JoelMeyerowitz

JoelMeyerowitz,aninfluentialphotographer,openedtheeyesofmanywithhisphotos.
Heearnedhisfamethroughcolorphotography,awayoflookingattheworldasmorethanblack
andwhite.Hisimagesrepresenteverydaylifeaswellassettingsandobjectspeopleshouldpay
moreattentionto.Meyerowitzphotographyinspiresmetocapturetheseobjectsandsettingsthat
arearoundmethroughmyownlense.ThecolorphotographyofJoelMeyerowitzcapturedthe
attentionofmanythroughoutthetwentiethcenturyaswellastoday.
JoelMeyerowitzwasbornin1938inNewYork.Hefirstbeganhisphotographycareer
whenhewantedtohelpmakecoloredfilmacceptedinsociety("JoelMeyerowitz(American,
Born1938)
"
.JoelwasinfluencedbythelateRobertFrank,whospecializedinstreet
photography.HehimselfinfluencedhisstudentsthathetaughtatPrincetonUniversity,anduses
streetphotographytocreateaquietandfriendlycomposition.Joelismostfamousforhiscolor
photography,asonlyblackandwhitephotosweresociallyacceptableduringthistime.("A
BiographyoftheFilmmaker").

Meyerowitz,Joel.
Dusk,NewJersey.
1978.NRWForum
Dsseldorf,Germany.
Artblart
.Web.

27Apr.2016.

Thisimageportraysasmallsuburbandstreetatdusk.Itisinfluencedbythefactthatmost
peopleweremovingfromthecityintosmallersuburblikecommunities,andwasalsoinfluenced
bythefactthatphotographywasevolvingintocolors.Joelcreatesanimagethatisntmadeof
strongcolors,butinsteadalmostcreatesamiddlepointbetweencolorandblackandwhite
photos.Thephotographerwantedtocapturethelightingandbeautyofmanmadestructures
whilecontrastedbyaconceptofnature,dusk.Thephotographersuccessfullyportrayshis
messagebecausehefocusesonalloftheelementsthatmakeupthephotolikethetree,the
houses,thestoreandthesky/moonbehinditall.Bydoingthis,hereallygivestheviewera
glimpseofwhatduskinNewJerseyislike.NewJerseyatduskisacalmplacewithlittlelight,
whichMeyerowitzportrayswell.Imyselfliketotakenatureshots,sothispieceinfluencesmeto
takephotosduringdifferenttimesandsettingsoftheday.

Meyerowitz,Joel.
Provincetown.
1977.NRWForum
Dsseldorf,Germany.
Artblart
.Web.27

Apr.2016.

Thisimageportrayssheetsdryingoutsidewhileblowinginthebreeze.Thisimageportraysa
differenttimeofdaythanthefirstimage,andalsoportraysbrightercolors.Likethelastphoto,
Provincetownemphasizesmanmadestructuresandhownaturecomplimentsthem.The
photographerwantstoportraythebeautyofthewindinnatureaswellaseverydaythingsa
personhastodo.Heiseffectiveinportrayingthisbecausehesubframesthesheetsblowingin
thewindwiththewoodenrails,andhecombinesbotheverydaylifeandnaturetogethertomake
astrongercomposition.Thisimageinfluencesmetousenaturalelementssuchaswindtocreate
interestingcompositionsthatcontrastnatureandeverydayobjectsandactivities.

Meyerowitz,Joel.
RosevilleCottages,Truro,
Massachusetts
.1976.NRWForumDsseldorf,

Germany.
Artblart
.Web.27Apr.2016.

Thisimageportrayswhatlookslikeagroupofcottagesinthemountainsalittlebeforesunset.
Thisimagerepresentsanewtimeofdaythatseemscalmerthanthefirsttwophotos.Many
peopleduringthe1970slivedincottagesanddrovebuggies,whichprobablyinfluencedthe
photographer.Thephotographerwantstoshowthenaturalbeautyofthecottagesandwherethey
are.Heplacesthecottagesontherightsideofthephoto,puttingemphasisonthetelephone
boothandpoleinthemiddleofthecomposition.Thisemphasizesthenaturalbeautyofman
madestructures.Thisphotoinfluencesmetotrynewperspectivesandangleswhentaking
photos,andalsotofocusonthewholelandscapeanditselements,notjustoneobject.

Meyerowitz,Joel.
BaySky,Provincetown,
Massachusetts.
1985.NRWForumDsseldorf,
Germany.
Artblart
.Web.27Apr.2016.

Thisimageportraysanoceanoverlookedbywhatlookslikefog.Thisphotoisdifferentthanthe
otherthreephotosbecauseitdoesnthaveanyobjectsormanyfocalpoints.Theviewerjusthas
theoceanandthefogsurroundingittofocuson.Thephotographerwantstoshowthepeaceand
quietnessorcalmnessoftheoceaninitsownessence.Heportraysthiswellbecausehecreatesa
contrastwiththefogandwaterthatreallydoescreatepeaceandcalmness.Thisimageinfluences
metotakeadifferentapproachatcapturingnatureandhowtousenatureincontrasttoitself.

JoelMeyerowitzscolorphotographycapturedthenaturalandsocialaspectsofeveryday
lifeinadditiontotheattentionofmany.Bybringingaboutcolorphotography,Meyerowitz
createdanewandquietphotographystyleinhiseffortstomakecoloredfilmacceptedinsociety.
Heportrayedafeelingofnaturallifeandthedifferenceineverydayactivitiesthroughdifferent
timesofdayandnaturalchanges.Joelsphotosmakemewanttotakeamorenaturalapproachto
photography,aswellastakingphotosbasedoneverydaylifeinsteadofjustsettingupastrict
placedphoto.JoelMeyerowitztrulycapturestheeyesofmany,andhisphotographyshould
continuetoinfluencethefuturephotographerstocome.

WorksCited

"ABiographyoftheFilmmaker."
PBS
.WGBHEducationalFoundation,19952014.Web.
27Apr.2016.
"JoelMeyerowitz(American,Born1938)."
Artnet
.ArtnetWorldwideCorporation,2016.Web.
27Apr.2016
Meyerowitz,Joel.
Dusk,NewJersey.
1978.NRWForumDsseldorf,Germany.
Artblart
.Web.
27Apr.2016.
Meyerowitz,Joel.
Provincetown.
1977.NRWForumDsseldorf,Germany.
Artblart
.Web.27
Apr.2016.
Meyerowitz,Joel.
RosevilleCottages,Truro,Massachusetts
.1976.NRWForumDsseldorf,
Germany.
Artblart
.Web.27Apr.2016.
Meyerowitz,Joel.
BaySky,Provincetown,Massachusetts.
1985.NRWForumDsseldorf,
Germany.
Artblart
.Web.27Apr.2016.