Thursday February 12th, from 7 - 9 PM, I will be speaking at the Urban Hive in Sacramento, the launch event for ReIMAGINE | Sacramento.  I will be speaking about some of my experiences, including Yemen, showing some images, and doing a little Q & A.

ReIMAGINE is a Sacramento network of ReIMAGINE San Francisco. They fuel initiatives integrating spiritual formation, community building, the arts and social action. As a collective of artists, activists, educators, tech professionals and social entrepreneurs they invite people into conversations, projects and community experiences that explore the question: “How can we cultivate a way of life together that leads to greater wholeness for ourselves and our world?”

The world is changing. Globalization, massive shifts in technology, trade and communications are giving birth to a new consciousness about what it means to be human. Some refer to this as a transition from a modern to a post-modern paradigm for life. Others suggest that what is emerging is a more ecological view of the world– in the sense that we are learning to pay more attention to how all aspects of our lives are related, connected and interdependent.

This shift in how we organized ourselves and how we perceive our lives has brought up new questions about the role of religion in the emerging culture. Many have concluded that traditional notions of God have little relevance to our lives in contemporary society. And yet at the same time, there is a tremendous hunger for a spiritually integrated way of life that acknowledges the sacred and empowers us to love.

ReIMAGINE began as a series of conversations and experiments among friends about how to connect our spiritual heritage with the realities of life in a progressive world city. The founders of ReIMAGINE were leaders in the evangelical “seeker church” movement of the 1990’s and came to live in San Francisco and Sacramento with a desire to help create new communities of faith in the emerging culture. Quickly they discovered that among neighbors and friends there was a great deal of misunderstanding and pain about organized religion and Christianity in particular.

If you are interested in attending or want more info, click here. If you live in the area, I’d love to see you there!

You can also find out more and register on Facebook.

In the latest issue of Sada al-Malahim, the Internet magazine of the Al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen, urged its followers to use small bombs “in airports in the western crusade countries that participated in the war against Muslims: or on their planes, or in their residential complexes or their subways.”

As you know, I’ve been following Yemen for the last few years (and traveled there last Spring) and if you’ve spent any time with me, I have talked a lot about its pivotal regional importance as well its downward spiraling trends of a failed state and I have drawn many comparisons to the tribal states of western Pakistan.

Can I just say, that I’ve been pitching these warnings and stressing the importance of Yemen to editors and why it matters to their readers for well over a year now, and find it very ironic and disheartening that it took a near disaster to get Yemen into the current news cycle. Does it have to go that far for editors to listen to others and me? Apparently it does.

Unfortunately, it took the Christmas Day bombing attempt of a Nigerian man with Al Qaeda links in Yemen to wake up the West and finally highlight the significance of the country and what it means for the World and us. Not to mention the radical American-born cleric in Yemen, Anwar al-Awlaki and his links to Nidal Hasan, the American Army major who faces murder charges in the shooting deaths of 13 people at Fort Hood, last month.

At this moment, the US has opened a third, largely covert front against Al Qaeda in Yemen. Months ago, the Central Intelligence Agency sent several field operatives with counterterrorism experience into the country.

The Pentagon is spending more than $70 million over the next 18 months to equip Yemeni military.

Joseph I. Lieberman, independent of Conn and chairman of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, who visited the country in August, stated in an interview on Sunday that “Yemen now becomes one of the centers of the fight” with Iraq and Afghanistan.

In a relatively quiet trip a few months ago, Gen. David Petraeus, the American regional commander and John Brennan, Obama’s counterterrorism advisor, visited Yemen.

It seems that our intelligence, political and military authorities seem to get that Yemen’s security problems won’t just stay in Yemen. I just would have expected the journalism community to catch on much earlier.

Special thanks to David Anelman at the World Policy Journal and Forbes for listening to me early on!

I’ve told many people that 30, has been the best year of my life. 8 1/2 countries, 8,000 + images, 39,000 air miles, much more grey hair, and one gorgeous daughter & wife; this truly has been the most amazing year.

As we wrap up 2009 and turning 31 is just a few days away, I both look back at the richness and adventure of the year and look forward with so much excitement as 2010 and 31 begins.

These photos aren’t necessarily the best images photographically but the ones that have such richness and abundant memories attached to them. Experience and relationship is such an important thing to me and this year will stand out as the best.

