This editorial came together quickly. I had around 20 minutes to photograph Lagos-based music artist Shallipopi in Paris, squeezed into an already packed Paris Fashion Week menswear schedule. At the same time, I was also shooting the “Between the Shows” Street Style Series for The Rakish Gent and LE MILE magazine’s “Outside the Shows” Street Style editorial, so timing, preparation, and decisiveness mattered.
I was genuinely excited for the opportunity to work with Shallipopi and help mark the release of his album AURACLE. Friends back in my hometown of Vancouver, Canada have been fans of his afrobeats and rap music for years, so this shoot felt personal as well as professional.
Editorial fashion photography in Paris with Lagos-based music artist Shallipopi by London fashion photographer Ian Kobylanski.
I had previously worked with The Rakish Gent on an on-location editorial titled An Ode to British Summer, which helped build our relationship and resulted in some of my favourite photography work to date. That project also reinforced how much I enjoy shooting in real environments rather than controlled studio spaces. Photographing an influential music artist like Shallipopi, in Paris for the first time, using the city’s historic backdrops and street-level energy, felt like a rare opportunity.
As a street fashion photographer, I am used to thinking on my feet and adapting to whatever space is available. That mindset becomes especially important when time is tight. Shallipopi’s team had been moving between shows all day, arriving in a blacked-out Mercedes van and already running behind schedule. Staying confident, calm, and respectful of everyone’s time allowed us to move quickly without adding pressure.
When I shoot candid street photography, I pay attention to light, backgrounds, and how people interact with a space. That process doubles as location scouting for posed fashion photography shoots. It is how I explore cities and learn how they work visually. This approach is central to how I shoot, whether I am working abroad or capturing street photography in London, the city I now call home.
In the days leading up to the shoot, I had built a short list of locations I knew would work. I initially expected to have closer to an hour with Shallipopi, but when that window shrank to 20 minutes, there was no room for hesitation. I needed to know, immediately, which angles, streets, and backgrounds would deliver because their patience was limited.
Editorial fashion photography in Paris with Lagos-based music artist Shallipopi by London fashion photographer Ian Kobylanski.
We were fortunate with the weather. We caught some of the only direct sunlight of the week, which is one of the conditions I value most when creating street fashion imagery that feels natural and grounded. Light and shadow add tension and shape in a way nothing else does. I talk more about this approach in my guides on how to approach strangers for street portraits and how to overcome the awkwardness of street photography. At the end of the day, strong light can make any subject more compelling.
Despite the tight schedule, we were happy with what we captured, and I am excited to share the images below. I will be returning to Paris again in a couple of weeks for Paris Fashion Week womenswear, continuing to build on this way of working.
You can read Shallipopi’s full interview and story with The Rakish Gent here: Shallipopi Is Building a Universe — And AURACLE Is the Portal.
