The man in action

From the Big Apple emerges one Jeff Mermelstein, a street photographer whose work is generally associated with photo journalism. He is a photographer who has evolved through the ages so to speak – from black and white to color, from manual to auto focus. After studying at the International Center of Photography, Mermelstein has moved on to work for wideknown companies like the New Yorker, the New York Times, and Life Magazine. He also took pictures for advertising purposes for companies like Hewlett Packard, and electronics giant Samsung.

He was a guest speaker at one of my classes the other day, and during the course of a hour and fifteen minutes, he showed us his amazing work – you don’t get to see a man fitting a book the size of an encyclopedia in his mouth everyday. What’s unbelievable about his photos is that none of them are manipulated by a computer. Mermelstein said that he enjoyed taking pictures as they were; he wanted to capture the “soulfulness of pictures.” Perhaps he meant when a photo underwent computer manipulation, it lost some of its realism, some of this intricate quality that gave it life. He manipulated photos in the sense that he employed certain techniques that allowed him to change the depth of field in a photo, or the perception of an object. He is able to change the sharpness of a picture, highlighting the object of interest in the foreground, and dimming everything else – a favorite as seen in many of his samples.

When asked how he approached pedestrians about taking their pictures, he told us that the least interaction was the best interaction – you come and you go. A point of interest he revealed was the increasing paranoia parents had of letting their childrens’ photographs be taken. Mermelstein had his share of encounters that resulted in the film from his camera being ripped out. Although a big man, Mermelstein told us explicitly that he was a pacifist at heart, and did not do anything that could endanger anyone.

Taking photograph after photograph might seem tedious to some, but that is how Mermelstein likes it. “I would shoot anything and everything, then pull from it.” From an entire roll of film, this photographer might use five photos for publication purposes.

When he walked into the room, Jeff Mermelstien exuded an air of nervousness.  He kept his head down and said little as he surveyed the small class and edged his tall body toward the back.  The few things he said were calm and bored sounding as he first opened his mouth to introduce himself and to ask for help setting up.  It was as though he had the distinct impression that we as a class were going to verbally attack him and his art at the first possible opening.  He set up his slides and steeled himself for a blank and humorless hour and a half.  He obviously did not realize the kind of class he was dealing with. Not only did we find his pictures intriguing and occasionally hilarious, which the back row greatly appreciated, he was interesting as well.  The uncomfortably dubbed “street photographer” showed us old pictures, ones from his book Sidewalk and others he remained connected to over the years.  He told back-stories and explained inspirations. As he flipped through slide after slide, his opening statement of “being seduced by color” made more and more sense.  Neon red and old ladies outfits and all the different browns and grays found swimming in his photos clearly showed this passion.
As the slides slid on, his nervousness ebbed away and he began to laugh with us and crack jokes.  He appreciated our side comments and initial reactions.  Then, as the last of his doubts faded away and he remembered that teenagers are people too, he allowed himself to become part of the class for the last few minutes.

As soon as Jeff Mermelstein entered room 12-170 I knew it was going to be a fun, action-packed class.  It began with him asking Yuriy, a fellow classmate, and I to change seats in order to set up his projector.  Gladly, we did as asked.  As we were moved our belongings, Jeff cracked jokes to us and could have been mistaken for a college student himself.  Previously, I was expecting that class to be just another talk with a photographer, but I was pleasantly surprised it wasn’t.

I thought it was a great idea Jeff Mermelstein brought along a whole treasure chest of his most prized and famous photos, instead of just addressing the class without any visual aids.  In recent classes, we discussed different photographic techniques and terms such as vantage point and color contrast, and I was interested to see how he used them.  There are a few pictures I remember more than others.  I especially like the set of photos that dealt with elderly women playing a card game.  He highlighted how they dressed and presented themselves to one another.  These photos made the viewer ask, “Why would they get dressed up just to play cards?”  Another photo that stood out to me was a picture in front of a store with what seemed to be blood on the floor in front of it.  He explained that even though it looked like the scene of a murder, the “blood” was just the reflection of the red neon light of the store’s sign.  Jeff even admitted that when he was taking that photo he was not conscious of the liquid looking like blood until after it was developed.  He also told the class that he takes pictures of basically everything he sees, and then once the photos are developed, he sifts through the thousands of them and keeps the ones he wants and stores the others somewhere else.

