Rangefinder Magazine
May 2007

The Colorful World of Arthur Meyerson by Paul Slaughter
Faces of Sunset Boulevard

Arthur Meyerson is a gifted photographer, a skillful educator and a splendid raconteur. His creative photographs are a reflection of his good nature and keen eye. His ability to use the right lens to capture a particular subject is remarkable. Combining this with a knack for artistic composition and stunning color yields a rare talent. Arthur has the natural ability to create what I call “triumphant images.”

I first met Arthur in 1994, when we were both teaching at the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops. We have become friends over the years, and it is my pleasure to share with you excerpts from a recent conversation I had with Arthur.

PS: Growing up in Texas, did you have an interest in photography or art?

AM: My dream was either to become a major league baseball player or a cowboy. But I was doomed from the start, as I found out I wasn’t as good a ball player as I thought and there was not much demand for unskilled Jewish cowboys. But I do remember spending a lot of time drawing pictures, making imaginary maps and looking at photo magazines like Life, Look and National Geographic, and when I could, I’d sneak a peak at Playboy. So, when I think back to where my interest in photography began, it was probably a combination of all these.

PS: How did those interests and directions evolve?

AM: I never actually took art or design courses. I think for me, the magic really began during my senior year in college when I took a photojournalism course that, in reality, was a class on how to do black-and-white film processing and printing. Seeing the image emerge in the developer did it for me. I was hooked. That summer after graduation, I took off for Europe with a backpack and a 35mm Pentax camera.

PS: What photographers have made an impression on you?

AM: The work of so many photographers has made a major impression on me. I have always been drawn to the photographs of Edward Weston, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank, Arnold Newman, Irving Penn and the three masters of color photography— Jay Maisel, Pete Turner and Ernst Haas. Ernst would later become a friend, a mentor and a (self-appointed) godfather to my daughter, Jessica.

PS: Is your ability to work with color a natural observation, or one you have developed?

AM: Like most photographers I began in black and white and graduated to working with color. The metaphor most photographers use is “learning to draw before learning to paint.” After years of trial and error and finding a color palette that worked for me, I began to make the kinds of photographs that I wanted to do. Today, with digital color spaces, the journey continues.

PS: What were your first assignments?

AM: Starting out in Houston with virtually no experience or a legitimate portfolio, I took what came along—hardware, catalogs, furniture, model portfolios, rock concerts, etc. As my skills improved, Houston turned out to be the right place at the right time. The oil boom was in full swing, and advertising agencies and graphic design firms needed good photography to market their clients’ products and services. My range of clientele diversified to real estate, banking, construction, computers and transportation. There were several good local magazines, like Texas Monthly, that gave me additional opportunities.

Throughout all the commercial assignments I was continually shooting for myself and building a personal body of work that has yielded several portfolios, including “True Grit,” photographs of working cowboys; “The Color of Light,” a personal retrospective; and “Lost Highway: Roadscapes” from the West.”

PS: When did you begin exhibiting your work?

AM: My first exhibits were at venues like Epcot Center in Florida, a French international photo exhibition in Paris, and Saatchi and Saatchi Advertising in New York. Later on, The Santa Fe Picture Gallery, owned by several photographers, gave me a show in 2000. A former workshop student from Portugal organized a major retrospective show of my work in Lisbon that was held in a former ornate palace. I have participated in Houston’s biannual Fotofest since 1998, exhibiting at my studio.

PS: What photo equipment do you use?

AM: I began with a Pentax and moved on to Nikon, and I have shot with everything they have produced—from the early F’s to the current D2X. I also have a Hasselblad XPan and their 500C and Leica rangefinders. Believe it or not, I even have an 8x10 camera that is older than me. I use digital cameras almost exclusively, but on occasion still use a film camera.

PS: How do you compare the creative results of traditional and digital methods of printing?

AM: Digital printing has been a selftaught experience for the most part. The biggest difference is that prior to inkjet printing, all of my color work was sent out to labs. Now, to have the control over making my own prints is a huge advantage; not to mention that it is very affordable to make an archival print compared with the ultra-expensive dye transfers I used to have done. Currently, I am using the Epson 7800, 3800 and 2400 printers. My personal favorite printing paper is Epson’s Premium Luster, but I continue to try other papers as they become available.

PS: What are your workflow methods of management after capturing images?

