What Social Media Isn’t Telling Photographers

[@ThePhotographicEye]

I've been working on finishing touches for the next course (which will go live October 7th, and is included as part of this year's 5DayDeal fundraising as an exclusive bonus to TPE viewers). This new course won't be publically available until 2024 You can join the waitlist here: www.thephotographiceye.info/5daydeal Visionary Photography: Cultivating Your Unique Creative Eye Course Objective: Unlock your creative vision, bridge the gap between vision and reality, and develop a distinctive photographic style. Module 1: The Art of Seeing Develop keen observational skills and cultivate a visionary mindset. Lesson 1.1: Introduction to Visionary Photography Lesson 1.2: The Power of Observation: Training Your Eye Lesson 1.3: Embracing Curiosity: Finding Beauty in the Mundane Lesson 1.4: The Photographer's Mindset: Beyond the Lens Module 2: Cultivating Creativity Foster creativity, draw inspiration, and establish daily creative habits. Lesson 2.1: Stealing Like An Artist: Embracing Influence Lesson 2.2: Breaking Creative Blocks: Reigniting Passion Lesson 2.3: Daily Habits to Foster Creativity Lesson 2.4: The Role of Experimentation in Photography Module 3: Emotional Connection in Photography Create compelling narratives and infuse emotion into your work. Lesson 3.1: The Vision to Reality Gap: Bridging the Disconnect Lesson 3.2: Telling a Story Through Your Lens Lesson 3.3: Infusing Emotion into Your Work Lesson 3.4: The Power of Intuition in Photography Module 4: Developing Your Distinctive Style Discover, refine, and establish your unique photographic voice. Lesson 4.1: The Journey to Finding Your Voice Lesson 4.2: Elements of a Recognizable Style Lesson 4.3: Consistency vs. Evolution: Balancing Growth and Signature Lesson 4.4: Portfolio Review: Analyzing Your Work for Style Patterns Module 5: The Visionary Photographer's Toolkit Equip yourself with resources, collaboration techniques, and motivation strategies. Lesson 5.1: Inspirational Resources for the Modern Photographer Lesson 5.2: Collaborating with Other Artists: Expanding Your Vision Lesson 5.3: The Role of Feedback in Shaping Your Style Lesson 5.4: Staying Motivated and Committed to Your Craft

[@traumaturgist]

So wait - you're using the occasion of a photographer who never displayed her photos for profit or public acclaim in order to promote your own for-profit course. Got it. And I think you are overstating the "dilemma" that photogrphers experience over their work in general in terms of the desire of being seen.

[@XmanSully]

​@@traumaturgist What is your problem, St. Francis? He is not allowed to make a living?

[@XmanSully]

It's obvious why she didn't share: she didn't give two shits about it. People are mostly awful

[@traumaturgist]

@@XmanSullyLOL please adjust your ruffled feathers and try again.

[@RodrigoPolo]

I understand the premise of the video, but you left out of the equation that most people want a job doing photography, thus, relying in social media presence as a marketing tool to get some work.

[@nextsibling]

Posting photos on social media taught me that my least favorite pictures were the ones The Internet liked the most and the ones I loved were ignored. I learned that the mass audience doesn't want to be stretched or challenged and prefers whatever cliche is currently fashionable. The joy of being an amateur is that I don't have to care and can just keep doing what I like.

[@timspencer289]

This is SO true. I had the same experience. Pictures I loved moved nobody. Pictures I thought were unremarkable... others loved them. It made no sense, but I started chasing those likes and drove myself to despair trying to take "social media friendly" photographs.

[@jonathanscherer8567]

@@timspencer289 Don't forget to process them until they look like the land of Oz. Who cares how unrealistic they look? Banding and blocks of pixels as you crush color gradation for intensity doesn't matter. It'll all look fine on a smartphone!

[@ingvar3072]

People do not know about your thoughts, feelighs etc, they do not know what it took to you to make those pictures. On social media they see only result of your work alongside with thousands of other pictures. So they like something is it looks good for them, nobody will sit and analyze every picture Also, people are stretched or challenged by their usual life. They open social media when they want to relax a bit. Maybe if you want to "stretch and challenge" someone, people on social media is not the best audience for you?

[@TsuiIzumi]

I feel you, even If I'm and amateur photographer it's a bit discouraging when some of the shots that I put a lot of work into doesn't get any like while a random picture that I took get a lot of likes. I'm still new to photography and I enjoy just taking the pictures, but I still want some recognition for my work even if it's not the best.

[@MrPhotodoc]

I should be famous by now. Almost all my photos have been cliche.

[@bjdlh01]

Pictures without the need for external validation. What a great statement for living.

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

When you're a creator and you create something, that thing exists whether others see it or not. Vivian Maier had the world's most exclusive clientele.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Love that way of looking at it

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

​@@ThePhotographicEyewhat's really crazy is that she didn't even develop her films. They sat in their cans until their discovery after her death. Just seeing the image in the viewfinder as she took it was enough. That's the hard part to wrap my head around. Vivian Maier literally didn't see most of her own finished photos

[@PROgaming-fm6yu]

@@JohnDrummondPhoto maybe she couldn't afford to develop them

[@luisbustamante9869]

Her (massive) body of work speaks of the power of photography. Many photographs might cause a flash in the pan just after they've been taken but that fades into oblivion pretty soon. When you look at Maier's work you realise that photographs are something that resonates in posterity, irrespective of the photographer's reputation.

[@JensMHA]

@@JohnDrummondPhoto Not sure that is correctly summarised, much of her later work after retierment ended up as such, but if I get it correctly, quite a lot of her photography from when she was employed was developed and for her perusal at the time. :-)

[@412foto]

my favorite photographer. and blows my mind how she could compose so quickly, nail the focus, nail the composition, and nail the metering...hard to do that with a mirrorless digital camera and still capture the moment let alone with a TLR. just shows she knew her craft and gear so well it was automatic because she was so prolific in her shooting

[@MJ-uk6lu]

I just think that she had compositions in her mind, then prepared and then took a shot. Also some photographers know from memory how to manually adjust focus.

