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Basement of a Bodega: a NYFW Photo Journal

A series of experiences and tales in NYC, as seen through the lens of my X100VI.

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Stories from NYFW

Check-in at our Airbnb was set for 4 p.m., but when our flight landed at 9 a.m. at JFK, we found ourselves with no place to go and plenty of luggage in tow. With a packed day of events ahead, we had to figure out what to do with our checked luggage, two carry-ons, and two large backpacks.

"What about luggage storage?" my girlfriend Britany suggested. Perfect. We found an app that lets you book last-minute luggage storage in thousands of locations worldwide. In Manhattan, those “places” are almost always inside bodegas. But here’s the catch: we had a photo shoot scheduled in just 30 minutes. How were we supposed to drop off our luggage, rummage through it for a change of clothes, get changed in a public washroom, and still make it to the shoot on time?

Enter: Basement of a Bodega.



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An 82-degree, musty basement — thick with the smell of mold, mildew, and Styrofoam — two stories beneath a bustling shop on Broadway. The staff were moving back and forth, grabbing stock, taking breaks, and doing who knows what else. In a time crunch, we had no choice. Looking back, that first hour of NYFW might be my favorite memory from the entire week. In the moment, though, it wasn’t so glamorous: drenched in sweat after dragging our luggage six blocks, getting dressed in a sweltering basement, and racing to a photoshoot. Not exactly the best start, but definitely a memorable one.

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I shot my entire time at NYFW on the Fujifilm X100VI. Fuji loaned me this camera for the trip, and I was genuinely surprised by how much I loved using it. I previously owned the Fujifilm X100V, which I found limiting as someone accustomed to larger, more robust camera bodies. However, the Fujifilm X100VI feels much more complete. There were very few moments when I wished it performed better than it did. The resolution and dynamic range are a massive leap from the previous generation. While I’d still consider this a prosumer camera, it definitely leans more toward "pro" than "consumer."

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The entire energy of this trip was encapsulated in that first chaotic hour. From our wild introduction to the basement of a bodega, we knew this week would be fast-paced, sweaty, intense, and — somehow — glamorous.

New York City during Fashion Week has an indescribable aura. It’s as if you can feel creative energy flowing through the streets. I can’t remember the last time I felt so energized to carry my camera and capture every moment of the experience.

In fact, this surge of creativity sparked an idea for a personal project: We Outside.

We Outside is a headshot series of people I either randomly met or shared profound moments of connection with New York. I wanted the project to be raw, spontaneous, unplanned, and visually consistent.

On a personal level, these headshots act as memory triggers for me—transporting me back to those specific interactions.



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A few days before leaving for NYFW, I ran into an old friend.

"Oh yeah, I’m headed to NYFW next week. Pretty stoked about it."

"Sweet! Are you going as a guest or shooting any shows?"

“Both!”

At that moment, I lied.

I hadn’t been booked to shoot any shows at the time — just attending as a guest. But it sounded more impressive to say "both." Twenty minutes later, I got an email that changed everything. It was an invitation to shoot the Cynthia Rowley runway show — a calendar event at NYFW.

Talk about manifesting, right?

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As you can tell from this photo essay, NYFW isn’t just one thing. It’s a series of diverse experiences crammed into a few days.

This trip was heavy for me. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, introduced me to new possibilities, and deeply impacted me as a creative.

What started as a casual suggestion from my manager on a Zoom call — "Do you want to think about going to Fashion Week?"— turned into a life-changing few days.

And if there’s one major lesson I took away from it all, it’s this: shoot everything. Shoot the ugly, the beautiful, and everything in between.

—J.



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