In order to build a career and to be successful, one has to be determined. One has to be ambitious. I much prefer to drink coffee, listen to music an… - Saul Leiter

I must admit that I am not a member of the ugly school. I have a great regard for certain notions of beauty even though to some it is an old fashioned idea. Some photographers think that by taking pictures of human misery, they are addressing a serious problem. I do not think that misery is more profound than happiness.

I really don’t think I was influenced by anyone. I think I will leave it up to someone else to determine who influenced me. I admired a tremendous number of photographers, but for some reason I arrived at a point of view of my own.

I never felt the need to do what everyone else did. And I wasn’t troubled by the fact that other people were doing other things.