Editing is one of the most important aspects of any street photographer’s work. Knowing why one photograph works while another fails is subjective but essential. Michael Ernest Sweet got Joel Meyerowitz and 12 other photographers to pick their very best images and discuss why they were chosen and the results are not what you might expect. Hit the jump for more.
Joel Meyerowitz
BEST is a superlative, yet for any artist best also signifies a work from different periods of development and growing consciousness. Here, in Paris, 1967, the photograph provoked me to consider: which is the greater drama of life in the city: the fictitious clash between two figures that is implied, or the indifference of the one to the other that is actual? A photograph allows such contradictions to exist in everyday life; more than that, it encourages them. Photography is about being exquisitely present.
Markus Hartel
I primarily shoot in black and white; so choosing what I would consider my “best” color photo was more challenging than I thought it would be. In color, I tend to gravitate more towards shots that are “graphic” in nature, and subtle in story.
Michael Ernest Sweet
I like this photograph. Is it my “best”? I’m not too sure. That’s a very hard thing to determine. When I started this feature, I thought it would be easy for photographers to talk about their best image. I was wrong. When trying to select my own image, I quickly became aware of how hard this task truly is. I like the moment in this image, the light (dynamic range) and the cigarette smoke. It’s a dramatic image and, at the same time, a quiet moment when someone has stepped outside for a smoke – a break. Photographing in this light was a challenge, especially as I only use compact cameras, and, yet, I kind of nailed it. I think this is a strong image in some ways, but how could I ever know if it is my best? I think Joel is right, BEST is indeed a superlative.
The full article includes pics and comments from a total of 13 photographers. Wide variety of ideas worth keeping in mind when choosing your best photos: