Saul Leiter in Conversation with Vince Aletti

Saul Leiter will discuss his photographic work with Vince Aletti, accomplished photography critic and reviewer for the New Yorker.
Leiter began his photographic work recording moments of urban life, becoming a pioneer in the art of color photography, in the 1950's. It is the color work which coordinates lyrical abstraction with the flux of New York City, and has been widely appreciated since the publication in 2006 of the monograph Early Color.
Saul Leiter's work is in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the Art Institute of Chicago; the Baltimore Museum of Art; the Victoria and Albert Museum; the National Gallery of Australia; the Whitney Museum of American Art; the Milwaukee Art Museum; the Yale University Art Gallery; and other prestigious public and private collections. He is represented by the Howard Greenberg Gallery.

[@MrK30674]

50:10 "...the world is full of endless things and there are many beautiful things around us, and people have a way and a talent for not noticing it, because they're lazy and because they're spoiled and because they lack the imagination to see that what is around them is actually sometimes very beautiful."

[@MrK30674]

Great talk you posted, by the way, SVA. Thanks so much!

[@hilltopviewer8204]

I love his red socks.They stick out like the red colours in his photos like the umbrella photos! This is a very enjoyable interview, it's nice and casual between interviewer and interviewee.Nice to see that he didn't blow his own trumpet too much.

[@Nitidus]

​@@alex_jermaineYou're colorblind

[@Burnincyclon3]

​@@alex_jermaine nah bruh, you might actually be colorblind. Fr.

[@christierider7439]

Great talk, what an inspirational man! Such a shame the interviewer interrupted him so much

[@ViaOjo]

Saul acknowledged in another interview that he has a bad habit of drifting and going off so I think Saul was ok with it.

[@68danci]

Such a brilliant artist and great personality! Love his sense of humour! 😀 I could listen him for hours!

[@rraja5906]

.'..the explanations of certain things are not the real reasons of (those) cerrtain things' - words to contemplate. Words from an unassuming, unselfconscious stoic monk and Artist. A rare interview - rarer person.Thank you Vince aletti.

[@marie_mounier]

I have enjoyed so much to listen to Saul Leiter . Slow speaking is good .

[@Loyannelima]

Vince Aletti interrupted Saul exactly where he was telling how he started photographing, and tried to get out of him some formula to his greatness, when he was telling exactly how he did his great stuff and his inspirations

[@teagueshoup]

Literally as he was getting to that point, he interjects. Probably wasn’t listening, only waiting for his turn to speak.

[@retromograph3893]

Exactimondo!

[@jackmcritchie4989]

@@retromograph3893 My thoughts also. The interviewer missed the essence of the man.

[@dyathink]

I listen to a lot of interviews and they are almost always tedious AF. I have loved Saul's work for 14 some odd years but never expected him to be this utterly delightful and impish guy, full of wisdom, humor and fresh originality. I realize the pressure the interviewer was under but some of the things he said I just felt were humoring Saul, patronizing him. I think there was a balance between letting him wander down extended paths with great stories full of insight and bringing him back to center without the patronizing edge. I just know I could have happily listened to Saul prattle on till the sun set and rose again the next day. Wonderful man!

[@drendelous]

such a wonderful comment

[@JodiRenshaw]

I wish the moderator let him continue to talk about the things Saul wanted to talk about instead of consistently redirecting him.

[@ashdang011]

Jodi Renshaw I totally agree. I just wanted to hear Saul Leiter go on. But I think the host needs to keep Saul aligned to the program because of time restraint, maybe.

[@catherinesimard707]

omg I knoowww I couldnt even, I was like NO LET THE MAN BE JESUS

[@po-box]

came here for photography, but ended up learning valuable life lessons..

[@NanciFranceVaz_artist]

Great artist. I went to SVA so I was pleasantly surprised to see this, although working nine years later. I know he was an old man, and sometimes drifted off as he said he does. That said, I felt Vince was a little impatient with him, and not understanding of the age of the man and perhaps he does forget a lot. I think he was just very patronizing to him, and he seemed anxious to keep moving on, although he would laugh every now and then. If I was the interviewer, I would just let the man talk. I found him to be absolutely honest and fascinating. I love his work. What is

[@shinobgaming528]

So bummed I seen this so late but glad I watched it people like him make it easier to understand that this photography dream takes time and dedication to the right reasons.

[@hilltopviewer8204]

This is is a great relaxed interview.Saul Leiter is very humble here.

[@johnbarry748]

Such a shame that Saul passed before we had a proper chance to record more interviews and explore his thoughts. He was such an insightful and funny guy, not at all like the boring academics he was making fun of haha

[@aaaalyaaaa]

56:08 this so true and this is a very kind way to say that sometimes art critics create a lore where there is none or maybe totally different one

[@hansformat]

Only recently became aware of Leiter’s photos…i find them really interesting!

[@mamboferido4741]

I just hoped the people who were asking questions used the mic instead. But great interview, Saul has a really interesting personality.

