Biography—
Taylor is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill who now resides in Norfolk, Va. There, he is staff photographer at The Virginian-Pilot, Virginia’s largest daily metro newspaper.
Awards—
Region 1 Photographer of the Year 2007, NPPA
Photographer of the year 2003 & 2004, NC Press Photographer’s Association
Photographer of the Year Runner-Up 2004, Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar
South Carolina Photo of the Century, Associated Press
Contests—
NPPA’s Best of Photojournalism Awards
Pictures of the Year International
Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar
*For full award listings please visit Taylor’s Web site.
Web site and Blog—
www.rosstaylorfoto.blogspot.com
Q & A—
What’s your one best piece of advice for how a college photographer can prepare now for success in the workplace/marketplace after graduation?
Work hard to understand your passion and then develop it through your work. Spend a lot of time thinking— How do I want to live my life? How do I want to conduct myself professionally? What do I value? Once you have a strong understanding you can communicate effectively to employers. Express your passion, know what you want to do and people will support you.
If there was one mistake you could take back in your career path, what would it be?
I wasted too much time in my 20′s and blamed external factors for lack of my own growth. I should have taken more initiative.
What technical skills for photographers will be valued in the coming decade?
Photoshop and lighting, not available light but as in studio and location lights.
With so much devoted toward new technical skills these days, how can photographers best also focus toward strong, meaningful content?
Figure out your passion first, understand for yourself what it is you have in your heart then go from there. A person without purpose tends to waiver and not be as successful.
What are the names of two or three photographers whose work you presently admire?
-Eugene Richards, Magnum and VII photographer
-Brenda Ann Kenneally, founder of therawfile.org, a Web site dedicated to socially reflective media.
-Rick Loomis, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer at the Los Angeles Times.
What you look at portfolios of up and coming shooters, what do you most look for?
Portfolios that have a purpose and focus. Make people believe in you in your work and in the story. Sell yourself and the power of visual communication.
How do you manage keeping your professionalism and still getting close to a subject?
If there is tension and you’re wondering if you’re crossing the line, don’t be hesitant. Most people will never encounter a photographer and especially not one trying to document their lives. They have no idea what you are doing, explain why you are in their space. Hand them the camera, let them see what you see. Say “Sometimes I’m going to be 3 inches from your face and this his is what it looks like.”
Intreview by: Karina Gonzalez
