After a week of fighting to survive the rollicking sea of preeminent bloggers and editors, New York Fashion Week is finally at a close for Brooklyn-based photographer Mark Iantosca. While much attention is focused on the runway shows, our favorite looks are the ones captured by photographers on the streets outside the shows. With eight years of experience under his belt and shooting for publications like Cosmopolitan and Refinery 29, Mark gives us a glimpse into the life of a fashion photographer. See below for a Q&A and some of Mark's street-style shots from NYFW:
ONA: How did you get into fashion and street style photography?
MI: It just kind of happened. I got an internship at a fashion startup in 2008 and the editors decided we should start featuring street style, so I went out and figured it out. When I started shooting fashion week it was still in Bryant Park!
ONA: What equipment do you typically shoot with?
MI: I typically shoot with a canon 1dx or a 5d mk III. I switch lenses around every now and then but mostly stick to a 50mm or 24-70mm lens.
ONA: How would you describe your photography style?
MI: I like to keep it a little different. I generally shoot a wider lens, I like the distortion and energy of it. I feel the images have a more three dimensional quality.
ONA: How do you prepare for something like NYFW?
MI: I always try to relax before hand but also make sure I have everything in order. Make sure all my equipment is working well, get anything done that I won't have time to do for 8 days. FW is pretty all encompassing for me, I never really have time to do much else except try to eat regularly and sleep.
ONA: What was one of the most memorable shows you've shot?
MI: I can't think of anything off hand, Women's gets so hectic and crazy. By the end of the week it's a total blur.
ONA: What advice would you give to photographers that want to get into the fashion photography world?
MI: I would say it's important to know your worth and charge enough for jobs. Try a unique angle.
ONA: What is the key to getting the perfect street style shot?
MI: Sometimes it just happens, you're in the right place at the right time. Most of the time I'm trying to anticipate which way people will walk and just trying to be in the right spot.
ONA: What do you carry in your bag while you're out shooting NYFW?
MI: I'm on my feet all day so I keep it as minimal as possible. Definitely a bottle of water and a mophie! I'm always way more worried about my phone battery dying than my camera. Luckily being in NYC you can pretty much get whatever you want whenever, so nothing is a crazy emergency.
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