Growing up in New York City I learned a really long time ago to keep my head down and walk quickly, because if I look up and slow down, I might see something I don’t want to. I will see something I don’t want to. So I adopted a quick pace and learned to make myself invisible, because life’s easier that way, when no one knows who you are. It’s painful, but it’s easier. I walk so fast, fast enough to make anyone else’s head spin. Wherever I go, I’m going ten miles a minute. And I never stop to think where I’m going because I can’t waste time. I don’t know what I’m saving time for. I just like to keep these minutes, these hours, in my back pocket for a rainy day, for a day when I might need them.

Now Scott Schuman, a lot of you probably don’t know his name, but you probably know his work. He is the publisher of the online photography blog The Sartorialist. He is my favorite photographer. He essentially invented the fashion blog. The only reason I’m writing this today is because of him. And I know I’m contradicting my earlier statement about not liking bloggers, but he’s different. He’s special. He can capture so much emotion in each photograph. All of his pictures are so eerily silent but yet each makes a very distinct sound. His pictures make noise, they carry weight, they carry themselves, and they carried me. They helped me see the beauty of cities and countries that I could only dream about. He opened the door to Narnia, and took me away. He brought me out of Kansas and into Oz. He took me out of the Bronx, and into Milan, and Paris, Florence, Morocco, Madrid. He allows you, for a second, to see the world through his eyes. And his vision is so much more beautiful than mine. Even though he is an adult he maintains an innocence, almost like a child, and he always tells the truth. He makes you believe that the world is good. He made me slow down. He made me look up.

Here are some of my favorite photographs of his. And if you haven’t, I highly recommend looking at his site. He also made a series of videos in partnership with AOL that are really great as well. I promise I’m not being paid to advertise his work. I just think everyone should look at it.

Sophia