Saul Leiter Quotes

Art is the stored honey of the human soul, gathered on wings of misery and travail.

The beauty of women was the first expression of my photography.

I conceive that the great part of the miseries of mankind are brought upon them by false estimates they have made of the value of things.

If I think something is beautiful, there must be somebody out there who will agree with me.

I believe that what we call beautiful is generally a by-product.

To give pain is the tyranny; to make happy, the true empire of beauty.

I envy people who can just look at a sunset. I wonder how you can shoot it. There is nothing more grotesque to me than a vacation.

Without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable.

I've always photographed beauty, but I've never been beautiful myself.

I always loved aesthetics. Not particularly fashion, but an idea of beauty.

Artists make our lives livable and enjoyable.

Ugliness is more inventive than beauty. Beauty always follows certain camps. I think it's more amusing - ugliness - than beauty.

It is a terrible thing to be happy! How pleased we are with it! How all-sufficient we think it! How, being in possession of the false aim of life, happiness, we forget the true aim, duty!

HAPPY EVER AFTER is a concept I'll never believe in. I would be content to sample some little taste of happiness today, tonight, right now. Though I know without a doubt that tomorrow will come saturated with pain. Life is like that. At least my life. And honestly, I cant think of anyone whose life is any different. The price tag for joy is misery. [...]

When the woman is attractive, is it an interesting picture, or is it the woman? I had a lot of headaches with that, which was why it was interesting. I don't think I always got it straight.

Where one should see only what is beautiful, our public looks only for what is true.

Whoever increases the sum of human joy, is a worshiper. He who adds to the sum of human misery, is a blasphemer.

I think beauty is an expression of love.

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread.

There is nothing wrong with the love of Beauty. But Beauty-unless she is wed to something more meaningful-is always superficial

I am inspired by so much. I am inspired by women, of course - beautiful women. I am also inspired by not so beautiful things in the world.

I'm not a big proponent of happiness. I think it's highly overrated. I think misery is underrated. There's so much value in that. You can't have one without the other.

It has been said that beauty is a promise of happiness. Conversely, the possibility of pleasure can be a beginning of beauty.

Nothing keeps me in such awe as perfect beauty; now, there is something consoling and encouraging in ugliness.