From The Phoblographer’s interview with Meryl Meisler:
The Phoblographer: I know you were inspired not only by Diane Arbus but by your father as well. Could you dive into this a little more in-depth?
Meryl Meisler: The passion for photography is in my DNA. My dad, Jack Meisler, was a printer by trade. Dad did self-portraits and street photography while in the Coast Guard during WWII. His favorite subjects were his family and friends, documenting the important occasions in their lives. I have my dad’s negatives and photo albums. His father, Murray Meisler, was a machinist by trade. Whenever I saw Grandpa, he always had a camera and a handheld light meter pointing somewhere. Family lore tells that Murray built his own tintype camera and photographed street life in the Bronx. I learned that it didn’t matter whether the photo was seen; the act of photography was important unto itself.