Book: The Sartorialist

Scott Schuman started a blog back in 2006 photographing anyone he thought looked good in the streets of some of the world's major cities. From New York to Stockholm and from Milan to Seoul, he strived to pick out individuals whose style would create debate on his site. He wasn't interested in their personal story but more about creating his own image of what they might be like. Today the blog is known not only throughout the fashion world but the world full stop. Some of his subjects are well known people in the industry, others are regulars he bumps into on each visit to a particular city, while others still are never to be seen again after their first portrait. The styles featured range from the classic perfectly done to the downright ridiculous or incredibly sexy, but what all the models have in common is absolute confidence in what they are wearing. Whether they are on the street, on the phone or on their bike, the individual is the single most important element in Schuman's photos; there may well be a set of steps, an interesting wall or a national monument in the background, but such is the power of the outfits that you may not notice these elements until much later, if ever! In many cases the person in question is not even aware they are being photographed whether that be in order to capture a particular pose, because the person's back is the most interesting part of the outfit or because only a small detail is saught by Schuman.

A collection of the thousands of photos on the blog have been out together to make Schuman's second book, The Sartorialist; Closer. The differences between the latest edition and the original paper publication are firstly the physical proximity of the camera to the subject and secondly the diversity of styles featured, which is bringing Schuman closer to his goals.

Whether you've seen these images already or not, the book is a must for all those who seek inspiration when it comes to dressing themselves and for those who appreciate photographic art. For it is one thing to spot someone whose style you like; it is another to be able to portray this in an image.