[@TedHallII]

My favorite camera, though retired now, is my Rolleiflex f2,8E. Taking pictures with it was as easy as setting a modern camera once you got used to the built in meter and calibrated iris/depth of field indicator. I especially loved the 6x6 format shooting color positive and tri-x films. If you got what you wanted in the frame you could crop down to 35mm size with no loss of detail.

[@FloKorp86]

Please don't forget that we only see a very small set from her body of work. She produced hundreds of thousands of images and I'm guessing as with all of us most shots were utter garbage. So praise also goes to the editors, the lab technicians, people who did the retouching and the printers. Basically the estate of Vivian Meier is a team effort

[@BlownMacTruck]

Nailing focus and metering is meaningless in her work. That stuff is dead simple for most street photographers because they use such closed down apertures with huge depths of field and meter for very broad situations. What makes her so great are the artistic components - composition, framing, etc. If you’re relying on your camera to handle instant focus and metering for the type of photography she shot, you’ve fallen victim to thinking you’ll be a better shooter through tech.

[@hgl2002]

Agree. As both a film and digital shooter, can say that the actions you describe are hard to execute and get the shot under the best of conditions. And until listening to this video, I did not realize that a lot of her film went undeveloped, but that helps me understand how she could’ve taken hundreds of thousands of photographs. The processing and retention of that many negative negatives is daunting. in any event, Vivian was a prolific and wonderful photographer, whom I admire greatly

[@SourcePhotography]

Vivian Maier tapped into the true meaning of "living a full life." Just do what you love, whether people agree or not.

[@williamlasl]

Did she live a full life? Nobody really knows her. There is now this romanticizing of Vivian Maier because she is (1) dead (2) a mystery. There seems to be a lot of projection into the life of someone nobody knows or cared about until she was dead and gone.

[@thedarkslide]

I am not sure she herself or others around her would necessarily agree. She died in extreme poverty, alone. She never got to experience the fame and success associated with her work.

[@SourcePhotography]

@@williamlasl Having taken over 100,000 photographs... I think it is safe to say that she found a great joy and "fulfillment" in her photography. And that was the point that I was expressing in my original comment. If you find something in life that makes your heart sing, than you most most certainly have lived a full life. Regardless, of the trials and tribulations that we all face.

[@SourcePhotography]

@@thedarkslide Fame or success doesn't necessarily bring you happiness. Having a passion and dedication to something in your life, does. And I personally feel that photography was more than just a craft for her, it was sustenance for the soul.

[@thedarkslide]

@@SourcePhotography I wasn't just talking about fame or success - but Maier died in absolute poverty without any financial security - you cannot possibly claim she lived a fulfilled and happy life when the sad state of affairs required the then adult children she looked after in the past to help her out financially. She died alone, without family, without having shared her work, without maybe having seen her work (printed) to a large extend... let's just be real for a moment and consider the circumstances.

[@beme2032]

Vivian Maier was a photo journalist-her photos were her diary, her camera was her pen. It’s extraordinary to think that she rarely developed any of her negatives or printed her photos-and therefore may not have ever really known how good she really was-both technically and artistically.

[@catherinepeloton4446]

Lack of money...

[@annawilliams6661]

It's so strange to think of all that film undeveloped. Yet she persisted. Maybe it was the ability to really see people through the process of taking a photo she was paying more attention to the world around her, and there is pleasure in seeing the hidden details of people when they briefly let go for a moment, that is pure pleasure.

[@christophermcnamara3405]

and it gets further complicated by the fact that we don't really know what her intentions were, at all. Every photographer goes through an editing process. But that part of the process never took place for her. When Garry Winogrand passed away, there were garbage bags filled with undeveloped film. What were his intentions? We can maybe surmise that he didn't feel that there was anything worth the time and energy in those rolls.

[@lenrichardson7349]

@@christophermcnamara3405 Or was the satisfaction he got from the process of taking the photographs enough. Why process them if they are never going to be seen.

[@christophermcnamara3405]

@@lenrichardson7349 So many questions indeed. In the absence of evidence (writing in a journal or whatnot) we can't know the complexities of their intentions. We do know he kept tiny notes as he shot - and when he thought a roll wasn't worth the energy after shooting all 36 exposures, he didn't process it. After he died, his estate decided to process all the unprocessed film. And many contact sheets were made and displayed. This raises even more questions and doesn't answer any of the original ones...

[@AMorgan57]

Vivian Meier is a philosopher's photographer. She explores the wonder she feels to be alive in a visual world, and needs no language but the camera.

[@bubbajones5905]

...and to think she did all this without Photoshop or Lightroom.😊

[@mitchellsteindler]

I agree, many of her photos seem to have a philosophical perspective. Idk what else you're saying.

[@johnappleton9349]

Her photographs capture thoughts. You wonder what these people are thinking. An you feel like you're standing right there, not just looking at a picture.

[@kerc]

I went thru a crisis of sorts about this. I had to stop myself and meditate on why I was doing photography and why (or even if) I needed to post it online. At the end, I realized that I take photos for myself, and that I like to share some of those with others with the hope.of bringing a bit of visual joy in the same way other photographers' work does for me. It also cleared my mind on what to photograph, and go with my visual instincts instead of shooting what I'm "supposed" to shoot according to the photography world. Vivian Maier is an example to follow, even if you're a professional. Always follow yourself and your artistic insight. Great video!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you

[@trinacogitating4532]

My thoughts, as well. Very well said.

[@klarkolofsson]

Vivian Maier is probably my favourite photographer and the fact that she didn’t published them might be apart of that. Doing anything for yourself these days, creatively, is unheard of. If you can you are truly free.

[@andrewsimpson5436]

She didn't have a choice to publish or gain notoriety as a photographer, just like every other "amateur" in the film era and pre social media! Stop confusing eras and what was available.

[@tdc_2021]

@@andrewsimpson5436 she had the chance to process her film, print it and share it...

[@gneelcostello511]

​@Tim Church if I'm not mistaken, most of her negatives were developed after their discovery 10 or so years ago.

