2007 was a remarkable year for historian John.
That day, John was just looking for some old Chicago photos and writing history books, but he never expected that he would win the jackpot with a pile of negatives he had bought for $380.
He originally wanted to use these photos, but it turned out that he found a photographic genius, which was really unexpected.
John looked at the photos and immediately sensed that something was wrong. He found that the composition, light and street sense of the photos were absolutely professional, and immediately scanned more than 200 photos without saying a word and uploaded them online.
John was also curious, so he started a frenzied search online for the name "Vivien· Meyer".
It wasn't until April 2009 that John finally made a breakthrough discovery. He saw an obituary online that read "Vivian · Meyer." John was shocked and hurriedly called to inquire about the situation.
Now it's interesting. John decides to dig deeper into the story of the mysterious nanny, and he begins contacting others who have bought Vivien's locker to collect more negatives and items.
The extraordinary upbringing of an ordinary nanny is gradually unveiled into a mystery.
To be honest, if Vivian's story were to be made into a movie, it would definitely sweep the major film festivals.
Mrs. Vivian's life in her later years is truly impressive. In 1996, she ended her 40-year career as a nanny and officially began her career as a master photographer.
Vivien chose to live alone, though, but don't let that lead to the idea she's getting boring. Actually, this old lady is a very interesting person. She piled her room like a garbage dump, full of newspapers! From the floor to the ceiling, it was so heavy that the downstairs had to be reinforced.
Unfortunately, Vivien doesn't have a lot of savings. Also, the income from being a nanny is really limited, not to mention that she has to buy her own film for photography. In these years, artists are not having a good time, not to mention that she is an unknown artist? Fortunately! One of the children she had taken care of reached out and helped her pay the rent for her apartment in a bachelor apartment.
In this way, Vivien lived a lonely but comfortable old age. She probably looks through the photos she took every day and reminisces about the stories of the streets.
It wasn't until 2007 that Vivien died unexpectedly at the age of 83, taking with her a few simple belongings: 150,000 precious photographs and countless negatives.
Vivien may feel lonely in her later years, however, she definitely doesn't feel lonely thanks to the company of art and memories.
From 1952 onwards, Vivien lived a two-sided life, working as a dutiful nanny by day and a street photographer by night.
Vivien is very strict about her privacy, and every time she goes to a new employer's house, she has a strange request to have a room where she can hold 200 boxes.
She has a habit of not letting her employer into her room. There were so many newspapers that the floor was almost overwhelmed. The employers were so troubled by this that they had to reinforce the floor underneath.
Although Vivian's ability to take care of the children is worthy of recognition, the children love her and have a lot of fun with her. However, she also sometimes behaves unscrupulously.
Once I took my child out and saw a nice shot, I ran to take a picture without telling my child, and I left him where he was. Later, the police sent the child home.
Vivien's style of photography is unique, she likes to stand on the street, calmly observe everything around her, and sometimes she will shout "Wait a minute" at her subjects and record their stunned expressions.
This operation is simply the hero of the street photography industry! Do you think she doesn't look like those spoofers now? It's just that she uses a camera, not a mobile phone.
She photographs a wide range of subjects, from crying children to impatient adults, from shabby dolls in trash cans to black children shining shoes on the street. Each photo contains a unique story that is both heavy and humorous.
She uses the lens to capture the most real and detailed emotions in life.
However, Vivien herself has some ulterior thoughts. Despite the large number of photographs she takes, the processing has been infrequent. One of the reasons for this may be the high cost of development and the fact that she has very high requirements for the final result.
She even wrote to a printer named Simon, asking what he thought of her photographs. But the letter was never sent.
Vivien's life is mysterious and legendary, and she is showing her dual identity. During the day, she works as an ordinary nanny to take care of the children, and at night, she is a photographer who records the various situations of life.
She records every wonderful moment of this world with the camera in her hand, but hides her true identity behind the identity of an ordinary nanny.
Why would someone as talented and full of personality as Vivien hide herself? Maybe she just enjoyed the mystery. Or does she think that true art doesn't need to be discovered and celebrated? But in any case, Vivien interprets what it means to be an "artist's life" in a unique way.
