Masters of Photography: Saul Leiter

Saul Leiter's 1970 "Snow"

There is something bold about an artist who eschews established conventions, who tosses out the rules, and forges on with their own vision. Now, this can done be clumsily and poorly, or it can be done with a masterful touch by an artist who then adds something new to the canon of their craft and is remembered on, sometimes even after they themselves are gone. 

In photography, there are a number of rules upon which many of us have long hung our work: the rule of thirds, framing, the exposure triangle, etc. However, there are some photographers who boldly challenge these accepted conventions, and do it perfectly. 

One such artist was American photographer Saul Leiter.

Saul Leiter was a master of color street photography whose most prominent work (during the 50s-70s) came at a time when most others were focused on Black and White. Color photography was considered a lesser form, yet he didn't let this hold him back. Nor did he let any other standard "rules" of photography constrain him. His subjects were often taken through blurry, rain-covered windows, or stuffed far in a corner. Huge swaths of negative space sometimes filled his canvas. He gravitated towards abstract images that often featured reflections layered on top of each other with tiny anchors, sometimes in far corners of the image, that managed to pull together an otherwise disorienting scene. Viewing his work gave me knew ideas about what boundaries can be pushed in photography and I have been eager to take some of his concepts and play around with them for myself.

Here is a small sample of some of Leitner's famous works:

With these ideas in mind, I took to the streets with the plan of documenting life in Alaska and other parts of the American West. I took interest in reflections in windows, and the abstract depth they can create. While I am no Saul Leiter, and of course still have much to learn about Street Photography and photography in general, I enjoyed the challenge and what it could teach me about the craft.

Here is a sample of Saul Leitner inspired images of my own:

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