Vivian Maier Street Photographer Book

I'm kind of blown away by the OP. This book stands up well against anything I've seen recently and for a ticket of $30 +/- it's an outstanding value. The print job is totally professional. The blacks are black the whites are white. I'm not detecting any magenta anywhere.

If you want Bruce Davidson's book.. go for it. I've got it too and it's excellent but I have no grounds to be dismissive of the work by Maloof nor Vivian Maier. I'd put her work up against any street photographers work. It's interesting, well composed and exposed. It's kind to the subjects she has shot. I get a feeling she would only push if she was pushed. She certainly was daring in some situations when she went for the shot.

Regarding making money … read the book. Maloof actually tried to find this woman only to find she'd passed away a short time before he got the archives. He was smart enough to realize what he had discovered and he's preserved it. I have no issue with him publishing a book of photographs. Try it some time.

About being dark. So what? About having seen images on a computer screen prior to the release of the book. The book is better. What do you want? I'm sure people were all over Maloof to publish and publish as fast as possible. He respected the archives and the reputation of Maier. Even Garry Winogrand or Henry Wessel have taken bad photographs. Do they get published? No.

I am hoping that Maloof has saved as much as he could through his diligence and that there's enough good material for a second book. I'l be there to buy a copy.

I like this book of Vivian Maier's work and John Maloof's rendering of her work.
 
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Contarama said:
I'm just going to throw something out there and see what happens...back in Vivian's day if you were homosexual people would look the other way as long as you didn't make any waves as long as you were "polite" about it...wonder if this might be something about the darkness you all speak of???
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What on earth has that got to do with anything? It's about as relevant as surmising she was only five feet tall or her feet hurt, or she had garlic breath. That comment is just sick! Try to stay on topic - it's about photography, isn't it?
 
I love her work but the book is rather disappointing (both printing and pictures selection).
 
Now I'm intrigued. I understand people don't like Pablo Picasso or Thomas Kinkade, everyone's entitled to their taste. But the criticisms are about the book quality and the fact some of these images are on the nets. These are technical criticisms so I'm wondering what current photography books people like texport, fbf and contarama would put up against the Vivian Maier book for $30.
 
Please forgive me for not expressing myself well Jan. I have no criticism whatsoever about the book as I have not seen the thing. I was just commenting about how perhaps some of the "darkness" referred to in the original post and subsequent posts maybe a result of her own unique human condition if you will whatever that may have been...I make only suppositions based upon what I have read about her and some of her photos. I have also been persuaded that it probably is okay for the guy who found those negatives to make a little coin from them heaven knows he is passionate about her stuff or else we wouldn't be discussing it probably.

I like Vivian and the article I mentioned above that appears in the Smithsonian magazine is great I would encourage you all to read it as it has a telling slice of life from a neighbor of her's.

Now I am going to order the book and keep my mouth shut! :)
 
Contarama said:
Vivian Maier was a heckuva chick...check out the latest issue of the Smithsonian magazine...I give kudos to the fellow who rescued her work but I strongly oppose anyone making a frigging fortune off of it...ESPECIALLY if they are going to make shoddy prints of it....
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If you have a link could you post it? I'd like to read the article. Thanks !
 
notraces said:
I like the book very much. Many photos of my birthplace - Chicago. Also lots of nice NYC Images, too. I think I paid less than $30 for it on Amazon. Well worth it. Keep it on your Santa list, Helen!
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That's good to hear. I have mine ordered (back-ordered at the moment) from the big A as I type.....
 
Is not the human condition dark? We struggle to survive and maybe learn and when we finally become capable we are old and preparing to die. She was a street photographer who photographed reality, a reality that she not only saw but probably experienced. What were her deepest innermost thoughts? Why did she choose to become a nanny who lived alone all her life? Where are her friends, her relatives? If you are drawn to Arbus, Bellocq, Evans, Frank, Burrows, etc. you will probably appreciate her work.
 
I really like the book. Vivian Maier had talent, she had a great eye and a good deal of humanity and there's plenty of social commentary in the pictures so far published. The book is well printed (at least my copy is) by Asia Pacific Offset of Hong Kong. The images in the book are only just the tip of the iceberg and we have no idea yet if these are the best or if her huge collection contains equally good pictures. It appears she was a bit of an odd duck but she was absolutely focused on taking pictures in her spare time, and she was very good at it.

Below are a couple more links:

WTTW CH 11 Chicago | Vivian Maier |

The Life and Work of Street Photographer Vivian Maier - Chicago Magazine

Vivian Maier Photography
 
This is a most bizarre thread. I don't understand what happened here.

Okay, so.... To the OP: Could you post a link to an image you consider "dark?" I haven't seen anything online from Maier that would qualify. "Dark" to me, is INFERNO.

Where did the issue of homosexuality come in? How is that related? Is there some undertone i'm missing? Was The Viv a lesbian? Is that represented in her images?

I just saw on my calendar that the exhibition is coming up (NYC) in a week. I'm excited to see prints in person.... The last show i saw was Elliott Erwitt at the ICP. To say that i was blown away is an understatement. I have four of his books, but the HUGE, magnificient prints are just another ballgame altogether. I'm hoping Maier's work is printed well and with impact.
 
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