Vivian Maier

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[I] was so excited when I came across Vivian Maier’s book recently at a shop in the Flatiron district. Isn’t it fascinating, this story? There are so many things I wonder about this photographer. Why did she take photographs? Who did she share them with? Did she care about the image after she captured it?

One of the most interesting aspects to Henri Cartier Bresson is that he had no interest in the image, it was capturing it that excited him. I think of photographers, like me, with blogs in this day and age and I wonder if she would have used this new media outlet or if she would have been drowned in all the noise?

None of this is really that important, what is always the greatest testament to a photographer is their body of work and I am happy that her archive was discovered so that I may visit these historic images from time to time and wonder about the mysterious woman that is Vivian Maier…

  • Hannah

    Vivian Maier! Her work’s fantastic–thanks for sharing.

  • I adore Vivian Maier. She is a huge inspiration for my husband’s photography as well. Her ability to make a simple scene just stunning and meaningful is so unique:)
    Thanks for sharing!

  • I am absolutely fascinated with Vivian Maier. She has definitely been an inspiration to me as an artist since her work was discovered. It makes me wonder about all the other artists that are out there who aren’t showing their work. I wonder what kind of difference they could make if they had the ability or the desire to share it with the world…

  • Vivian Maier is an inspiration. Her imagery is so raw and she captures such honest moments. Great post!

    http://www.sosimplysophie.com

  • CiaoChessa

    I love her work and wasn’t it so exciting when it was discovered? Such an unexpected gem. Funny how HCB was so much about process and that magic, decisive moment rather than the image itself. I think he would be amused at our (ie. my) fascination with his work – and I’m not entirely convinced that he didn’t love the end as much as the means. From what I’ve read he would stand in a spot waiting for the moment to happen…the reward was always worth it then! No? I don’t think VM would be sharing her work if she were around today. It seems like she liked to stay in the shadows and remain “mysterious” even if that wasn’t her intention at all. I love the way she looked at things…her perspective. I am really intrigued that she needed to photograph the things that she chose to photograph. I feel like she was trying to say something about people, about herself — only she didn’t really know it.

  • http://www.le-banc-moussu.com/

    I love too your black and white pics about new york. I ‘ve to try it in my lovely Paris.
    chris

  • Tamera

    Ah, a Vivian Maier book, finally! Now I know what I must have for Christmas!

  • Lina Rosvinge

    I love the black and white so gordius style…

    http://www.myspace.com/585590231

  • I think Vivian Maier would have been on Instagram guaranteed. Wouldn’t that just be something??

  • Thank you for sharing this! As I only recently started taking lessons on photography and studying the “masters”, reading her story and going through her portfolio was a great inspiration.

  • Suzie

    Hi Jamie, any chance you’ll have a book any time soon? I’m sure it would be quite the seller!

  • Her style is so impressive an inspiring! But also your!