I recently visited an exhibition in Madrid about Joel Meyerowitz’s year-long journey around Europe, and it deepened my appreciation for the way he observed and documented life. This book felt like a natural continuation of that experience.

Meyerowitz reflects on shooting in colour and what it means when trying to capture life. He explores why photographing in New York felt very different from Europe, and how the pace and energy of a place can either enhance or inhibit a photographer’s abilities. His thoughts on following instinct and leaving room for the unexpected resonate deeply with my own views on serendipity and going with the flow of life.

In terms of photography, the book mainly focuses on the eternal contrast between black-and-white and colour photography. He often photographed the same scene in both styles and placed the results side by side.

Looking at these pairings, I often felt that one composition worked significantly better than the other. At times, I wonder whether he took one version more quickly, perhaps just to ensure he had a black-and-white or colour counterpart to compare, or whether the scene naturally changed in a way that favoured one over the other.

Towards the end of the book, he discusses his eventual surrender to colour photography, and his desire to move away from capturing the “decisive moment” or “incident”, as he puts it, in favour of photographing “nothing”.

His main point is about shifting focus, from seeking a central subject to portraying the whole, and thus, in a way, nothing in particular.

Overall,a good read that share some of Joel Meyerowitz’s experience and thought process. Highly recommended, especially if you enjoy both analysing photography and learning about the stories behind the scenes.