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2013 Brick City Homecoming Horton Speaker Series featuring Mark Kelly

I had the pleasure of photographing Brick City Homecoming speakers Gabrielle Giffords and Commander Mark Kelly this Saturday for Reporter Magazine. Unfortunately, as with most guest speakers at RIT, photographers only get a short amount of time to make images before being asked to leave and stop making images. We were told 10 minutes by the College Activity Board and Student Government representatives. I managed to stay for 30 minutes before being tapped on the shoulder. I normally would be happy at this ratio of time allowed vs. time finagled but Ms. Giffords still wasn't on stage. Commander Mark Kelly, Ms. Giffords husband, accomplished Navy Aviator, and then Astronaut did most of the talking during the presentation. I learned later from a friend that Ms. Giffords spoke very briefly at the end of the presentation and answered a few questions before ending the engagement that was originally only an hour in duration.

Here's what I made of the situation:

Commander Mark Kelly pauses during the 2013 Brick City Homecoming Student Government Horton Speaker Series featuring Mark Kelly and Gabrielle Giffords at Gordon Field House in Henrietta, N.Y. on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013. Giffords spoke at the end of the presentation after photographers were asked to leave. Photo: William J. Ingalls

Commander Mark Kelly recounts an almost fatal flight over Iran during the 2013 Brick City Homecoming Student Government Horton Speaker Series featuring Mark Kelly and Gabrielle Giffords at Gordon Field House in Henrietta, N.Y. on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013. Giffords spoke at the end of the presentation after photographers were asked to leave. Photo: William J. Ingalls

#RIT #ritpj #Commander Mark Kelly #mark kelly #Gabrielle Giffords #Speech #Talk #presentation #rochester #NY #USA #Still Image #photography

DC: Wrap Up

The DC Trip has come to and end and we have all returned to Rochester. Coming back from this trip, like the New York City Trip last spring, was hard. Reintegrating with classwork and going to class instead of visiting great institutions is always hard.

Unlike NYC I feel like I have found a city that has the lifestyle and focus that I am interested in. NPR has always been my dream organization, and going there last week was a way to finalize my focus on getting an internship there. Speaking with Kainaz Amaria at NPR was an unexpected treat, she had time for us after a Tiny Desk Concert with the musical group Dessa. Amaria has been with NPR since 2011 and is a Multimedia Specialist. I will certainly be applying once the summer internships are published.

One thing that struck me is historically how few people keep in touch with our hosts beyond the thank you cards we send. J. David Ake at AP chastised us in advance and said that we should always keep in touch with him, and the other organizations we meet. Ake had an annecdote for how long it might take, but to be tenacious anyway "You must be in love with mac and cheese and tomato soup", one of his photographers Evan Vucci backed up the sentiment with a woeful tale about parking tickets and DC impound.

Based on the people's stories last week you might think serendipity plays a major role in finding a job in visual journalism these days. I think that it's a mix of tenacity and serendipity. If you don't keep in contact, or keep applying, someone else will. It's rarely a decision of applying and being accepted immediately unless you can demonstrate how you are an asset to the team that you want to work for. Spencer Millsap demonstrated his value as an intern at National Geographic and after his term was up, found a way to have a job created for him to become a full time employee. Kainaz Amaria went to India for a year on a Fulbright Scholarship but kept in touch with her contacts and ended up at NPR soon after returning to the US. Creating content that you think an organization could use, doing research in order to articulate its value, and then reaching out to your contacts makes for serendipity to be able to help.

#ritpj13 #Text #Notes #Note #dc trip

DC: Day 3 and 4

USA Today and it’s parent company Gannett were our first stops today. Driving in from DC to McLean Virginia and seeing the monolithic buildings beyond the highway was an awe inspiring vista this morning. We talked to a number of photo department staffers who made up an impromptu panel, energetically interjecting their take on the business. Darr Beiser a staffer who has been at the company since it was started has seen the changes and adapted over time. Darr says, knowing how to shoot video is more about having good sound. USA Today also has a full time video editing center in Atlanta that helps the photo team when things are very busy.

After eating lunch and saying our goodbyes we went back over the bridge to the district. This time to AARP where we met photo director Michael Wichita and RIT Alum Lindsey Leger. Wichita talked about how Leger was proactive and persistent even before her plane landed in D.C. after graduating. Wichita builds relationships with people and has a golden rule of “Just be nice” that is clear after only meeting him for minutes. The AARP day rate and contract is very “nice”. Wichita believes in helping photographers, and one of the ways is a “mini grant” in the form of an assignment that can help a photographer keep going with a personal project in that area. Wichita and Leger scour Blogs, Books, Magazines, and other avenues finding personal work and stories that are most likely not highlighting the 50+ demographic, but are told with a point of view and style.

A quick run to AP lead us to Staffers Jacquelyn Martin and Evan Vucci, both RIT Alums. Martin and Vucci lead us to the 6th floor where David Ake, the Assistant Chief of Bureau for Photos at The Associated Press (Martin and Vucci’s Boss). Ake was a no bullshit, but passionate journalist starting by working as a freelance photographer covering Denver Nuggets games. Ake knows his staffers and uses them to cover things with specific intent. “Photographers are NOT interchangeable” and need to be used for their point of view and strengths. The AP fights to keep fresh in a market where it’s mostly people speaking at podiums or hearing rooms. Martin and Vucci’s advice, read the news of the day. Understanding the news helps a political photographer understand the relationships and tensions that can result in making a great photograph.