AM: About a year and a half ago, I took Seth Resnick’s D-65 Workshop. It was the perfect class for me as it gave me a road map for digital workflow that previously I didn’t have a clue about. I have also taken classes at the Santa Fe Workshops digital lab that continue to help me. I am constantly bugging my digitally savvy friends with questions in this never-ending learning curve. For workflow, I currently use Photoshop CS2 and iView. For screen calibration I like the GretagMacbeth Eye-One Match.

PS: How do you see photography changing with the rapid technical development of digital cameras and inkjet printers?

AM: Basically, technology has made it so that it’s pretty hard not to take a technically good photo. Therefore, I think it requires photographers to work that much harder to make great (visually interesting) photographs. As for the printers, color exhibitions are more affordable than ever, but still require great skill and care to produce finished exhibition- quality prints.

PS: How do you market your work?

AM: I have always believed in the importance of marketing and self-promotion. Today, the source books look like versions of the Bible by their sheer size alone. It’s important for photographers to find the best venues to market their work, however, it is more important that the presentation of the work be consistent and that the imagery be strong.

PS: Do you think that stock agencies’ embrace of the marketing of royalty-free photographs is harming the photographer, financially and creatively?

AM: Unfortunately, royalty-free is here to stay. The stock world changed forever with the creation of the big stock houses. Prior to them, I was with The Image Bank and also sold directly from our studio. We are with Getty now and still continue to sell directly, but do not do royalty-free. My stock photography revenues are not anywhere near what they used to be. Such is life in this new world of commercial photography.

PS: The world of professional photography is much different than when I began, or when you started your career. What advice would you give a young person who is interested in becoming a professional photographer?

AM: First of all, go in with both eyes open and realize how competitive photography is. Know your history. Know the great photographers who came before you, as well as their work. Know film—because in all these cases, you have to know where you’ve been to know where you’re going. On the flip side, know digital, Photoshop, workflow, etc. Try to get a job assisting someone whose work you really admire because the things you’ll learn assisting you could never get in school. If nothing else, you might learn as much about what not to do as what to do. And, finally, be your own worst critic, be persistent, work your ass off and then, if you’re lucky, good things might happen to you.

PS: If you were not an artist or a photographer what do you think you might do?

AM: Well, I’m still shooting commercially and I want to continue with that. But recently, I’ve begun teaching more workshops and leading photo tours, both of which I find extremely satisfying. I suppose if I weren’t a photographer, I’d probably consider teaching (remember baseball and cowboys didn’t work out).

PS: Do you have a current mission statement about photography, your work?

AM: I don’t have a current mission statement. Perhaps these comments from some of my colleagues may sum it up best:

“The performance of another’s shooting is largely a mystery to us. I have no idea how Arthur works, but I am constantly surprised by the intensity and variety of his images. We have gone to shoot the same thing or place at different times, and I’m constantly pissed by the fact that his images are better than mine.”—Jay Maisel, photographer, New York, NY.

“Powerful, elegant photographs by one of the most respected photographers working today. The world, according to Arthur Meyerson, is one of enchanting color, deep beauty, humor and hope.”—Keith Carter, fine art photographer and educator, Beaumont, TX.

“An Arthur Meyerson image is both original and classic. There is no more winning combination. Looking at his photographs, one feels they have entered a world more beautiful than any they could have imagined.”—Amy Arbus, photographer, New York, NY.

Arthur is listed in Who’s Who, and his awards include gold medals from the New York Art Directors Club, the Art Directors Club of Houston, the Dallas Society of Visual Communications, and Photo/Design Magazine. He received the prestigious Stephen Kelly Award for his work on a Nike advertising campaign. He was also named by Nikon to their list of “Legends Behind the Lens.” In February 2007, he was honored by the Houston Advertising Federation as the first recipient of the “Only In Houston” award for individuals “whose creativity and passion for their art have brought recognition to the city of Houston.” Combined with his busy commercial and fine art work schedule, Arthur teaches at the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops, both in Santa Fe and at San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. He also leads photographic tours internationally. One is planned for Japan this coming July. Arthur has two grown children, Jessica and Dylan, and lives in Houston with his wife, Linda. You can learn more about Arthur, his work and workshops by visiting his website: www.arthurmeyerson.com.

Paul Slaughter is a world-traveled photographer and writer, and ASMP member residing in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Paul specializes in location, stock, and fine art photography. A special love of his is jazz. He has an extensive photographic collection of the legends of jazz. See the profile on Paul in the December 2004 issue of Rangefinder magazine. You can view portfolios of his work at www.slaughterphoto.com.