Jeff Mermelstein

Jeff Mermelstein’s story began in Asbury Park, NJ, with a Nikon OneTouch, which was one of the first quality point and shoot cameras. The camera allowed for a “loose, haphazard, energized, free flowing approach” and soon he evolved as a photographer to pursue various types of photography like documentary, photojournalism, color images, and street photography.

Although he does take many photos in the street, Mr. Mermelstein doesn’t like to be labeled as a “street photographer” because of the many, often uncomfortable, implications that it carries. He opted instead to leave his work nameless and offered us some advice on our own projects: “Photographing in the street is not something to dwell on.” I took this to mean that we should shoot everything we can and take our pick later, which goes along with the adage that the journey is more important than the end.

As he showed us some of his photos, Mr. Mermelstein was quick to toss in jokes and witty notes about whatever slide was coming through the old school projector. He has largely stayed away from digital photography, which follows what I could glean about his personality and his subject matter. “…ultimately I’m interested in the ordinary,” he said while we went through his early pictures from Asbury Park and then his “Sidewalks” series. I was surprised when he said that one time he allowed an irate man to snatch away his camera and take out the film. Even though he seems like an easy going guy, I just couldn’t understand how he could let somebody destroy his property without so much as a word. The way he explained it showed me that he is a master of self control: “I do my best not to engage because I’ll never win.”