Helen Levitt, 1913-2009

[SuzanneR]

One of my heroes died on Sunday at the age 95. Her work was amazing. I owe her a debt of gratitude.... I learned a lot about photography from studying her pictures.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/arts/design/30levitt.html?_r=1

 

[Richard Wasserman]

This is sad news indeed, I adore her work.

Richard Wasserman

 

[Pinholemaster]

I've admired her work for decades, saddened by the news, but was pleasantly surprised she lived as long as she did. If we all have the same length of stay as she had on this earth, we would be blessed.

 

[catem]

This is very sad news.

But what a wonderful life, and legacy.

 

[msdemanche]

One of the greats is now gone. She was a great influence. Great long life, sad to see her gone.
Michel

 

[Peter Schrager]

helen

go in peace Helen and take lots of pictures up there!!
Best, Peter

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

One of the greats, indeed.

 

[RJS]

Tp the Pinholemaster: You are obviously a young person. Please do not wish inordinately long lives on anyone. It is a nasty, rotten thing to do as there is very little if anything about living a very long time that is desirable!

 

[Anton Lukoszevieze]

She was a fab photographer, and i see nothing wrong in wishing someone a long life, Imogen Cunningham was still clicking away at the ripe old age of 93, I think art can keep one going.

 

[eddym]

I saw the news this morning when I received my NYTimes email recap. Went straight to the article to read it. I too have admired her work for years.

 

[Michael W]

A great photographer, one of my favourites.

 

[Don12x20]

NPR had a great retrospective on her last night.
She was quite open and honest about her pictures -- when asked about the meaning, her reply was (paraphrase) "...what you see is there...I can't write so I just take pictures of what I see...there isn't anything special in the meanings of what I take, its just pictures....". When asked to see other work(interview a couple of years ago), particularly a box marked "here and there", Helen said "no, she wasn't going to show them as she wasn't sure there was any good ones there" (and the commentator said..."there must have been, as she turned this into a book Project called "here and there").

I was delighted to hear a well know photographer not trying to fancy up their work by using a so-called "artists statement". She prefered, like other good photographers, to let the prints stand on their own without such an "artists statement".....

 

[jimgalli]

Tp the Pinholemaster: You are obviously a young person. Please do not wish inordinately long lives on anyone. It is a nasty, rotten thing to do as there is very little if anything about living a very long time that is desirable!

I used to live in Southern California so I understand your desire to not live long. I left. That said I thought of Imogen and the many parallels as I read several pages the last couple of days about Helen. Both were trophies of life lived well.

 

[c6h6o3]

Tp the Pinholemaster: You are obviously a young person. Please do not wish inordinately long lives on anyone. It is a nasty, rotten thing to do as there is very little if anything about living a very long time that is desirable!

Well aren't you the little ray of sunshine!

I don't know Pinholemaster's age, but I don't think it's all that obvious that he's young.

 

[sionnac]

Big fan, sad to hear of her passing.

 

[John Jarosz]

The LA Times has a gallery of her work online. But they are sized so you can actually see the photos, not like those useless thumbs at the NYT.
LAT Levitt Photos

John

 

[Jeff Kubach]

One of the great photographers, sorry that she passed away. Aways enjoyed her work.

Jeff