Bill Cunningham

Hi!

I recently watched the documentary Bill Cunningham New York. It was beyond fantastic. He is a marvelous man, let alone an iconic photographer.

For those of you who don't know, Bill Cunningham is a fashion, street level and run way show photographer. Unlike the others- he gets to sit in the seats with the viewer- not in the designated paparazzi corner. He's well loved and well respected in the industry. His street photos are great- trends are formed by his photos. What he sees women wearing and how.

What I couldn't get over was he would photograph anyone, on the street, not really asking for permission. He'd see something and he'd snap a shot. Whether the subject was walking in the crosswalk or standing with a group of friends- he'd photograph their hot shoes or wicked jacket. It is Manhattan and sorta open to people doing "their thing", but I would be caught off guard if some one just photographed me a few times as I walked. I only saw two school girls get nasty about him taking their photo, and he smiled and kept going.

He's 80 in the documentary. More fit and raring to go than you or I. Rides a bicycle, every where, all the time. From SoHo to past Central Park, he's on a bike. Armed with a small camera bag full of film and two trusty manual Nikons and he's off. He never, ever breaks the first rule: Always keep your camera with you.

Another thing that caught me off guard was his modesty. In his talent and achievements and his modest way of simple, basic living. He lives in one of the last studios in Carnegie Hall. It's a closet, really. Surrounded completely by many filing cabinets filled to the gills with negatives. He sleeps on a cot in between two rows of cabinets. He hangs his clothes on hangers, hanging them on the drawer handles of the filing cabinets. Having no kitchen, no bathroom- using the "public" one in the hall.

Bill wears a classic blue smock over his clothes daily. Pockets filled with film. He is a gem of a person. Never publishes a single nasty photo, or a nasty word- not in 50 years of work. He's invited to the best fashion parties and events, always treated like royalty.

He only uses film. Refuses the digital. I think it's great. The fashion industry still uses quite a bit of film. If you could afford a digital Hasselblad- why wouldn't you be using it? ( http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/766903-REG/Hasselblad_70490520_H4D_200MS_Digital_Camera_Body.html ) But for the rest of us, great Mimiyas and Kowas and the like are affordable. Have to support the film, local indy photo labs. You have to.

Anywho, see the documentary. Fall in the love with a sweet man and his great photos like I did. And break out your old film cameras and load them up!


VIVA FILM!