After leaving the Associated Press we headed over to Reuters with four extraordinary freelancers and staffers: Jim Lo Scalzo of European Pressphoto Agency, Jahi Chikwendiu of The Washington Post, Lucian Perkins formerly of The Washington Post, and Mary Calvert of Mary F. Calvert Photography. Even those who have full time employment at nationally and internationally read publications described the need to always be pitching projects to editors or clients. Jim Lo Scalzo works at finding projects that interest him and putting together a tight proposal to his clients or editors so that he can get the money to fund the project, rather than self funding. Jahi Chikwendiu started as a math teacher, but found passion in photojournalism. He joined the washington post as a staffer in 2001 and never looked back. Jahi talked to us about the power of having passion for the stories you tell, as it is a driving force with his own photography and multimedia work. Jahi also told us an anecdotal story about being robbed in Africa and having to continue to produce work with what most would consider inadequate equipment. In short, he made it work. It’s not about the gear, but the vision and passion to make it happen. Lucian Perkins, worked at The Washington Post for 27 years. Lucian still works on long term documentary projects. Most recently he has been working on editing a video story about Joseph’s House a hospice that helps homeless men and women, many of whom are battling HIV/AIDs.

#RIT #ritpj13 #Text #Notes #Note #Words #journal #journalism

DC: Day Two

Today we visited the United States Institute of Peace and NPR. Carol McKay is there for a year on contract to create an archive of images since the inception of the organization in 1984. McKay has had an illustrious career spanning many different disciplines. The USIP has found in recent history that visuals play an important part in preserving the history of the organization and promoting their causes. Bill Fitzpatrick and Steven Ruder round out the imaging team. Fitzpatrick is a full time photographer at USIP helping to cover events and the needs of the organization. Next week he will undergo hostile environment training so that he can travel to hot zones where the Institute of Peace currently operates.

Coburn Dukehart received us at NPR along with RIT Alums Chloe Coleman and Emily Bogel. It was great to see the recent graduates. I haven’t seen Bogel in two years, and Chloe is a good friend. Coburn pioneered the photography department at NPR almost seven years ago. Now NPR has six dedicated staffers and multiple online presences where photography is showcased in a clean and constant manor. Being such a “young” department Coburn and other staffers have been able to negotiate a very good contract that allows photographers an ability to resell images as well as a good day rate for assignments.

#Notes #NPR #USIP #Text #Blog #DC #washington

DC: Day One

Today was the first day in D.C. we visited Bloomberg and US News and World Report. First we visited RIT alumnus Andrew Harrer at Bloomberg. Harrer started as an intern at Bloomberg after graduating from RIT. Harrer started in Bloomberg’s NYC office and now after eight years at Bloomberg, Harrer is a Chief Photographer at Bloomberg News in D.C. Harrer works closely with Graham Morrison, who we saw in NYC last spring. The D.C. office still has the main objective of NYC, but focuses more on the economic implications of Washington politics. Bloomberg has begun to market it’s photo service beyond a package that is included with the Bloomberg financial subscription. Harrer is now asked to produce stills and motion for stories and the archive. Working in 10-14 second video clips they are building a B-Roll package with every picture package. Harrer sends video to the NYC office to be edited and have keywords applied. Bloomberg will, in Harrer’s estimation be expanding their video production to include more video packages for their subscribers.

US News and World Report’s Avi Gupta is the Director of Photography, for Publications talked to us about how the organization has changed while he has been there for over 14 years. USNWR went from a weekly printed magazine to a weekly PDF and special printed issues. The organization has shown that they can adapt to changing demands in their market and have clarified their audience. Gupta talked about the importance of communication and follow through with freelancers. One way to not be hired again is to stop communicating, be late on your deadlines, or God forbid not get anything useable. Keeping in contact especially during a longer assignment is a must.

#Note #Text #DC

I love you photomechanic.

Exit 29 90 east. 3.5 more hours. #internshippj

#internshippj

BRB going in. @roamingbuffalo1 #HBOMCBUF #JUSTVINO

#justvino #hbomcbuf

The brick palace. #nofilter #rit

#rit #nofilter

Rochester Institute of Technology Sophomore Allister Warren cheers after an RIT Goal. RIT won the 2013 Liberty League Men's Lacrosse Championship Semi Final - #1 RIT v. #4 Union 13 to 7 at Tiger Stadium in Rochester, NY, on Friday, May 3, 2013. Photo: William J. Ingalls, © 2013 All Rights Reserved.

#Lax #lacrosse #RIT #LibertyLeague #Championship #Semi Final

Tim Orbanac, 22 4th year Media Arts and Technology hypes the crowd during the RIT Cycling Team's "Human-Powered Bike Blender" at the Tiger Statue on RIT Campus in Henrietta, NY, on Saturday, May 4, 2013. (William J. Ingalls)

#RIT #Rochester #banana #USA

Bill Crouse Sr. (50), from the Allegany Indian Reservation, performs social dances with other Seneca natives during the 2013 RIT Imagine Festival at RIT Campus in Henrietta, NY, on Saturday, May 4, 2013. (William J. Ingalls)

#Seneca #Indian #USA #RIT #Rochester

Andrew Athias, 20 2nd year Computer Engineering dances to "I am a man" by Chicago performed by the RIT Pep Band during the 2013 RIT Imagine Festival at RIT Campus in Henrietta, NY, on Saturday, May 4, 2013. (William J. Ingalls)

#Dance #RIT #Rochester #Music

Estimated crowds topping 30,000 were funneled through campus on the Quarter Mile during the 2013 RIT Imagine Festival at RIT Campus in Henrietta, NY, on Saturday, May 4, 2013. (William J. Ingalls)

#RIT #rochester #USA #Crowd

Lansing, NY USA. #eveningclouds

#eveningclouds

Mom and Dad. 31 years strong.

Dad is 63 years young. Celebrated with swordfish steaks in a mustard dill sauce.

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