1. When did you decide you wanted to pursue a career in photography?
I can still remember watching a print magically appear while floating around in the developer tray while in my high school darkroom. I was hooked. When I got to college, my advisor asked what kind of photography I wanted to pursue. I didn’t know there was more than one specialty, so I choose photojournalism. Right choice.
2. Who or what is your biggest photographic influence?
At Ball State, I was lucky enough to have a mentor: Joe Costa, one of the NPPA co-founders. He taught me the power of visually story telling and how to light. I was always inspired by W. Eugene Smith and his dedication to his beliefs.About 14 years ago I started thinking more about photographing what is right with the world rather than the traditional what’s wrong approach of many journalists. I enjoy the work of Dewitt Jones. I love his mantra: There is more than one right answer.
3. What is the most difficult aspect of being a photographer?
Access. If you can’t get close to people you can’t make good, story telling images.
4. What was your inspiration for starting Elf Multimedia?
I was spending a lot of time photographing New Jersey’s Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. I had a lot of photos I liked and thought I should make a book. Everyone I talked to asked “Who is going to buy a book about a swamp in New Jersey.” After about the 20th person said that, a colleague in Pittsburgh told me I should do a book on Pope John Paul II, since he was coming to the east coast the next year. When I stopped laughing at him, I thought about it and decided to go for it. I quit my newspaper job, published that book and another, Branson Backstage. I soon learned it was tough making a living printing books, so I took on a partner and moved into web sites and interactive CD-ROMs.
5. What direction do you think photojournalism is headed?
There will be few specialists. The top five percent will be able to get away with shooting only stills, the rest of us better know how to capture quality audio, video and be able to put it all together.
6. Any upcoming projects or ideas?
I am working on a book about the 103 covered bridges in Vermont. It allows me to work at my own pace and discover the beauty of Vermont.
7. Overall, what has been the most memorable experience of your career so far?
Doing the pope book. Being able to spend a week documenting his trip, seeing his impact on people and putting it all together was a dream come true. It was an opportunity that was truly once in a lifetime.