At Birmingham: Joe McNally....x

If you don't already know Joe McNally as a person, you will have already met his work somewhere along the line.

"Joe McNally is an internationally acclaimed photographer whose career has spanned 30 years and included assignments in over 50 countries. He has shot cover stories for TIME, Newsweek, Fortune, New York, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, and Men's Journal. He has been at various times in his career a contract photographer for Sports Illustrated, a staff photographer at LIFE, and currently, an ongoing 23 year contributor to the National Geographic, shooting numerous cover stories for those publications." (Joe's Blog)

Joe spoke today, in his lecture, at The Photography Show about being a 'generalist'. Having a wide skill set. Not being afraid to tackle a challenge. He sited, early on in his career having to set up 63 flash lights for one shoot. In another, he hung from a rope under a stunt helicopter, to get 'the shot'.

When asked what traits you would need to be a photographer. Joe's answer, "sincerity and curiosity" "To step on each photographic journey and not know where its going and where it takes you" "when you are asked to take a photograph, you go through a gateway and are changed by that experience"

Joe love of photography outweighs the negative of the job and having work rejected. "I love the sound of the shutter. I have a fortress inside my head. I wont allow someone else to destroy my love of photography."

That I do understand..... x