EXCLUSIVE: The Life of a Street Style Photographer During Fashion Month, According to Justin Soriano

November 6, 2024

When it comes to capturing fashion’s real-life and real-time moments, photographer Justin Louise Soriano is the person on the scene

While Fashion Week introduces trends for the season to come, street style snapshots keep us firmly rooted in the current moment—the reality of the rush before the runway. What people wear while hopping from one show to another are frequently just as intriguing as anything you see on the catwalk. Justin Louise Soriano steps out behind the lens and chats with MEGA about what it’s like to be a street style photographer during Fashion Month.

Justin Soriano photographer Fashion Month — ^{Justin Louise Soriano is a photographer and celebrity makeup artist}

Street style has become one of the defining photographic genres of our time, and at Fashion Week, one thing you can count on is that the attendees—celebrities, influencers, and editors—will glide over the cobbles en route to the front row in utterly chic ensembles. Soriano, during these sartorial seasons, documented the street style denizens of New York, Paris, and Milan Fashion Weeks.

Behind the Lens with Justin Soriano

From backstage to street photography to the red carpets of awards seasons, Soriano honed his talent for taking images while juggling a healthcare profession: “It has always been my dream to have my own studio after passing the boards,” he says. “Although I passed the licensure exam for nursing, I still practiced photography in my clinic. I shot portraits at first—I like to capture emotions, soulful eyes, and the expression lines when someone smiles.”

But Soriano tells MEGA his love affair with photography also began with an infatuation with fashion: “I am captivated by people who know how to dress themselves, and the funny thing is, I actually manifested shooting at Fashion Week—I assured myself that I am capable of doing greater things,” he says. “My core drive and fuel back then were my dreams, the goal to improve my life and be able to get the things I need and want on my own.” As a goal-oriented person, Soriano wanted to satisfy his hunger for inspiring art in fashion form, and share his impressions with the world.

While Fashion Week is contained to its esteemed invitees, the rest of the world is awarded a peek into the luxury and splendor through the snapshots—which is where Justin Soriano comes in. A quick scroll on his Instagram and you’ll already some of the most famous faces of this zeitgeist from Bella Hadid, to Rosamund Pike, to Romee Strijd, to ENHYPEN’s Jungwon and Ni-Ki, Seventeen’s Mingyu, and BLACKPINK’s Lisa, alongside his muse and occasional canvas for his makeup skills, Pia Wurtzbach.

Nikki Huang New York Fashion Week — ^{Street style shot of Nikki Huang during New York Fashion Week}

Pia Wurtzbach Milan Fashion Week — ^{Pia Wurtzbach for Milan Fashion Week}

Self-taught, what started as a side hobby turned into a professional career. “It helped me improve my work in general,” he says. “Including Fashion Week in my portfolio tells clients and brands that I can deliver high-quality work in fast-paced, high-stakes environments. I was also able to shoot Pia Wurtzbach’s Bvlgari campaign, a BDO docuseries, and a lot more event and ad-related work because of my experience in Fashion Week.”

Runway vs Street Style Images

Soriano tells MEGA the fashion capitals allowed him to demonstrate the breadth of his creative vision—both on the runway and on the streets. And during Fashion Month, this lensman believes that capturing candid street photographs is as vital as high-fashion catwalk shoots.

Justin Soriano Fashion Month Photographer — ^{Soriano declares that runway photography has more structure than capturing street style}

Kendall Jenner Paris Fashion Week — ^{Kendall Jenner Hits the Runway in a sheer red dress for L’Oréal Paris “Walk Your Worth” fashion show}

Cara Delevingne and Eva Longoria Paris Fashion Week — ^{British model Cara Delevingne and American actress Eva Longoria also walk for L’Oreal Paris’s “Walk Your Worth”}

On the difference, Soriano says, “Runway photography has its own structure; you have to capture the whole look worn by the model. The perfect strut, their walking posture, as well as the details of a certain outfit. But street style photography is shooting individuals with different personalities and different ways of carrying a brand; street style shots represent how the outfit should look when worn on a daily basis. It is very interesting as you see people interpreting these pieces in both minimal and maximal styles.”

Pia Wurtzbach Paris Fashion Week — ^{Pia Wurtzbach on the way to the Miu Miu runway at Paris Fashion Week}

Soriano then admits that street style photography requires more effort than shooting on the runway. “On runways, the lighting is almost the same for each show. But on the streets, you always need to know when and how to position yourself because lighting changes all the time.” By cataloging the ensembles of the city’s most stylish dwellers en route to the runway, how does Soriano know which shots hit the mark?

His answer: “I’m very particular with shooting subjects—I prefer a photo that does not take away the focus on my subject, like props or other distractions.” When looking at his body of work, Soriano’s standard is a clear, well-lit subject who possesses a great use of color, texture, or print, and then carries it well.

Capturing the Moment

The goal of street style photography, first and foremost, is to have a discerning eye enough to capture the scene outside. It may seem such an easy thing to do, but photographers are in an uncontrolled setting, and that alone impacts the result. “Adapting to the weather is the challenge,” Soriano tells MEGA. “Weather plays a very important role in capturing street style photos during Fashion Month—the light changes when it’s too sunny or gloomy.”

In street style photography, it’s crucial to be prepared and to be in full gear, because you’re not shooting in a studio where your equipment will be at the ready: “Running out of battery, insufficient storage, and having to change lenses as quickly as possible to catch a certain shot can be problems,” Soriano says.

It’s about being quick and attentive so you don’t miss the moment. Documenting the slices of everyday life and visual culture in sartorial variety is part of the thrill of the chase.

James Reid Paris Fashion Week — ^{James Reid on the way to the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2025 in Paris}

Emily Ratajkowski New York Fashion Week — ^{Emily Ratajkowski on the way to COS show at New York Fashion Week}

Soriano’s work has also served as a way to learn and observe from other creatives in his field: “My favorite part about shooting street style is getting to know how other street style photographers work,” he states. “I love observing how other people do their job as well as seeing my favorite personalities attend the shows.”

Yoyo Cao Milan Fashion Week — ^{Yoyo Cao for the Tod’s show in Milan last 2023}

Alexandra Pereira Fashion Week — ^{Alexandra Pereira for Schiaparelli in Paris last 2023}

Soriano, who leveraged his fashion fanaticism, curiosity, and skills to make the scene outside the shows the main event, tells MEGA that shooting at Fashion Month didn’t come by chance. He has worked tirelessly against the grain and without compromise—and now he is living his passion. “Being able to travel the world while photographing makes it so rewarding,” Soriano shares. “I am able to improve my skills and at the same time be exposed to different cultures and art that help diversify my style and the way I tell stories through my photos.”

Anya Taylor-Joy Paris Fashion Week — ^{Anya Taylor-Joy on the way to the Dior show in Paris}

Xiao Zhan Milan Fashion Week — ^{Xiao Zhan for Gucci in Milan Fashion Week 2023}

Photos and Featured Image: JUSTIN LOUISE SORIANO

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