Helen Levitt
Director
About Helen Levitt
Helen Levitt was an American photographer and filmmaker who became one of the most influential street photographers of the 20th century. Born in Brooklyn in 1913, she dropped out of high school and taught herself photography, working as a commercial photographer's assistant. In the 1930s, she began documenting the street life of New York City's working-class neighborhoods, particularly in Spanish Harlem, capturing candid moments of children playing and everyday life with remarkable empathy and artistic vision. Her work caught the attention of the Museum of Modern Art, which included her in their 1939 exhibition 'Photography 1839-1939.' During the 1940s, she expanded into filmmaking, co-directing the influential short documentary 'In the Street' (1948) with James Agee and Janice Loeb. After a brief hiatus from photography in the late 1940s and 1950s, she returned with renewed vigor in the 1960s, adding color to her repertoire and continuing to document urban life with her characteristic sensitivity. Levitt received numerous accolades throughout her career, including Guggenheim Fellowships and recognition as one of America's most important photographers. She remained active well into her 80s, continuing to capture the poetry of street life until her death in 2009 at age 95.
The Craft
Behind the Camera
Observational documentary style focusing on candid street life, natural human interactions, and the poetry of everyday moments in urban environments
Milestones
- First solo exhibition at Museum of Modern Art (1943)
- Co-directed 'In the Street' (1948) with James Agee
- Received Guggenheim Fellowship (1959, 1960)
- Major retrospective at Metropolitan Museum of Art (1974)
- Published 'A Way of Seeing' (1965)
- Received Cornell Capa Award (1997)
- Named a MacArthur Fellow (2008)
Best Known For
Must-See Films
Accolades
Won
- Guggenheim Fellowship (1959)
- Guggenheim Fellowship (1960)
- Cornell Capa Award (1997)
- MacArthur Fellowship (2008)
- International Center of Photography Infinity Award for Lifetime Achievement (2001)
Nominated
- Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature for 'The Quiet One' (1948) - as cinematographer
Special Recognition
- Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1997)
- National Medal of Arts (2002)
- Inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame (2013)
Working Relationships
Worked Often With
Why They Matter
Impact on Culture
Helen Levitt revolutionized street photography by elevating candid moments of everyday life to high art. Her work captured the poetry and humanity of urban life in New York City's working-class neighborhoods, particularly focusing on children's street culture at a time when such subjects were rarely considered worthy of artistic attention. Her photographs and films documented a disappearing New York, preserving the visual culture of immigrant neighborhoods and the spontaneous creativity of urban life. Levitt's influence extended beyond photography into the broader documentary tradition, helping establish the observational style that would become dominant in documentary filmmaking. Her ability to find beauty and meaning in ordinary moments helped change how artists and the public viewed street photography as an art form.
Lasting Legacy
Helen Levitt's legacy as a pioneering street photographer and documentary filmmaker continues to influence contemporary visual culture. Her photographs are held in major museum collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. The Helen Levitt Photograph Collection at the New York Public Library contains thousands of her images. Her work has been the subject of numerous books and exhibitions, cementing her status as one of America's most important photographers. Levitt's approach to capturing unposed, authentic moments in public spaces has become foundational to modern street photography and documentary practice. Her ability to find universal human truths in specific urban moments has inspired countless photographers and filmmakers to look for beauty and meaning in everyday life.
Who They Inspired
Helen Levitt's influence on photography and documentary filmmaking is profound and far-reaching. Her observational style influenced the development of cinéma vérité and direct cinema movements in the 1960s. Photographers like Robert Frank, Garry Winogrand, and Diane Arbus were all influenced by her approach to street photography. Her work inspired generations of photographers to document urban life with empathy and artistic vision. Contemporary street photographers continue to work in her shadow, attempting to capture the same combination of formal beauty and human emotion that defined her best work. In filmmaking, her collaborative approach on 'In the Street' influenced the development of collaborative documentary practices and the use of photography techniques in documentary cinema.
Off Screen
Helen Levitt was known for her intensely private nature and never married or had children. She lived most of her life in New York City, maintaining a modest apartment on the Upper West Side. Despite her growing fame, she remained humble and reclusive, rarely giving interviews or seeking publicity. She was known among friends for her wit, intelligence, and dedication to her craft. Levitt was a lifelong liberal and supported various social causes throughout her life.
Education
Dropped out of high school; largely self-taught in photography and filmmaking through practical experience and observation
Did You Know?
- Was friends with writer James Agee, with whom she co-directed 'In the Street'
- Worked briefly as a commercial photographer for the Federal Art Project
- Her first camera was a second-hand 35mm Leica
- Many of her early negatives were stolen from her apartment in 1970
- Was known for being extremely camera-shy and rarely allowed herself to be photographed
- Spent time in Mexico City in 1941, where she photographed street life with a new perspective
- Her work was initially rejected by many galleries who considered street photography too 'common'
- Continued to work into her 90s, often photographing from her apartment window
- Was one of the first photographers to use color for serious street photography in the 1960s
- Her photographs have appeared on over 40 book covers
- Never owned a car, preferring to walk and photograph in New York neighborhoods
- Was a lifelong baseball fan and regularly attended games at Shea Stadium
In Their Own Words
All I can say about the photographs I take is that they are visually exciting. Their content may be anything from a mud puddle to a nude figure.
I never had a project. I would go out and shoot, I never had a preconceived notion of what I was going to shoot.
I'm a 'real' photographer. I'm not an intellectual photographer. I'm not a conceptual photographer. I'm not a concerned photographer. I'm just a photographer.
If you like what you're doing, it's a privilege to do it.
The way you shoot depends on what you want to say about things.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Helen Levitt?
Helen Levitt was an American photographer and documentary filmmaker known for her pioneering street photography of New York City. While primarily celebrated as one of the most influential street photographers of the 20th century, she also co-directed the acclaimed short documentary 'In the Street' (1948). Her work captured the poetry of everyday urban life, particularly focusing on children at play in working-class neighborhoods.
What films is Helen Levitt best known for?
Helen Levitt is best known for co-directing the short documentary 'In the Street' (1948) with James Agee and Janice Loeb. She also served as cinematographer on 'The Quiet One' (1948), which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. While her filmography is small compared to her photographic work, these films are considered classics of documentary cinema.
When was Helen Levitt born and when did she die?
Helen Levitt was born on August 31, 1913, in Brooklyn, New York, and died on March 29, 2009, in New York City at the age of 95. She spent nearly her entire life living and working in New York City, documenting its changing urban landscape through her photography and films.
What awards did Helen Levitt win?
Helen Levitt received numerous prestigious awards including two Guggenheim Fellowships (1959, 1960), the International Center of Photography Infinity Award for Lifetime Achievement (2001), the Cornell Capa Award (1997), and a MacArthur Fellowship (2008). She was also elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and received the National Medal of Arts in 2002.
What was Helen Levitt's directing style?
Helen Levitt's directing style was observational and documentary in nature, focusing on capturing authentic, unposed moments of street life. Her approach emphasized the poetry of everyday interactions, particularly the spontaneous play of children in urban neighborhoods. She used a lightweight camera to remain inconspicuous, allowing her subjects to behave naturally while she documented their world with empathy and artistic sensitivity.
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Films
1 film
