Saul Leiter

Saul Leiter has become known as one of the great colorists and photographers of our time. He spent 60 years photographic the streets of New York City. His work embodied both elements of Abstract Expressionism and Japanese minimalism. His work embodied themes of umbrellas, snow, café's and brightly colored cars. His work abstracted in reflection and glass distortion. He was an innovator.
Saul Leiter passed away this week at the age of 89. Behind him he left a beautiful legacy that pioneered artistic innovation in color photography.
Saul grew up in a Talmudic household and as a young man started seminary to become a Rabi. He soon left to got to New York and pursue his other love, art. Originally a painter, Saul was encouraged by his mentor and friends to consider photography.
Saul had a long healthy career working as a photographer. His professional work was mainly black and white working in fashion and photojournalism. But Saul was pursuing an enormous practice of color photography on his own doing personal work. These images were unknown to the world for the most part until their discovery in the late 1990's - many of the images shot on Kodachrome and never printed. With the publication of "Saul Leiter: Early Color" in 2006, Saul has secured his place as possibly the most important colorist since William Eggleston.

[@anta40]

Every time street photography enthusiasts argue that street photography is better done with 50mm or wider, I point them to Saul Leiter photos... :D

[@Crashoverall]

thanks a lot for your channel. most of the other photography channels are focused on gear reviews and use, as well as editing lessons. Thats good too, but the community really needs your kind of content.

[@bobhanuman65]

Unfortunately, probably because of sponsor pressure for numbers, this channel is now more focused on reviews and software "how tos" I suppose that was inevitable but sad nonetheless.

[@bb3866]

The muted colors are a breath of fresh air with today's over saturated images. It's a look I strive to achieve. Thanks for the video Ted.

[@masterkief628]

Hey Mom can you give a timestamp to the photo that you are referring to I'm new to photography and I was just wondering if you could help me understand what muted colors are. Thanks again stay passionate and God bless!

[@masterkief628]

Also how would you achieve muted colors say for instance on my canonet 28 35 mm?

[@rrendre4138]

Today’s over saturated images ? You must’ve not seen a majority of these Hollywood films then... ahem hunger games

[@ShivapratapGopakumar]

@@masterkief628 I guess you have to choose your film stock to get muted colors, something like Kodak Portra 400 or the now discontinued FujiFilm Pro 400H. In case of Saul Leiter, I remember reading that he used expired color films to save on expenses. This resulted in weird color shifts and muted tones when developing.

[@O4KAST]

@@ShivapratapGopakumar nowadays film doesn't really do that when it's expired, c41 just shifts colors weirdly and usually the whole image has a color tint, you know what I mean. I wish agfacolor/sovcolor and other older types of films were still produced, most of them had great color palettes.

[@foxtowercommunications]

These reviews of the masters never get old. I've viewed many, many times!

[@craigcarlson4022]

Ted, these videos you've done on note-worthy photographers, and your insights on why they are significant, are some of THE most significant contributions to the realm of photography on KZbin. Forget the gear reviews. Your work on photography artists' work, relevance and contributions are outstanding. Well done. (PS, this is the second time i've watched this video of yours on Saul Leiter).

[@ToyoteroMundial]

Very well said.

[@philipcharters2427]

I recently discovered Saul's work, by chance and was amazed at his compositions .........he has given me a new perspective for my hobby. Phil UK🦊

[@itsbradm1]

Please bring these sort of videos back they’re amazing

[@markharris5771]

This is the second time I've watched this video, it's so beautiful. His photography is everyone on a rainy or snowy day, he captures how we see glimpses of people from through our protection from the weather. That can be from an umbrella, awning, or inside a cafe through windows full of condensation. A brilliant observer of human behaviour and an expert in colour, simply amazing.

[@GrinahStones]

...bought a copy of amateur photographer magazine here in the UK in 2008 which had an article about Saul Leiter and was instantly spell-bound by the beauty of his work. Saul, you were the best! :0)

[@mikebaginy8731]

Usually I prefer black & white, but Saul's colors are so wonderful, so fitting the images.

[@kaid3566]

Thank you Ted for introducing me to Saul Leiter's work a few years ago, right here in this video! He's become one of my favorites, and I dream about seeing some of his photos and paintings in person one day (would be a great excuse for a NY trip!) Also, I HIGHLY recommend his documentary "In No Great Hurry." What a lovely, humble man he was, and yes, one of the great photographers of our age.

[@budsbd]

I was just in NY and was told that the Howard Greenberg gallery has a Saul Leiter exhibition coming up in December!

