Meyerowitz, Joel. Redheads by Joel Meyerowitz.

Rizzoli, 1991.  Wraps, VG+ with a few light indentations and a slight crimp in bottom right corner of front cover, otherwise like new. More than 50 portraits taken by Meyerowitz over a ten-year period at Cape Cod with his 8 x 10 view camera using color film, including a three-panel foldout of a beach with about three dozen people with red hair. Summary:

Redheads (1991) is a celebrated portrait study by Joel Meyerowitz, a pioneer of New Color Photography. Moving away from his famous "street photography" and the architectural light of Cape Light, Meyerowitz spent several summers on the beaches of Cape Cod capturing the unique physical and spirituous presence of redheaded people.

Core Content and Vision

The book is a collective portrait of a specific genetic trait, ranging from infants to the elderly. Meyerowitz was fascinated by the "luminous" quality of redheads and how their skin and hair reacted to the intense, clear light of the Atlantic coast.

• The "Ginger" Spectrum: The portraits showcase a vast range of individuals—babies with light strawberry curls, freckled teenagers, and adults with deep auburn hair.

• Psychological Depth: Meyerowitz sought to capture more than just a hair color; he aimed to document the "self-consciousness" and unique identity that often comes with being part of a striking minority.

Artistic Style

The series is defined by Meyerowitz's use of a large-format 8x10 view camera, which provides an extraordinary level of detail and a shallow depth of field.

• Natural Light: Most of the portraits were taken outdoors against simple backgrounds (the sea, dunes, or weathered shingles), allowing the natural sunlight to make the hair and skin appear almost incandescent.

• Directness: The subjects typically look directly into the lens, creating a sense of vulnerability and a "quiet, monumental presence."

Key Information

• Published: 1991 by Rizzoli.

• Format: Includes 65 color plates.

• Significance: This work marked a shift for Meyerowitz toward a more formal, "typological" style of portraiture. It remains one of the most famous photographic homages to the beauty and rarity of redheads.

Summary: Redheads is a vivid, appreciative study of human variety. It uses the specific palette of red hair and fair skin as a springboard to explore the effects of light, the power of the large-format lens, and the individuality of his subjects.