[@tdc_2021]

@@gneelcostello511 yes, exactly!

[@tdc_2021]

@@walterlippmann4361 indeed

[@edwardrobison3684]

Thank you for this thoughtful video. I have been a professional landscape photographer for 25 years, and I stopped sharing photos and using social media almost 4 years ago. The sheer volume of photography I was consuming on feeds like instagram were clouding my own vision and crushing my creativity. Many people have told me that I was committing “career suicide” when I stopped posting photos, but some how I have managed to stay relevant and continue to work professionally and make a living doing what I love. And to be honest, I haven’t missed scrolling through those feeds or receiving likes and comments on the photos I post. One day I may return to it, but for now it has been a breath of fresh air!

[@rylannational4577]

She was the purest of photographers, not swayed by opinion of others, just reacting on her gut feeling!

[@juliamaddox4408]

My passion is creating what I call "reflection photography." I live in New York City and spent a lot of time in Manhattan when it was so empty during the pandemic taking reflection photographs off of shop windows and puddles. When I discovered Maier's photography, I felt like I found a kindred spirit. Thank you for featuring her!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching

[@ArekArciszewski]

I see my work. That’s enough for me, because I mostly do it for myself. Sometimes other people enjoy my photos, but thanks to your channel I learned I should be the most important person to please.

[@jesse_cole]

And yet you still felt the need to make the discussion about you, instead of keeping your comment in your head, where only you can see it.

[@ArekArciszewski]

@@jesse_cole I felt the need to share the joy of enjoying your own work.

[@bizpixvegas7651]

Amen to that. It took me a long time to come to that point. And as a result, I have created my deepest body of work just recently. I am not going to keep to myself this time. I intend to share it with the world.

[@SurrealExposure12]

@@jesse_cole why say stupid shit when we can say nothing at all 😊

[@DesertGeek85321]

I was a photojournalist in Chicago in the '60's. I worked for a company that had major clients so my work appeared in countless annual reports, publicity releases and similar publications. For a hobby I wandered the streets and photographed what appealed to me. I made high quality prints and released them into the wild by donating them to various fund raising groups. They were sold, I don't know how much they went for. They are all unsigned and un-captioned. They speak for themselves. I really enjoyed doing that.

[@MiLaKreativ]

Our admiration and appreciation of Vivian Maier's images is not only the result of her photographic talent or even genius, but also of the ennobling varnish of time that makes the images not only photographically impressive but also serves our curiosity for the lives of our parents or even grandparents. This may explain the fascination of younger viewers in particular.

[@Giles29]

Her photos evoke a sense of nostalgia. It's heightened when you learn about her and what she was like.

[@vibesmom]

I can see nostalgia being a factor for sure . For me, she’s capturing something in those photos that is beyond just a person. I have no idea what she’s focusing on in these shots, or how she is able to make me feel that I’m looking beyond the person. It’s almost like their very essence has been pulled out of them and it’s sitting there for all to see. I’ve had pictures of people I know capture that feeling, but never strangers, not in the way she’s doing it. It’s impossible to describe with the correct words but I wish I could pull out of a person what she does in her photographs. It’s almost as if there are no words needed to describe who the person is. It’s remarkable to me.

[@lads.7715]

She captured nostalgic Mid Century Urban America as an outsider, and then passed away as an unknown genius, almost Van Gogh style.

[@lads.7715]

@@vibesmom as a neatly dressed, middle-aged woman with proper bearing, she was likely much less intimidating when approaching strangers, (especially if she ever had her child wards along). Imagine a French Mary Poppins coming by with a camera!

[@liquidtunes]

“the ennobling varnish of time” is wonderful phrasing. Good point.

[@cellgrrl]

Vivian's work is heartbreakingly beautiful. Some years ago I visited a showing of her work in a tiny rundown art museum in Arlington Texas. Her work is worthy of a much larger and prestigious venue, but at least it was available to the masses. Even then there were only a handful of people there. I am certain it is because most people had no idea who she was. Seeing her work was a great privilege. And of course she was a photographer. No one is required to share their creations.

[@NakedClub]

Thank you for "showing her work". I had tears in my eyes.

[@mr_danyol]

This video is incredibly reassuring considering I deleted all my social media and photography website. After receiving my BA in Photography I decided to become a teacher because I learned I was not a salesman and my joy did not come from external validation. Making photographs is a true personal joy I have, but unlike Maier I would love to make a book or two. I believe Maier was an incredibly practical woman who found joy in handling a beautiful piece of machinery and making photographs, but did not want to go through each and every image. Photographers can make a lot of images in their lifetime and the process to look through all of those images can be overwhelming. She valued time and understood people are focused on their lives and their appreciation for her work can't be greater than her own. There isn't as much of a desire for validation when you can create your own joy. Really appreciate the video. Thanks so much!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you for your comments and watching.

[@nachnamevorname5917]

Your second-last sentence I find amazing. Yes!!

[@mattsadventureswithart5764]

I find it overwhelming to look through all the photographs I make. I kick myself for not doing this or that or the other when shooting, and very quickly, I lose interest in looking at them. Making the image is what I have always loved, not looking at what I made. Looking at what others have created is a joy for me, including looking through an entire shoot, but I struggle to do it for my own. Curious, isn't it?! 😢 EDIT to add: If I had a tenth of her talent, I would be very happy. I cannot compare myself to her, and didn't want to give the impression I thought so highly of myself

[@paulmclinden2859]

I'm so glad you revisited her work. What makes her, for me, the greatest and I mean greatest, is her work haunts you. There's something there we cannot quite put our finger on that makes us go back time and time again to view these most wonderful images. She is just outstanding.

[@Hart-en-Ziel]

I’ll echo that opinion. There’s something special about it. A humble silence, and quality.

