Bill Cunningham New York

Bill Cunningham New York

2010 ‧ Biography/Documentary ‧ 1h 30m

I was finally able to watch this film the other day after my writing professor personally recommended it to me a year ago. How fitting to watch this as Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2015 wraps up this week. 

At 85 years old, legendary street-fashion photographer Bill Cunningham has for decades chronicled society through candid snapshots, bicycling around New York City capturing the latest and boldest trends. After a few minutes into the documentary, as we see him weaving through traffic on his bike unfazed by the threat of death, I couldn't help but feel a genuine, almost universal affection for a man who dedicates his entire life to something he loves doing—photographing the energy and diversity of people walking the streets. 

Bill Cunningham New York is a captivating, moving, and incredibly honest film about an individual seeking to highlight and preserve the culture and creativity of humanity. Living an incredibly simple life (think Thoreau's Walden) equipped with just his Nikon film camera, trusty bike, and signature blue smock, Bill depicts what it's like to be truly happy having invented an occupation in which the relentless pursuit to capture the beauty of self-expression is pleasure rather than work.

P.S. watching documentaries recently has settled my nervous qualms about studying abroad...eep just a few more days!

hello

i made dis kewl graphic

Please bear with me as I, for the umpteenth time since I started this blog in 2013, preface this post with an apology about my lack of consistent updates. 2014 ended on a completely abrupt, unforeseen, and sour note. Lots of self-reflection, feels, personal adjustments, and tears later, I am now welcoming 2015 and its fresh, clean slate with open arms. I just turned 20 a few days ago (bye bye teen years), and as cliche as it sounds, I'm ready to turn over a new leaf, ready for positive changes, new adventures, great company, and good vibes all around. I spent way too much time and energy wallowing in my petty woes last year. There were so many times when I felt so incredibly consumed by my own harrowing thoughts, terribly alone in the face of so much company, envious of everyone around me, and generally inadequate in my own abilities or lack thereof. 

No more of that! This blog will serve as a testament to the new and improved me. I've always loved journaling (been an avid diary enthusiast since the 2nd grade when I complained about getting out of the running for the school spelling bee lol), but keeping up with it on a regular basis has always been my number one problem.

Welp, here goes nothing—thanks for following along.