The pioneering street photographer who reshaped the use of color recounts the story of his life and career.

In-person registration for this event has sold out. A limited number of standby tickets will be available on the night of the event.

Joel Meyerowitz began capturing life on the streets of New York in 1962, and since then his camera has taken him across America, Europe, and beyond. In his new book Meyerowitz goes behind the scenes of his storied life and career with historian and photographer Lorenzo Braca. The Pleasure of Seeing (Damiani, 2023) hops from stories behind many of Meyerowitz’s famous photographs to the value of the visual image down to technical details about lenses, printing, and film.

Meyerowitz and Braca discuss The Pleasure of Seeing and Meyerowitz’s legendary career, and share some of the 100+ images from the book, everything from iconic photographs to previously unpublished material.

This event is presented as the annual conversation on photography generously underwritten by Mahnaz Ispahani Bartos and Adam Bartos.

To join the event in-person | Doors will open 30 minutes before the program begins. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.

To join the livestream | A livestream of this event will be available on the NYPL event page. To receive an email reminder shortly in advance of the event, please be sure to register! If you encounter any issues, please join us on NYPL's YouTube channel.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Joel Meyerowitz is an award-winning photographer whose work has appeared in over 350 exhibitions in museums and galleries around the world. Celebrated as a pioneer of color photography beginning in 1962, he is a two-time Guggenheim Fellow, a recipient of both the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities awards, and a recipient of The Royal Photographic Society’s Centenary Medal. He was the only photographer allowed inside Ground Zero where he worked for 9 months creating the history of the monumental recovery efforts. He has published 46 books. Joel Meyerowitz is represented by Howard Greenberg Gallery in New York, Polka Galerie in Paris and Huxley-Parlour Gallery in London. Meyerowitz lives and works in New York and London.

Lorenzo Braca, Ph.D. is an Italian historian and photographer who has published widely on the literature, the mentality, and the imagination of the late Middle Ages. He is currently working for the Catholic University of Milan and for the University of Poznań. As a photographer, his work is oriented primarily towards the urban environment and its evolution. Braca’s photographs have been exhibited in various collective shows, and in 2021 he had his first solo exhibition.

READ THE BOOK:

• Borrow: NYPL Catalog


• E-Book app: SimplyE, available on iOS and Android


• Purchase: The Library Shop — proceeds benefit The New York Public Library

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ACCESSIBILITY

In-Person | Assistive listening devices and/or hearing loops are available at the venue. You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) captioning service by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template. This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs. 

Livestream | Captions and a transcript will be provided. Media used over the course of the conversation will be accompanied by alt text and/or audio description. You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.

CONNECT

Please submit all press inquiries to Sara Beth Joren at least 48 hours before the event: email sarabethjoren@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.

For all other questions and inquiries, please email publicprograms@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.

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LIVE from NYPL is made possible by the continuing generosity of Celeste Bartos, Mahnaz Ispahani Bartos and Adam Bartos, the Margaret and Herman Sokol Public Education Endowment Fund, and the support of Library patrons and friends.

Courtesy Joel Meyerowitz
Courtesy Lorenzo Braca