I've mentioned the wonderfull work of the late Vivian Maier that is being curated by John Maloof. I have been trying to figure out why her images seemed so right when so many of today's street photographers seem not as balanced, lacking a certain tension. When John posted this picture the other day I finally realized what was creating that balance or tension.

I realized that Ms Maier was working with a twin reflex camera. (as seen in the picture below). With a twin reflex camera you held the camera waist high as you looked thru the view finder on top of the camera. With today's DSLR's and even point and shoots you are shooting from eye level which gives a different perspective on the image. It's the added tension of the low point of view which helps make the Vivian Maier images.

Of course it doesn't help that her framing is impeccable as well as great processing by John Maloof.