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“I started out as a fashion photographer. One cannot say that I was successful but there was enough work to keep me busy. I collaborated with Harper’s Bazaar and other magazines. I was constantly aware that those who hired me would have preferred to work with a star such as Avedon. But it didn’t matter. I had work and I made a living. At the same time, I took my own photographs. Strangely enough, I knew exactly what I wanted and what I liked.”

Saul Leiter was a painter and only became a photographer when color photography could encompass the distinct color palette he wanted to include in his images. Since the 1940s, this inveterate walker has trawled the streets of New York, capturing its colors and spirit. His liking for disarray, solitude and elusiveness make him a unique artist, quite unconcerned about joining the throng.

“I spent a great deal of my life being ignored. I was always very happy that way. Being ignored is a great privilege. That is how I think I learnt to see what others do not see and to react to situations differently. I simply looked at the world, not really prepared for anything.”

This book contains several previously unpublished color pictures and his early black and white pictures.