Tag: documentaries

Documentaries are great sources for inspiration and I avidly watch for new ones to debut so I can use them in my diary entries.

Case in point was my excitement when Bill Cunningham New York finally came out. It was such a heartfelt look at the man on the bicycle wheeling around town photographing fashion on the street like it had never been done before. “The best fashion show is on the street,” he declared. “Always has been; always will be!” As he combed Manhattan’s sidewalks to tease out trends, it impressed me immensely that he never bought into the material world, even as he lived to capture its spirit.

And though it would appear there were two versions of the photographer—the one in his duct-taped poncho on the street and the dapperly dressed gentleman at black-tie fund-raisers—he was genuinely no different regardless of the garb. I watched the documentary for a second time the night before I went to see an exhibition of his photographs at the New York Historical Society Museum and Library because his spirit and authenticity that shone through in the film made the photographs feel so much more alive.

As I walked through the rooms holding his images, I heard the emotion in his voice during his acceptance speech for the National Order of the Legion of Honour of France: “It’s not work, it’s pleasure. It’s as true today as it’s ever been—he who seeks beauty will find it.” I have featured a number of documentaries on the blog so click on over if you’d like to experience more!