The secrets of Vivian Maier ☀️
TUESDAY | 6.17.25
Vivian Maier is a name to know. Ms. Maier, born in 1926, was a babysitter, nanny, and caregiver for the better part of her life. At least on the surface. Unbeknownst to her employers and pretty much everyone else she knew, Ms. Maier dedicated her downtime to documenting the street life of the cities in which she nannied. It was a hobby she kept hidden until 17 years ago, near the end of her life, leaving behind around 100,000 negatives spanning five decades. No one knows much about the woman behind the lens — Vivian stayed anonymous and stealthy throughout her secret career, developing her film when she could in the shadows of her bathroom turned dark room. But the fact remains that to this day, Vivian Maier is known as one of the greatest street photographers of all time. No recognition, just snapping photos on her Kodak Brownie and Rolleiflex for the love of photography. We like to think Ms. Maier would’ve enjoyed The Photo Issue of The Flow Trip — centered around the idea that anyone can take a picture worth looking at. Maybe she would have even thrown a photo or two into The Photo Contest mix. Either way, if anyone knows how to speak to ghosts, we’d like to tell Ms. Maier thanks for paving the way behind the scenes. And we’ll try to send a Photo Issue your way come early July. Check out Vivian’s work here.
Volunteer of the Month
In Michigan, a library volunteer tracked down the families of people in a long-lost wedding photo tucked inside a returned library book. Look for the helpers.
Probably a Sand Worm
Could be the aliens. Could be the robots. Could be a sand worm. The mysterious humongous snake-like pattern that has formed in the Pacific Ocean is creeping the scientists out.
Other Good News & Happenings
A good time to brush up on seltzer history pre-Fourth of July.
Something to buy. A strange, potentially delightful game. TBD.
What happens when you can’t stop dancing?
Free food for better grades. “Two As for the fruit roll-up, take it or leave it.”
Need an off-season gig? Babysit some devils down under.
