WHO inspires you?

There are so many ways to get inspired as a writer. One of the top ways is to indulge in great art, and see how others are bringing their inner world into the “real” world. Another is to get outside in nature. There is nothing better than exploring the majesty of the world outside. Then, there is always travel, seeing new things in real-time, and experiencing how other people live. For me personally, great photography is a medium that can get my creative juices going. 

I have a soft spot for fashion and culture, so here are 3 books that always give me a positive jolt when I need to get outside of my own head and view the world through another person’s lens. 

Slim Aarons: Once Upon A Time

The name says it all. From the ‘50s through the ‘70s photojournalist Slim Aarons was granted almost exclusive access to the world of the privileged class, snapping their lives inside the circle. While I’m not the greatest fan of the monied set, it is a sumptuous and fascinating peek into a bygone era glimpsed through Aaron’s expert lens. You get the feeling he was a voyeur more than a friend, capturing a rare moment in time. The elegant lifestyles have since faded from view, but his photographs will remain with us, an artistically rendered reminder of what was.

Bill Cunningham: On the Street: Five Decades of Iconic Photography

I moved to New York in 1993 on a wing and a prayer. With only $400 to my name, I went looking for a job and ended up landing a temporary position as a receptionist in the iconic fashion PR agency Loving & Weintraub. The comms group represented a myriad of fashion houses, as well as some of society’s boldfaced names. Bill Cunningham, the street-style photographer who worked for the New York Times, was the person you wanted to cover your fashion show or event. This book is a selection of images from the famed photographer. It’s a real view of five decades of New York City style (with Paris thrown in for good measure). He once shot me emerging from a subway in a military-style coat. I wish I could say I was having a good hair day.

Peter Lindberg: On Fashion Photography

I had the rare and awesome opportunity of being on set during several Peter Lindberg photoshoots when I represented Revlon. From Halle Berry to Julianne Moore, the brand was known for hiring the most famous faces of the moment, and Mr Lindberg was on hand to shoot them. He was recognized as a fashion photographer that brought the supermodel down to earth. If it’s possible to imagine that. I love flipping through his photographs because it reminds me of the New York City of my youth, living in the Lower East Side, dining at Odeon and tramping through the East Village on a snowy Friday night.