The one lens trick that made Scott Schuman, aka The Sartorialist, a street photography legend
Milan is a city unlike any other, and flipping through Scott Schuman’s The Sartorialist. Milano, I feel as though I’m walking its streets alongside him. His new photography book, published by Taschen, is a love letter to the city; its architecture, its rhythm, its elegance, and to the people who inhabit it with effortless style.
As The Satorialist, Schuman was one of the first to popularize what is now familiar as street-style fashion photography. Long before Instagram or influencer culture emerged, he demonstrated how fashion could exist beyond the studio, off the runway, and on the streets, blending editorial composition with candid observation. Looking at these images now, it’s clear why his approach resonated so widely: it earned him over a million followers on Instagram, and it still feels fresh, immediate, and alive.
As a photographer, what strikes me most is how he works. There’s a stripped-back economy to his practice. No camera bag, just a Canon EOS R5 or 5D III body, a 70–200mm lens, and a patience that allows fleeting moments to unfold in front of him.
Each frame captures drama, romance, and personality, often in the blink of an eye. I find myself pausing on single images, noticing how a gesture, a tilt of the head, or the way someone leans against a doorway reveals as much about style as any outfit. It’s a lesson in seeing for photographers, and that technical perfection is secondary to emotional resonance.
Milan itself is a perfect partner for this work. Its palazzi are severe yet contain hidden gardens; its streets are bustling yet intimate; its markets and cafés vibrate with life. Schuman’s photographs reveal the city’s energy in ways I hadn’t noticed before. A passerby’s silhouette against the Galleria’s glass ceiling, a Vespa weaving past a frescoed wall, a carefully tailored coat catching the light; all these details create a rhythm, a visual language that feels both real and cinematic.
The late Giorgio Armani’s foreword reinforces this, noting that Milan and its people reveal themselves slowly, but those who observe closely will be rewarded. Schuman’s lens does exactly that.
Like many of Taschen’s photography books, The Sartorialist. Milano is beautifully sequenced. Threads of color weave through black-and-white frames, giving it a rhythm that mirrors the city itself. It reads like a visual diary, where each image is a story, each page a lesson in light, timing, and framing. I find myself studying the way he isolates his subjects against architectural backgrounds, the subtle interplay of natural light and shadow, and the quiet attention to gesture, an approach that feels both deliberate and organic.
For photographers, the book is more than inspiration. Schuman sits down with Gianluca Cantaro in an in-depth interview that explores his workflow, mindset, and philosophy of street-style photography. It’s a rare glimpse into how he approaches a city, how he chooses a lens, how he waits for the decisive, or even poetic, moment. For anyone trying to merge observation with editorial vision, it’s essential reading.
Flipping through these pages, I realise that what Schuman has done is more than document fashion; it’s shown how style exists in life, and how a photographer’s eye can reveal it. Street photography need not sacrifice elegance; fashion photography need not be staged. For me, this book is a reminder of what is possible when you move lightly, observe, and let the city and its people dictate the rhythm of your work.
The Sartorialist. Milano is $80 / £60, published by Taschen, and out now in the UK, and is published in the US in February. For photographers, it’s both a masterclass and a love letter: to Milan, to its streets, and to the art of seeing.
For more inspiration, check out our guides on the best books on street photography and another great Taschen release showcasing over 200 unpublished photographs of Sophia Loren.
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