Lana Tahmizyan

Lana TahmizyanSaul Leiter, "Taxi"
1957, 35mm Camera

Saul Leiter (1923-2013) is known for his unconventional crops and his beautiful use of color. This is why I chose this photo. Taxi (1957) completely engulfs Saul Leiter's unique style, with the yellow and red colors popping out and the blurred, shiny car that crops out half of the photograph. The tanned hand holding onto the handle adds a nice human element into this photo, almost capturing a sense of anxiety, although the photo in general makes one feel so calm. The warm colors work cohesively together to make something that is so simple, something from everyday life, a beautifully toned photograph. This shot is photographed at such a shallow depth of field that it creates an almost dream-like state, even though it is something so typically seen in the city. Leiter said, "I don't have a philosophy. I have a camera". What he meant by this is that there is so much to look at when it comes to photography. He said that his photographs are "fragments of endless possibilities". I love this quote because it shows you that there are great opportunities anywhere if you just go for it.