Vivian Maier was born in New York City in 1926.  She spent most of her childhood in Europe, but returned to the United States in 1951.  She worked as a nanny and caregiver until her death.  She started to photogrpah as a hobby shortly before returning to the United States in 1951, but she kept the photographs she took a secret the rest of her life.  Shortly before her death in 2007, a large storage locker containing many of her negatives was auctioned off.  It was only then that her huge body of work was discovered.  She left behind almost 100,000 negatives.  Most of her photography is landscapes and street photography.

I've been drawn to Maier's photos since the first time I saw them a few years ago.  They are dramatic, have high contrast, and are well-composed.  Her photos depict a world that is rarely depicted: the daily lives of those living in poverty around the world.  I think that more so than the aesthetic beauty of her photographs (which is certainly present), I am drawn to the content.  Many photographers tend to shy away from poverty and children, but Maier was clearly drawn to those subjects.  Her photos offer a unique view into the lives of the poor and the lives of children.