Recently posted about on both Buzzfeed and The New York Times, Joel Meyerowitz, age 80, continues to be an icon for street photography.
I first discovered Meyerowitz when I was taking a color photography class in 11th grade, and instantly fell in love with his collection titled “Cape Light”. I thought these pictures perfectly captured the essence of Cape Cod, a place where I myself have spent a lot of time.
Meyerowitz began taking photographs in the 60s, and with his use of color, changed the street photography game, and is given credit in having been instrumental in the acceptance of color photography opposed to black and white.
His career began in New York City:
Meyerowitz captures daily life perfectly, and his patience and ability to time photos is why his street photography is so successful. None of the photos were staged, not even the first photo, “Manhattan, 1975” which depicts a cloud of smoke/steam and shadows perfectly aligned on the backs of walkers.
To attest to his talent and respectability, Meyerowitz was the only photographer allowed in Ground Zero in the days following 9/11.
In this photo, Meyerowitz captures movement in the subjects clothing and bodies. There is even movement present in the smoke (rising from a rill maybe?) in the middle of the photo. His focus is on the woman, as she is the only person facing toward him. This photo depicts the exact moment in time where he is noticed photographing and captures the overall mood of the party he is attending, which is lighthearted.
Here are some other photos from the previously mentioned Cape Light collection:
photogenic new york 