For his project “Aftermath: The World Trade Center Archive,” photographer Joel Meyerowitz created an historically relevant and poignant record of ground zero. All documentation of the 9-11 site was initially prohibited, so his project was resisted from the start.

Had Meyerowitz not persisted in his vision, his 8000 image archive, traveling and touching others across the world, would not exist. His 45 years experience and artistic renown, of course, helped him to gain access to ground zero. What I found most interesting was his approach to the obstacles he encountered once admitted to the site.

These interviews reveal how the photographer’s inner stance toward the subject brought him into contact with what the site had to say:

See Multimedia Content to watch the Joel Meyerowitz interview and his reflections on “Aftermath”:

VIDEO: Joel Meyerowitz Interview: Aftermath