[@philipshucet9481]

Ted, I just watched the documentary on Saul, In No Great Hurry, and wanted to come back here to say “thanks” for introducing him to me. Your piece and the longer documentary, are excellent.

[@robertleeimages]

Those 2 wet window images are also from the same day, you can see in the umbrella image that the previous wiped part is there but starting to condensate again

[@johnnyatab]

God his photos are amazing.

[@mobyelvis]

Thank you so much for introducing me to Saul Leiter. I stumbled upon your channel while browsing photograpy information. I was not just impressed by his work, I was in awe. It is difficult to put into words how his work touched me...I think at both the conscience and subconscience level. I have since been introduced to other great photographic artists by you. Your commentary on their work is enlighting and very helpful. Thanks you very much.

[@ablanco5]

Thanks for this--he was one of the great ones.

[@Join_your_local_union]

Fucking awesome video. I've been a huge fan of Saul for just over a year (after I first learned about him). I think somewhere in the annals of the internet there's a speech he's giving and he says something to the extent of "If you want to be a photographer, make sure you have a rich uncle". Paraphrasing here. He makes a great point. His outlook (I don't imagine he would ever say 'philosophy'), seemed to be so true to himself and really about PHOTOGRAPHY. I agree, he s a very rare breed. He inspires me so much in my own photography. I think this idea of 'making a living' off of something you love doing is becoming swallowed by saturation. We're starting to see the tipping of the scales from this free spirited place or idea that you can be anything you want. Maybe it was always there. Hard to account for time I never spent.

[@Moodboard39]

Gotta eat ... People need money . Well, if u do it u earn it...simple concept. U work for your shit

[@norbertbrein4184]

i am surprised, that no one pointed out, how many of his photos are influenced by japanese woodblock prints - either way, he is fantastic!

[@johntravena119]

His famous one of the red umbrella in the snow that was shot from above is so Japanese.

[@maxsteele7620]

Thanks!

[@rafograph854]

One of the greatest YT photography channels.

[@MikleShnikle]

im not a photographer but your content is probably some of my favourite on youtube

[@darkerarts]

Thanks for the video. Saul Leiter's work is so inspiring and beautiful. I work as a newspaper photographer, I'm going to start looking at using his vision in my work

[@nlanca1]

Excellent summary of why Saul is such a significant figure in photography - many thanks Ted.

[@stephanedubarry8624]

So simple so master...

[@Kleinbiology]

Excellent Ted. He was quite an artist and will be missed.

[@ricardoleon7877]

Dear Ted: green is the color the human eye is more sensitive to. The use of red in alert signs it is because green is much more common than red in the environment. That’s why we perceive it easily: by comparison. I follow you years ago and I only can thank to you by so many things learned and discovered in your channel: Saul Leiter among the most important to me. My best… Ricardo Leon

[@andrewcroft2570]

Saul Leiter was an amazing photographer, a great video.

[@aaronstandon8740]

Thanks Ted, really enjoyed this. I was thinking that some of the work here is actually quite cubist. Different angles and planes explored from a single point.

[@johntravena119]

He was also a painter. See a lot of Rothko in some of his photos as well, as others have noted.

[@mgscheue]

10 years later, and experimentation with film has made a strong return.

[@GSHOCKOUTDOORS]

Great video. Loved the dark awning of the cafe acting as a heartbeat.

[@deltadeltatube]

Thanks for the video! Good tribute, beautiful photographs.

[@peterflorczak3318]

Thank you for a very well done critique of Leiter's work. One small comment. You might rethink your use of Pinterest as a slide show. Take a few minutes to create your own slide show to show these wonderful images full screen with out all the distractions of side panels and cut off images. When discussing great works of art they deserve to be seen in their, and your best light. Thanks again.

[@robertbrown9785]

LOVE your channel Ted- you bring a sophistication to the art that is lacking in many if not most other photo channels- keep it up!

[@winetime69]

Great episode, as always. So sad he is gone as he was one of the best. I check the, "In No Great Hurry" film website almost daily. No word of the films release, just a promise to release a DVD 'soon'. BTW, I purchased, "Early Color" a short time ago on Amazon so it is still available......

[@thomasmueller7875]

This series is a couple of years old. I like to come back to watch some episodes (again). Maybe, you could take it up again. Cheers, Thomas

[@Moen6969]

Thank you! Saul is definitely a huge inspiration. Thanks again for this excelent video.

[@jidoe]

I discovered Saul Leiter through this channel a few months ago, thanks for the introduction! I recently discovered a feature on Saul in Art Forum Summer 2013 issue (vol. 51 no.10). For anyone who can't afford his books (like me), this is the next best thing!

