Vivian Maier: Woman, Nanny, Photographer.

Vivian Maier (1926-2009)

Have discovered this gem today and had to post. Vivian Maiers work was discovered at an auction house by John Maloof, visit his blog of her work here. She did film street photography in the 1950s, 60s and 70s in Chicago. Her work is astounding. The depth, spontaneity and realness of the characters she shoots is not only interesting but a real snapshot of street life at that time.

The man who acquired her work didn't learn of her name and look her up until the day after she passed away. She is said to have been a very private person with no partner or children of her own. She was born in France and travelled between France and New York before finally residing in New York when she was 25.

Since her photos have come out she has grown in popularity and I know it was certainly love at first sight for me.

Here are some of my favourites below:

I find it really interesting that a lot of artists don't get discovered or aren't famous until they die. Why? Is it the fact that they are dead makes them that much more mysterious? So the only way we can see into their soul is through their art? I believe someones photography to be incredibly personal, no matter what the picture is. You are looking at something through someone else's eyes, attempting to see what they saw. What's even better is that you see things they didn't, and they see things you didn't. It's all up to interpretation. What's great about some photos is when you keep seeing something different each time you look at it.

I think the point of this story is that someone's art lives way past the death of that person. As if the art is bigger and more important than the person. A photograph is a memory, a laugh, a devastation, a point in time that can be captured and can live forever past the expiry date of the photographer. Vivian Maier proves testament to that.

Other interesting sites:

Vivian Maier YouTube channel

Vivian Maier Photography

John Maloof blogspot on Vivian Maier

Jezebel article on Vivian Maier

Chicago Mag: Life and Work of Vivian Maier

A goodbye...

Hi Everyone!

As we can see if we look out the window it is definetely not autumn anymore. It was a pleasure being able to show you my photos for this time and I think, at least for now, I won't be blogging my photos anymore.
Please visit my flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/bright-coloured-frames/ because I will update it regularly and you should all post comments for tips or comments!
I will miss preaching to you about my love for photography, I really will.

Happy new year! 2011 here we come!

All my best,
Morgan

Candle Floater

This is a cool little thing I got from Frances for my birthday. It's a glass bowl with water and floating candles in it! I absolutely love it.

My favourite TV Show

To keep with the 30 day challenge.... my fave TV show definetely Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Secondly...
Vampire Diaries (I have a vampire theme going don't I...) namely Damon. He is my soul mate. It's unhealthy how much I love him.

Person I have been closest with the longest

Ms. Frances

Taken at my 17th birthday party. We've been through....well, a lot. She's always my solid rock for comfort and laughter and I believe (hope) I'm the same to her. Honestly, don't know what or where I'd be without her.

Fifteen Facts

Will be doing a "30 day photo challenge." Every day (maybe some random photos in between) post a photo with a different meaning and I will explain! First, a photo of me with 15 facts.(photocred: Caitlynn Fairbarns, Summer 2010)

1. I adore photography - hence the start of this blog
2. I love to write - poetry, short stories. Many of them are random, maybe just a sentence or two but it really helps me get out what I need to. I write them to myself and don't plan for anyone to read them.
3. My favourite colour is and always has been purple though I am leaning more towards red recently.
4. I am majoring in Human Rights, minoring in Women & Gender Studies and I adore it.
5. My motto is everything happens for a reason.
6. I saw a psychic a couple years ago and she told me I was going to die when I am 84.
7. I often have a guard up, I find it hard to be honest with other people.
8. My sister is my soul mate and my best friend.
9. Current obsession: Vampire Diaries.
10. I feel the greatest need and desire to travel around the world helping people and taking photographs. It's not even really a question, it's going to happen and needs to happen.
11. I am very determined.
12. I am very reserved. To some I come off shy but I'm not really.
13. I drink on average 1.5 pots of tea (orange pekoe) a day.
14. I don't believe myself to be a great or even good photographer. I just love it so much that I can't stop. I won't lie, I do love hearing "oh, i like that" but thats not why I do it, I do it for the sole reason that I can't stop.
15. I believe in ghosts.

Ode to my grandfather

On Dalhousie, Ottawa, near the bridge to Hull.

OK, is it just me but I love this building.
I love architecture. I get it from my grandfather. My grandfather, Paul Sears, was an architect. He died four years ago. I don't know about you and your relationships with your grandparents, but I adored my grandfather. He was smart, reserved (but still added in his smark remark to the conversation), and so so talented with art and sculpture and architecture. Every time I'd be there he'd be working on a new project, sometimes several at once since he'd get distracted.
Once he had to make a cover for an outside outlet and made a tiny house for it. A house to cover an outlet. Amazing, yes.
What got me thinking of him was first this photo, and that I went into his workshop (attached to the house he built for my grandmother). I took this photo mostly because I love colour, I love the blue colour of the door and the yellow hydrant with the blue top at the right side of the frame.
Secondly when I was visiting my grandmother last week I went into his workshop. And really everything is exactly the same. I was overcome with love, appreciation, gratitude. For everything he had taught me, given me. The workshop is still, of course, a complete mess. Random scraps of wood on the ground, tools still in place as if they had been used yesterday. It really reminded me of a still photograph. I opened the door and its as if nothing had changed; still the old dusty air, cold pavement, tools well used. Honestly I started getting emotional. I don't want to say you don't know what you've got until its gone. Because I did know what I had, I just wasn't aware of his impact on my life.
I know that if he were here he'd love to see my photos, comment on the architecture in them (since I find I do take a lot of photos of buildings) and explain to me how they are made, structured. Then maybe he'd go into a quiet pensive mode, look out onto the field, and retreat to his workshop and create something cute and miniature. He loved miniatures.