Joel Meyerowitz interview

[Tim Hyde]

There is a 2-part Joel Meyerowitz interview over on the "2point8" blog. I think he is one of the most influential photographers of the past 50 years, especially his Cape Light work that is now being exhibited (newly reprinted) at Jackson Fine Art in Atlanta. The interviews are especially interesting where he discusses moving from 35mm to large format and the effect that had on his "street" style; also the problems he had getting access at Ground Zero.
http://2point8.whileseated.org/?p=284
http://2point8.whileseated.org/?p=285

[roteague]

I think he is one of the most influential photographers of the past 50 years

That is nice. I think his work is pure, unadulterated, crap. His work show no life, no sense that he did anything more than show up and snap the shutter.

[Jorge Gasteazoro]

That is nice. I think his work is pure, unadulterated, crap. His work show no life, no sense that he did anything more than show up and snap the shutter.

So....Robert, tell us how you really feel, don't hold back...

[Brian Ellis]

That is nice. I think his work is pure, unadulterated, crap. His work show no life, no sense that he did anything more than show up and snap the shutter.

Does this mean you won't be flying from Hawaii to Atlanta for the exhibit?

[keeds]

I'm with Robert. He was interviewed alot in "The Genius of photography" and from what I saw all he did was poke his Leica in peoples faces and was lucky enough not to get punched. I'm sure some of his stuff is great, but the expression "an infiinite number of monkeys and typewriters......" come to my mind. But then what do I know, just what I think.

[JPlomley]

Interesting. I read an interview in Digital PhotoPro a while back about shooting at ground zero. He extolled the virtues of working with the Mamiya 7 for its discreet nature and outstanding image quality. Never mentioned anything about shooting LF. Is he using a Fotoman?

[Louie Powell]

Never mentioned anything about shooting LF. Is he using a Fotoman?

He uses an 8x10 Deardorff.

I agree that his street work is pretty dreadful - a pushy, New York street photography who shoves his camera in the face of people to make pictures that don't say very much.

And his Bay/Sky series is - - - is "boring" an appropriate term?

But in my opinion, Cape Light defines Cape Cod landscape photography. We've spent a lot of time there, and I've concluded that there are only two photographers who have really managed to capture the feeling of the Cape - Meyerowitz and Jon Vaughn.

[PhotoHistorian]

That is nice. I think his work is pure, unadulterated, crap. His work show no life, no sense that he did anything more than show up and snap the shutter.

Robert,
Very articulate! "I think his work is pure, unadulterated, crap." I would say the same about all those boring dawn/sunrise shots on your website. If you have seen one you have seen them all. Show up when the sun comes up and snap the shutter. How difficult is that?

Walker

[Tim Hyde]

We stand on his shoulders, guys--at least those of us who shoot color. It's hard to imagine now how much color was looked down on before Meyerowitz and Shore and Sternfeld and...yes...Eggleston. It's one thing to find his work boring or superficial, it's quite another to be so oafishly dismissive.

[Michael Graves]

I saw the Cape Light exhibition way back when it first toured. The prints then were done on dye transfer, according to the catalog; so that may have affected my perception of quality. But even though the photographs were made on 8x10, they didn't have the sharpness I expected. The landscapes were quite good, in my opinion, and I actually tried to talk my wife into ordering a print. (Too much money, she said). But the portraits did nothing for me. The colors didn't seem right.