02/12/2013

A tribute

I took this picture with my iPhone last Tuesday and posted it on Instagram, where I later found out that Saul Leiter had passed away the same day. I thought it an amazing coincidence. Every now and again I take a picture and I can see as I frame it that I'm trying to channel Leiter's amazing (and in my humble opinion the best) eye, and this was one of those times. No other photographer's images has such an emotional impact on me and has me sighing in respect - the man took PERFECT pictures. He also seemed like a very nice man who didn't understand why people were making such a fuss about his photographs.

Here's one of my favourite quotes of his:
"In order to build a career and be successful, one has to be determined. One has to be ambitious. I much prefer to drink coffee,  listen to music and to paint when I feel like it."

Read the Guardian obit here
And here's a little film of him walking around his on retrospective in Hamburg last year (I so hope it'll be shown here one day). The documentary In no great hurry will very soon be out on DVD, in the mean time there are some screening dates here.

Saul Leiter
1923-2013
RIP

8 comments:

  1. RIP Mr. Leiter
    That is an amazing coincidence!
    His talent but above all his attitude to life were such an inspiration and humbling, we should forever be grateful for having such beautiful people among us.

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    1. Hear hear. He's humbleness was something else. Here's a guy who took the most amazing pictures and he didn't care about getting credit for it. One of a kind!

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  2. This is an incredible photo as well as a lovely tribute.
    xoxo

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  3. I love this photo and I remember how I saw it on IG and how much I can see his style in it. What a coincidence indeed. I watched the videos on Youtube of his interviews when he was in Hamburg the other day. He has such a special humor and his laugh makes you laugh as well. I am so looking forward to seeing the documentary. Such a great artist.

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    1. The best! The film is really nice - watching him walk the streets taking pictures was pure joy.

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  4. It is a great photo and tribute to a great photographer/painter/artist.

    x Ariane

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    1. Thanks Ariane! Let's hope that more of his work will be published. I'd love to see more of his recent work!

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