Okay, so I realize this confirms that I have been living under a rock. Also I realize the fact that I don’t have cable or satellite television is no excuse, as Bill Cunningham is a newspaper man, but alas I must admit I’d never heard of him until I saw Bill Cunningham: New York (great film!) on iTunes the other night.

Here is the trailer:

As discerned from the film here’s what makes Bill so admirable, in no particular order:

1. He wouldn’t even consider himself an “artist”
2. He is abashedly eccentric
3. He is completely devoted to his craft
4. He isn’t in it for the money, in fact he turns it down as he feels it would cost him his freedom
5. He has been practicing his craft for years
6. His photos are beautiful (IMO)
7. He is using old school technology
8. His attention to detail, ownership and passion of the whole process from the subject material to the photographs to the the page layouts is inspiring

Lastly what makes him truly admirable is that he’s a poet and philosopher on many levels, fashion, politics, photography, culture; He had a great quote in the movie “It is as true today as it has ever been; He who seeks beauty will find it”.