Helen Levitt

Self portrait of Helen Levitt

Helen Levitt (August 31, 1913 – March 29, 2009) was an American photographer and documentary filmmaker. She is best known for her street photography, capturing the everyday life of New York City, particularly in the neighborhoods of Harlem, the Lower East Side, and the Bronx.

Early Life

Helen Levitt was born in Brooklyn, New York. She developed an interest in photography in her teens and began working for a commercial photographer in 1931. She was largely self-taught, learning the craft by studying the works of other photographers and artists.

Career

Levitt's career took off in the late 1930s when she began to document the streets of New York City. Her work was characterized by its candid, unposed style, capturing the spontaneity and vibrancy of urban life. She was particularly drawn to children at play, and her photographs often depict the imaginative and playful world of childhood.

In 1943, Levitt had her first solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, which was a significant milestone in her career. Her work was praised for its artistic quality and its ability to capture the essence of city life.

Documentary Filmmaking

In addition to her photography, Levitt also worked as a documentary filmmaker. She collaborated with writer James Agee and painter Janice Loeb on several projects, including the acclaimed short film In the Street (1948), which documented life in Spanish Harlem.

Later Life and Legacy

Levitt continued to photograph the streets of New York City throughout her life, although she shifted to color photography in the 1970s. Her work has been exhibited in major museums and galleries around the world, and she is considered one of the most important street photographers of the 20th century.

Levitt passed away in her sleep at the age of 95 in her home in New York City.

Selected Works

• A Way of Seeing (1965) - A book of Levitt's photographs with text by James Agee.
• In the Street (1948) - A short documentary film.

Exhibitions

• 1943: Museum of Modern Art, New York
• 1974: International Center of Photography, New York
• 1997: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco

See Also

• Street photography
• Documentary photography
• Museum of Modern Art
• James Agee