A Conversation with Elliott Erwitt for Lens on Life
I had the pleasure of interviewing Elliott Erwitt in his studio in New York City on September 27, 2011 for my book, Lens on Life: Documenting Your World Through Photography. My friend and his son-in-law, Rick Smolan, connected us. When I emailed Elliott to schedule the interview, he replied saying he “was wary of interviews (not good at them)” but agreed none the less. I admired his work so much and honestly felt nervous to interview one of my photography heroes as I knocked on the studio door. Elliott was humble, soft-spoken, quick-witted, and gracious with his time and thoughts. We talked about his path to photography, sources of inspiration, and his approach to photography. He kept it simple, but was profoundly aware of his surroundings – finding the beauty, intrigue and humor of life so effortlessly. We also discussed a handful of his images I selected to feature in the book published in May 2012 by Focal Press in the US and Canada, and by Ilex Press in the UK. With Elliott Erwitt’s passing on November 30, 2023, we lost one of the greatest photographers of our time. I hope you enjoy the conversation and join me in honoring his life and photographic influence.