots.
Sound Bite: "I like to create a sense of intimacy with the people I shoot and am always waiting to be surprised. It is also a very personal point of view, like: 'Oh ! I'd love to be dressed like that girl!'"
Weapon of Choice: A Canon 5D.
The Hunter: Tommy Ton, Jak & Jil
The Hunted: The unaware (he likes to catch candid moments) and shoes, shoes, shoes.
Background Check: A fashion-enthusiast first and foremost, Tommy got into photography as an excuse to head to fashion weeks abroad. Since launching his site, he has shot for Vogue, Elle, and The New York Times as well as Lane Crawford's Spring/Summer 2009 campaign.
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Sound Bite: "It's kind of like being on safari. You're trying to capture the gazelle on their hind legs in towering heels making their way across a sandy plain."
Weapon of Choice: A Nikon D70.
The Hunter: Phil Oh, Street Peeper (portrait by The Sartorialist)
The Hunted: The kookier and quirkier, the better.
Background Check: He launched Street Peeper after finishing his trashy chick-lit novel, Secrets of the Model Dorm, using his Simon & Schuster advance to travel to Australia, Tokyo, London, and Paris for Fashion Week.
NYFW Habitat: No morning appearances (he sleeps in). Definite sightings at "fun shows" Preen, Karen Walker, Rag & Bone, Y-3, and Alexander Wang...then Marc Jacobs, Rodarte, and Phi to shoot the big editors.
Sound bite: "Scott and Garance among others take more time and effort to pose the subject and capture the best angle or lighting, whereas I just sorta take what I can get and move on, since I have to post a lot more photos than other bloggers."
Weapon of Choice: A Canon 5D.
The Hunter: Pete Miszuk, Style Sightings (formerly of Super Fantastic Picture Time)
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The Hunted: Atmosphere, industry leaders, and downtown darlings.
Background Check: Pete started his first photography website in 2000, then moved to NYC and dabbled until he was approached by Elle.com to shoot street style for them. Since then he's shot and styled for Urban Outfitters' campaign, landed a year-long Leica sponsorship, and shot for Elle. He recently left his site to take over at Style Sightings.
NYFW Habitat: Outside the shows by day, eating Mexican food and drinking cucumber margaritas at El Portal, and late night at The Jane.
Sound bite: "Sometimes the picture isn't what you want, but you have to accept it and embrace the world isn't always perfect."
Weapon of Choice: A Canon 5D by day; Canon G10 at night.