Joe McNally took a photography course as a requirement for his journalism program at Syracuse University. Though his intent at the time was to become a writer, when he picked up a camera he knew immediately things were about to change for him. Find out more about more about how his career and the industry have evolved, and how being at the right place at the right time (with Peter Jennings) kickstarted his work as a freelancer.
Very good interview! But please pay attention to the sound quality. In a film or video, sound is as important as the image. In this kind of situation with background noise, a pro always uses a wireless microphone system with a clip microphone attached close to the mouth of the person interviewed. If a wireless mic is not available, a more silent place for the interview would need to be found. At least a directional microphone would be needed as additional equipment. Built-in camera mics rarely do a good job.
Wow! That is easily the best interview on a career in photojournalism that I have seen McNally presents a lot of wisdom, and I think anyone getting started would do well to take his advice to heart. (As a fulltime freelance writer who shoots photos to illustrate his stories, I have, perhaps, some standing for saying so.) The interviewer did an excellent job as well.
The comments about establishing rapport with subjects and the fact that the photographer needs "food for the soul as well as food for the body" are right on target.
On a scale of 1-10, this interview is at least a 12. Well done.
I was a photojournalism major at the great UT Austin in the early 70's. But I took the easy way out and joined the corporate world. I respect Joe so much for sticking too his guns. If I could go back and talk to a younger me, I would say, stay with your passion and you will be successful.
Are you talking as a corporate shooter or just working in general for a corporation. If you are commenting about being a corporate shooter, as a corporate shooter for over 40 years it was NO easy way out. The pressure was much greater then the 9 years I spent as a photojournalist. I'm sure corporate shooters would agree. Photojournalism is a wonderful profession and I loved every minute of it. Corporate work was every bit as satisfying. let's not make it sound like corporate work is just a day at the beach. I'm surprised to hear you say that
No I should have been more specific. I joined the corporate world as a non-shooter. Procurement was my profession. Quite satisfying and made me a lot of money but not my passion of photography. Now that I am retired, I can pursue the passion.
Prefocusing is underestimated today. When you have a digital camera that can do 10fps, it does not require much thinking. When you focus on somethink beforehand and then re-compose you can take the picture with a fairly simple camera. I do this as much as I can if I can use the right aperture, with the right lens.
High sequential mode doesn't remove the manual pre-focus benefits.
Canon understood this with "focus trap" automation like we used to do with actual release-traps (IR lights, mouse traps etc triggering from weight/light changes) that allowed us to get excellent shots easily without being lagging from our reaction times.
Then came sequential shooting with motor etc. And now some people get 15-30fps with excellent quality for daily use.
Like the shot in video thumbnail, it is more about lighting and composition than anything else.
Thanks for the interview with Joe McNally. Always liked Joe and felt he doesn't get the recognition that he deserves. Joe has definitely paid his dues. The fact that he isn't sitting back on easy street after his huge repertoire of excellent work just goes to show how difficult a business photography is.
DP, could I make a suggestion with these interview videos...try to intersperse his stills while the subject is talking, I think would really capture what he is trying to to convey. This is a man who has been around the block with different styles and venues and he is proud of that.
She mentioned the rude crowd, constant interruptions, and even a few hecklers claiming his portfolio was not from his talent or work ethic - but because he was "lucky."
Joe was a consummate professional and never got flustered.
Joe even gave up a large portion of his lunch break to talk with the daughter another booth vendor who wanted to show Joe her artwork she made for school - she was 11 or 12 years old.
Many photographers who mouth off verbally or on a keyboard in a negative way are in nature not people persons. If they were they would treat other photographers with more respect. Sure there are just as many easy going and genuinely nice photographers out there but it seems they prefer to let the rest make a fool of themselves. Photography when in its raw form (not digitally molested on a PC) is a combination of art, luck, timing, skill and passion. I have won a few competitions with my images when I was younger (before photoshop) I put down to luck and being at the right place at the right time. I envy anyone that can make a living doing what they love. I don't see it as an opportunity to put them down because of jealousy. Knowing how to use your kit should be a given, If you don't know how to use your gear just take the time to study, practice and learn as you go. The rest is how you apply your artistic skills to capture the subject. And from your post he seems like a nice guy. :)
It is lots of about luck, just like it is about lots from others that we can succeed individually. No one does everything by themselves or without luck.
