Are you Joel Meyerowitz?

Even when you've been shooting for as long as I have it's important to acknowledge your heroes; those who inspire and inform one's work. Joel Meyerowitz is one of my heroes, and here's a short anecdote about how I almost got to meet him, related through some email correspondence that he and I had back in 2011: 

Dear Joel Meyerowitz,

I've been a Meyerowitz "fan" for years, so here's a mildly amusing anecdote:

Last week I was photographing in Provincetown for a continuing project on interracial couples. I shoot using a 4x5, and I got stopped four times during the day by people wanting to know if I was "Joel," or "Mr. Meyerowitz." One guy actually trailed me for a few minutes along Commercial Street in his car before he stuck his head out of the window to ask.

I guess they still remember you!

Regards,

Bob Kalman

Bob,

I was standing next to you for 15 minutes when you were in front of that news stand store. I watched your whole process, the polaroid, the 4x5's, the signing, the notes, etc. Good work! You were focused and really going at it.

Ptown is perfect for that idea, it's a free for all here and always has been!

Best of luck to you.

Joel

Joel,

Now that you mention it, I think I remember you watching me (eye glasses with funky frames, right?).

Years ago, you taught me a significant lesson about shooting portraits (in Redheads). You wrote that you only expose two sheets of film, because if you don't get it in two, you're not going to get it by shooting more. It was an extraordinarily valuable insight for me, and it altered my whole concept around the mechanics of making a portrait. 

I wish I'd known that was you standing there; I could have thanked you for your help in person, rather than through this email.

Thanks, Joel.

Yours,

Bob

Bob,

Yes, it was those two but I didn't have funky glasses. Rimless simple ones, not sure if I was even wearing them, but you were too busy I suspect to notice and I was respectfully quiet except when I muttered 250th at 8 to get your attention, my little jokey contribution to sidewalk superintending.

The work looks very strong. Bravo!

Joel

Now, here's a picture of the maestro:

 And here's a picture of me:

Quite easy to confuse us, wouldn't you say? (And to think my hero was standing right behind me!)