Saul Leiter was an American photographer and painter whose early work in the 1940s and 1950s in New York has brought him world wide recognition. He was perhaps the most interesting of the fifties colour photographers in his use of form and composition.

His bold colours, off-center composition and frequent use of vertical framing attracted quite a lot of attention.

The Magnum photographer Alex Webb, who is recognised for the sophistication of his colour work, said Leiter had “an uncanny ability to pull complex situations out of everyday life, images that echo the abstraction of painting and yet, simultaneously, clearly depict the world.”

Take a look at a small selection of images to see his amazing use of mirrors and glass, shadows and silhouettes, reflection, blur, fog, rain, snow and everyday objects like doors, buses, cars and fedoras to tell his New York stories.

“Taxi” (1957)

“Don’t Walk” (1952)

“Foot on El” (1954)

“Canopy” (1958)

“Snow” (1960)

“Through boards” (1957)

“Window, New York” (1957)

If you like Saul Leiter’s work please consider purchasing this book with an amazing selection of his early colour works: