Helen Levitt died at 95
“Helen Levitt, a giant of 20th century photography whose scenes of New York City street life provide a window into a vanished era, has died. She was 95.” -Associated Press
I was listening to NPR yesterday afternoon and heard an interview with Helen Levitt shortly before she died. I couldn’t help but laugh at how simply she put it when asked to describe the deeper meaning of one of her shots…”its a nice photo….that’s all i can say. I’m inarticulate…that’s why i capture and express these moments through photos”.
Thank you Helen! I couldnt have said it better myself. We are taught in school to find some deeper meaning and some imaculate story behind our photos. But to try to conceptualize something thats as simple as a child playing in the street ends up being completely individual. The feeling and connection each viewer has with that photo changes constantly…that’s what i love about creating a photo. What may be completely foreign to you could be someone else’s daily routine…making that individual and personal connection to everyone who looks at it.
Helen Levitt and her fiery spirit will be missed!