Thank you every one who helped make it such an amazing year! Especially Lindsey for giving me such an amazing daughter and being such a great mom, our family, my Dad for an especially adventure-filled year, our Baltimore family (the Sebeniecher’s), Bridget for a great time in Paris, and many, many more!

RIP Mixer

Day we found out Lindsey was pregnant!

Once considered nationalists, many insurgent groups are now labeled as terrorists and thought to endanger not just their own people, but the world. As the unprecedented trends in political violence among insurgents have taken shape, and as hundreds of thousands of civilians continue to be displaced, brutalized, and killed, Inside Insurgency provides startling insights that help to explain the nature of insurgent behavior.

Claire Metelits draws from over 100 interviews with insurgent soldiers, commanders, government officials, scholars, and civilians in Sudan, Kenya, Colombia, Turkey, and Iraq, offering a new understanding of insurgent group behavior and providing compelling and intimate portraits of the SPLA, FARC, and PKK. The engaging narratives that emerge from her on-the-ground fieldwork provide incredibly valuable and accurate first-hand documentation of the tactics of some of the world’s most notorious insurgent groups. Inside Insurgency offers the reader a timely and intimate understanding of these movements, and explains the changing behavior of insurgent groups toward the civilians they claim to represent.

Thanks NYU Press for using the photo and sending me the copy hot off the press!

We had some friends from the Middle East over for dinner last week and we had a really good time reminiscing about our time together in Syria. If you have spent any time with me, you know very well that I go on and on about Syria; especially Aleppo. That place blew every expectation I ever had about a place. I was way wrong. I entered Syria via a late flight from Amman to Aleppo, and as soon as we were left the airport, my misconceptions about the pariah of the West, began to fade away. I felt almost guilty that my minds eye about the place was that off.

Along with Fez in Morocco and Sana’a in Yemen, Aleppo is considered among the best-preserved cities in the Arab world and it is the longest inhabited city in the World. I’m lucky enough to visit two of these places.

While most Arab historic souq’s are largely a tourist trap, Aleppo is a largely intact historic city of 15,000 limestone buildings linked by labyrinthine streets and peaked-roof tunnels. Aleppo’s enormous traditional souq boasts more than seven miles of passageways topped by vaulted stone ceilings with natural skylights. Selling everything from spices and freshly slaughtered lamb to carpets and hardware, the souq remains the heart of the city’s commerce; only a tiny section caters to tourists.

Today, it is hemmed in on three sides by modern, straight, multilane streets, many of them lined with high-rise apartments and office buildings. But a few steps from the high-rises, the historic fabric remains intact.

The walk from the straight streets, jammed with taxicabs, into the Bab al-Nasr neighborhood is unbelivable. It is a journey from a world of automobiles to a world of donkey carts; from a world of inert rectilinear forms to a world of alleyways, curving arches, and latticework windows; from garish, commercially produced signs hawking mobile phones and soft drinks to the simple black-and-green stenciled image of the Ka’ba in Mecca, Islam’s holiest site, atop wooden doorways. Even more powerful than the visual impact of the transition is the auditory one. Just a few paces into the labyrinth, the din of vehicular traffic is replaced by the banter of conversation in the marketplace. A brief stroll deeper, and the voices of men are replaced by the voices of boys chasing after a soccer ball in a courtyard as a hijab-clad mother looks on from the window above.

My lesson learned? Even if you think you know a place by being well-read, think again. I prejudged this place before I ever visited it and I was dead wrong. I am someone who feels like I have a pretty strong grasp of history and I tend to read a lot, so I just thought my early assumption of Syria was going to be fairly accurate. Not until I visit a place, will I form an opinion about it.

1. Waterlife

2. Frozen Land, Forgotten People

3. Kroo Bay

4. Operation Critical: Voices from the war in East Congo

5. Aim Vitale, Mirages

6: Battle for Hearts and Minds

7. NY Times: One in 8 Million

8. Reuters: Bearing Witness

9: The Global Fund: Access to Life

10. CRF: Crisis Guide - The Global Economy

I spent a cold and foggy Saturday morning shooting some of our best friends, the Aubin’s, in Sacramento. They are some of our favorite people and I have had the pleasure of doing their family photos a few times now.

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Probably the second most asked question I get, next to “what camera to buy”, is “what lens should I get?”

Ok, you’ve had your digital SLR for a while now, your really getting into photography and are starting to realize that the lens that came with your camera just isn’t cutting it anymore or it is holding you back in some way.

