Children playing in the road by Vivian Maier. It is impossible to separate the mystery of her as a prolific but totally unknown photographer from how we view her work now, the two are inextricably connected and it no doubt impacts on our perception of these images.

Many of her photos look extraordinary purely by virtue of the passage of time as they are a window into another world but there is far more to them than that. Many are technically and artistically excellent and are grounded in a very bold and gutsy approach to street photography

which gives them real authenticity. Taking photos like this on the street is really hard, especially on film. Going close and getting the photo is the secret to good street photography but most people can’t bring themselves to do it.

Many of the moments she captured are fleeting but extraordinary in the emotional connection. The mystery of who she was and why she took these photos will never be solved but that doesn’t matter, the images speak for themselves.

Although the Rollei did make it easier to take candid photos, in lots of cases she was just right there and they knew she was photographing them like this one from New York in 1953 where he is looking her in the eyes. Holding the camera low gave a towering look to shots like this

In some cases you find yourself asking how the hell she managed to get the composition so right. If you aren’t familiar with her work have a look. Lots to learn for any street photographer.