New York Edited. Out of Place – Preview 4

Morrigan McCarthy, Bildredakteurin bei The New York Times / Photo credit: Alan Winslow

Bereits zum siebten Mal erscheint die Fotobuchserie New York Edited. Die Buchreihe ist eine jährliche Kooperation der Studenten/-innen des International Center of Photography in New York und der Bildredaktionsklasse der Ostkreuzschule für Fotografie in Berlin. In einem Zeitraum von zehn Monaten realisieren die Studenten/-innen der Bildredaktionsklasse, unter der Leitung von Nadja Masri, ein Fotobuch mit zwölf ausgewählten Abschlussarbeiten der Studenten/-innen des ICP.

Bis zum Book Launch am 10.02 geben wir euch jede Woche einen kurzen Einblick in das Buch. Diesmal zeigen wir Auszüge aus dem mit Morrigan McCarthy geführten Interview. Sie ist Bildredakteurin bei The New York Times. Das ganze Interview könnt ihr in New York Edited. Out of Place nachlesen.

OKS-lab: Morrigan, you were an award-winning photographer before starting to work as a photo editor on the National desk at The New York Times. How come you chose photo editing as a career? And what do you like about it?

Morrigan MCCarthy: I had steady work as a freelancer in New York, and I enjoyed the flexibility of that lifestyle, but my favorite part of photography has always been the storytelling, and I wanted to be more in control of that aspect. As a photo editor I’m able to tell stories through the lenses and eyes of hundreds of incredible photographers, and pairing their styles with stories is one of my favorite parts of my job.

What do you consider to be the most important aspects for a photo story about New York City?

New York City is such a rich and diverse place that it’s ripe for photo stories, but also full of cliches you can fall into. I think the most important things to think about in a photo story about New York are the same as in any photo story: has this been done before? If so, what am I bringing to the story that needs to be told? And what will my visual approach be? How will my approach move the story forward?

Photo story vs. print story. Which aspects of a story can pictures tell, which words can’t?

I think photography is an incredibly powerful medium for storytelling, but some stories lend themselves to the visual more than others. One important part of my job is to think about how photographs can support and compliment a reporters work, and what stories should be driven primarily by photography. There’s no easy formula for which should take the lead, it’s always a kind of dance, but when it works, you know it.

Which skill set are you looking for when you are commissioning a photographer for a story?

When I’m commissioning a photographer I’m first looking for someone who has an understanding of journalistic ethics. That’s the number one thing. Then I’m looking for someone who can tell a story and make good use of light and composition. Finally, I’m looking for someone who is able to think on their feet. Photojournalism is a field where you have to be ready for anything, and I really value photographers who can assess a changing situation, understand where the story is going and adapt.

Book Launch New York Edited. Out of Place

Wann: 10.02.2018, 19:00 bis 22:00 Uhr.

Wo: Galerie erstererster, Pappelallee 69, 10437 Berlin.

Das Buch ist außerdem ab Mitte Februar bei 25books, Berlin erhältlich.