Maybe you’re the person who is looking to buy your first SLR and are a bit confused about the whole thing. Do I get that lens that comes with it or not?

I can remember the first lens upgrade I got. I was all excited because it covered a large focal length range. I think it was a 28-200mm f/5.6 – and it was really inexpensive. Trust those that have learned the hard way, in photography, you get what you pay for. There is a reason why that first lens I got was inexpensive and there is a reason why you are unsatisfied with the lens that came with your camera.

If you’re the one looking to buy a new SLR and think you will take this new hobby serious, read these helpful tips before you buy.

If you’re the one ready to upgrade and aren’t sure what to do, I think this will help.

The most important thing you’re not considering…

Speed – The lenses that come bundled with new SLR’s these days are considered ‘slow’ lenses. Speed refers to the maximum aperture of the lens – or how much light is let in. There is plenty of info on the web that can go into the details of f/stops, so I won’t go into that. Fast lenses, or lenses with a maximum f/stop of at leased f/2.8, are always pretty expensive – but not all of them. Fast lenses are also considered ‘pro’ lenses vs consumer. Speed in a lens is one of the most important things to a pro photographer. That is why you will never see a pro using a lens with an f/stop of f/4 or f/5.6 and up. To me, the lens is more important than your camera choice.

Fast lenses have better optics. Again, there is a lot of complicated technical info on the web about this, but that is why a fast lens is expensive and the one that came with your SLR isn’t. With fast lenses you get better, sharper, more colorful images out of the gate. Buying a more expensive camera does not equal better images, it just give you more control. But buying a better lens does give you better images.

A lot of times camera companies will have promotional stuff on a new entry level SLR and will show the examples from a famous photographer from that exact camera. What they don’t point out is what lens they used. I just went on the Nikon website where it did just that. They showed these amazing photographs, gave the exact details of the camera used, and not one thing about the lens. I guarantee you, that they would have highlighted the lens, if it were on that came with the camera.

I say, don’t buy the lens that comes with the camera. It’s never a good lens and when you realize that you really like photography and want to upgrade, you will realize that there is no resale market for that lens.

So what do you buy? Anything fast! I’m a big fan of people starting out buying a 50mm f/1.4. This so-called “normal” lens will help you develop key photography skills like composition and will work in pretty much every situation. And it’s only $400 or so. There are a lot of pros that only use one fixed focal length (no zoom) or prime lens. In photography they say, if your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough. This is probably the most important thing to remember in photojournalism.

Here is the thing. These fast lenses will have some sticker shock. Most, if not all are worth way more than entry level and even prosumer SLR’s. But you will have that lens forever and really never need to upgrade it. I am still using my same 50mm f/1.4, 24mm f/2.8, 85mm f/1.4 that I’ve had for nearly 20 years. If I ever wanted to sell them, there is a resale market for them.

So just to recap, yes, there are many lenses that I love, and it’s hard to choose just one. But I would go with either one fast prime lens and really pour into your photographic approach, composition, exposure, etc… (around $400-$500). It’s really good to force yourself to use only one focal length. I do it all the time. Or I would go with a medium fast zoom, like a 28-70mm f/2.8 (around $1300).

Questions? Email me at micah at micahalbert.com

In today’s digital age, everyone can be a photographer and with falling prices of digital cameras, anyone can afford to turn his formerly known expensive hobby into a career. So how do you make that leap and distinguish yourself as a talented and creative photographer from “just a guy or gal with a camera?” Well, that’s just it, don’t leap, ease into it.

Darfur Refugee Camp

I’m constantly in contact with people emailing me about this sort of thing and this is primarily intended for those who have some experience with photography and journalism but are looking to gain more experience and improve their skills. To be honest, most freelancers or independents, are still trying to figure this stuff out as well. Especially with the rules of journalism and new-media looking different every day, so take this all with a grain of salt - the key is to find what’s right for you.

1. Keep you full-time job –

Freelancing is a great opportunity and many people desire to be able to set their own hours and work from home. But earning a living as a freelancer can be difficult if not impossible and usually involves taking some sort of risk. Furthermore, some folks find out that they really don’t like freelancing. Obviously, it’s better to find this out when you still have your job.