[@Swampberry]

I’ve watched the doc a dozen times, not just for her work but more her relationship with the world through the lens. As an autistic person, seeing how she was able to connect with life means so much to me

[@kkfoto]

I was a "Vivian Maier" for about 25 years, shooting and developing my photos primarily for myself and a limited audience. Almost 20 years ago, I got into Flickr, and started sharing, discussing, and learning from many talented photographers. Then I was drafted by Getty Images. It became a good source of income, but I started taking more pictures that others wanted and less of what I wanted. As Flickr fizzled out, I went back to my old ways. I am not attracted to most social media, where finding good photography is like looking for a needle in a massive haystack of overcompressed and overprocessed images, selfies, and videos.

[@barrybogart5436]

Bravo!

[@bondgabebond4907]

If you want people to see your work, be a newspaper or magazine photojournalist. Otherwise, it's a hobby. The only people who will see your work are family members who gawk at pictures of themselves and their family and friends. We can share the horror of getting old, laughing, remembering and enjoying the life we had. Outside of that, no one cares.

[@cristofacar]

@@bondgabebond4907 - Vivien Maiers was not a photojournalist. What follows above is patronising in the extreme. As if only professional photojournalists can take good photographs. That is patently not the case!

[@thomasmaughan4798]

Panoramio was a great source of high quality, high resolution photographs that served as inspiration not just about making a good photograph, but also of many interesting places in the world.

[@richiehimes7990]

Thank you for this newest video about Vivian Maier. For the longest time, I was obsessed with taking pictures that others would want to see. Her work proves that we should be taking photos for ourselves and if anyone else sees and likes them, that's gravy. I distinctly remember when a Facebook acquaintance who is a professional photographer by trade, saw a photo I posted and asked "Are you a photographer too?", I replied "No, I just take pictures.". I had this idea that a photographer was a professional with incredible skills and got paid for them. Vivian Maier's photos blow that concept out of the water. It took me a long time to realize that I AM a photographer. I love her monochromes but the photo at 6:57 really intrigues me. What was that woman concerned about? Did things turn out well for her? It's a very thought provoking photograph. Videos like the ones you've made of Vivian Maier's photos are the wake up call that many of us need to start enjoying the process of taking memorable photos that speak to ourselves.

[@ARTIST-AT-LARGE]

This idea that our work must be seen is a new generational thing. I've been a photographer since high school in the 1970s and I never cared if people saw my work.

[@shubhamb.deshmukh7920]

So the point is to enjoy photography and let yourself free from the thought of impressing social media viewers.

[@pauljopson8361]

Man what amazing body of work Vivian compiled. What an eye! I only started getting serious about photography only 6 years ago at the ripe old age of 55. As I have gone on the journey I have been battling for the past year on what type of photography I want to be? I have decided not to pigeon hole myself because I love taking photos of all kind of landscapes, people, and objects and what ever catches my eye. So thanks for this and all your other thought provoking stories. Big fan 🤟

[@Argyll9846]

Her work is really something else and her ability to capture the moment, and the people, really hits you when you look at her images.

[@juliette-mansour]

Hello and thank you for this. I spent way too many years as a photographer seeking that external validation. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to purchase one of Vivian's works and thought to myself, "Would she be appalled that her work was for sale?" In any event, her story changed my way of photographing and over time, her process has influenced the way I shoot now. I have abandoned all external validation in exchange for the sheer fun of creating images just for me and for whoever asks me to shoot. No more shows, no more self-propelling blogs. It's just the love of shooting that feeds me now.

[@BlownMacTruck]

Er, that’s nonsensical. Why would she be appalled? Stop romanticizing and projecting your thoughts on her life and work.

[@xtrastrengthsassx1269]

@@BlownMacTruckthis person is obviously talking about Vivian’s propensity for keeping her work to herself while she was still alive. It’s not crazy to wonder if she’d want her work to be publicized if she didn’t even show it to anyone when she was alive. This was unnecessarily hostile.

[@BlownMacTruck]

⁠@@xtrastrengthsassx1269It’s an entirely valid response. There is evidence she WANTED her photos published - read up on her. Even without that particular bit of information, your statement is just as speculative. Again, stop projecting and speaking for others. It’s disrespectful to someone who can’t respond.

[@juliette-mansour]

Very hostile for no reason.

[@BlownMacTruck]

@@juliette-mansourImagine if someone you knew passed and people were speaking for them based on zero or even opposite evidence. That’s what this person is doing.

[@michelvanryswyk8560]

Thank you for the wonderful commentary which made me ponder…… Photography is taking a picture of a moment of time that the photographer only sees. It’s for them to record what interests them, not for the masses. It’s pure pleasure and that’s what made Vivian Meier see the world with her own eyes, one picture at a time. The enjoyment of photography is in oneself’s to explore, enjoy and relive. Not for the masses, period.

[@baharam98]

Again, thank you for your passion of sharing your knowledge and wisdom. You have no idea (or maybe you do...), how much this channel has made me grow confidence in my own photography, how much it has set me free; free to be "ME" and at the same time, enjoy every step of the way. So Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@bizpixvegas7651]

Amen to that. I learned how to be ME just recently!!

[@thebladex]

Big agree

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Wow, thank you!

[@tobywoolgar9517]

I've known of her but never knew she was so private about her work! The question is would she have wanted people to even see her work? She's definitely made me want to take more interest in her story and appreciate photography in a whole new different way!

[@myimagecapture2266]

How timely, I've recently considered closing down my website and removing myself from social media and possibly only keeping one outlet to post images. I was thinking Vero but still uncertain. Your video is giving me some food for thought. Thank you for introducing me to Vivian Maier.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching

[@myimagecapture2266]

@@walterlippmann4361 ya sure

[@TDtog2112]

Vivian Maier is one of my favourite photographers and it is a shame that she never got to feel the love we have for her photography. What I find appealing about her images is the time period that she lived and worked in which produced so many wonderful subjects for her to capture. I don't think we have that today. The 50's and 60's America just seems to be so special. Thank you for your insight and for showing more of Vivian's work that I had not seen before.

[@bobmocarsky7943]

Interesting, it seems that unless we seek out far flung areas that most things we see in current society are getting more standardized… from cars to markets and even behaviors … we really have to dig to find such outstanding subjects now *

[@Bodywern]

A totally sensible and curiously inspiring video. I’ll remember most of it…. Thank you for the wisdom, and for reminding me of so many of Vivian Meier’s photographs.

