Fashion expert and street-fashion fanatic, Elisabeth Donovan, meets Yael Sloma…
Like any “it-girl” amateur, street fashion blogs are my barbiturate of choice. Yael Sloma, the Tel Avivian street photographer a.k.a the Streets Walker answered some questions in the Laundry Cafe of Tel Aviv, a nice place where you can have coffee and rent DVDs while doing your laundry.
What made you take up Photography?
When I was a child, I took pictures like everyone I guess, as a hobby. But if you mean Street Photography, that all started after visiting my boyfriend in London, in 2007. The next month, I began my blog. It was there I learned the importance of street fashion, and how interesting it was. No one had thought of doing that in Israel yet.
What makes you take a picture, how could you define the right person?
I try to figure out that myself. I guess it’s a combination between something new, interesting and creative. Their look it not the principal criteria, the clothes must also fit the person, look good in the figure. Once I saw a woman beautifully dressed but didn’t take her picture because she was too skinny.
Do you use Photoshop?
No, it goes against the meaning of the blog.
Do you like having your picture taken?
Not really.
How would you distinguish yourself from The Sartorialist (Scott Schuman) , and the Face Hunter (Paris Street Photographer Yvan Rodric) ?
I don’t know why they started their blog, but I see my work as a documentary, one will be able to refer to in the future, to see how poeple dressed before, but also to show the world the Tel Avivian scene, which is unique.
What other messages do you explore through your photography?
Street Fashion is less shown in regular magazines. It is not just for rich girls. I would like to encourage people to be more imaginative in what they wear, instead of following magazine trends or just buying labels, but second hand clothing or new designers.
Do you have any favortie photographers?
Tim Walker, Richard Avedon, Scott Schuman (laughs) am I being obvious ?
How long does it take to you to get dressed in the morning ?
Three minutes
Who would you like to meet or take a picture of ?
Lou Doillon, Yvan Rodric.
Does photography consume your life?
Yes. I carry my camera everywhere, even to the supermarket, except when I do the laundry, because I live right in front. I also carry a manual as a back-up. I also love meeting people by taking their pcture, the small talk.
Have you been in the army ? Would that have influenced the work?
When you’re is 18 here, you have to join the army for two years. I served as a reporter in the army’s newspapaer, in the Palestinian territories. It made me mature, much more quickly, which is a sad thing. I believe Israel is a society that understands we must go into a settlement, even if it’s an easier to say that then do it.
How often do you go to the laundry ?
(smiles) I do my boyfriend’s laundry too, so about once a week.The Streetswalker:
