London Street Style...Pandora

Pandora Lennard, Assistant Fashion Editor at TANK magazine. I love Pandora's edgy style (this is the second time I've photographed her- first time was back at LFW in Feb with Alex Eagle) and I love her styling. Check out the "Masha's World" story (starring model Masha Tyelna) which Pandora styled in the current edition of TANK magazine, "MAXIMUM INDIA".

Since I purchased the MAXIMUM INDIA issue a couple of months ago, I've been wanting to use a quote from Patti Smith, singer-songwriter-visual artist (in her interview with Peter Lyle) which really resonated with me: "....My only rules in terms of my work in this time is that I don't unnecessarily cause harm or suffering to another human being-like, I would never take a photograph of somebody and it looked terrible, so that if they saw it they would look horrified and embarrassed. I wouldn't tell a story about somebody that would make them feel compromised as a human being. I just try to treat others as I wish I would be treated, which is of course a Christian concept I still try to live by." (Tank Magazine, Volume 5, Issue 7, page 197)

With my street style photography, I hope that no one looks at their photographs and thinks "OMG, I look completely dreadful- what was she doing with that camera". I don't want unflattering photos of myself roaming around the internet and I assume most other people don't either. Which is why if someone doesn't want me to take their photograph, I never, ever push (I would make a useless paparazzo!). I would much rather that I perhaps see them again "on the street" and maybe then they will say 'YES, Vanessa, pleeeeeeeeeease take my photo' (ha ha!). Because, lets face it, everyone has their off days (I seem to be constantly in 'off day' mode) and the last thing you want on a bad hair/skin/tube strike/day is a camera being thrust in your face. For me, photographing people on the street (and indeed anywhere), is a privilege not a right. And I think that that is why The Sart and the beautiful Garance Doré are so incredible (and successful) in what they do: they have built up the trust of the fashion world's top editors, buyers, stylists etc by being respectful and gracious......I suspect that most people feel that being photographed by either of them is an absolute honour rather than an endurance.

Phew, let's lighten things up here!

p.s. I have an amazing talent for attracting white vans and, it would appear, BRIGHT RED DELIVERY TRUCKS into the back of my photos. The joys of street photography, huh?!