[@greggorter]

I’m constantly reminded of the importance of questions that you’re asking Alex, and posing them with an awareness that we also need to ask of our own approach to photography within ourselves. Thank you 😊 ✌️

[@benny4614]

Thanks for your explanation of this amazing photographer, when I saw her photographs for the first time, it blew me away. I have been a photographer for more than 50 years, she had an eye that instinctively knew the right composition. What I find very sad is that in her life she never got the recognition she deserved for her work. But when you read about her life she was a very private person, and would have hated all this media attention.

[@CAYENNEOREZ]

I love her story, even though it's a little tragic. There's a very interesting documentary called 'Finding Vivian Maier' which really let's us in on what an unusual woman she was and what a rare talent. she had.

[@SnowyAspenHills]

Definitely worth watching.

[@wb5plj]

Vivian Maier is the single most inspiring photographer I am aware of. This is a perfect point to counter the Vanity that seems to come from Ranking, positional, and barriers to entry that has poisoned the access to this medium of expression which is so easily accessible that many people don't even recognize it. if Vivian is no Photographer than I am proudly no Photographer.

[@dougstenhouse9514]

Thank you for this Alex. Very thought provoking! Vivian Maier's photography is exquisite! Her eye was unerring at capturing the moment. Her composition was immaculate and I love her use of square format. There is something about so much of her photography that just sings! I think there is something more complicated than Vivian Maier just keeping her photography to herself for her own enjoyment however. So many of her photos were not even developed and printed in her lifetime! Whatever motivation drove Vivian Maier, we can all be grateful that by pure luck, these wonderful photos were rescued from oblivion. As photographers, I think we all enjoy our craft, but would also like there to be a legacy to be shared and enjoyed by the wider community.

[@HolyKoolaid]

Thank you for this beautiful video. As my platform has grown so has the pressure - the feeling that I need to create content for my audience that my followers will like. But the fact is, in the beginning, I was just releasing content that I enjoyed talking about, and that authenticity is what brought people to me.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching

[@outofthecommonphotography5503]

Yes, one is a photographer if someone doesn't see their work. Just by definition alone. It's so nice of you to show the work of Vivian Maier. I remember first seeing her work and learning that she made nothing public. Her photos really are inspiring. And though I'm not a street photographer, my work does mainly consist of "the world" if you will. In other words, I photograph things that interest me. From a fire hydrant to a mountain landscape. I feel if it captures my eye that strongly, it's worth shooting. And that same thought goes into why I share my work. To simply share the experience. To say to someone, "Hey, check that out" using the picture. It's quite a joy, sharing. Yet, I can totally relate to Vivian. I'm sitting on hundreds of photos that are fine. I just haven't felt the need to share them. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. I don't know. I do know that seeing Vivian's work will always be someone whose photography I admire strongly.

[@ma-scalia8629]

Wow her work is absolutely incredible! As someone who does share my photos, I do still have many moments where I say, “this one’s for me” it doesn’t need to be shown, or perfect, it’s just how I want to remember it

[@tedgoldman9121]

I found your conversation to be very thought provoking. I will admit to enjoying positive responses to photos I post and to photo essays on my website. The need for acknowledgment is a normal human trait. It’s only when it becomes self serving to the detriment of others that it becomes negative. Showing our best work is a way to enrich others. Your videos are sharing your best work and the success of your channel is an acknowledgement that I hope you enjoy. If all artists were private like Vivian Maier, our existence would be very limited. Art is an escape from the trials we face every day in this world. Maier’s decision was hers to make, but what a teacher and inspiration she could have been.

[@ronaldreid2185]

She has an eye for composition. Every photo has a story to tell. Every photo make you want to look at it. Her work is amazing, kudos to the person who found her work and published it.

[@rickhelmke7893]

She was truly gifted and like so many creative people she was tragically flawed. Thank goodness her work was found and made public, I hope mine is saved somewhere. I would like to have met her but I suspect it would not have been what I would have hoped for.

[@tylerjacobs2200]

​@@walterlippmann4361 she was not a kind person and abused some of the children she nannied.

[@samhardy2038]

You don’t want to meet your heroes

[@sleepyricky4826]

This is very eye-opening for me since she didn't seem to be pressured at all, to try to please others and fish for feedback and approval to define her self-worth. Shooting for the enjoyment, the fulfillment.. that's true passion. And we need more of this kind of shooting to stay mentally and emotionally healthy. I love that she took photos of herself! The concept of taking selfies have existed long before the word was even coined, and seeing it done by her during her time was just so interesting, inspiring and beautiful. Vivian Maier's beautiful photography is the perfect realization we need for taking photos moving forward.

[@RotterStudios]

I've been a photographer for 35 years. Had a side business, now I shoot for myself and I've always considered myself a photographer because I see things and capture them for me. If others like what I do, that's great, but it's for me. I'm a creative. Yes, Vivian was really great, taking photos of every normal day things, that became something years later. No one just photographs the everyday....years later they really become something.

[@havoc-ado]

I love photos taken with TLRs not because of 'irony' or how 'retro' it is, but photos taken from the chest/waist creates a whole different look to it.

[@radshoesbro]

I fully understand what you mean when you say there are only a handful of people you care about seeing your work. I’m in a group text with two of my favorite favorite photographers and we’ll share nearly everything with each other. Things we would never share with everyone. And not because they’re necessarily good or bad photographs, but because we all genuinely love each other’s work and it’s nice sometimes for no one else to have seen it.

[@simon359]

Vivian Maier was the whole reason I started my interest in street photography. Before this, I really didn’t know much about street and wasn’t interested. Just seemed like most of the people in my city were photographing people from their hip or trick photography. It wasn’t until Vivian Maier, I saw that she approached it directly without trying to hide what she was doing. My street photography interest took off big time in the last six years!

