Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on May 2010

Photo by Marie Sasago

Scott Schuman has a success story that most amateur street snappers could only dream of. The Indiana native quit his fashion industry job in 2005 and started up a photo blog that has since become a watchword for fashionistas and street photographers worldwide. The Sartorialist documents sophisticated—albeit suspiciously New York-ish—trendsetters on the sidewalks and at fashion shows in Milan, Paris, London and beyond, shooting “people on the street the way designers look at them.”

“I usually prefer going out alone, especially in the morning when it’s quiet,” Schuman explained during his first trip to Tokyo, where he took the unusual step of bringing a guide in order to “get a sense” of the city. The language barrier proved to be one of his biggest challenges. “Especially with older men, because they don’t speak English and are both shy and have a sense of pride that makes them reluctant to pose. It’s a lot like Italians, actually.”

So how does he produce those vivid shots? Although Schuman was carrying a high-end Canon 5D, he insisted he really doesn’t pay much attention to technical details. “I like the 85mm [lens], but sometimes it’s too tight when out on the street, so the 50mm is the safest bet. Not quite so sure of the aperture, though, since I never stop it down that much.”

After his book-signing session at United Arrows in Harajuku, Schuman apparently got a real taste of Japanese culture when he bumped into a few fans on the street and headed out to partake in one of the country’s favorite photographic activities: purikura.