Chicagoland and Northeastern Illinois Photo Meetup Group Blog: Vivian Maier As Inspiration

"Waiting" by Jim Watkins

Vivian Maier’s work was first brought to my attention a couple of years ago by my wife, Tricia Ransom. Through one of her contacts on Twitter, Tricia had come across a blog featuring her work. We both marveled at the beauty of those street images back then, but their importance escaped us and we pretty much forgot about them until a month or so ago. That’s when the once-reclusive Vivian Maier suddenly became a household name all across the photographic world. Thanks to the tireless efforts of John Maloof and his team, the enigmatic Ms. Maier is finally receiving her due. And no one is benefitting more from that than we are.

I have always been a great admirer of the likes of Robert Frank, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Gordon Parks, Robert Doisneau, and Andre Kertesz among others. Perhaps one day, when the breadth of her work can be fully brought to light and examined, Vivian Maier can take her place among them. Her images seem to capture the essence of the subject and the mood of the time, delivering a true sense of place to me, the viewer. In my mind, that’s the key to good street photography, an image that compels the viewer to stand in the photographer's shoes for that one moment, observing first hand that slice of someone's life. If the image engages you to such an extent, you’re looking at a very good photograph. Many of Vivian Maier’s images engaged me in such a way.

My photographic interests cross several genres: rural and urban landscapes; travel; public events; and nature, to name a few. One of my favorites, though, has to be monochromatic street photography. I had gotten away from it lately, as other types of photography occupied my attention. But after attending the Vivian Maier opening at Chicago’s Cultural Center in January 2011, I knew I had to make street photography an important part of my shooting schedule once again.

I always saw street photography as a challenge for me, taking me way out of my comfort zone. I always felt more comfortable capturing skyscrapers and mountains than the faces of strangers. It is still that way for me, but I’m feeling more and more at ease in pointing the camera and capturing candid moments of people going about their everyday routines. Over time, I’ve developed tricks where people are now unaware that I’m capturing them on pixels, even if they’re looking dead into the lens. Vivian Maier, like all the great street photographers, makes it seem effortless.

Following are a few images taken by me after viewing the amazing Vivian Maier exhibit, understanding that John Maloof has only scratched the surface of her body of work. One day, through John’s efforts, we’ll get to see it all.