Snapping Hong Kong’s Best OOTD’s with @streetsnap.portrait

Our Hong Kong is a fashionable city. From the hip street culture permeating into the outfits of city-goers trawling through Mong Kok, to the fits and drip located in SoHo, we all dress to impress.

This need to look stylish is what every Hong Konger knows, especially the people behind Instagram page @streetsnap.portrait, who travels around our city streets to snap the most stylist of us. We DMed the account to explore the lens behind Hong Kong’s trendiest street photography account and what they think about street fashion in the city.

What does fashion and street photography to you?

I think the ultimate purpose of clothing is for life, and it reflects people's personality. Although I am not a stylish person, I like observing other people’s style and flair in their daily lives. Street photography is just a hobby in my own life.

Why did you decide to create Street Snap Portrait?

Under our strict COVID-19 rules, we must be wearing masks when outside. However, I still can appreciate the style and attitude of people walking on the streets, and their fashion style, so I began to take pictures of people on the streets of Hong Kong to capture their outfits.

Because Hong Kong comparably does not have many street fashion-themed photographers sharing such images, I thought I could do it and inspired others to find meaning in how Hong Kongers dress.

How do you approach and photograph people for the Instagram page?

Only through constantly waving to people, explaining who I am and what I am taking photos of, am I able to capture people’s outfits. Honestly speaking, Hong Kong is not a suitable place for street photography like this. Everyone’s pace of life is too fast!

What makes a good outfit? What do you think of Hong Kong’s street fashion scene?

I am not able to correctly define what makes a good outfit; aesthetics are subjective. I find that people living in different areas pay attention to different details with their outfits. Some people on the street cannot understand the differences in the ways people express their identity, for example the way people in Mong Kok compared to North Point might wear their accessories.

What is the future for Street Snap Portrait?

People are one of the city's main attractions, so many street photographers love capturing people’s outfits in Hong Kong. I hope and want more people to copy this style in the city.

This interview was translated from Cantonese to English and edited for clarity.