Famed photographer Joel Meyerowitz embraces digital camera telephones

“The problems of the world and the joys of the world are visible because everyone has a camera,” the 88-year-old instructed AFP.

The pioneer of color pictures and so-called road pictures is pleased trendy know-how has given practically everybody the possibility to make use of the medium “as a means of expression”.

“Nowadays… there are billions of people every day making photographs and there’s a culture of imagery that is teaching people values about photography, about humanity, about dignity,” he mentioned.

Meyerowitz spoke at London’s Somerset House, the place images from his decades-spanning profession go on present for 18 days from Friday as a part of this yr’s Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition.

It has additionally honoured him with its annual “outstanding contribution to photography” award.

“It’s thrilling to be recognised,” he mentioned, standing close to his iconic footage shot throughout a 1966-67 tour of Europe whereas a video projection presents a playful self-portraits undertaking from 2020.

“When I began, it wasn’t about a future in which I might win an award. It was about just doing the work… so I’m grateful.”

‘My metropolis was harm’

Meyerowitz began his profession as a painter and graphic designer earlier than discovering pictures simply as color imagery was rising.

“The world is in colour — it didn’t even occur to me that I should use black-and-white,” he recalled.

That budding photographer of the early Nineteen Sixties additionally instantly embraced the city setting.

“When I went onto the street, I never looked back,” Meyerowitz mentioned.

“The energy of life in the street, the way people carried themselves, the interactions between people, instantaneous events happening and disappearing — photography is about that.”

Street footage apart, Meyerowitz is equally well-known for documenting Ground Zero following the September 11, 2001 assaults — the only real photographer to have continued entry to the positioning within the yr after 9/11.

He spent a number of years creating an archive comprising 8,500 pictures, a few of which have been exhibited and have in a ebook, “Aftermath: World Trade Center Archive”.

Twenty-five years on, he recalled how the “life-changing” expertise started from a need to assist — in addition to an act of defiance after then-mayor Rudy Giuliani barred photographers from the positioning.

“I’m a native New Yorker. My city was hurt. I needed to help in some way. I didn’t know how… and then I figured it out,” he defined.

“I thought ‘screw you, buddy. We need this. This is history here. This is happening in America, in New York City, and you’re saying no photographs?’

“So I simply determined I’m going to go in there and do the work that was needed that he was attempting to ban.”

Meyerowitz initially forged a worker’s pass, before eventually befriending detectives on-site and securing a police department access badge.

“I wished to get in unhealthy sufficient… I’m glad I did it.”

No to AI

Meyerowitz noted a constant hallmark of his career has been embracing technological innovation, from the adoption of colour at the outset to digital cameras decades later.

But he has opted against exploring AI’s growing reach.

“I’m not at a degree in my life the place I wish to go into the unreal intelligence route,” he said.

“You would possibly say (it is) lens-less pictures. We’ll know sooner or later what this implies proper now. I’ve chosen to not use it.”

Despite that, London-based Meyerowitz, who is also editing all his unseen work for two new books, is still innovating.

The celebrated octogenarian is currently working on a project “very in contrast to something I’ve ever carried out” that involves “not simply making a straight {photograph}”, he said.

“I’m not going to speak about it as a result of it is, to start with, very dangerous — culturally dangerous, I believe — and I have never fulfilled it but. I’m at work on it.”

© 2026 AFP