[@sarika_art_purchase2845]

Thissss is so powerful, as a traditional artist I can relate to this and many of the comments here. Just two days ago I began removing my art off social media. Strange to have realised its become as if ones identity is tied to their hair, that to shave it off would feel like ones identity is threatened. As I deleted one post at a time, it started feeling liberating. Two days later, somehow I have more time for me to create! A realisation of just how much pressure I'd felt as if I had a boss I was working for and needed to perform and perform well... What a fallacy! More time to explore what I want to. Even if it's experimenting to learn. There's no postable art piece at the end of that session but feels more authentically productive to my passion. The voices of "will they like it, like it enough , is it edited well enough, should I have rather done something else?" etc... They are disappearing. 😊 I create for me. I feed my soul, not an algorithm, not others opinion's, even positive ones even though I appreciated it, I realised I'd then do more of what others were liking more to the point of having lost touch with what I actually like. Artsy Regards, 💃💃💃 Great video thanks for sharing and to all the people who share their experience... It's been like finding calm in chaos ❤

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching

[@deldridg]

A friend had worked as a professional photographer for many years until recently. One day he headed to a beach here in Sydney to wait for a spectacular sunrise. It materialised from the dark and as David stood to capture it with the spectacular silhouette of a headland in the foreground, he noticed a dozen others had mimicked his set-up for the same shot, most with far more expensive gear than he had. At that point he realised that his game was pretty much up and his style of shooting was no longer going to pay the bills. For me, I just love choosing a camera from my modest collection of old film cameras and trying to capture something for me! Cheers, David

[@mariongillon6208]

I think the “pressure” to show one’s photographs is directly correlated to one’s self image and self esteem. Recognition for the work one does is quite high in importance on Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, and many people need this recognition to feel that they are valuable in this world. Some people, as you say, just do it for the love of the process. Another driving factor is the need to make a living at something you love to do anyway. Once that need is fulfilled, then the need for validation from outside sources is lessened, as with yourself. Vivian Maier was indeed brilliant, and, if she didn’t need the recognition for her own sense of self-worth, nor the income, then it really doesn’t matter that we are seeing her work now or that people saw it when she was actually doing it.

[@SugarRushTimes2030-gs3qp]

When I left social media and started sharing my photos with family only, I saw the art in it for the first time, the real emotion

[@PhantomFilmAustralia]

Vivian and her photography was the equivalent of a person writing in their diary. Would you call the writer of a diary an author? Her photography was for her and her alone, much like a diary. Both cases are not for public display, as they are subjective works rather than objective. Either are a photograph or a few lines of inner monologue that captured and contextualised a moment of their day that no other would ever experience. Was she by definition a "photographer"? It doesn't matter-as the definition itself is subjective to every individual.

[@lightbox617]

It is always gratifying to have people appreciate your work. That gratification is "sufficient but not necessary" to producing work.

[@scotskinner4350]

The closest I've come to photographing for others was photographing ducklings. I wasn't making those photos because I was interested in the subject, I made those images to get likes on social media. And they didn't do as well as I had hoped. Now I just shoot for myself. I still share them on social media, because there are people (friends and relatives) interested in my work. I sometimes walk around my suburban neighborhood in search of William Eggleston-esque images. I experiment with new subjects and new techniques. If other people like them, that's fine. And if they don't like them, that's fine too.

[@gnored]

This was a most surprising video for me to see, because I too am one of those photographers who shows almost nothing. I think Vivian Maier had things just perfect for her. And the same approach is right for me. That attitude is probably not ok for a lot of photographers, but it's fine for me, and it was nice to learn of a photographer who felt the same way. Thanks for introducing me to her.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching

[@zodiacmanan]

I struggle with this on a daily basis - I definitely do not like sharing my work, as I think it is precious to me and only me. This might come across as selfish or arrogant, but I dont think I got into photography for someone else's sake. Just my own happiness. And it is that conversation in my head that goes on incessantly about all the photos that I have taken and never shared widely - which is exhausting. I only wish I can achieve Vivian Maiers equanimity about enjoying the process and let the results fall where they may.

[@twentyfirstidentity]

Saw an exhibition of her work in Taipei last year. Wonderful photographs.

[@tigertongue74]

I think another area where most photographers today lose out on is the process of printing your own work Everything is so socially driven that the actual "Photograph" gets lost on an online platform.I have always printed everything that I consider worth printing and will continue to do so as long as I am around.Vivian Maier was just one of many photographers who kept their work to themselves.Im sure that there are many untold and unseen negatives and images around the world of people who took good photographs over the last seventy years or so.They enjoyed the art of photography and just did what they did privately.Just my two cents!!!!

[@Sunil778-l4c]

*_I give my heartiest tribute to Madam Vivian Miar...such a great lady, she's inspiring, she's one of a kind, she's the kind of people who are genius and have done something that we owe to as a whole❤❤_*

[@CottonBud]

Great vid. The 'what if social media existed then' hypothesis is interesting, but perhaps an equally meaningful paradox (and more uncomfortable one for many) is that she was that rare thing - a truly talented yet commercially/socially unambitious amateur. Maybe that is why her work is so pure and good - she wasn't getting paid (perhaps enjoying her nannying job as a way to make money) and wasn't fame hungry. Her work wasn't compromised by any other humans sticking their oar in and suggesting how to 'improve'. Personally, I think she played a blinder - stunning as her photos are, we may not be talking about them if it wasn't for this remarkable amateur, private aspect of her artistic endeavours. As it is, her work has become appreciated all the more for her story, and the pictures live on for a future audience, when they may otherwise have got 'lost' in the milieu of popular culture had they have been made public at the time. Maybe her approach is as much of a work of unique art, perhaps more so, than her photos.

[@J5L5M6]

Wild. Her photographs are beautiful. I've loved photography since my intro to cameras & darkroom course in high school. I've been shooting film ever since. I haven't had a roll of my film developed since then. I'm now 38.

[@diane39istockphoto]

Vivian Meier is the greatest photographer of the 20th century without a doubt. I have no doubt that she even saw most of the images she took. Can we even imagine doing what she did now? I think it was her one way of interacting with her fellow man and with the world around her. The kids that she nannied said she was very stern and stand-offish and used to drag them around to God knows where to take photos without her employers knowing for the most part. It's an amazing story.

