Vivian Maier

The latest book I have added to my collection is Vivian Maier: Street Photographer.  

I first came across Maier's work a couple of years ago at the London Street Photography Festival.  I attended an exhibition of her work that I hadn't planned to go to and I was glad that I did.

We all love a story about someone who achieves success.  Whether that is a rags to riches story or the story of an artist whose work is discovered after their death.  The latter is the case for Maier.  I think the fact that she didn't work as a commercial photographer or seek gratification before she died gave her a freedom to work unhampered.

Maier appears to make the most of her free time from working as a nanny to shooting the streets where she lived.  She captures the vibrancy of the city but also the harsh realities of life in her time.  This leads to a variety of exciting and interesting subjects.  You have children, businessmen, the rich and poor, beggars and busyness of city life.  If these are her subjects then young love, loneliness, drunkeness and childhood innocence are the traits of life she captures.

The book contains an interesting set of images from her work.  There is an element of humour in her work.  There is also a sadness.  The book gives a great insight into how Maier saw the world and what truly stirred her emotionally.