photographic abstractions

His photos —

They reflect the photographer's love of painting, expired film, blur, and unconventional composition. Due to his remarkable modesty and fear of fame, Saul only showed his color photographs at the age of 77, when he faced financial difficulties.

NEW-YORK

1923

From Painter to Photographer

Eugene Smith. It was they who «infected» him with the art of photography and greatly influenced his style: Eugene gave the future photographer a 35mm Contax camera, and Richard drew Saul into the world of abstract expressionism.

In New York, Saul Leiter meets the abstract artist Richard Pousette-Dart and photographer

Saul was born in 1923. From the age of 12, he studied theology and eventually enrolled in a seminary. Around the same time, he became passionate about painting. The conflict with his father began after the purchase of his first tubes of paint. In his father„s view, only failures with a questionable lifestyle engaged in painting. At the age of 23, after yet another argument with his father, Saul packed his suitcase and ran away from home to New York.

Saul’s style stood out sharply among other photographers.

He shot from unusual angles, photographed through fogged glass, and loved the play of shadows, reflections, and silhouettes. Fog, rain, and snowfall were his best allies, transforming photographs into abstract images.

FROM BLACK-AND- WHITE TO COLOR

photography

Saul felt that color could say more. So he bought expired film and went to photograph the streets of New York. He shot, however, only for himself. Leiter rarely printed his color photographs. Only occasionally would he show them to friends through a projector.

In the 1950s, color film was avoided for two reasons. First, it was expensive. Second, color photographs were associated with bright advertising images, making the use of color film considered bad taste.

SAUL LEITER'S RULES

01

Shooting through a window, tree leaves, a hole in a fence, or even through a crowd, while focusing on a single object, we seem to secretly observe the life of the city or a particular subject. This is Leiter’s favorite “trick,” which sparks interest and curiosity in the viewer of the photograph.

photograph through

02

Saul often photographed the main subjects of a photo out of focus, while secondary objects, on the contrary, he shot in focus. Such photographs seem wrong, yet it is impossible to glance at them only briefly. They seem to magnetize the gaze and make you study them for longer.

play with focus

03

In the middle of the last century, photographers preferred horizontal formats. Saul, however, brought his own vision here as well. Leiter almost always shot vertically. This format reminded him of Japanese painting, of which he had been a fan since childhood. Later, this became one of the distinctive hallmarks of his work.

experiment with format

04

Saul never used editors, but some photographs he literally processed by hand, using gouache. The photographer deliberately left paint stains on the film and added colors to printed shots.

process a photograph

Saul Leiter

"Photography allows you to learn to look and see. You begin to notice things you never paid attention to before."

Books and films about Saul Leiter

Saul Leiter's Biography

Photographs