On the cold and grey days that so often best describes the wintry weather of Amsterdam it’s hard to muster up the energy to go outside. Especially when ten minutes outside is enough to make you feel like your ears are going to fall off and someone turned the knob to full power on the faucet that used to be your nose. On days like these I can usually be found curled up on the couch, enjoying my central heating (a rarity in these old buildings in the city), MacBook in lap editing photos or surfing the interwebs. On a recent such day I was doing just that and happened across a fun site. StumbleUpon. I love it...you check off things that interest you (photography, travel, cooking, books, etc...) and simply hit stumble. What happens next is like the entire internet tailored just for you, and the best cure for boredom...ever...hands down. I have found some of the funniest things I’ve ever seen in my life (Dear, Girl’s Above Me...I DIE!!!), some delicious recipes, and best of all an unlimited resource of inspiration when it comes to taking photos and being creative.
I consider myself to be a (novice) street photographer. I love the idea of telling a story through images and I really think that street photography is one of the best ways to capture this. It’s also a great way to explore a city, and to see things and go places you ordinarily wouldn’t. And on the treasures that are sunny days I am always outside taking photos. The other day it was too depressing to go outside (surprise, surprise...) and as I was “stumbling” I happened upon a story about a street photographer whose works went undiscovered until a few days before her death.
Vivian Maier lived and documented life in Chicago from the 1950’s to the 1990’s, before her death in April of 2009. Shortly before she died many of her belonging were placed up for auction at a Chicago auction house, and several of her trunks were purchased by John Maloof who was researching a history book at the time. What he found were thousands upon thousands of prints, proofs, and negatives of Miss Maier’s work. After doing some research Maloof found that Vivian was employed as a nanny (whose charges described her as “Mary Poppins like”) and that she was a “keep to herself type of person”. It seems that Vivian Maier probably wouldn’t be comfortable with the attention that her work is receiving, however I’m so glad that Maloof made the discovery.
Her work is raw, moving, and beautiful in a way that almost makes you sad. Looking at her photographs and hearing how many undeveloped rolls of film she left behind makes me want to have my camera with me 24/7, and even to brave the cold (at the risk of losing my ears) to continue the never ending quest that is the perfect shot!
Please check out www.vivianmaier.blogspot.com to read more about Vivian Maier and John Maloof, and to see examples of Vivian’s work. You can also check out some of John's work on the website, as Vivian has inspired him as well to pick up a camera and start shooting!!
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