Some of his photos were odd, but he kept a great sense of humor while we laughed and jeered at them.  He even laughed with us.  A lesser photographer would have taken this to heart and may have even been offended, but this wasn’t Jeff Mermelstein.  Pictures of random people on the street, animals, and even inanimate objects filled the classroom for eighty-five minutes, keeping my fellow classmates and I at the edge of our seats.  He did a great job of explaining every picture we asked about.  I wondered how he got so close to some of his subjects without getting attacked or hit by them, especially since most of the subjects in the photos seemed upset they were being photographed.  In response to this he said, “I would never risk injury for a photo or even a camera.”

There were a few things that Jeff said that will help me during my street photography project.  He advised us to take pictures of what we want to and have fun with it.  He also added that we should take pictures of everything, and then go through the photos later to see what we want to keep or discard, similar to the style he uses.  Jeff Mermelstein was a great guest to have come to the class and I wouldn’t be surprised if I see some of his work in the future.

Street photography was a realm of art in which I had never entered. It was completely foreign to me, I was aware of its existence, and that was pretty much the extent of my knowledge on the subject. So, any type of exposure to the subject of seeing any examples of it from any artist would have been an enriching experience. When I was told the prolific street photographer Jeff Mermelstein would be coming into our class to personally show us some of his work I figured it would be something I had never really seen before and it would be intriguing to hear about the photos from the person who actually took them.
I didn’t know what to expect when Mr. Mermelstein was coming in, I could not envision what I thought he would look like or what his personality would be like. It turns out that his humor and his demeanor would be captivating. He started out telling a little bit about himself and his philosophy in regards to street photography. He admitted that he didn’t necessarily like the title “street photographer” because of the certain stigma that came with it. He went on to talk about the photos themselves and described his love for color in his photos and the “M&M like seduction” that color in photos could possess.
His photos were nothing like what I thought street photography was. It wasn’t just of skyscrapers and city landmarks. There was a sense of action or movement in almost all of his photos. Something always seemed to be going on, and we as the viewers just happened to stumble upon it. When asked about his work process, he described the endless walking and the inconceivable ratio of pictures taken to pictures actually used. He also spoke about the way he shoots his photos. He still uses film and he likes the idea that sometimes something will be in a photo, and said  “I didn’t see it when I took the picture.” He enjoyed that element of surprise.
One photo in particular really stood out to me. It was a photo of a car that had driven through a storefront with pedestrians nonchalantly passing by. It was a very bizarre scene to see. Based on the way he works, it is safe to say that he probably just stumbled upon this scene, I mean, it’s not likely that someone informed him that this had occurred and suggested that he go and check it out. So, it lead me to believe that street photography also has a lot to do with luck and being in the right place at the right time. When asked about how he found this incident, he jokingly said, “I drove my car through the window and got out and took the photo. It was an old car anyway so, it was worth it.”
I had never met a photographer before, except for the ones at weddings and bar mitzvahs, but none that actually took their photos not necessarily to preserve memories but perhaps to create new ones. The photos of a street photographer can evoke emotions and feelings that a family portrait simply cannot compare to. There is a certain element to the way they look that creates movement within the stillness.

