Bio:
Rob Finch is currently a multimedia journalist at The Oregonian in Portland, a newspaper with more than 300,00 subscribers. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1998 with a degree in history.
Awards:
POYI 2003 Newspaper Photographer of the Year
POYI 2000 Newspaper Photographer of the Year
Interview
1) Portfolio: http://robfinchphoto.com/
2) What’s your one best piece of advice for how a college photographer can prepare now for success in the workplace/marketplace after graduation?
That would be a variety of things, such as your skill set, your approach, the median for telling story, your willingness to take diverse approaches to a subject, your creativity making money in storytelling, how idealistic you are versus how practical.
The number one attribute for any journalist is curiosity. If you’re driven by that, eventually you will figure out how to make it and tell stories you find meaningful.
3) If there was one mistake you could take back in your career path,what would it be?
That’s a tough one. This isn’t advice you’d you’d give to any photographer. Personally: finding a way to publish long-term works creatively. I never wanted to publish a project because it was never done.
4) What technical skills for photographers will be valued in the coming decade?
Writing, the basics tenets of journalism, being a technical master in photography for sure, video, audio, a certain amount of coding. Evolving new media is the presenting standard. You have to feed that evolution in technology in new and more comprehensive way.
5) With so much devoted toward new technical skills these days, how can photographers best also focus toward strong, meaningful content?
Content is only thing that matters really. While important, technology is overshadowed completely by content that speaks to people and communicates on a basic level with a diverse population geographically or perspectively. It allows people to flourish
Not every photo journalist needs to be technical master in everything. That’s not recommended. Some of the best journalists in the world can’t start computer.
6) What are the names of two or three photographers (and agencies/employers/affiliations) whose work you presently admire?
It’s hard to narrow down to just two or three. I have a state of admiration for both professionals and non-professionals; anyone’s whose telling stories across the spectrum.
Right now, I’m fascinated by the infographics of the New York Times and Cat Stevens’ work with coal.
7) What you look at portfolios of up and coming shooters, what do you most look for?
A voice, a perspective on the world; not a clone of the last great college photographer. Someone who has something to say, who can contribute to conversation and offer their perspective- an “authored” photographer.
8 ) I’ve heard a “fresh” perspective, but I’ve never had a solid grasp of what that means. What does having a fresh perspective entail?
A certain amount of stopping power. It makes the viewer think and care in a way that isn’t cliché. It brings a new perspective in a way you’ve never seen it before. It’s able to break down the literal components to making it about human elements
A photo about Rawandan refugees, for example, can relate to the ladies down the street who are raising their grandkids. Both can bond on basic human nature. They can see the similarities and connect to people halfway around the word. Great photographers connect the world in a digital realm.
