Photographer： vivian maier

Vivian Maier (1926–2009) was an American photographer. Maier’s style is observant and mysterious in black and white, capturing moments from city life and strangers’ emotions through self-portraits and reflections. Reflection is one of Maier’s hallmark techniques, adding depth, mystery, and self-awareness to her images. Maier rarely appears directly in her own photos, but she often hides in her reflection, blending herself into them through store windows, rearview mirrors, and car side mirrors. She toyed with the glass, mirrors, and overlapping reflections, creating dreamlike images that sometimes left her disoriented. She captured both indoor and outdoor street life through storefront photography, creating a narrative contrast. She combined reflections with strong shadows, adding drama and geometry to her work.

This image depicts a photographer taking a selfie in a mirror, not only showcasing her passion for street photography but also cleverly incorporating reflection to create unique visual effects. This technique is common in her works, showcasing her ability to capture unusual moments in everyday life. Vivian Mayer is renowned for her street photography and excels at capturing the details and characters of city life. In this photo, she uses mirror reflections to capture herself and her surroundings, immersing the audience in a multi-layered perspective that not only showcases the photographer themselves but also reveals everyday life on the streets. This dual perspective aligns with the description of “the outsider behind the lens.” From a cultural perspective, Vivian Mayer’s works typically focus on urban landscapes and social changes in the mid-20th century. Although the exact time and location of this photo are unknown, its style and theme are similar to those of her works taken in Chicago and other locations in the United States. Her photography practice was closely tied to the social realities of the time, documenting the风。 and people’s living conditions of that era. Psychologically, this photo evokes a sense of curiosity and exploration. Viewers might ponder the photographer’s identity, her story, and why she chose this shooting method. It suggests a lonely and focused emotional state. This photo employs various techniques, including reflective photography: the photographer skillfully incorporates themselves and their surroundings into the frame using mirrors or other reflective surfaces. Using self-portraits, include the photographer themselves as one of the subjects. Choose a low angle or a special perspective for shooting, which may allow you to capture unique images by adjusting the mirror’s angle. Make full use of natural light or ambient light to ensure that reflected images are clearly visible. And use black and white colors to make the photo appear more mysterious.

Evaluation of 1 of my “red” images：

My photograph captures a cake sculpture that reflects its own shadow in the glass, similar to the techniques used by the photographer I studied. I used reflection technology to enhance the visual impact of the image. By capturing the sculpture within a glass fence, there is an engaging interaction between the subject and its reflection. Using natural light from the windows behind the sculptures is particularly effective because it not only illuminates the sculptures but also casts subtle highlights and shadows on the reflective surfaces. This highlights the sculpture’s three-dimensional form and adds a sense of motion to static objects. The reflection of trees and sky in the glass further enriches the composition, blurring the boundaries between internal and external spaces. I placed the sculpture in the middle, with my reflection reflected on the glass, and the trees behind added another layer of interest to the photo.