Saul Leiter

photographer

American b. 3 December 1923, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA^[1] d. 26 November 2013, New York City, New York, USA^[1] active 1940–2013

Saul Leiter (1923–2013) was an American photographer known for his distinctive use of color and composition. Born in Pittsburgh to a family of Orthodox rabbis, he initially pursued painting before moving to New York City in 1946. He became a pioneer of color photography, often capturing candid street scenes, reflections, and intimate portraits with a muted palette and atmospheric ambiguity. While he worked extensively as a fashion photographer for magazines like Harper's Bazaar from the late 1950s through the 1970s, his personal work remained largely unknown to the public until the mid-2000s. His style is characterized by 'stillness,' dramatic framing, and an ability to find beauty in everyday objects and fleeting moments.^[1]

• color photography
• street photography
• fashion photography
• abstract expressionism influence
• ambiguity
• reflections