Saul Leiter’s work and analysis:
- Saul Leiter’s work frequently utilizes value/tone and texture, usually presented through lighting and preferences.
- Many of these pictures consist of hats, umbrellas, and other sheltering areas, conveying a sense of an observant perspective under a camera, viewing the world in diverse attitudes and emotions.
- In addition, these pictures somewhat convey a feeling of protection and suppression of liberty due to the elements Leiter favors.
- The negativity of the point above is balanced by the usage of negative space and different contexts with the sometimes contrasting choice of color, blurring, and reflections.
- As a result of Leiter’s style, his works seem to convey a usually focused, calm approach to his photographs and surroundings.
- The above corroborates the idea of capturing change, which can be understood as observing.
Saul Leiter’s photographs seem to be able to capture the motion in people, as well as their belongings in their daily lives. With a darker color scheme, Leiter seems to structure and shift the focus of these pictures onto people, the center of this ‘change’. Due to his personal preferences, many of the photos may seem cold and less warm than I would’ve preferred to present. Despite this, he also branches out to various other themes and contexts, creating a myriad of experiences with the photographs in his gallery.
According to “Saul Leiter: The Quiet Iconoclast”: “I don’t have a philosophy. I have a camera. I look into the camera and take pictures. My photographs are the tiniest part of what I see that could be photographed. They are fragments of endless possibilities.” These words seem to inform the audience of his entire ideology regarding photography. The elements of his work come from his instinct and what Leiter simply is searching for through the lens. By mentioning endless possibilities, he doesn’t limit photography by setting boundaries on the subject but instead opens it to many interpretations, encouraging others to explore it themselves.
“Men in Hats” – Saul Leiter
The photograph on the left is my personal favorite image captured by Saul Leiter in my gallery. “Men in Hats” consists of practical use in value/tone, and the story of the society and surroundings is conveyed to the reader. It clearly encapsulates the people, specifically their similarities and differences. Leiter focuses on the people and their attire without a blatant focal point, abstracting the photograph. Furthermore, Leiter’s works’ textures and negative space enhance his display of the final story. This style of Leiter can add mysteriousness and story to any subject he may focus on. I am particularly intrigued by his usage of additional tools to obscure vision, the subtle yet complex addition in the composition of his works.
Revised Vision:
My vision is to capture photographs that relate to the changes and shifts occurring around us. To achieve this, I will take photos in the style of Saul Leiter, which includes the presentation of a darker mood and usage of value/tones, space, and shapes. I am particularly inspired by “Men in Hats.” It captures movement, meanwhile displaying the similarities between others around us, despite our differences. Adding to this idea, I would like to take photographs of capture motion, reflecting the mood/emotion felt at a particular time under a context or my personal thoughts.
Photos are taken under inspiration:
Blue Photo selection (20-100)
The collection of the photos taken below has been chosen as they seem to present abstraction quite well. In addition to this, I focused on how lighting may play an essential role within the images, affecting the tones/values. Furthermore, I looked for pictures with more blurriness or blockage to create “shelter,” which I sensed from Leiter’s photography. This includes utilizing reflections from different materials and focusing on the different perspectives in daily life, which I notice in many of Leiter’s works.
Green Selection (6-10) Contact Sheet Set 1 – Green Selection Full PDF [Click to View]
In the images above, I have attempted to capture the frequent usage of blockage in the photographs. Selecting most pictures that resonate with my design idea of capturing ‘a shift’, I saw room for more improvement in capturing movement. However, the blurriness and usage of focus are very apparent in the images, and I’ve attempted to use a lot of tones/values and large items/frames to help structure the picture in a similar way to Saul Leiter’s. The 8 photographs above attempted to experiment with reflections and other lighting effects. Still, I would like to spend more time with a camera that can control shutter speed to capture movement, imitating Leiter’s style. Despite this, I want to maintain the lighting and effects I have captured in the set above.
Red Photos Selection (3 Photos):
This picture references the silhouettes I noticed in Saul Leiter’s “Men in Hats.” I experimented with the camera exposure, adjusting it to water down the fingerprints and focusing more on the contrast of colors from the lighting. Using lighting behind the subject, I captured the silhouette of the multiple objects, including lines and shapes formed this way.
Previous attempt
In my previous attempts with the same structuring and background, my computer was pitch black to capture the complete reflection of my surroundings. However, I noticed that there wasn’t a significant contrast between the colors and values/tones. Therefore I settled for a brighter screen with a black & white background to create interest in the composition.
Furthermore, this photograph captures both lines and shapes, with variations between curved and linear lines to create interest. The computer background makes the image almost seem surreal and adds a touch of mystery. To develop a sense of reflection on oneself and those around them, I lowered the exposure to achieve a more low-key composition. This would provide contrast and a calmer tone to evoke a sense of connection to one’s surroundings but also isolation from the outside world to which they may not belong to. The straight lines of the structures surrounding the silhouette can represent order, whereas the curved lines of the silhouette represent change and difference, thus my vision, “Under a shift.” The fingerprints create blurriness and may be symbolic of an infringement on personal life, conveying the uncertainties and struggles that may be present or will come in the imminent future. Some “rules” that I’ve used may include the golden rule and the rule of odds which enhance the interest and beauty the photograph may contain.
Though these images aren’t the most successful in utilizing the many techniques and camera settings, it successfully imitates some of the stylistic choices in Saul Leiter’s work. This includes color contrast (Black & Lighter values), reflections of and silhouettes of people, and blockage of some sort to display mystery and observation. By conveying a story/feeling that corroborates with my vision, I find the elements in this image to be harmonious, presenting a solid idea that resonates with many others. To further develop my idea, I may attempt to focus the lighting on the middle, allowing the image’s borders to become pitch black, increasing focus on the theme, and creating an enhanced atmosphere that makes the composition even more compelling than before.
Other Red Photos:
Both photographs utilize multiple shifts of tones/values, and the lighting creates various effects captured under my lens. Like the picture above, I find these two images representative of Saul Leiter’s style in the same way, with more low-key photos and a significant contrast in colors.
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