1.3.10

drop the mask



You might have noticed that sometimes when you shoot someone, they're wearing a mask. For most people it used to be a tight smile (sometimes accompanied by narrowed eyes: you can tell if they're not smiling with their eyes if you cover their mouths and they look angry). Lately, in keeping with the rise in street style blogs, people immediately strike a pose and deliberately DON't smile and hope they look like a model.

The Sartorialist has developed his own mask - head turned 3/4 in the same direction, face pleasant but not smiling - and I got him to drop his mask in September ('I shot the Sartorialist') by saying something amusing. That's a tip that works with children but sometimes grown-ups, too: make them laugh. Charm your subjects.

However, with these two, it didn't work. I ran up to them, gave my card & asked if I could shoot them (note card in hand) & they let me, but at the moment I pressed the shutter, I asked in a friendly tone what it was for.

'We can't tell you that,' they said, and ran off. Uh, okay, never mind then. Have a nice day.

7 comments:

the style crusader said...

haha, i love that they told you that they couldn't tell what the masks were for. that is so funny, and a little ridiculous! xx

Style Odyssey said...

haha, cute...and a wee bit creepy. :)
it's fun sometimes to make people wander what you're up to- as the case with these two masked ladies.
i sure like their jackets.

jill said...

And it adds a bit of mystery. I should really try it sometime.

Iris / London Fashion Diary said...

They probably were running out of make-up.. haha
xxx

Pearl Westwood said...

I think they were skiving off work to go to LFW so needed cunning disguises!

Pamela said...

creepy! but interesting lol!

the nyanzi report said...

I shot them too and posted it on my day 3 report as a feature presentation.
You are right, they wouldn't give up any info about the masks.
Great shot though.