If you ever take late night strolls around campus, I’m sure you’ve noticed how different the atmosphere is compared to the bustle of the day. After the sun sets and the lamps come on it’s like you’re in a different place altogether. There’s something about Fordham University at night that makes you want to take a picture and immortalize the view, and Wilson Speller, FCRH ’28, would agree.

Speller’s journey towards Fordham wasn’t a clear path. Originally applying to Fordham was more of an afterthought. “I thought, it’s in the city, I might as well apply,” Speller said. “Then, it got to the point where I was thinking that it’s kind of where I want to be. I went on and then I was just like, yeah, it’s Fordham.”

Speller arrived at Fordham from his home in upstate New York undecided, but leaning towards a major in visual arts. Photography wasn’t exactly what he had in mind, but college is a time for self-discovery, and he took full advantage of that.

“When I first got to Fordham, I started taking pictures on my iPhone. I took late night walks on campus and I didn’t even realize that I started to gain a liking for photography,” Speller explained. Sometimes it takes time to find something that you have passion for and sometimes it’s the people closest to you that figure it out first. “I was taking a lot of late night walks, just taking pictures, and then my parents noticed that and got me a camera for Christmas. I didn’t realize, but that was the perfect gift for me at that time,” he said. “Ever since, I just started to love photography.”

Fast forward to a year later and when he’s not in class, on the soccer field or in the basketball gym, you will seldom see Speller out without his camera. At the start of the semester, he started taking photos for Fordham Athletics. “The whole team is really great,” Speller said. “I’ve seen such an improvement in my photography.” During his brief tenure with Fordham Athletics, Speller has already photographed games for volleyball, football and men’s and women’s soccer.

For Speller, photography isn’t just a hobby: it’s a creative outlet. What started out as a nightly frolic with a side of photography has turned into a commitment to improving his craft. On his Instagram account @bywbs_, Speller posts everything from pictures at Fordham sporting events to street photography in NYC or from areas around his hometown. He said he enjoys street photography the most, referring to it as “a bit intimidating, but also super fun.” Street photography is an art that encourages observation and pushes you to find beauty in the everyday, and Speller’s photographs embody this pursuit. 

In September, on an excursion into Manhattan, he even stumbled upon a Japanese couple in Grand Central wearing traditional Shinto wedding attire. The bride dressed in a shiromuku, a white kimono and a wataboshi — a white, hooded headdress. The groom dressed in a haori-hakama — a black, formal three-piece ensemble that includes a kimono, a short jacket and a skirt or trousers. And to capture the moment, Speller had his camera.

When asked about his favorite thing he’s gotten to photograph he said, simply, “The Superfine exhibit at the MET.”

“Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” was an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that concluded on Oct. 26, but before it closed down Speller made the trip to view the pieces. Through a presentation of garments and accessories, paintings, photographs, decorative arts and more, from the 18th century to today, “Superfine” interpreted the concept of dandyism as both an aesthetic and a strategy that allowed for new social and political possibilities. “My favorite part was seeing the history and progression of black style, as well as seeing artifacts and real pieces from historical figures like Alexandre Dumas, Muhammad Ali and Frederick Douglas,” Speller said. “It was just a surreal experience being in the same room as these historical artifacts and being able to photograph them as well.” 

Speller’s deep interest in photography has even leaked into his life as he has weighed the possibility of adding a concentration in photography to his visual arts major. I, for one, am interested in seeing just how far he chooses to take it.

Speller wanted to give a special shoutout to his parents, his brother, Jackson and girlfriend, Taralain for their constant support.