November 10 2023 - brendan ó sé photography

This morning I am thinking of Vivian Maier, who is probably my favourite photographer, and thinking about how she photographed throughout her life and that of these shots so many were found not even developed, and that for the major part all of her work was unseen by anyone except Vivian.

I am thinking what course her passion for photography might have been set on had she lived in the Instagram age. Had she braved the whims of an algorithm shared a shot of hers on the platform and what if an unkin hearted soul had passed an unkind comment. Would Vivian have perserved, shot some more and share again. Would her work have been more targetted to what the algorithm favours.

A long time has passed for me since I reconciled that why I shoot, why I love photography and what I want to do is only for me. Sure I care about the comments, the metrics, but ultimately I need to go back again and again to rediscover why I photograph.

I don’t think I could be like Vivian Maeir – shooting constantly and never wishing to have others see her work, to see delight and wonder on their faces as they discovered the marvels in her images. I find it extraordinary, and at the same time incredible, but there is a lesson in there.

Today, some photos that I want to share. Also, I want to write and I am trying to get both done at the same time.