[@sew_gal7340]

The moment i saw her photos i immediately fell in love; thank goodness there is someone like you to show the world the talent and craft of these great artists. It goes to show that wealth does not need to scream or be loud in any way, talented people are often quiet and introverted.

[@StuartLowPhotography]

The fact that she did keep her work from the world is precisely what makes her work so special. She had no influences and did her own thing, capturing life and her moods as she saw it through her lens. Had she been alive today and shared her work, I doubt very much that she would be noticed. I can say this from experience (Im the head judge of a long established photography competition), and sadly, what I see far too often is trend based photography, that is doing nothing but emulate photographers who have built up large followers on social media. The quality of cameras have increased, and as that quality has got better, the quality and standard of photography has become MUCH worse. Its fuelled by marketing, social media, and influences and photographers are brainwashed into believeing that every image must be perfect, highly resolute and super saturated. The only photography that seems to make it now is the spectatular crowd pleaser images and there is so little emotion, thought or consideration in images anymore. It's mre the case that people go out to make something that fits the crowdpleaser model and that's sad, because there is litearlly no one producing anything like Vivian's work now and I doubt there ever will be.

[@ugnbugn]

What a delight to have stumbled across your channel! I have become something of a social media pariah over recent years, and I really connected with your discussion, particularly also being an avid lifelong photographer. My past alter-ego has been "The Philosophic Eye", although I think little if anything remains of its former web presence. Thank you for sharing your wise and well-articulated thoughts, and the wonderful images of Vivian Maier. I look forward to browsing through your videos!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

That’s awesome. Thank you

[@anewcareerinanewtown]

I think you hit some key points in regard to taking photos without seeking external validation and taking them for yourself. Much of social media reminds me of the early stages of a photographer's career where there's this need for kudos and praise and trying to emulate what in retrospect are very clichéd images. But there comes a point (usually after many years) where all the previous work seems quite meaningless and a new way of thinking or doing starts to evolve. To get there is to really shoot for yourself and be unconcerned about anyone else. It's when you start seeing images, trust your subconscious and take the shot. In this way Vivian Mayer was far ahead of her peers and maybe that is what she feared - that people were just not ready for her work yet - a bit like that scene in Back to The Future where Marty McFly starts playing Jonny B Goode.

[@ToNi-go5pn]

Dieses Video hinterlässt mich sprachlos, weil ich mich seit dem ich es gesehen habe in meinem tun hinterfrage. Ich habe begonnen zu Fotografieren, weil ich Momente einfangen wollte und das zu Zeiten, wo an Social Media noch nicht zu denken war. Ich lernte mein Frau über das Fotografieren kennen und früher habem wir einfach nur Fotos gemacht... für uns. Jetzt zerren deine Worte an mir. Der hunger nach Anerkennung, der Versuch in den Sozialen Netzwerken überhaupt aufzufallen ist ermüdend und raubt mir mittlerweile den Spaß. Vivian hat den Kern der Fotografie erkannt. Auch wenn damals die Zeiten und Möglichkeiten anders waren, es wäre Ihr bestimmt gelungen Ihre Fotos zu zeigen. Aber sie wollte nicht, Sie hat für sich Momente eingefangen und bewahrt, die Stimmungen und vielleicht auch Ihre Gefühle. Wir machen uns zu abhängig von der Anerkennung anderer. Wie ich auch. Und dein letzter Satz trägt in sich die ganze Wahrheit. Ein Fotograf ist ein Künstler dessen Kunst nur einer verstehen und akzeptieren muss...er selbst.

[@SweetZombiJesus]

Vivian did contact a printer at one point to inquire about making prints of her work. It fell through, but she clearly had the thought of sharing her work in the back of her mind. Regardless, her body of work evolved without criticism so the question is then "if you intend to one day share your work, does that effect your art?"

[@BlownMacTruck]

I don’t think you understand the phrase “fell through”.

[@wmpx34]

@@BlownMacTruckOr more likely, changed their mind on the phrasing halfway through and forgot to revise the first part.

[@SweetZombiJesus]

@@wmpx34 You had it right. Thank you for being more sensible than BlownMacTruck.

[@BlownMacTruck]

@@SweetZombiJesusI’m not going to assume anything in a KZbin comment section, especially around people’s grasp of languages that may or may not be their primary.

[@BlownMacTruck]

@@SweetZombiJesus I’m not assuming anything. I read your reply at face value.

[@ryanreedgibson]

Her work gives me feelings of aloneness and sadness. Yet they are enjoyable to view.

[@themanfromphoto]

Social media has a tendency to inflate your sense of self-worth, self-righteousness, and level of perceived skill at an accelerated rate. The real artists do art for the feeling that they get from it. Not for likes on a board from strangers.

[@williamlasl]

On the other hand, some real artists also like to pay the bills but aren’t independently wealthy. And prominence on social media is one way to get work and pay the bills these days.

[@lalveatch5769]

It’s sad that they were hidden for so long. As a photographer myself. I’m in awe, with her work. If only I had the ability to capture the raw emotion that they displayed.

[@tomdallis4105]

The Emily Dickinson of photography. We are all the richer for seeing her work. Thank you for sharing these.

[@TheCompleteGuitarist]

Vivian was doing this kind of photography when all those in the frame had no idea what it meant to take or be in a photo. All the reactions are beautifully socially naeve and natural. It is almost impossible to reproduce this in this day and age as everyone is constantly filming or being filmed and everyone understands the nature of this act.

[@TucsonAnalogWorkshop]

No, the subjects didn't have "no idea"--just a different idea. Their awareness, openness, and curiosity toward her is what makes a lot of Maier's photos so interesting. Daily life wasn't so saturated by visual media and people weren't yet jaded about it then.

[@porkpie2884]

I still l can't get over what an utter genius Vivian Maier was, and how lucky we are to be able to appreciate her work.

