I love a radio show called This American Life. Actually, I listen to the podcast on my way to work in the mornings and it seriously makes my day better. Ira Glass, the host is a brilliant man, the kind of guy you just want to grab coffee with, or in my case, the kind of guy you want to date. Call me a nerd, but I really dig smart guys, one of the many reasons I love my boyfriend.
This American Life is a podcast of stories so interesting they often don’t seem real, yet they are. They teach you something about yourself, pull emotion from places you’ve hidden away, and make you realize truths about the world that aren’t always evident. Because I love this show, I signed up to see the live broadcast in theaters. It was during this broadcast that I first became aware of Vivian Maier.
Vivian and the discovery of her photography is an fascinating story. You see, she was a perculiar person. She was a nanny and a secret hoarder, collecting photographs only for her own records and unwilling to show them to others. Her photography was only discovered after her death, and it is a brilliant chronical of daily life during the time she was alive. She carried her camera everywhere. Thus, she captured moments we often take for granted. I find myself capturing similar moments in my photography. Ms. Maier inspires me. If you get a chance, check her out. The following are some of her photos. Below those are some of my own slice-of-life photos inspired by Ms. Maier.
Here are some photos I took:
This American Life is an absolutely wonderful program. I keep some episodes around just to listen to them over and over – well worth your montage! And very neat work on your part.
Thanks for the compliments. I really enjoy photography. As for This American Life, what can i say? It’s just brilliant.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE This American Life. I usually have to listen to the podcast, but if I get in my car and it’s on, I get soooo excited. It’s like a surprise gift.
It is a gift. That Ira Glass guy is something else. And what a crew he must have to help him find those stories!
I don’t remember the show but i have to say the photographs are a stunning cross section of American life lol~
jen @ http://werelivingafulllife.blogspot.com
Yes, Jen. They really are. I love to look at them. They really make me appreciate life daily.
Brilliant! I’d not heard of This American Life or, indeed Vivian Maier – her work is fantastic, isn’t it? Love your shots too – such candid captures. You’ve a real eye for it :0)
Thank you Sarah! You should catch a listen to This American Life. I think you will really love it, and Vivian Maier is truly amazing. I wish she could have seen her success while alive, but maybe that would have ruined the fun for her. She is really inspiring. I love to shoot photographs and hope one day to be as wonderful as her.
I have never heard of the show or the photographer but I think it is great that both inspire you. Your shots are good and capture feeling, the lady on the subway holding the railing and the little boy,are my two favorite (I like them all), you really get a feeling from those photos.
Thanks Lucy! I really love to photograph. I take hundreds a week. It is just a part of my existence I think.
First time I ever heard of it, sounds like quite the show though
Oh it is! You should listen. Your rhyming and non-rhyming selves will both love it.
Art is originated from ordinary life.