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As a semi-aspiring photographer myself, I was attracted to Helen Levitt’s obituary mainly because of her profession as a photographer. After reading through her biography I was entranced by her way with art, and simultaneously disappointed that I had not had the chance to appreciate her work while she was still alive. Isn’t it ironic, how so many artists earn recognition only in death? I remember reading somewhere not too long ago about how F.Scott Fitzgerald’s most famous work of the present, The Great Gatsby, had been highly criticized and ignored up until long after his death. Decades later, scholars are still analyzing The Great Gatsby and high school students throughout the country are still required to read this American classic. I suppose comparing Levitt to Fitzgerald is a bit of a stretch, because it is only I, and not a whole generation of people, who was not aware of Levitt’s photography. In any case, what I loved most about Levitt’s obituary was her portrayal as a self-reliant yet reserved woman who roamed around with her Leica, capturing the city she knew most and simply letting her photos speak for themselves. Her humility, in light of her amazing photography, is truly inspiring. It is my wish to capture Hanoi’s essence in a fraction of the same manner that Levitt had when she photographed New York City.
r.i.p helen levitt
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