The Freedom to See: Between Street and Still Life
The World Belongs to You
Joel Meyerowitz is considered an icon of photography. His work method as a street photographer has been strongly influenced by Leica M-Cameras. On the streets, he feels the energy, frames it and then translates it into pictures, bringing together that which at first seems separate. He confers this intuition to objects, transforming the seemingly inconsequential into powerful still lifes.
Between strolls and project work, Meyerowitz discovers various ways to expand his horizons. He reflects on technology, colour, focus and how the culture of photography has evolved. He shares his passion for photography and the joy of passing the torch to the next generation.
Master of Street and Colour
Born in Boston in 1938, Joel Meyerowitz embarked on his photographic career in the sixties and is today considered one of the pioneers of colour photography. After his early experience with street photography in New York, he has continued to develop his work over the decades, influencing both the genre as well as the way we experience the everyday and the exceptional. His images are characterised by precise composition, a sensitive approach to light and the ability to predict the decisive moment.
The Leica M is central to his work. For Meyerowitz, it is not merely a tool, but rather an extension of his instincts. No other camera allows him to convey this closeness to the street, this freedom of movement and this exactness when seeing. For him, no other camera can match an M.
I always say about the Leica that it gave me a license to see. It's like, go out into the world. It's all yours now!
Joel Meyerowitz
In the Flow of the City
Joel Meyerowitz learned his craft by taking pictures of everyday life on the streets. By observing, he developed his understanding of human behaviour, reading gestures, movements and moments around him. Street photography means having a sense of timing for the exact moment when energy, structure and dynamics intensify. This involves intuition, seeing connections and anticipating the stories that will unfold in the coming moments. The quest for these key moments continues to bring great joy to exceptional photographers.
I feel like photography has taught me everything I know about myself and the world.
Joel Meyerowitz
From Movement to Stillness
Still lifes are a stage for Joel Meyerowitz. He selects objects that possess an air of mystery, examining, turning, and shifting them until their characters reveal themselves to him. Each arrangement is a play of energy, form, and expression, and also embraces the space between the objects. Unlike on the street, when arranging still lifes Meyerowitz controls every movement, becoming author, director, and discoverer all at once. Immersed in this world, he finds in the actors of his still lifes a unique sense of meaning and personality.
By ‘bringing to life’, I mean that each object has its own character. When you grasp something in your hand and turn it around, at some point it suddenly speaks to you.
Joel Meyerowitz
Curiosity Is the Actual Innovation
Joel Meyerowitz considers photography to be an ongoing conversation between art and science. For him, technological progress has never been an end in itself, but rather a tool used to expand creative expression. Be it colour film, scanners or digital equipment, Meyerowitz encounters every new possibility with curiosity and openness. He always regards it from a human perspective, not a mechanical one. Because technology is only meaningful to him when it helps us to see the world more clearly, deeply and truthfully.
On a Stroll with the Leica M EV1
When Joel Meyerowitz picked up the Leica M EV1 for the first time, he only realised on second glance that this M was different than all those that have come before. Without question, it will win you over with the same traditional values and uncompromising quality that all M-Camera possess. Meyerowitz, however, sees the Leica M EV1 above all as an invitation to a new generation of photographers. Because, with its integrated EVF, it opens up the fascinating world of M photography to all those who have never experienced rangefinder technology before, thus serving as a point of entry to the legendary M-System.
The M EV1 is also a camera for a new generation. It’s for people who might want to have a classic Leica but are used to working with digital tools.
Joel Meyerowitz
The First M with an Integrated Electronic Viewfinder
Leica M EV1
Like every other M camera, the Leica M EV1 embodies timeless aesthetics and authentic photography, uncompromising craftsmanship, and exceptional image quality. It combines the traditional values of the legendary M system with the advantages of an EVF — opening up new horizons. The Leica M EV1 looks like an M, feels like an M, is an M — now with an integrated EVF.
Disclaimer: This device has not been authorized in the United States of America as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. This device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased in the United States of America until authorization is obtained.