New York Fashion Week is upon us! I love NYFW, a time when celebrities feast their eyes on decadent couture, and everyone else in the city is still like: “Wow I hope I’m not priced out of my rental unit, and also blueberries are 7 dollars now?” If it makes you feel better, remember that during fashion week, otherwise highly-paid celebrities give brands free Instagram publicity just for a seat. And I thought I could easily be bought.

No matter how much you loathe NYFW, it’s so normal for “commoners” (as I affectionately dub anyone who is not a famous) to want to be photographed by street style photographers. To be photographed is to assert that you matter, despite the Instagram-driven social order which wrongly emphasizes thinness, beauty, fame, and wealth. For a commoner, being photographed is an act of protest! As a fashion week veteran (Instagram @jenyakenner #famouslife #celebstyle), I’m glad to share some of my tips for getting that picture!

[Photo via @jenyakenner by @linzolson]