A Vivian Maier Self-Portrait

Alex Benjamin · Nov 11, 2024

Don_ih said:
An interesting photo, because it's called a self-portrait:

View attachment 383086
But it's not the typical one. It's not in a mirror. If it's using a tripod, it's a strange setting for one. Also, it would be a miracle to get that kind of focus using a tripod to take a self-portrait up-close like that.

I don't see how it can be a self-portrait.

This is quite the mystery.

If it is a self portrait, it breaks all the known patterns. If you look at the self-portrait gallery in the Maloof collection, you see that all of them, safe one, are either mirror reflections, or shots of her shadow. Clearly, without going into deep psychoanalysis, this is what "self-portrait" meant to her: reflection or shadow.

As for gear, I've seen very few in the posted self-portrats that aren't with the Rollei.

Self-Portraits | Vivian Maier Photographer

Self Portraits Portfolio: As reclusive and private as Vivian Maier was, her self portrait photographs reveal a telling story. Thoughtfully posed, and often innovative, her self as a subject allows a depiction of her as she wants the world to see it.

www.vivianmaier.com

Interestingly, most of the color self-portraits are with a 35mm camera. This might mean that there was another pattern involved, i.e., 120 for black and white, 35mm for color.

https://www.vivianmaier.com/gallery/self-portraits-color/

If it's the case (anybody knows?), it would rule out Don's posted photo as a self-portrait: she was out shooting color that day. Unless, of course, she also had the Rollei and let someone else shoot.

There is a Maier book called Self-Portraits, which I don't have. It may hold other, different clues.

Helios 1984 said:
I doubt she’d bring kids with her, she was very protective of her alone time. When she clocked out, she clocked out.

Here's a self-portrait (again, a reflection) with the kids. Not the Rollei, but not the Leica either:

Sirius Glass · Nov 11, 2024

So no one bothered to ask her if it was a self portrait?

Carnie Bob · Nov 11, 2024

Interestingly, most of the color self-portraits are with a 35mm camera. This might mean that there was another pattern involved, i.e., 120 for black and white, 35mm for color.

I printed many of the 33mm shot in Black & White of Vivian's

macfred · Nov 11, 2024

Vaughn said:
...

Every image by a photographer is a self-portrait in some sensce!

True !

Alex Benjamin · Nov 11, 2024

Carnie Bob said:
Interestingly, most of the color self-portraits are with a 35mm camera. This might mean that there was another pattern involved, i.e., 120 for black and white, 35mm for color.

I printed many of the 33mm shot in Black & White of Vivian's

Thanks for the precision. Do you know if she used color in 120 ?

cliveh · Nov 11, 2024

Carnie Bob said:
Interestingly, most of the color self-portraits are with a 35mm camera. This might mean that there was another pattern involved, i.e., 120 for black and white, 35mm for color.

I printed many of the 33mm shot in Black & White of Vivian's

What is this 33mm?

Carnie Bob · Nov 11, 2024

Alex Benjamin said:
Thanks for the precision. Do you know if she used color in 120 ?

Sorry I do not

Carnie Bob · Nov 11, 2024

cliveh said:
What is this 33mm?

sloppy fingers 35mm

koraks · Nov 11, 2024

Carnie Bob said:
The image in question is from the Maloof collection

I tried to find it among the self portraits on the website of the Maloof collection, but couldn't find it. IDK why they chose not to list it there; maybe because of the iffy attribution as a self portrait?

Don_ih · Nov 11, 2024

Helios 1984 said:
I doubt she’d bring kids with her,

She has photos that include the kids she was shepherding.

Vaughn said:
Perhaps someone talked her into letting them see and hold her camera and they accidentally clicked the shutter...and she loved the randomness of it all.

You know, that's fine. But she has a camera around her neck. Every self-portrait of her I've seen also includes the camera that took the photo.

Here's another one labelled "self-portrait".

Yeah - that's a self-portrait, all right.

Don_ih · Nov 11, 2024

The Leica in the original photo could have colour film in it. There is at least one colour self-portrait taken with a Leica (although an older model than this IIIc, oddly).

Here is a colour photo shot with a Rolleiflex

but it may have had the 35mm adapter in it. (I don't know if this photo is a crop.)

Mick Fagan · Nov 11, 2024

I'm wondering if she was influenced by Ilse Bing and her self portraits using mirrors?

Don_ih · Nov 12, 2024

Mick Fagan said:
I'm wondering if she was influenced by Ilse Bing and her self portraits using mirrors?

Ilse Bing also took photos of her shadows and called them self-portraits.

Self-Portrait, Canal Saint Martin, 1933

So, maybe Maier was influenced by Bing. But it's not impossible that she thought of taking photos of shadows and reflections on her own. My guess is she was pretty aware of contemporary photography, though, and influenced by it.

Don_ih · Nov 12, 2024

I was wondering if she ever strung two cameras around her neck:

Seemingly so.

cliveh · Nov 12, 2024

She reminds me of Ilse Bing

Ilse Bing - Google Search

snusmumriken · Nov 16, 2024

Coming a bit late to this interesting discussion. As the photo is square format, it was presumably taken on her Rollei, which could have been placed on a shelf (or tripod), or operated by someone else. I don’t see a problem over getting the focussing distance right. The photo could not have been taken by the Leica for reasons already stated (no self-timer, no cable release, not a reflection). It would be interesting to know what was on the neighbouring negatives, but from what I’ve read her films tended to be packed with diverse subjects - she wasn’t someone who worked the scene.

Don_ih · Nov 16, 2024

Seeing the other shots on the roll would be great. While not impossible, it would be difficult to focus the camera on yourself like that. Focus isn't perfect, but it's close, and I think the main source of blur in her face is because she was speaking. Maybe someone asked what she was doing after the self-timer was started, and she responded?

snusmumriken · Nov 16, 2024

Don_ih said:
Seeing the other shots on the roll would be great. While not impossible, it would be difficult to focus the camera on yourself like that. Focus isn't perfect, but it's close, and I think the main source of blur in her face is because she was speaking. Maybe someone asked what she was doing after the self-timer was started, and she responded?

Yes, that distraction idea seems very plausible. She often seems to have been creating a sales pitch of herself as a serious photographer, or at least a self-image. Do you know the date of this photo? I think the date that she bought the Leica is known, though I’d need to search the books for it. I’m thinking that maybe she set this up to image herself with the new (to her) Leica in a street setting.

Sirius Glass · Nov 16, 2024

snusmumriken said:
Coming a bit late to this interesting discussion. As the photo is square format, it was presumably taken on her Rollei, which could have been placed on a shelf (or tripod), or operated by someone else. I don’t see a problem over getting the focussing distance right. The photo could not have been taken by the Leica for reasons already stated (no self-timer, no cable release, not a reflection). It would be interesting to know what was on the neighbouring negatives, but from what I’ve read her films tended to be packed with diverse subjects - she wasn’t someone who worked the scene.

I agree with all of your analyses. The photograph could well be a self portrait.

A Vivian Maier Self-Portrait

Moderator

Self-Portrait, Canal Saint Martin, 1933​

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency

Self-Portrait, Canal Saint Martin, 1933