I am absolutely stunned by the work of Vivian Maier (a nanny by trade) who did most of her photography in Chicago. There are stories in her work that make the viewer wonder. The formal aspects alone are intriguing with her use of space and forms. Her work dates from the 1950s into the late 1990s. Check out
Vivian Maier. Wish I had time to write more but I'm attempting to study!