Working your full=time job and freelancing in your spare time can take a lot of sacrifice and discipline but it will help you to try out part-time and build up your contacts and business before quitting your job. With a full-time job, you have the luxury of taking on projects that are a good fit for you vs. taking the first thing that comes your way because of the pressure to make money immediately. This way you can be strategic and prioritize your learning and development.

2. Set up a basic portfolio site –

Having a quality portfolio site is one of the best things you can do to get your foot in the door and showing your work. This assumes that you have quality work to include in the portfolio. If your just getting started, you may need to put your time in before you invest in the portfolio.

A Flickr or some other photo-sharing site does not count! You will not be taken seriously by showing your work on these types of sites. The thing is, there is a standard that folks in the industry are accustomed to and anything outside of that just is looked at as unprofessional.

The cleaner the better. If it’s tough to navigate or has too much fancy Flash elements built in, editors just won’t look at it. You need to have a solid online portfolio and carefully choose what viewers will see and in what order. We used to present actual portfolios that we spent months or years working on to editors and decision makers and we would scrutinize the 15 images we put in and in what order. This has not changed and it needs to be handled the exact same way. Less is more.

I haven’t used them, but know folks that use Livebooks.com to set up their website.

Take a look at these sites to get an idea of good portfolios…

http://www.witnessreportage.com/

http://www.lynseyaddario.com/

http://72.32.9.12/~smurphy/

3. Prioritize experience over income -

As you decide to pursue projects, place more emphasis on your learning, development and networking as opposed to just taking something that pays. This may include working for local and regional non-profits who could really use the work or working on personal projects that don’t produce any income. Getting experience is key for you at this point.

4. Work on your own projects –

Every new photojournalist seems to struggle finding relevant topics to pursue. Some of the best and well-known issue-based photo essays published have come from established photojournalists working on personal projects. Usually that personal project came about by having a special insight into something or seeing a reoccurring theme that needed to be highlighted or a topic that was under covered.

Thinking this way is the new way, so get used to it. I went to Yemen because I was personally interested in global food security issues. I followed the issue closely and did what I could to know everything I could about the subject.

What do you know well? I’m sure there is something in your region that has some interest. Do you have a local paper left in your town or city? What are they covering? Use them as a springboard for ideas. But take it further. Don’t think locally; think regionally, nationally, or globally.

Always, always, always ask yourself the “so what” question. When you come up with a potential story and can answer the “so what” question, that  is where your audience to your story is.

5. Re-Invest the money you make –

One of the reasons that freelancing is a possibility is that it requires very little financial investment. However there will be times that you will need to spend money on new equipment or software to take you to that next level. If there are things actually preventing you from doing a better job, then you need to have a plan that enables you to progress as a professional.

6. Don’t forget about taxes –

It’s a good idea to keep your freelancing income separated from your other money is that you may wind up with taxes that are higher than expected. You don’t wan to have to unexpectedly dip into your personal accounts when the IRS asks for its money.

Try using some Mint. I don’t know if you know about this site or not yet, but it has changed my life and I highly recommend using it. www.mint.com. You will be able see all your accounts in one place and with it keep better track of your expenses and income.

7. Stand by your rates –

It can be uncomfortable, when you’re getting started, to be charging high rates. But you need to be charging some or having some sort of trade. Just don’t give away your work. Professionals are used to this and it will be expected. It’s also good to be upfront with clients about where you are currently at in your career and progression. There are plenty of businesses out there that only want to hire newbie’s – sometimes they can get a lot of value this way.

8. Read –

Today, it’s requires much more than just knowing how to operate a camera. Don’t ever forget that the camera is just a tool. No one hires a writer because he knows how to hold a pen just right or has good penmanship. The pen is just a tool for an end result. So is the camera.

Being a good photographer is a baseline. What are you above and beyond that? Editors don’t use the best and well-known photojournalists of our day simply because they know how to take a good photo. They have gotten that job because they know their stuff, they know the region, they know the people. Editors are not looking for another person who can take a pretty picture. They are looking for people who can find the story, highlight why it matters to their audience, operate in that particular environment and then deliver a product with a unique perspective time and again.

Become an expert in something. Consume all the reading you can on it. Know it in and out. Then approach editors on the story and that way you can offer your unique knowledge and your photographs.

9. Network –

In today’s market, learning how to sell your work is just as important as how to create it. Research shows that it takes 6-8 times for an editor to see your work and correlate it to your name. How often are you hitting the pavement, the phone, and sending emails – don’t hope that some editor is going to call you out of the blue and offer you an assignment because they saw a photo of yours somewhere. You need to be strategic about being strategic. Set goals. Get a mentor. Put in the necessary time and expect way more rejection than support – it’s part of the game.