            When waiting for Mr. Mermelstein to arrive I was quite unsure of what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised to see that he was a jovial man who seemed to genuinely enjoy is job. He proceeded to show us numerous photos that he had taken. In his particular brand of photography he seemed to take many pictures of people up close. I was interested in his answer when the topic was brought up about his interactions with people on the street. Obviously there will be times when you run into someone who is not really inclined to have his/her picture taken but Mr. Mermelstein took this all in stride. He said that he tries to avoid confrontation at all times. He even remarked about how careful a photographer has to be because there will be times when he takes a picture of people who should not be with each other, whether it be a mistress or something similar. I was astonished by the courage that he has to have to brazenly walk around Manhattan snapping pictures of people in the street. I was also interested to hear him say that there were times when confrontations arose and one man even removed the film from his camera.

            I was also impressed by Mr. Mermelstein’s sense of the opportune moment. He seemed to have an uncanny knack for snapping pictures that capture a note-worthy moment in time. Photography seems to be his gift and he has an affinity for knowing which subjects to shoot. He expressed that it is not essential to have a subject in mind and that sometime sit is a good thing to just see where the day will take you and what subjects you will happen upon. I feel that Jeffrey Mermelstein captures the essence of what a photographer should be: someone who is adept at choosing the proper subjects to use as well as someone who is open to new ideas and different ways of looking at life. He had many pictures that were genuinely funny and he seemed to laugh at much of his own work. It was truly refreshing to meet someone who has found his passion in life and really enjoys what he does.

Jeff Mermelstein is a street photographer, who prefers the title photojournalist.  He is not comfortable with the title street photographer because it implies different things to different people. Since he was five years old, he had a strong and vigorous interest in colors.  When he was 20, he fell in love with color photography. “Working in color is an additional ingredient in the juggling act of making an interesting photograph.” He is very interested in surprise and what one cannot anticipate, or plan. The literal proximity in which he has made most of his work is on the streets of NY, although he was quite prolific outside of NY as well. The American social content in general interests him, but he “just happens to live in NY.”
When Jeff Mermelstein first began taking photographs, Asbury Park, a place under the NJ shoreline, became a vicinity for him to think about who he was. He took many trips there to explore his interests and figure out his identity as a photographer. It was a significant stepping-stone for him in terms of his evolution as an artist. What drew him there was the abundance of bizarre people, vivid colors, and strange things. Many of the slides that we saw were very interesting, and even funny because some of the things in the picture were not intended, and happened purely by accident (or luck). He told us which kind of camera he uses and the lens he likes. He had an automatic focus camera “1 Touch.” It was quicker and looser than the film cameras.  It had an energized, free flowing approach. Jeff Mermelstein uses 35 mm lens, usually standing 5-10 ft. away from his subjects. Now he uses a Leica camera, and a Canon film camera. He thinks it’s always a “great experience to go without looking through the view finder.” In some ways, I believe that is the best method to take pictures. It’s not the typical, traditional approach to picture taking. That’s another thing that made his photographs interesting to look at, he is not trying to get his subjects’ attention and he just photographs what he sees. In some ways, just like Diane Arbus’ work, it brings out the real people, the person’s most true self.

Then a question about privacy rights arose. Technically, you are entitled to photograph people on the streets with the intent to use them for art. Although it has gotten more paranoiac the last few years because of the terrorist threats and the misuse of photographs, Mr. Mermelstein still walks around the city and takes pictures.

When asked if he uses photoshop to edit his photographs, he responds with “I’m a dinosaur.” He doesn’t know how to use photoshop, he doesn’t even have it. “I’m interested in the realism of pictures.”  He wants to catch soulfulness and realism in pictures and thus never crops or edits. I really respect him for this because I feel like in a lot of today’s artwork, many artists rely too much on technology. In some ways, so much, that it becomes a debate about whether to consider it art or not.

Jeff Mermelstein feels comfortable with thinking of himself as taking pictures of anything and everything at all times. He urges us not to be discouraged in photographing some theme in particular, i.e., men or redheads. I really enjoyed this class visit by such a great photographer. Not only does he take great pictures, he is also very funny. Now I am motivated to go out into the streets of NY and photograph anything and everything!

