“He Who Seeks Beauty Will Find It” – Bill Cunningham

This week the photography and fashion world lost a gem. Bill Cunningham, New York Times fashion photographer died at age 87. Known for his keen observation skills, and a knack for spotting fashion trends before they were trends, Cunningham represented more than anything, a photographer who sought beauty in the everyday. He could often be seen riding his bicycle on the hectic streets of New York, camera in hand, a smile on his face.

When describing his craft, Cunningham shared “When I’m photographing, I look for the personal style with which something is worn – sometimes even how an umbrella is carried or how a coat is held closed. At parties, it’s important to be almost invisible, to catch people when they are oblivious to the camera – to get the intensity of their speech, the gestures of their hands. I’m interested in capturing a moment with animation and spirit.”

For someone with a passion for photographing people, ironically, this was also difficult for Cunningham. He was your typical introvert, but persevered to get the photos he loved best. He was shy, humble and modest: “The problem is I’m not a good photographer. To be perfectly honest, I’m too shy. Not aggressive enough. Well, I’m not aggressive at all. I just loved to see wonderfully dressed women, and I still do. That’s all there is to it.” When approached to create a retrospective of his work for the Met by curator Harold Koda, Cunningham turned him down: “He did what he loves, and what he loved is documenting this very ephemeral world.”

We have a lot to learn from Bill Cunningham. His kind and gentle spirit for sure. But also his belief that if you seek beauty, you will find it. This notion is SO important in these uncertain times when we are bombarded daily with headlines about Brexit, or the horrors in Orlando and countless other examples of man’s inhumanity to man. It can be so easy to lose sight of the simple beauty that surrounds us. Yet beauty is everywhere and around each corner.

I took the photo above high atop a mountain pass in the Kootenay’s on a recent work trip. I was rushing from one place to the next, forgetting almost to breathe as my car took me around sharp bends and up and down steep inclines littered with “runaway lanes” meant for trucks with iffy brakes. But on this occasion, and others along my way, I could not help but stop, take a moment for a grateful snap of stunning beauty, and whisper “thanks” for the chance to witness wonder. I know we don’t all have the wild Kootenay’s in our back yards, but think of these: the joy of feeling a warm ray of sun on our face; a child’s effortless laughter; a garden or the smile of a friend. These simple pleasures are there for us if we just open our eyes, hearts and minds.

May you find beauty today and every day. Celebrate it. We are fortunate!