But those doesn't meant that individuals doesn't need to work hard, some just little more than others and some far less.
The Danish goal keeper Peter Schmeichel once was accused of just being lucky. His reply was: "It is funny, the more I excercise, the luckier I get" I guess in the photography business you can improve your chances of getting THE shot by being trained to foresee what might happen and then be ready to react when it does happen
"I guess in the photography business you can improve your chances of getting THE shot by being trained to foresee what might happen and then be ready to react when it does happen"
Yes, but without luck there would only be skill, and that would mean there isn't anykind possibilities to take a bad photograph unless willingly taking such.
Luck is just a bunch of random effects happening all around us that finally comes to placed in such manner in front of us that it looks to us like something magical. Like throwing a basket balls on the basket, a beginner will probably succeed 15% of the throws, while professional with years of training probably miss 15%. And that is just to situation where the ball and all the physical properties of the hand and the basket itself (friction, motion, force etc) just happens to be different by amount of success/miss. That is very easy to count few variables.
But lets look example a football game, how many variables there is going all the time? A lot!
Joe McNally is a class act, period. Every minute of interview portrays a humble, sincere, and super likable person. Incredibly engaging experience. Thanks Joe and Barney.
Cannot recommend Joe highly enough as a youtube follower for some time. His speedlight work and tutorials are fantastic, great combination of a highly skilled and accomplished photographer, excellent communicator and generous, modest guy, and just passionate about still photography and capturing decisive moments in time.
Been following Joe for a while. He's mentioned his initial intention to have become a writer many times. Though this is not specific to him, it's interesting to me how some of the very best photographers are quite good writers when they take to illustrating their craft, or subjects, with words rather than images.
Sigma's 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art is a designed-for-mirrorless reimagining of the company's very first 'Art' lens that was released all the way back in 2012 for DSLR cameras. It's got some big shoes to fill, so check out how it fares in our review.
We've just completed our studio scene analysis of Sigma's diminutive fp L high-resolution mirrorless camera – take a look at how its 61 megapixel sensor performs against other mirrorless options in both Raw and JPEG, at high and low ISO values.
There are so many Thunderbolt Docks on the market at the moment that it can be overwhelming to find the right one for you. We took a look at five different options to see how they might fit into your workflow.
Nik Collection from DxO is a suite of eight image processing tools that can be used either as standalone apps or plug-ins for third-party software like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom Classic. We've taken a look at the latest version – click through to read our overview of Nik Collection 4.
The Panasonic GH5M2 is a refresh, rather than complete reworking, of the company's image-stabilized, video focused GH5. A new processor boosts its capabilities. We lookat whether this is enough to keep it competitive.
If you're looking for a high-quality camera, you don't need to spend a ton of cash, nor do you need to buy the latest and greatest new product on the market. In our latest buying guide we've selected some cameras that might be a bit older but still offer a lot of bang for the buck.
What's the best camera for shooting landscapes? High resolution, weather-sealed bodies and wide dynamic range are all important. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for shooting landscapes, and recommended the best.
What’s the best camera for less than $1000? The best cameras for under $1000 should have good ergonomics and controls, great image quality and be capture high-quality video. In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing under $1000 and recommended the best.
Although a lot of people only upload images to Instagram from their smartphones, the app is much more than just a mobile photography platform. In this guide we've chosen a selection of cameras that make it easy to shoot compelling lifestyle images, ideal for sharing on social media.
What's the best camera for travel? Good travel cameras should be small, versatile, and offer good image quality. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for travel and recommended the best.
Advances in camera technology have significantly changed how we watch and enjoy sports. At the US Open at Torrey Pines in California, no hole reflects the advances better than the sixth, which featured an array of 88 cameras, which is more cameras than were used across the entire course in 2008.
Now that the cameras in smartphones have become so good, the question 'why should I buy an interchangeable lens camera' ends up being very similar to 'why would I buy a dedicated camera at all?'. Read our new guide to buying an ILC to see what you gain from keeping your phone in your pocket.
The more we learn about the Canon EOS R3, the more it looks like a top-end sports camera. So why isn't it called the EOS R1? Richard Butler has been having thoughts again.
Tripod heads aren't the most exciting subject, but if you're into shooting landscapes, wildlife or video, then having the right head will make your life a lot easier. In this episode, Chris discusses the pros and cons of each type of tripod head.
