“It’s surprising to meet people in different cities, then you meet them again in another city,” said fashion blogger and photographer Onin Lorente. It’s definitely true.
His blog, Style Anywhere, requires him to travel extensively. Onin has traveled to Milan, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, New York, Singapore, Macau, and Hong Kong, just to name a few. But it wasn’t always a life of travel and fashion for Onin.
Past life
For the past seven years, Onin was working as programmer for multinational companies in Singapore and the Philippines. “Back then, I was doing programming for survival, but I also like what I’m doing with fashion—blogging and photography.”
Then one day, on a trip to Cambodia, Onin met Paulus, creator and editor-in-chief of issue-one.com. Onin says: “He told me I couldn’t be doing both because I will really lose focus. Aside from that, he inspired me because he was also a programmer. And he left his job, started styling for shows and eventually started his magazine.”
Various industry people he would meet also supported his dream. “In NYC, I met a professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and she told me, ‘You know where your heart belongs.’”
Last year, Onin followed their advice and quit his job to pursue his passion 100 percent. “I was really thinking, maybe this is the right time to start. Maybe I can make fashion photography a full-time job. At least, I will try.”
His programming background also eased the transition, especially when it came to managing his own website. “The technical stuff helped me a little in what I’m doing,” he says.
This leap of faith provided a whole new learning curve for Onin. From learning how to take better photos, to writing his own copy in his blog, he is a person who continually tries to improve on what he’s done. He’s had his share of negative feedback, as well. “I also believe that I cannot please everyone,” he says. “I do what I feel, what I want to do, as long as there are people who feel inspired…”
Onin has already been tapped to cover several high-profile events, and his blog has gotten the nod of approval from Vogue Paris, Glamour Paris, and Marie Claire Italia.
Future goals
Apart from his street style blog, Onin will also be shooting more fashion editorials inspired by his favorite photographers, Peter Lindbergh, Paolo Roversi, Yelena Yemchuk and Baldovino Barani. Onin’s work has already appeared in Design Scene UK, Quality Magazine Berlin, Garage Magazine Philippines and Hotel de la Paix Siem Reap.
Onin also plans to publish a book of all the people he’s photographed from different cities, and this isn’t limited to only street-style shots. “When I was in Macau, I photographed an old woman. I was so tired and on the verge of figuring out what to do with my life. And I met her and asked her for a photo. I liked her presence,” he shares.
It’s great to look back on how all these amazing and surreal experiences started from a blog site. Onin shares his best tips for aspiring fashion bloggers. “Pick your interests first, whether you are into fashion photography or you want to have a style blog. Keep your layout and presentation clean. Have less distractions on your website. Express yourself but know your limitations, and learn how journalists write their stuff. Read a lot of articles, too.”
Onin does as he says. His biggest dream is to become editor of his own art and fashion magazine. No doubt Onin is on the right path to making this happen.
Visit https://style-anywhere.com, lorentefashionfoto.com.
