Vivan Maier was a nanny, and nothing more than that for all outward appearances. But she lived a double life – part of the time she was a nanny, part of the time she was a street photographer in Chicago, IL with an acute eye for catching people in just the right moment. She never told anyone about her photographs. It wasn’t until after she died that her work was discovered when a real estate agent named John Maloof purchased a box of negatives, with no idea who took the photos or what the subject of the photos was. His discovery was shocking – over 10,000 negatives containing some of the best street photogaphy from decades past that has been seen. Here is a great article from Chicago Magazine detailing Vivian’s life and the discovery.

Also, check out Vivan Maier Prints, the website that John Maloof created to showcase Vivian’s work.

The Life and Work of Street Photographer Vivian Maier