Friday, June 29, 2012

Philadelphia Street Style: RJ, Baltimore Ave


There is no doubt something reactionary about my choice of RJ for today's shoot. I like his style. It's familiar, "comfortable," as he described it to me, like an old pair of Doc Martens. But it's also about as far as possible from the man in the tailored suit look I've been shooting so much lately. I needed a bit of contrast. 


Taking this shot, I experienced a wave of nostalgia. Or is it recognition? I know this stance. I've used it before myself. It's the stance of subcultural affiliation, the legs firmly planted and defiant, the thumbs hooked in the pockets, the shoulders slightly hunched. I would recognize him as a subculturalist no matter what he wore. It's in his bodily hexis, as sociologist Pierre Bourdieu would have put it. But the question is, which subculture does he belong to? Is he punk? Metal? Grindcore? Industrial? Neo-electro dubstepper? Subculture these days is like a vague, indefinable allegiance. You know it when you see it. It is a visible stance, a posture, a series of gestures. And yet it hovers in a new terrain, this kind of in between space that resists clear identification. 

6 comments:

  1. That's my hot husband! His style certainly falls into any of those categorizes listed, interesting blog!

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  2. thanks, Stephanie. Say hi to RJ for me.

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  3. I'm pretty sure I've photographed this guy before! You're right, it's a nice break from all the suits!

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  4. Brent - as good as your shots are (and they ARE good), my favorite thing about this blog is your writing. Such a dry wit, and I love the anthropologist perspective. Almost like you are making fun of us? But of yourself, also? In any case, I'm addicted.

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  5. It's not easy to pigeonhole anyone's style these days--there are so many influences, both conscious and unconscious, that shape our look, and where there use to be the punks, the metalheads, the preppys, the suits, etc. the clear divisions are gone, and it's a mashup. Your photos are good, but as the previous poster comments, your writing, with it's anthropological slant, is very interesting.

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  6. thanks for the kind words, Shana and FCF. Nice to get some positive feedback to keep me going.

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