Markus Hofstätter often uses analog photography techniques for portrait photography. The recent pandemic lockdown has allowed Hofstätter to explore the nearby nature and grow close with a local family of swans. He was able to turn his large format camera into a wildlife photography setup.
We've already discussed common film types, now it's time to take a look at the oddball film formats. From the discontinued to the hard-to-find, how many of these have you shot?
A team from the University of Ottawa has shown that lenses can be made shorter when spaceplates made of metamaterials are introduced to the optical path. The findings promise miniaturized lenses with no loss of quality
Profoto has been expanding its lineup of AirX-enabled lights. Photographers can now use AirX lights with a new Profoto Camera smartphone application. The app includes a built-in camera with advanced shooting features and a new ProfotoRAW file format.
Sigma's 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art is a designed-for-mirrorless reimagining of the company's very first 'Art' lens that was released all the way back in 2012 for DSLR cameras. It's got some big shoes to fill, so check out how it fares in our review.
DJI is repackaging its original Mini drone, adding an SE label, and pricing it for big box stores such as Walmart and Costco. According to leaks, this may be the company's most affordable drone yet.
BAD Equipment was founded this year by photographers, designers and engineers. Its first product is now on Kickstarter, the BAD Wrap. It is a posable, padded and waterproof wrap that you can use to protect your camera, lens, drone, tablet, computer and much more.
One of our favorite features on Fujifilm cameras is their Film Simulation modes, which let you quickly adjust the color and tone of photographs. The always-opinionated Chris and Jordan have their own favorites, which they cover in this episode of DPReview TV.
Kosmo Foto has announced a new 400 ISO panochromatic 35mm black-and-white film inspired by the noir aesthetics of the early 20th century. The film stock is currently being funded on Kickstarter.
The International Space Station (ISS) travels nearly 8 kilometers every second. Put another way, the ISS travels at more than 17,000 miles per hour. French astronaut Thomas Pesquet is currently aboard the ISS and has recently captured an image that shows just how fast that is.
We've just completed our studio scene analysis of Sigma's diminutive fp L high-resolution mirrorless camera – take a look at how its 61 megapixel sensor performs against other mirrorless options in both Raw and JPEG, at high and low ISO values.
After a three-year hiatus, the Blade 14 lineup is back with three models, all powered by the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU. GPU options start with an NVIDIA RTX 3060 and top out with an RTX 3080 for those who need all the processing power.
Lens availability is a critical part of choosing a camera system. Take a look at our updated guide to Nikon, Canon, Sony and Panasonic/Sigma/Leica mirrorless mounts to see how their lineups and technologies currently compare.
A delay of up to three months to fix a packaging issue has annoyed some Gitzo customers, but not as much as the company's alleged lack of response to emails sent to a dedicated Gitzo address
According to CIPA's numbers, there are fewer camera units being shipped around the globe, but the value of the average camera unit being shipped is increasing at a steady pace.
In this interview, photographers Lisa and Tom Cuchara explain their background, the various kinds of photography that keep them creatively inspired, and why they chose to make the switch to Olympus's Micro Four Thirds system for their bird and nature work.
We pit Adobe's Premiere Pro against Apple's Final Cut Pro to see which video editor takes the performance crown. Same timeline, same footage, same effects... very different results.
This week, Chris and Jordan compare four flagship APS-C mirrorless cameras: the Sony a6600, Fujifilm X-T4, Canon M6 Mark II and Nikon Z50. See how these great models stack up against each other.
The lens features the same optical construction but adds electronic aperture control and a chip for transferring metadata between the lens and MFT camera it's attached to.
Sony teased its plans to enter the drone market for months. This week, it revealed several important details about its first model, the Airpeak S1, which gives us a look at the features and design philosophy Sony prioritized.
The L mount version of the lens retails for $799 and joins the previously-released versions for Canon RF, Leica M, Nikon Z and Sony E mount camera systems.
110 film is a cartridge-based system first launched in the early 1970s. It's easier to work with than 35mm but offers a smaller frame size. These days, you can pick up a 110 camera for cheap. Even better: you can still buy 110 film cartridges, new. Here's a primer on shooting this whacky, wonderful format in 2021.
The entire teardown isn't complete yet, but iFixit has shared a short video that tears apart a new 12.9" M1 iPad Pro to show how Apple is using Mini LED technology to power the flagship iPad's XDR display.
Comments