With a hobby, I embarked on a path of photography, starting with a humble Kodak box.
It was a sunny morning, and I stepped out of the house with my camera and decided to explore everything in the streets. There's nothing better training than street photography, as it offers countless opportunities to improve your skills.
It was my first step in learning photography, and it was my favorite step.
Over time, I started experimenting with different shooting styles and techniques. I started to learn how to use light, how to compose a picture, how to capture a moment. I started looking on the streets for those unique moments, those moments that would make my photos special.
My path to photography wasn't always easy. Sometimes, my photos get rejected, and sometimes, my photos go unnoticed. However, I never gave up. I believe that as long as I keep going, I will definitely take better pictures.
Now, I'm a street photographer and my photos are showcased all over the world. I'm proud to be a street photographer because I can tell stories and express my point through my photos.
My photography journey continues, and I believe that as long as I keep going, I will definitely take better photos.
In 1948, at the age of 22, Vivian used her savings to buy her first camera, the Kodak box camera. This gadget changed her life completely.
Vivien began teaching herself photography and over the course of four years, she evolved from a novice photographer to a top performer.
In 1952, she finally embarked on the road of professional street photography, and since then she has been out of control and embarked on a photographic path that is destined to be amazing.
Vivien's subjects range from street pedestrians, modern buildings, crying children, and black children shining shoeshing. Her lens is like a pair of eyes that never tire of capturing every moment of the city.
Each photo is like telling you a story, whether it is deep, melancholy, or with a hint of humor, it can deeply move you.
Her shooting abilities are unique, charming, and personal. Sometimes, she would suddenly shout "Wait a minute", and then the camera would catch the other person's panicked expression.
You say, how popular would such a photographic genius be if he was born in modern times? It is estimated that the ins fans can break 100 million! Unfortunately, she chose to remain unknown.
Maybe that's another way of living for artists.
Vivien's story teaches us that true talent doesn't need hustle and bustle. With a simple camera, she recorded half a century of street situations. This perseverance and love is more precious than any filter and beauty.
You see, from Kodak boxes to street legends, Vivien spent more than 20 years writing a unique video poem. Her story tastes better than any inspirational chicken soup, doesn't it? Perhaps, each of us has a Vivian in our hearts, but we have not yet found our own "Kodak box".
Vivian was born in United States in 1926, a descendant of France immigrants.
In 1959, Vivien's life changed dramatically. She inherited a portion of the land on a France farm and made a large income after selling it.
For ordinary people, they may be able to live comfortably.
In half a year, Vivien measured the world with her feet, she traveled to Italy, Egypt, Thailand, Viet Nam, China, and even most of South America.
Imagine a girl in her 30s who travels around the world with a camera on her back, capturing the world's customs and customs from a unique perspective. This scene is even more wonderful than "Emily in Paris"! Through Vivien's lens, each country has its own story, and every street corner hides a unique landscape.
Vivien's trip enriched her photographic materials and life experience, giving her a deeper understanding of her work and a more humanistic perspective.
This trip around the world broadened Vivien's horizons and laid a solid foundation for her future photography career. From the United States to the world, Vivian has recorded half a century of global customs with her camera.
Vivien didn't get noticed during her lifetime, but she left a lasting impression on the world.
In 2010, Vivien's work was first exhibited at the Center for Modern Art in Chicago and has since been exhibited in several galleries. This event is likely to be more sensational than the re-exhibition of the Mona Lisa.
And in 2014, the documentary "Looking for Vivian · Meyer" was also released as scheduled.
You see, even Hollywood can't sit still, and it can even be said to shine! In 2017, after the publication of the book "My Distance from the World", Vivian, who was once an unknown nanny, became a top figure in the photography industry.
Vivien's work is breathtaking. Under her lens, the details and trivialities of daily life are vividly and interestingly. The little boy who shines his shoes, the grandmother on the street corner, the bustling crowd...... Every frame is a microcosm of life.
Her self-portraits are original, and her calm and sharp eyes seem to tell her unique observation of the world.
Vivien's story teaches us that talent doesn't have to be appreciated, and love doesn't have to be reciprocated. The important thing is to live the way you want to be.