Every once in awhile you come across some work that just makes you reevaluate things. Saul Leiter’s book of street photography (titled Early Color) from the mid 20th century was one such book this year that has really stuck with me. He gives a beautiful, unique and impressionistic view of life in New York and Paris, which, yea for street photography I know is not breaking any new ground, but his pictures aren’t like anyone elses. Most importantly – to me – is that they’re not aggressive. I love street photography and I love practicing it but people who use aggressive methods and consequently come up with aggressive and confrontational imagery doesn’t really interest me. Saul had a stable career as a fashion and commercial photographer, but the stuff in his book shows he’s not bound by anything but his own whims. This book has been one of the photographic motivators (others not being photographic in nature) for me to get out and make pictures in Chicago more, and I keep coming back to it. Unfortunately, it’s tough to find many of his pictures on the ole’ www, so a trip to library (if they even have it…) or bn/amazon.com might be in order.