Interview with Kathy
Seward MacKay, Freelance Photographer
Interview by Alina Oswald
Sometimes a picture is worth more than a thousand words.
Sometimes it can turn our article submission into an acceptance. Indeed,
nowadays more and more editors give priority (so to speak) to writers who can
submit a high quality photograph together with their articles.
Being professional writers, we would like our photos to also be as professional
as possible. But how can we achieve that?
To learn more about the do's and don'ts of professional photography, I turned to
freelance photographer Kathy Seward MacKay, whose work has brought her praise
and awards from The Boston Globe, The Nashua Telegraph, The New
York Times, The Baltimore Sun, and The Washington Post.
Dying in Vein: Blood, Deception… Justice is
MacKay's most recent work (together with writer Stacy Milbouer and graphic
designer Kathy Bouchard) that documents the tainted blood crisis and its effects
on the hemophilia community in the US.
When did you first discover your passion for photography? How?
My dad was always taking pictures of our family when we were young children, so
I think I picked up my habit from him. He bought me my first camera when I was
seven years old at the PX in Norfolk, Virginia when he was in the Marine
Reserves. I've been hooked ever since, but I would say my passion really matured
when I was in college and discovered the excitement of not only creating images,
but of being exposed to walks of life and people you would not ordinarily be
exposed to.
Would you share with us a few do's and don'ts of freelance photography? What
would you tell a novice photographer or someone who is contemplating
photography?
Most important, DO be professional. If you are serious, you need to develop your
skills so publications will want to hire you. Also, it is very important to be a
good businessperson and to price yourself competitively. In the long run, it
does not help serious professionals if you are under-pricing your work just to
get the job.
It is important to understand copyright and publishing rights so your work is
not misused and printed over again without proper compensation. Again, when some
freelancers start giving away their work-- just to be published-- it ruins the
business for everyone.
I strongly suggest becoming a member of the National Press Photographers
Association (NPPA).
That way you can not only study images, but also address issues like privacy,
ethics, and marketing. You can also get advice on putting together a portfolio.
There is a great column each month in the NPPA magazine that addresses freelance
photography.
As far as your portfolio is concerned, be sure all the images are good. I know
that sounds simplistic, but many young photographers think that just because
they have a picture of a famous person or a big news event, then it is worth
putting in their portfolio-- NOT SO. Editors only want to see quality images.
The subject matter generally is not important.
Freelance writers hear this all the time these days-- that submitting a photo
with their article may increase its chances of being accepted. What would
freelance writers need to know about photography in order for their photos to be
as professional as possible?
I would say it is important to learn how to compose an image so that it is clean
and informative. And to do that it will be necessary to know how to use
different lenses for different effects. It is also important to understand
lighting-- both natural and artificial. And that requires really learning how to
use a flash (strobe) on your camera in the proper way to reduce shadows and the
harshness of the flash.
Always shoot a variety of images with both your wide angle and telephoto lens.
Be sure to give the editor options for laying out the story.
As far as content is concerned-- remember you are telling a story visually and
not with words. If the image requires a lot of explanation, it is probably not
succeeding at communicating on a photographic level. I have seen photographers
(including myself) who are emotionally attached to a photo because they were a
part of the experience-- so in their mind they see more than what is actually in
the photograph, and if that is the case, then the reader is not really going to
understand the picture.
Some freelance writers may find it easier to use digital cameras and improve
the quality of their pictures using computer software. Would you share with us
your opinion about digital photography? How can writers best use it for their
needs?
I love digital photography. It is very convenient because you can see the image
before you send it. But you should not rely on computer software to clean up
your mistakes. It is very important to understand how to make a technically
perfect shot. You may be able to fool some people, but not most editors!
I guess many of us wonder sometimes if it is indeed possible to make a living
as a freelance writer/photographer. You definitely did it! You have years of
experience and achievements. How did you do it and do you have any advice for
the rest of us?
You have to put 100% into every job. When you work on staff at a newspaper, you
shoot so much for the same organization that you can get by with a bad day here
and there. But when you freelance you are judged by every job. And every job has
to be worth the client's money.
And of course you have to know how to market yourself and that is why I suggest
belonging to professional organizations like the National Press Photographers
Association or the Professional Photographers Association. They will give you
all the advice you need. To be honest with you, I was lacking in that area.
Personally, I had developed a reputation locally, but that was after 15 years of
working for local newspapers. And I learned not to be picky with my jobs. Take
anything you can get!
You also have years of experience working with writers on articles and books.
It was a privilege for me to read Dying in Vein. Its real life
characters and their stories and candid pictures deeply and forever moved me and
introduced me to a community I knew little about: the hemophilia community and
the crisis of tainted blood products. Dying in Vein is a true work of
art, capturing all three artists' dedication and love for their art.
With such a beautiful book in our hands, we cannot help but wonder how it came
to be put together and then published. Is this kind of experience for
everybody? What does one need to take into consideration when planning this
kind of project?
This experience is not for everybody. Personally, I could not have done this 20
years ago without the journalistic skill I have now. Also, this is not a
money-maker for me now. Publishing and marketing a book is very costly and you
are not generating income while you are putting the book together. It helps to
get grants and other types of funding, but that is a lot of work, too. So the
whole experience requires a lot of patience. And I don't think I would have had
the patience without the passion behind it.
What are your plans for the future?
My immediate plans are to continue to promote Dying in Vein. Along the
way, I'd like to teach some workshops or classes here and there. After that I
don't know! It is time for a new adventure!
Alina Oswald is a freelance writer and author of "Poetry of the Soul"
collection. She can be reached at
www.mediabistro.com/alinaoswald.
