Philadelphia Street Style: Briana, Sydenham St

I found Briana out shooting pictures for her photography class, some assignment about contrasts between light and dark, a fitting theme, perhaps, for someone whose skin tone is about as contrasted from the shade of her clothing as possible. I wanted to shoot these "old school" street style, in front of a wall, without all the distractions of the city to confuse the eye. Old school street style treats its subjects like specimens, individual samples removed from their native habitat. I like the stark simplicity of the style. I like its pretense of realism. And yet that realism, in practice, seems to mean something like one-step removed. You know nothing of the context in which these pictures were shot. You know nothing about who the people depicted in them are. There is, quite literally, a wall between you and the surrounding scene.

Briana is wearing a leotard by American Apparel, a dress from Urban Outfitters (her friend's, not hers), boots she picked up in Italy, and a necklace from Afghanistan, which she also picked up in Italy.