Vivian Maier, street photographer and nanny

Vivian Maier’s Photographs

Vivian Maier was a private, unconventional nanny whose street photographs were discovered years after she made them. On her days off, she carried a camera and photographed people and everyday urban scenes. Her work includes striking images of passersby and self-portraits. She used a Rolleiflex for much of her career and also made color prints.

The subtitles offer little detail about her photographic methods, but suggest she was familiar with other photographers’ work.

Discovery and Archiving

After buying a box of Maier’s negatives at an auction, John Maloof realized the images were by an unknown photographer. He tracked down more of her stored belongings and began preserving and sharing her work.

The archival process included:

• Gathering negatives, camera rolls, prints, cameras, and other personal materials.
• Scanning negatives to assess them and make the photographs accessible.
• Processing film that had never been developed.
• Archiving the material and seeking exhibitions and institutional recognition.

Maloof and his friend Tony Riden estimated that the collection contained roughly 100,000 negatives, many of them unseen. Photographer and curator Lanny Silverman selected work for an exhibition at the Chicago Cultural Center. Maier’s reputation and the value of her work were still being assessed.

Creators and Contributors

• Vivian Maier: Photographer
• John Maloof: Collector and archivist
• Tony Riden: Project collaborator
• Lanny Silverman: Exhibition curator
• Jay Shefsky: Reporter for Chicago Tonight (WTTW)