[@BILLY-px3hw]

Not all photographers are artists Vivian was an artist her medium is secondary, many great artists go undiscovered until after their death. Most photographers are not great artists, they are technically capable people, there is a huge chasm between the terms Vivian was a true artist

[@DITTOE]

perfectly said

[@ronwhite8503]

I have been into photography since the late 70's and for me Vivian Maier is one of the best photographers I have seen.

[@Hodenkat]

As a photographer, I'm always jealous of photographers who are able to take pictures of strangers just out in the streets and in the parks, living there lives as they do in moments of character. No intentions, just with a look of thought and feeling on their faces. That's what many of these photographs of Vivian Maier bring to my mind. Stunning in their contrast and clarity (I'm always surprised at the image quality of those early cameras and lenses) they show how detailed ordinary life is. In some ways, I think our modern world contains much less detail than it used to and that's why it takes even more effort to capture it these days. At least, that's how it feels to me.

[@juliocesarpereira4325]

The documentary on Vivian Maier and her body of work inspired me greatly. So much so that I wanted to acquire a tlr camera, preferably a Rolleiflex tlr camera. Before being able to afford it, I used the flip screen of a Samsung NX-300 mirrorless camera to learn how to shoot from the hip. At first, it was difficult, somewhat non-instinctive. Than I thought: "If my parents could manage those camera boxes, I should be able to do it too." And the photos I took by shooting from the hip are among some of my favorite. Then, one day, I got into this photography store and the owner told me he had something I could be interested. It was a Rolleiflex 2.8 C with a big leather box with a lot of accessories such as original filters, lens hood, original leather case, etc. I had never told him I wanted to acquire a Rolleiflex tlr camera. When I finally loaded a 120mm b&w film and was ready to go, I noticed that all the training I had done with that Samsung mirrorless camera was worth it.

[@metube6859]

I very much like the statement you make when talking about "not buying into" social pressures. Being able to resist that is an important strength in lots of ways, not just photography. Please keep pushing that idea!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you

[@ghw7192]

I have been taking pictures since I was about 8 years old and I am almost 76 now. People saw my work when I was working for newspapers and magazines and, of course, for the 32 years that I was a studio owner, but, along the way, I was taking photos just for my own satisfaction. When I was going though a divorce, soon to be ex-in-laws tossed decades of photos, negatives and writings, but I had already saved multiple thousands of slides. They thought that they hurt me, but they didn't. I am not now nor have I ever been on social media, so once again, I am taking photos just for me and I am loving it! Thanks for this excellent video on Vivian! .

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you for watching

[@jbrown7403]

There is something so magical about a beautiful black & white photograph. To me, they seem to freeze time better than a vivid color photograph.

[@NewYorkStreet]

Thank you sharing the story of Vivian Maier. Incredible work.

[@shashiDodderi]

I just stumbled upon this video. Thanks for making this one. Long back 2014 I stopped sending to photography competitions. I was always trying to please the judges. Now I am happy with my photos. I enjoy taking the photo and seeing them on big screen.

[@tonfaboy]

I'm so impressed with her work, all of it is stunning!

[@OnlyCitrus]

I was pressured into sharing my photos. I used to take photos because it was an act that brought me joy.

[@BMRStudio]

Her photos is just.... Like a vision of a multidimensional entity, who can control, slice and frozen time. Amazing!

[@MatthiasAI]

i pulled out of photography for work/socials 6-7 years ago and now its just a hobby that makes me happy. It always suprises me how little ppl do for themselves instead of for external validation, but it is what it is.

[@jontout]

Love these videos where you watch 10 minutes watching and 3 weeks researching the subject. Vivian took some amazing photos, look forward to seeing what I can find

[@Schattendichter]

Thank you from the bottom of my Heart for this video. So much beauty in these pieces of artwork. And so warm and emotionally presented!

[@79ped]

I've been fascinated by Vivian Maier for years. Absolutely amazing photos

[@muccica9598]

Absolutely beautiful work of Vivian Maier

[@ChrissyOneMusic]

I share almost all my work, every day. I’ve just never card what anyone thought about it or listened to what they said.

[@jenswetter251]

I'm so glad I found this channel. The paradoxon or whatever you want to call it is part of my own taking-pictures-process (photography). Actually, I have a lot of pictures I don't know if to share or not. The backlog y'all know about. They often are the ones I'm unsure about: quality, relevance, intimacy. And I decided to hand them over to people close to me, to decide what to do with them. There is this kôan, a zen paradoxon, which asks whether the clap of one hand can be heard, another one if a falling tree in the woods can be heard if nobody is there. This is a photographic zen kôan, not to be solved, but to learn from it, and there's a lot to learn, thanks to this extreme approach by Vivian Maier. My experience: it helps to take pictures on film.

[@arniet1]

You're a great KZbin video conversationalist with a calming persona and wonderful ability to draw others in to listen, think about and be inspired. Highly admirable and well spoken. Thank you

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Wow, thank you!

[@love4wildlife]

I really admire Vivian Maier's images for a number of reasons. Above else, for me her photographs are a visual journey captured in a fraction of a second. I think her work is a great example of photographic story telling. I primarily use my own images as a visual diary. Each time I look at a shot, it takes me back to the moment when I captured it. And while there are some positive aspects to social media, there is always the danger of getting caught up in the validation trap.

[@donnajewell6909]

The fact that even SHE never saw her work except for a fleeting instant in the viewfinder is even more astounding….

[@johnoneill7962]

I absolutely love this video. For me it is one of the most thought provoking questions in a media saturated period in modern culture and dare I say ‘like’ hungry generation. I constantly wrestle with what to do with my images and on the whole I have very often resorted to printing and framing my images for me to look at, reflect upon and recapture the moment through what I am able to see. Thank you for taking the time to create this video. Thank you also for showing us a sample of Vivian Maier images that are both timeless and beautiful. They are truly stunning pieces of work which I am so glad that we have the privilege and pleasure seeing, in order that we can capture something of that moment in time looking through the eyes and the lens of Vivian Maier from the past. Thank you!!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you for watching