[@bb3866]

I notice a large majority of Saul's images are shot in portrait mode orientation. I use to shoot almost exclusively in portrait orientation but was always told I needed to get of that. It's kind of the way I see when I'm shooting and I find I can remove a lot of side to side stuff that I don't want in my photo. I wonder if anyone has ever asked Saul why he preferred that method of shooting.

[@rbruce63]

If you own a Mamiya Standard 23, in 6 X 4.5 format you always shoot at portrait orientation and a viewfinder mask will help you compose the pictures!

[@jvo8673]

great info, learning and fun

[@theartofphotography]

Thank YOU!

[@rbruce63]

I'm trying to remember how did I came to know about Saul Leiter. Perhaps it was from reading the British Journal of Photography and soon after your show. Then I purchased an internet copy of the movie In no great hurry, but to my chagrin it disappeared from my iPad 2 or can no longer find it! What an interesting life, interesting photography and the ever presence of his muse Soames!

[@prehistoricpig]

Thanks for sharing!

[@cmtzfoto]

It’s like the third time I saw this video. Love (and miss) this content, hope you can still give us these monographs every now and then. Such an inspiration!!!

[@lindafisher3356]

Thank you Ted for highlighting Saul, his work and outlook. I love it and found it entirely by accident on Pinterest. Since then I have become a huge fan of his work. Your video was great.

[@ChibaCityBlues]

Hey Ted! I just want to say thank you! It is so amazing to see your fantastic and insightful videos. Your work is really appreciated here.

[@patrickbarnes5771]

Because of this video, I bought The Unseen Saul Leiter at Barnes&Noble.

[@jonathanfields87]

Ted, I absolutely love your videos. The only thing I would ever beg to differ with you on is a comment about color in this video. You said that red is the color of light that the eye is most sensitive to. It is actually a yellow/green color (550nm wavelength) that a normal human eye (under normal light) is most sensitive to.

[@strombolitic]

That's correct, visible light peaks at 550nm. But I believe Ted was referring to perception, or visual attraction. Colors at the lower end of the spectrum do attract more attention. That's why brake lights are red, for example.

[@gonzotravelling]

Alongside Daido Moriyama as my favourite photographer as all time.

[@MrOnlymoin1]

SAUL LEITER YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!! so you finally got around to posting a saul leiter video :) i love his work and was ofcourse introduced to him a year ago through your youtube videos ..thank you thank you. now am just waiting for when you might post a video on ernst haas...pretty pleaseeee

[@telefonoshow1914]

Thank you for the video, Saul Leiter is so special, love his work.

[@jferguson757]

i am so glad that i stumbled upon your youtube channel! even if my pictures still suck, the education you provide on understanding the greats has opened my mind to seeing the world of photography in a much more artistic way...and i FEEL like a better photographer. you're the best!

[@user-oo3yn8hc6h]

Wonderful program!

[@karrasch-feler]

Just brilliant! Thanks a lot!

[@kinglear5952]

Again I am really grateful for your work in doing this. Beautiful presentation.

[@MadredeAgua9]

Ted--I'd forgotten that the great jazz singer Chris Connor used one of Me Leiter's colour images for her I MISS YOU SO long playing album. Beautiful work. Thanks.

[@christopherjones9798]

Didn't know about him before this video. Incredible work. Underrated. Thanks.

[@i20010]

what an amazing artist! thanks for this video, i haven't heard of him before.

[@vlad_o_sh]

I wonder what your approach to learning from those masters of photography is? You are certainly good at analyzing their work but do you also try to reproduce it, copy the style first so that you can push away from it afterwards and develop something new out of it? Thanks for the video!

[@ThePosiview]

Sad loss. I know him through your channel. Regards.

[@seanbreslin5836]

Great video. I miss this Art of Photography series on the great photographers.

[@DaryaAPapko]

So interesting! Love Saul Leiter's photographs

[@Festgriff]

Hello Mr. Forbes. Absolutely love your channel and your work, but you made a slight mistake - the human eye is most responsive to 550-555nm of light - which is green - the complementary colour to red. In all instances though, really inspirational work that you do.

[@robertbutts9835]

Love your videos I love the work of Vivian Maier. (I am a Canadian street photographer /photojournalist based in Santiago Dominican Republic.)

[@sallyb7101]

I’ve enjoyed and appreciated this review - thank you.

[@thelining4078]

one of the best videos on your channel. would love to see much more like that.

[@ashtonrichardson3667]

Saul liters work reminds me of one of my favorite illustrators Rene grau with the simplicities and pops of color.

[@ThePosiview]

Simply one of the best photographers ever. Simply wonderful photographs. Thanks.