What is the best approach to shoot street photographs? While some street photographers considered that the techniques of photographing are the most crucial parts of their work, Jeff Mermelstein emphasized simplicity and “perpetual hard work.” Taking the time out of his schedule, Mermelstein not only delivered his interpretation of street photography during the slideshow presentation but also gave the students an insight into creating their own themes for their street photography project.

As a young photographer, Mermelstein fell in love with color photography that it represented the real world and was seduction “like natural M&M”. In one of his photographs, a businessman held a giant scissor that appeared to be right in front of a woman’s face. By manipulating the vantage point, Mermelstein added a new layer to the photograph. The photograph conveyed the sense of anticipation. It suspends the viewers that they wanted to ask Mermelstein what exactly happened during the moment. I guess that’s what one called the element of surprise; we discovered something in the photographs that was unintended. Creating a series of photographs with moments of surprise also took dedication and patience. Mermelstein would go on “unguided tour” simply exploring the streets of New York City for hours everyday. Then out of the hundreds of photographs, he would only pick the few. A dedicated street photographer must have a camera that needed his needs. His camera, Lica m6, allowed him to zoom in on his target but at the same time disengaged. Nonetheless, if people complained he was fine that they take out his film.

In his renowned series “Sidewalk”, Mermelstein captured the streets and people of New York City that we often take for granted. Whether it was the construction worker with his hands in the air or the businessman, jaw opened with a book in the mouth, Mermelstein exposed the humorous and casual side of New York City. In one of the photographs from the series, a woman played piano on the sidewalk in the ghetto. The photograph attracted my attention because the contrast between the piano and the ghetto’s background unveiled the notion that art has no social class boundary. Even in the streets, a person can play the piano to perfection. As a street photographer, photographing with a mission, Jeff Mermelstein directed me into believing that everyone can be a photographer.

Source: www.stevenkasher.com

He walks into the room, momentarily addresses the class, and swiftly proceeds to installing his collection of photographs into the projector.  As if trying to avoid attention, the man works silently until his work is ready for display, only voicing his concern for the abundance of light.  Once the projector turns on, he simply switches from picture to picture and they themselves incite the questions that follow.  If you were to see a man of such simple demeanor toying with his camera in some Manhattan district, you would fail to realize that you are bearing witness to Jeff Mermelstein, worldwide authority on street photography, contributing to an art that is as much his as anybody’s.
Jeff Mermelstein needs little introduction past the fact that he is one of the leading street photographers of the world.  Winner of the European Publishers Award for Photography and holding exhibitions throughout the world, Mermelstein is one of the most acclaimed street photographers in existence today, although he doesn’t like the term “street photography.”  It’s an appropriate dislike, seeing as how his pictures aren’t confined simply to streets.  While many of his pictures are taken in New York’s concrete journal, Mermelstein isn’t shy of drifting into nature parks, beaches, apartments and a plethora of completely dissimilar settings.  Whether it is old women in an apartment playing mahjong or a young man sitting on the pavement, Mermelstein’s style is thoroughly varied.  In fact, the only central theme common to all his works is that they represent the life of real people, neither posing nor modeling and only scarcely aware of the photographer’s presence.  This unique style, coupled with his willingness to shoot thoroughly different settings, results in just one of his collections displaying a wider range of emotions than many other photographers’ entire career reels.
The greatest display of confidence by any artist is in his or her readiness to let their work of art speak for itself and, on that note, Mermelstein does not disappoint.  This artist cycles through his works, only providing background when asked to.  He claims that his roots are in “document[ing] the real world,” a style that asks for unbiased truth.  One can make a work of art look howsoever he or she pleases but documentation means to find the absolute truth and let the viewer make the judgment, something Mermelstein never fails to do.
While his down to earth mannerisms may lie in sharp contrast to the level of success he has seen, there is no denying that Jeff Mermelstein is talented, to say the least.  If you ever see him walking along your street, don’t bother with an autograph.  Instead, go visit one of his exhibitions; his works do this man more justice than his words ever could.

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.”