[@herbertmasing]

His work seems much deeper than his words..

[@adamzellmer9233]

this just made me like him even more! Awesome guy and photographer

[@carlottaboettcherproductio7616]

A very authentic person ❤

[@cjoe6908]

Fantastic photos. Great to know who made them, and to some level, how.

[@jungerhansmann6608]

he is like the Yoda of photography. Even his voice is similar Hahahaha

[@natesawyer76]

It's so true. I always thought the same.

[@robertbutts9835]

I love his work..

[@jesusinclan5879]

Love his humbleness.

[@rpaddy93]

I wonder if that red sock is intentional

[@heyitsmeanon8451]

Before I even glanced a the faces, I saw the red socks and knew that was Saul.

[@alvareo92]

I take it as proof that he was *that* much into red

[@jeremoe1]

I notice that included something red in several of his photographs, like a red umbrella. I think it was intentional that he had red socks on for this interview.

[@Emmbedd]

Yup

[@ViaOjo]

It was -

[@jalexanderevans]

Old man giggles are adorbz.

[@76katzenherz]

thanks. :)

[@retromograph3893]

This interview was a disaster, at 32:38 he was literally about to tell us how he became a photographer, and then the guy just cuts him off?! ........ and then at 44:08 the interviewer wants to talk about another photographer? ...... and you've got Saul Leiter sitting right in front of you?! What a wasted opportunity.

[@myblueandme]

True. What was her name

[@nickynocknoo]

...galleries decide what "you" are sometimes. "This is you, this is the real you. This stuff here, this is not YOU. What? you did it, you like doing it. That's OK, but it isn't the real you. I am telling you what the real you is. This is the real you right here. We have convinced the world what you are."

[@ByFlerk]

1:06:44 Oh man..this part is just beautiful. Such a simple man. Really inspiring

[@debbie9180]

The interviewer was annoying. I loved hearing Saul talk. I love his work.I wished photographers could get the money they deserve.

[@fromthepeanutgallery1084]

Funny guy. Great photographer.

[@chloesastry1252]

"Seeing is a neglected enterprise"

[@thegreatvanziniphotos5976]

Color vs. B&W. Seems there is room for both.

[@rhiwderinraytube]

People who buy all the latest tech gear should take a leaf out of Saul Leiter's book. Minimal, selective use of colour and manual focus !

[@ViaOjo]

Ray Wilson BOOM!!! I’ve gone back to film because of Saul consisting of using cheap cameras with good quality film.

[@nickfanzo]

No kodachrome :(

[@drendelous]

we are overwhelmed by choices and lack of experience so yeah we buy

[@FrancoisDressler]

49:40

[@FrancoisDressler]

37:15

[@pablounzueta8101]

Horrible interviewer…holy shit. You have all of this wealth of knowledge in front of you, and the man to the left continued to interrupt Mr. Saul.

[@linjicakonikon7666]

Notice the contrast between the dimwitted academic interviewer, imprisoned in his world of words and navel gazing, and the Artist who freely does what brings him joy, completely unaffected by the pathetic affectations and cerebral flatulence of academia.

[@cjoe6908]

Well said. Totally different schools of people.

[@linjicakonikon7666]

Incompetent interviewer. Very competent photographer.

[@johnf4659]

he sounds like Jack Nicholson

[@saulocpp]

Nice way to waste a one in a lifetime opportunity by asking these stupid forums questions, "you see 3D, but you convert to 3D in your brain and then think in 4D", "you try to get personal with a subject that is 20m away"... WTF, you go to a forum and it is exactly the same garbage being discussed.

[@drendelous]

they were said to speak louder and still they mumbled..

[@cdafrance9141]

might be

[@iaincphotography6051]

And the man forgot to mention Ernst Haas, shameful.

[@evertking1]

👍👍👍👍👍❤️

[@fromthepeanutgallery1084]

Can't stand it when the interviewer attempts to be the centre of attention all the time. Once saw a documentary on the writer Edna St. Vincent Mallay and her sister an actress. Both feeding birds. The voice over said: When Edna feeds a bird, it's all about the bird. When the sister feeds a bird it's all about the sister. This is all about the interviewer.

[@triwiyani8983]

Nothing here

[@Korschmin]

Vince Aletti you should let some one capable of conversion to have a conversation. That would have being so much better. This failed video, please do not do it again.

[@keithgoldstein9621]

Vivian Maier, an outsider artist?? Hmmmm......

[@brycewatana]

45:30 To me, she represents purity in art..

[@stephengreico2810]

Yes because she wasn't in the social circles of the art world. That's what that means. She didnt get discovered until well after she passed. Nobody knew if her work at all

[@gab.o729]

THE WORST MODERATOR EVER

[@Dstonephoto]

This talk is very mediocre. About as exciting as talking to someone in line at Panera.

[@linjicakonikon7666]

As is your comment, David.

[@eliaol4231]

​@@linjicakonikon7666 🤣

[@beat2047]

beggar's gaze

[@thegayestshit]

1.5x