[@76katzenherz]

never forget Saul!

[@ShawnBrezny]

RIP Saul. Ted, Nice review. I like to learn and discover more about the photography greats out there.

[@95PW]

Great video as always Ted. We're all very grateful for these. I've learnt so much in the past year from you, if only more people knew about your channel !

[@MathiasTheisen]

I'm going to NYC tomorrow from Denmark. Where can I go see his work? And are there other galleries that I should visit?

[@JinC24]

I'm surprised that some are having difficulty locating "In No Great Hurry" DVD. I have placed an order a couple months ago and received it about a month ago here in Canada. I'm pretty certain the website has link to the 'add to cart' button under "Shop" tab.

[@sheydaallahverdiyeva6836]

I love Saul Leiter and as I was watching this video I couldn't stop thinking about one Azerbaijani artist - Tahir Salahov. Maybe the reason is the use of red. Thought you might be interested to check this out www.azer.com/aiweb/categories/magazine/72_folder/72-articles/72_salahov.html

[@alejandroestay9636]

hi Ted! it´s always very intressting to hear your reviews, i´m learning a lot from it. Thanks!

[@izzwizamahjah275]

Ted the photographer with the Instagram sixstreetunder does a lot of stuff like this and its with a Fujifilm x-pro2. absolutely love his work

[@craigwhitehead7584]

Izzy Valle thanks 😁

[@stevenwimberly6133]

I would also suggest checking out monaris_ on instagram.

[@kirilhadjiev1765]

Awesome artist, awesome work, awesome episode!!! Thanks a lot!

[@Jason-Scott]

RIP Saul xxx

[@luisboaventura22]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

Great photo work and great vlog Ted!

[@andtheflyinglizard]

hey tedd forbes, thank you

[@pmcbMadeInIreland]

I’ve come back to watch this again in light of the publication of his latest book (The Unseen Saul Leiter, which is fantastic). Your comments remain as valid today as they were when you published this piece about him. His colour work is beautiful and yes, part of the attraction is in part due to the nostalgic element of the 50s and 60s America but that is irrelevant. His photos stand on their own and are a pleasure to enjoy. And that after all, is what great art is all about, right?

[@hatimtim7629]

Thank you for this great video. Inspiring

[@mateuspazcabralduarte3189]

Beautiful

[@markina60]

ThanksTed...you realy encorage me to push to go for somthing more!

[@lorrainew7908]

Thank you Ted. It's very insightful.

[@killindreamz]

I love your channel. Please cover Steven Shore.

[@emptyboxesandrooms]

everytime i go fullscreen i try scrolling when the photo is slightly bigger for the screen lol.

[@TheMishupo]

thank you

[@maximme]

BEST video ! thanks

[@Vendhir]

His work is like Are-Bure-Boke in color!

[@booradley3146]

Beautiful work and thanks for the video. :)

[@BroRoland]

Seeing what he could do with expired film makes me wonder what his photos using digital look like, I've googled and just can't find any of his digital work, even though his style of shooting probably didn't change it seems the colors would, his little red book has beautiful color work but film sees color a bit different than digital, if anyone out there knows a site that has some of his digital work let me know.

[@stephenscott5383]

Love your videos Ted. Keep up the good work!

[@avikrc18]

I was hoping you will make a Saul Leiter episode today.

[@analog_cafe]

Absolutely love your videos, Ted - thank you for your hard work, hopefully you are getting what you need in return. I only wish you would at least let the photos take up more of the screen real-estate when you do your Pinterest thing. Very hard to see those images, man.

[@joebosak8502]

Another inspiring video - thanks - great, lucid commentary and explanations. The work you presented seemed more artist and less photographer - the camera/film being a tool of artistic exploration rather than simply a recording medium. I like that. Film was obviously an inherent part of his particular methods and responsible for some of the look of his work: but it would likely have been a limitation for him [self-imposed in some instances eg use of out of date film ]. It should be possible to follow in his footsteps with digital equipment [presumably the thing to focus on is seeing; and avoid too much post?].

[@RossJukesPhotography]

This is really inspirational stuff, I have watched this and the Fred Herzog videos pretty much on repeat for the last few days and I really think they will have a big influence on my own photography. Thanks for the video.

[@felixayala05]

The DVD of the film about Leiter is now available. In no great hurry dot com (all together obviously).

[@KeepOnTruckin100]

As far as I'm concerned, you've made yourself indispensable - Love your vids - I"m a photographer and am wholeheartedly aligned with your points of view in almost every vid

[@ToyoteroMundial]

Any updates about his work in 2023?

[@Nitidus]

There are no more links in the description :(