Bill Cunningham is an endearing fashion photographer who lives in a small, cramped NYC apartment packed to the rafters with his photographs. Even more remarkable is his seemingly humble background or otherwise “normalness.” Although he hobnobs with the fashion worlds’ most famous citizens, he is not wealthy or born into a famous family.

Cunningham is a photographer for the New York Times and produces a weekly narrated slide show “On the Street” documenting fashion in New York City (NYC). Although he does occasionally photograph models, most of his images are of people walking on the streets in NYC who dress stylishly, sometimes outlandishly so. Cunningham is over 80 years old and has been capturing NYC’s street fashion for over 50 years. He gets around by bicycle and over his career has had 28 bicycles stolen.

Note: Bill Cunningham died age 87 on June 25, 2016.

This very watchable and enjoyable documentary made me want to carry a camera everywhere I go and photograph all the fascinating fashions that pass by. This is what the subject of the movie did and his passion for doing so is infectious. As I sat in my car, watching the film on Kanopy, on my iPhone, I looked up to see a man in a dress pass by and later a woman in a fur vest with a blue streak in her hair. I am not going to make this my life, so I resisted the urge to jump up and ask for a photo, but I'm so glad Bill Cunningham never thought twice about following his passions. A wonderful film about an interesting, passionate, and self-effacing man. Very enjoyable documentary, also available on Kanopy.

If you like this wonderful documentary on the octogenarian, bike-riding, New York City street fashion photographer, Bill Cunningham, you may also like his posthumously published memoir, “Fashion Climbing” which provides a glimpse inside the fashion world he chronicled for decades.

Bill Cunningham was a wonderful guy and this comes through in the movie. But the filmmaker only needed to put the camera on him discretely and that story would have been told. The footage of Bill is great and extensive. The other NYC characters who appear to get gussied up in the hopes of being captured by the late, great fashion photographer are... yes... eccentric... but eccentric on purpose which is a little less than interesting. They love the spotlight and the filmmaker indulges them. Bill, on the other hand, is self-effacing which makes him the more compelling character. Bill was well known to be a very private person. The filmmaker awkwardly asks him personal questions that visibly upset this cheerful man. That was painful to watch and unnecessary. So, overall I would recommend the film because of Bill, but I do think the filmmaker could have handled things better.

I heart NY

A true delight for anyone who likes biopics about honorable, talented, passionate people. Bill Cunningham has photographed street fashion for decades and published his photos in a regular column in the NYTimes. To give you an idea of his impact , he was given an honorary award from the French Ministry of Culture. His argument for the importance of fashion is compelling. Watch this moving portrait of a remarkable man.

Interesting film. His whole life was about taking pictures of people. He did not do much else. He seemed happy though.

Bill's a peach of a man. He follows his passion and refuses to sell out. He has 28 bikes stolen from him while living in Carnegie Hall and attends church every Sunday. He states it's nearly impossible to remain honest and straight in New York and that fashion is the armor to survive everyday life.

Delightful bioflic! This is very inspiring in a most elevating way. If you are struggling to do your work, whatever it might be, I think you will get some ideas about what success means.

Bill Cunningham is one-of-a-kind. A friend returned home from NYC a few months ago and was thrilled to report she'd spotted him pedaling down the street.