If you live on the West Coast, sorry, but it’s the wrong one for networking. You need to get yourself to New York, London, and D.C. and spend some time networking in that environment.

10. Plan for differentiation –

As you advance in your progression, always be thinking about how you will differentiate yourself. You want to develop a stamp to your work. So that when people see it, it becomes recognizable. This is what will lead you to getting under the umbrella of a photo agency.

A few weeks before I left for Chad, my parents, Lindsey and I went to Gettysburg, PA for a few days. This shot is taken of Lindsey on a early morning run through the park.

Whenever we go some place, I’m always looking for images that can be used in the travel industry or some thing similar. With the case of Lindsey being a runner, I’ve always got an opportunity to use her as a subject in these type of images. I think this is the third photo of her published in Runners World. The key to the approach at large is to make the image interesting and yet somewhat generic. Editors want striking images but sometimes the image will be used somewhat out of context. The Patagonia catalogs used to do this really well; show a subject that relatively matched the text but neither was dependent upon each other - the image only added to the overall layout look.

What caught my eye as she was running was the obviously the diagonal warm sun rays cutting through the forest. The problem, was that this light wasn’t happening everywhere, it was only in a few spots, where moisture collected in the low parts of the land. Also, there was so much clutter because of the forest, that I really needed to simplify the image somehow. I ended up using a 200mm f/2 because I really wanted to compress as much of that very 3D space and light so it really popped. With a normal lens or wide, the many layers in this image would have been too dispersed through its depth of field.

I recommend using long glass when you want to place your subject in the context. I carry the extra weight even when I go backpacking, that’s how important it is. Use a long lens, and back way up. Start looking at your subject through this perspective and eventually you will be able to see these moments come together without looking through the view finder.

This particular image, used on their current home page, was taken in the dusty cattle camps of southern Sudan. The woman in the photo was gathering and spreading burned  cow manure so that later on those in that village could spread it on their bodies to provide protection from the sun and ever-present tsetse flies.

To give you some context, here are a few other images taken on that assignment. Some you may be familiar with, others I haven’t shown before.

It has a good into section that I recommend going over ‘Personal Traits of Becoming a Successful Photographer’ such as,

• Preparing Yourself
• Formal Photography Education or Qualifacation
• Working Up Your Rank
• Choosing the Perfect Master
• Passion Vs. Income
• Vision Talents
• Stand Firm on Your Beliefs

For those of you that have been to my house, you’ve seen this in printed version hanging on my wall. It’s always been one of my favorites images I’ve shot in Europe. Lindsey and I spent a few weeks together in Switzerland, Italy and Germany just traveling and visiting good family friends in eastern Switzerland, back in 2004. This was a very transitional time in digital technology and I wish I could have shot this either three years before or three years after. This was shot with a Nikon D100, which at the time Nikon only had 2 or 3 digital SLR’s, and the digital cameras then just didn’t have the tonal latitude like they do now, rendering a lot of noise in the shadows.

But, regardless of the noise, I still think it’s a strong travel genre photo.

The hotel we were staying at was right on the lake and we were walking back there after dinner and were lucky enough to have this beautiful sunset. This photo would not work if the boats were not in it. Having a pattern element in your travel photography is key - and so is lighting. I’ve got photos of this lake in the middle of the day and they are boring and pedestrian.

I say wait for the right light, don’t force what isn’t there. Do your sightseeing when the light isn’t so good, all the while scouting where you want to be when the light does get good. I remember walking by this spot earlier in the day and making a mental note of it. Later that evening, Lindsey and I were sitting in an nice outdoor trattoria, when the light started to shift. I remembered that this spot was pretty close and did what I could to finish dinner and get to this spot.

When ever you are shooting landscapes, don’t just think about the obvious elements of what make up the image. Think about how that place or scene makes you feel. What kind of emotions does it conjure up? Then figure out how to match that onto film.

Came across these images recently and thought I would share them. I really like doing this kind of work every now an then.

I’ve been on a lot of adventures in life, but nothing has been as exciting as brining a life into this world. Our sweet Norah was born on October 13th, on the eve of two weeks overdue. Lindsey needed to be induced on Tuesday morning and ended up going into labor late Monday night – and 8 hours later she was out. Lindsey delivered our 7.8 lb, 21 inch, gorgeous daughter naturally; Lindsey was absolutely amazing.

