Photobook - edited pictures

How much does clothing tell you?

Excerpted from Schuman's blog, regarding the pictures below:

“Where to start? - the "retro" extended shirt collar - the 3-pc. suit worn without a hint of stuffiness - the simple brown/grey color story - the playfulness of purple socks But the single most important element of this look! - the masterfully/effortlessly rolled (almost punched) brim of his hat. Really, doesn't that one element of his look tell you everything you need to know about this gentleman?”


These photographs are very much in the style of Schuman. His pictures are much like the style that he describes of the people of Milan: many variations on a single style. Nearly all of Schuman’s pictures follow the same format: a clear subject taking up most of the foreground, and a blurred background that complements the rest of the photograph nicely. I especially like the placement of the cardboard box in the second photograph, which provides necessary balance.
But these pictures cause me to wonder how much we can learn about somebody through their clothing. Not as much, I believe, as Schuman thinks. I realize that clothing is a mode of expression, and that what we choose to wear does, to some degree, affect how we are perceived. But is our attire really such a definitive indicator of our personality? Theoretically, if this well-dressed gentleman were to find another man who is homeless and dressed in tattered rags, the two could switch clothes. Now, which one is the classy, understated, collected, somewhat playful gentleman? Though clothing is a reflection of our persona, I think that Schuman ascribes it too much power.

Who does the work?

At first glance, it may seem that Schuman’s subjects do most of the “work” in his photographs. He merely takes their picture; they are the ones who wear such tasteful attire. Upon closer examination, however, it becomes evident that Schuman is doing much more than simply portraiting people who he thinks have good taste in clothing. First, it is clear that he pays attention to the treatment of light, as we can see in pictures like this:

Also, Schuman is careful about the composition of his photographs. His doing so is as subtly appealing as is the style of his subjects. Note how in the photograph below, the woman’s bright red purse creates a triangle with the red stoplights, directing the eye in a triangle that outlines the woman.

The Sartorialist - General Thoughts

I am very detached from the world of fashion and style, so the Sartorialist’s photographs, which predominantly feature the best-dressed ladies and gentlemen in town, are especially interesting to me. The ability to spot somebody who is well-dressed as opposed to somebody who is simply wearing quality clothing is a skill I do not possess and thus fashion is a sort of arcane interest to me.

Though if asked I would probably say this man is well-dressed, I would not be able to explain why. This may be why if I were to photograph individuals who I thought had good style, my photography would not nearly be as popular as that of Schuman. His love for fashion and style is very evident in his photographs.