Before social media, going viral meant someone got the flu. There were no ‘posts’ or ‘likes’ or ‘shares’ from millions of people communicating electronically at all hours of the day and night. Passionate cliques and persistent fans spread preferences organically, by word of mouth, offline periodicals, or rotary phones.
The photos of Bill Cunningham, the famous street photographer who recently passed away, were so expressive and captivating that they did not need the Internet to spread across the world like wildfire. Bill’s love for fashion and his ability to capture human authenticity was groundbreaking. He created a new genre of photography that forever changed people’s perspective about fashion.
Bill started by taking simple candid shots of people walking around New York City. In 1978, his photos were picked up by the New York Times and his notoriety took off. Even after Bill’s work gained traction, it was still important to him to show that fashion was not a commercial commodity; instead, it was a personal art, a way for people to express themselves without judgment. With this mindset, Bill brought his own set of values into the fashion and photography world, and inspired people to unapologetically dress and act like themselves.
Perfect moments are fleeting, so capturing them can be hard. Professional photos save these scenes forever, letting people savor them. We at Coverd Photo honor Bill Cunningham and his message – be yourself and don’t let the moments slip away – capture them!
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