As you can imagine, there will be more photos coming!

This weeks Image Retrospective comes from Sudan, shot just before I landed a remote landing strip. It took quite a bit of extra time by the pilot trying to find a suitable landing strip. As you can tell from the photo, a pretty gnarly storm system was moving through the area and most of strips were flooded, all the while getting farther and farther away from my planned rendezvous point with my contact. As the pilot kept ascending and descending to look at different landing spots, I kept referencing his moves with my map; even if we could land, catching up with my friend on the ground was still in question. 

I personally like this image, just because it brings me back to the moment and I can remember all the logistics running through my head. The pilot told me he had to leave as soon as he landed because of the strong cross winds picking up as well as another column of water, like the one in the image, just behind us. He was also the same pilot who would be picking me up a week later, but at a different landing strip, which one? where? what if it’s raining then? what if it’s raining for the next month? Normally, I would be ok riding out whatever came to be, but I had an assignment back in the States, soon after this trip. So my calendar didn’t account for rainy season unpredictability. 

In the end, the landing was smooth, I caught up with my friend on the ground, I completed my Sudan assignment, and I made it back to the States just in time for the other. 

Nikon D2x - Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8

1. Humility is paramount to growth – No matter how good you think you are, you always have a tremendous amount of room to grow. More than in most professions, mentorship can be immensely valuable, but having a know-it-all attitude will not get you anywhere, especially as a freelancer. Mentorship has been the single biggest growth factor for my photography and approach and success in the overall industry. I’ll never forget sitting down at the New York Times offices and going through a recent assignment of work with a mentor of mine. Having someone with experience articulate your own work will help you see your work in a whole new light. You will start to see your strengths and your weaknesses in a new way, maybe even for the first time. For me, mentors told me things that I needed to hear; things that your closest loves ones will never tell you. Mentors have also been able to open doors I never thought possible. For established photogs or editors, it’s simply a phone call or email away to get your foot in the door of a magazine or news agency.

2. Equipment only gets you so far – Most working professionals don’t dwell on gear. What’s funny (a lot of times not) is that hobbyist spend more time focusing on gear and talking about it, than becoming a better photographer. The thing is hobbyist have day jobs and having the latest equipment is more of a fun luxury rather than a cost of doing business. Most professionals are too busy on assignment to keep up on the latest and greatest in the market. Most pro’s can take good photos with pretty much anything. So just a quick word of advice, pro’s hate talking gear with hobbyist, or any one for that matter. Odds are, you know more than they do.

My usual travel set-up

3. Your work will not sell itself – In today’s market, learning how to sell your work is just as important as how to create it. Research shows that it takes 6-8 times for an editor to see your work and correlate it to your name. How often are you hitting the pavement, the phone, and sending emails – don’t hope that some editor is going to call you out of the blue and offer you an assignment because they saw a photo of yours somewhere. You need to be strategic about being strategic. Set goals. Get a mentor. Put in the necessary time and expect way more rejection than support – it’s part of the game.

Hitting the street

4. Experience is key to getting your foot in the door – The point is, get out there and just do it. A friend of mine was a recent J school graduate and didn’t have any real world experience. His solution; he did his homework, saw potential in going to Kenya 2 months before the elections, started writing for local Kenyan papers, next thing he knew he was writing daily for Reuters getting published around the globe. After that experience, he was able to come back to the states and get his foot in the door with editors because of his experience. It gave him a certain ‘field credibility’ that most 23 year-olds rarely have. The older you get, the more field credibility becomes expected. So do it while you’re especially young with nothing tying you down.

Getting experience - Darfur Refugee Camp

5. You don’t have to travel to far away places to take good photos – Subject matter is everything, but exotic isn’t what it used to be. With photographers in every corner of the globe, work in exotic locals are being uploaded all the time. Which means quality storytelling should be your biggest focus, even if it is in your own backyard.

In my own backyard

6. Mistakes are inevitable – Botched interviews, problems on assignment, being naïve, you name it, mistakes are inevitable and we all make them. Recently, I missed an assignment for the NY Times because I didn’t realize my phone was off – I got passed up on a good opportunity. The key to mistakes is learning from them.

Sleeping on the job - Central African Republic