Renowned street photographer Jeff Mermelstein has shared the fascinating story behind one of his most memorable photographs, "Man with Windex," captured in New York City in 1996. The image, which features a suited man holding both a cigarette and a bottle of Windex cleaner, has become a defining work in Mermelstein's acclaimed "Sidewalk" series, created between 1987 and 1999.
Mermelstein, the son of Holocaust survivors who grew up in suburban central New Jersey, moved to New York in 1979 in his early twenties, describing the experience as "like landing on Mars." He has remained obsessed with photographing the streets of New York throughout his career. At the time he captured this particular image, he was using a Leica Rangefinder with color negative film, appreciating its malleability, ease of use, and stealth qualities due to its quiet and compact design. Today, however, the iPhone has become his camera of choice.
The photograph was taken near 50th Street and Sixth Avenue in midtown Manhattan, an area Mermelstein describes as "chock-full of possibilities." During his daily wanderings through the city streets, he encountered a man in a suit and tie, cigarette in one hand and the other clenching a spray bottle of Windex. The photographer emphasizes the importance of maintaining "calm alertness" while working on the streets, always ready for surprises.
Mermelstein reveals that the true impact of the image only became apparent when he examined the negative on a light box with a loupe magnifier, experiencing what he describes as "an immediate jolt, a buzz of wonder." The photograph contained all the ingredients he hopes for in his work: ambiguity and mystery. He notes the tension visible in the man's grip on the Windex bottle, his poker face expression, and the intriguing assumption that he might be a janitor despite being dressed in a suit. The subject appears completely unaware of the photographer's presence.
The image contains several symbolic elements that have revealed themselves over time. Wilted daffodil flowers appear in the frame, along with what Mermelstein describes as "a boulder that might be a meteor that struck the flowerbed," leading to the photographer's playful question about whether a meteor had struck downtown New York. After thirty years of living with this photograph, Mermelstein recently noticed a sewer cover for the first time, leading him to reflect that "maybe everything will go down it in the end."
For Mermelstein, memorability serves as a key ingredient in successful street photography. This particular image was taken decades ago but has survived among the countless photographs he has created throughout his extensive career, which he acknowledges is rare given the volume of work he produces. He explains that street photography requires not just technical skill and compositional awareness, but also "the state of mind to leave your house first of all, which when you get older is a big step."
The photographer describes his interest in capturing "anti-moments" from the real world, which he then enhances through careful attention to composition and color. He emphasizes that while color photography isn't necessarily harder than black and white, it is different and requires juggling "an additional ball." His personal interest in color stems from his commitment to realism rather than simply playing with color relationships, though he acknowledges that the color interactions in "Man with Windex" work particularly well.
The "Sidewalk" series, which includes this iconic photograph, came to fruition after Mermelstein won the European Publishers Award for Photography in 1999. He describes winning this prize as both "flattering and exhilarating." The photographer expresses tremendous excitement about his latest book, "What if Jeff Were a Butterfly," which he describes as containing "a great range of material subject-wise, a wild concoction of almost random images, put together in poetic and surprising ways, that has messed up my head in a good way."
In recent years, Mermelstein has expanded his creative output to include video work alongside his photography. He approaches his work without preconceived notions, instead focusing on his broader goal of contributing to capturing "the human condition in any given moment in time," which he views as the central challenge of his artistic practice.
Reflecting on his career trajectory, Mermelstein considers it a privilege to have discovered something he truly loves. His passion for photography remains as intense today as it was fifty years ago when he first began. A significant career highlight came when the Museum of Modern Art in New York acquired twenty-one prints from his "nyc" series for its permanent collection.
For aspiring photographers, Mermelstein offers practical advice rooted in his decades of experience. He encourages artists to "truly believe that all that matters is the work you create, strive to put your singular self into that work and understand that rejection is meaningless." His new book, "What if Jeff Were a Butterfly," is published by Void, representing the latest chapter in a distinguished career that continues to evolve and inspire.
