Joel Meyerowitz receives outstanding contribution to photography title

US photographer Joel Meyerowitz has been named the recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Photography title at the Sony World Photography Awards 2026.

The honour recognises individuals who have shaped the history of the medium, with Meyerowitz acknowledged for his wide-ranging body of work and its influence on contemporary photography.

To coincide with the award, a retrospective of Meyerowitz’s work will be presented at Somerset House, London, as part of the 2026 Sony World Photography Awards exhibition.

The showcase highlights the curiosity and observational approach that has defined his six-decade career.

New video and audio installations, feature Meyerowitz reflecting on the making of selected images and key turning points in his practice.

The exhibition also includes significant works from across his career, from his early New York street photography and travels in Europe, to his colour-focused “field photographs,” images from Cape Cod, and his documentation of Ground Zero.

“I am honoured to be selected as this year’s Outstanding Contribution to Photography recipient,” Meyerowitz said.

“The photographs I have made over the years show the world as I see it, and the moments of beauty, humour and fun that can be found everywhere, if we take the opportunity to look.

I hope this exhibition will encourage visitors to look again at their surroundings and engage with all of the life that unfolds around them.”

Meyerowitz, an early advocate for colour photography, played a key role in elevating the medium’s acceptance within fine art. His work since the early 1960s has established him as a significant figure in late 20th-century photographic history.

You can read our 2019 interview with Meyerowitz here.