Joel Meyerowitz is one of the photographers who has inspired me for a very long time. I’m especially drawn to his series Cape Light. There’s no need to mention his iconic 35mm color street photography — it’s legendary on its own. Honestly, each of his series deserves its own post, but for now, I just want to share a few impressions of this remarkable photographer.

What stands out to me is the simplicity and thoughtfulness of his compositions. In his swimming pool series, for example, many of the pools are set right by the bay. This subtle placement invites viewers to think about the contrast between the artificial and the natural — the geometric stillness of a man-made pool versus the expansive, organic movement of the sea. It’s a quiet but powerful kind of tension.

Technically, Meyerowitz’s approach is just as considered. He often uses a small aperture to ensure both the foreground and background are in crisp focus. This gives his images a clarity that feels almost painterly — not staged, but deeply intentional.

In his street photography, take for example the image of a red vintage car parked in front of a house with matching red window frames. The symmetry in composition and the way the colors echo each other is stunning. These kinds of aesthetic decisions — formal, but not rigid — are inspiring no matter what subject matter you’re photographing. It’s the kind of visual sensitivity I think every photographer can learn from.

Returning to the pool series: what resonates with me most are the cool, unsaturated blue tones. There’s a calmness to them — a kind of quiet detachment from reality — that makes the scenes feel timeless, like they’re suspended in some in-between place. I’m hoping to bring a similar mood into my own work. Not by imitation, but by learning to pay attention to color and light the way he does — subtly, and with intention.

中文版本：

Joel Meyerowitz 是一个长期以来都给我很多灵感的摄影师。他的《Cape Light》系列让我特别着迷。当然，他那组经典的 35mm 彩色街头摄影几乎无需赘述，已经成为了标志性作品。其实他的每一个系列都值得单独写一篇文章来细聊，但这次，我只是想简单记录一下对这位杰出摄影师的一些印象和想法。

他的作品让我印象深刻的，是那种看似简单却处处用心的构图。在他拍摄游泳池的系列中，很多泳池都靠近海湾，几乎是在海边。这种布景本身就带出了一种很自然的对比：人造泳池的规则、几何和安静，对比身后大海的广阔、自然和流动。这种对比并不张扬，却让人停下来思考。

在技术层面上，他的处理同样值得称道。他常常使用小光圈，来确保画面前后景都能保持清晰。这种方式让照片带上了一种类似绘画的质感——不是刻意摆拍，但画面感却极强，充满控制力。

他的街头摄影同样精彩。比如那张红色老爷车停在红窗户的房子前的照片，构图非常对称，颜色也完美呼应。这种对形式和色彩的把控，是任何题材摄影都能学习借鉴的美学素养。

回到他拍摄泳池的系列，我个人最喜欢的是他照片中那种淡淡的、不饱和的蓝色调。那种冷静而疏离的氛围，让整个画面显得既平静又有点超现实感，仿佛时间被凝固，空间也变得模糊。这种情绪感，是我很想在自己作品中尝试传达的——不是去模仿他的风格，而是去学习他如何用色彩与光线，营造出那种安静而有深度的氛围。