Vivian Maier Retrospective

Courtesy of John Maloof

CBS news gave a brief retrospective of Vivian Maier, a woman who was a nanny and a photographer in the middle of the last century. The story is that John Maloof, a Chicago realtor, came across some of her photos at a garage sale. He offered $400 for boxes of them. The offer was accepted and he was left with a valuable collection of gems.

Now, this didn't come easy to Maloof. He worked for years scanning and organizing the files, then had to prove to the museum community that the photos were on the order of Helen Levitt.

I wrote about this discovery last year in my book New Image Frontiers--Defining the Future of Photography.

These types of discoveries, 60 years-after-the-fact, is redefining photography today and helps bring about a wave of nostalgia that many people crave.

What's most refreshing about Maloof's discovery is that it gives us a break from the fast-paced high-tech trends in photography today. It's less technical with a lot more artistry, one of the most important aspects of photography that many in the tech world sometimes forget.

If you're in New York, check out the Maier Exhibition at Hearst Gallery. You also might want to check out the pictures yourself in Maloof's book about Maier. There's no doubt in my mind the price of this book is well worth it (and will go up) as demand is high and because it's a story that will be remembered for a very long time.