10.Q Interviews: Humanitarian Photographer – Austin Mann
10.Q Interviews - Austin Mann
Welcome to 10.Q Interviews. This section usually features interviews to Humanitarian, Cultural & Travel Photographers, their work and photography.
This week in 10.Q Interviews, Austin Mann:
1. Tell us about you and your photography. What kinds of shooting have you done? Have you worked for any humanitarian organizations/magazines etc.? Could you name any current or former clients?
I’ve never been “on-staff” as a photographer. Early on when I lived in NYC I worked as photo research intern at National Geographic mag, in the art production department at McCann-Erickson (ad agency) and as a studio hand for a studio and still-life fotog in the City. I learned a ton very quickly and my half year there served as an awesome launching pad for my career. Since then as a freelance fotog I have been able to work on a handful of really fun projects… Some of the non-profit & mission orgs I’ve work with include Samaritan’s Purse, LifeSong for Orphans, Steven Curtis Chapman & Show Hope, Service in Mission (SIM), AidSudan and others. I’ve recently realized that I tend to gravitate towards projects that take me into remote and/or unreached areas… it’s almost turning into my specialty. I’ve just returned from a six week trip in Ethiopia where I spent several days in a chopper flying over the mountains in SW Ethiopia, looking for huts in unchartered and previously unseen areas. I did some work like this last year in Sudan and have another similar trip spinning up for remote villages in the Himalayan mountains later this year. Anyone that knows me knows I am a serious gear-head…not just for photographic equipment but for any gear at all… tents, flashlights, rope, water filters etc. As a result I find I am well-equipped for photographic treks like this and enjoy them even more because it gives me an excuse to own & use the gear that I love!2. We all know that you don’t get into humanitarian photography to become rich, so what does humanitarian photography mean to you? What’s your vision for it?
What’s money if you don’t feel alive? I’m beyond passionate about what I do… I know it’s my calling and I’m confident this stuff is what God made me to do. My photography started and remains to be a form of worship for me… a way to glorify our Creator by appreciating the splendor I see in everything around us. God has equipped me with able body, gear and talent to do the job…not something to take for granted. He tells us that He’ll provide for us, and equip us with what we need if we follow His call and leading. If you’re feeling called into this industry, using your media skills to help others, let the last of your concerns be supporting yourself financially. God’ll take care of you, He makes that promise. I see an enormous need… there are so many tiny mission orgs in the world that God is doing insanely amazing things with but they struggle to tell their story because they don’t have the powerful media to get the job done. My heart is not only to equip these organizations to better tell their story but also to give them a platform to share through… whether it be a weekly blog featuring organizations or an bi-annual publication w/ this specific focus. I have a few different ideas and plan to be launching one of these projects in the near future.
© Austin Mann | www.austinmann.com/
© Austin Mann | www.austinmann.com/
3. How did you get into humanitarian photography? Where did you get the idea to shoot these kinds of people and groups?
I first started shooting a lot in the Spring of 2006. Pretty quickly after that, a mentor of mine told me he was sending me to Africa for a missions trip. I told him he was crazy…I had never been out of the country and was busy that summer. He continued to pressure me and finally I agreed to go. I had to raise $2500 in a month to go and by the end of the month had $4500 toward the trip. I went to Tanzania May ’06 on the mission trip and took a Canon 20D and D60…I had an old (by old I mean made in 1977) Nikon 16mm fisheye, a 28-105 and an old non-IS 70-200 f/2.8. From that point on, I knew how much I loved being working in that environment and being the bridge between life overseas and the developed world. That year I continued with tons of photographic experiments and then went on mission trips the following summers. By the time I was out of school, I had developed a pretty decent portfolio just by shooting the projects I was involved in on mission trips. I knew I loved it and soon found myself sharing my work with organizations and pitching my media services. When I really look back at it, it’s clear to me that God lead me into this industry… I never sat down and said “hmmm, I’m going to be a photographer specializing in missions.” But one thing after another, here I am, and thrilled to be here.4. What are the challenges of shooting for NGO’s or non- profit organizations?
There’s a couple major challenges I’ve encountered in working with non-profits. Firstly, pricing negotiation and budget. I’ve found that despite it’s incredible importance, the budget for media is slim to none for most organizations. Most industries within the photo world require the photographers to pitch their services to clients who are aware they have a need… in the world of working with missions organizations you often don’t start by pitching your services, you must start by pitching that they have a need at all and THEN pitch your services! As a result, the budget for photography/media work is usually slim to none which means that often times you need to be very good at selling the imperative need for quality media, sometimes even good enough have an entirely new budget created for your work. Often times organizations will look at their cash flow and say… “How many lives can I impact with this $5K?” If they just look at it objectively and see that they can either give clean water to hundreds of people OR they can get quality media work, they’re going to pick the clean water every time. But if you sit with them and show them how powerful media is in sharing stories with current and/or potential donors and make them realize that they could be increase the impact of that $5K ten-fold over time, then they’ll be giving you serious thought. From the outside, it sounds exotic to be flying all over the world on shoots in interesting parts of the world and it definitely is amazing and a huge blessing, but it also takes a huge toll emotionally and physically. The poverty that we encounter, the people in need of love and the incredible impact of sin on the world is draining. Of course, people experience that every day all over the world but it’s our job to immerse ourselves in these places, sometimes for weeks at a time. Granted, the work is incredibly rewarding and I have the rare opportunity to engage these people in conversations and interact with them and love on them and that’s what makes it all worth it. Oh, and the ninja poses… just kidding, but seriously. It seems like every kid in every African country sees a camera and immediately snaps into a ninja pose… I don’t care how far out in the bush you are, good luck getting a shot of a kid being natural…
© Austin Mann | www.austinmann.com
© Austin Mann | www.austinmann.com
5. How much do you travel every year? How do you manage your family time?
I could probably be better at managing my family time. When I’m stateside, I try to capitalize on the opportunity and stay in touch with my family as often as possible. Skype for iPhone is one of the greatest things for world-travelers ever. It allows you to make phone calls over WiFi for free or almost free to any phone in the world, just like you would a normal phone call on your phone… if you don’t have it yet, get it. Also, you can send text messages to phones via email… it’s a great way to send a message to someone and say “hey, get on iChat” instead of texting them. You basically send an email to the phone number and an address specific to their carrier. For instance if I wanted to send a text to an AT&T # 212-555-1212 I would put in the address field: 2125551212@txt.att.net and then send the message. They can reply and you get an email right back. It saves me a ton of money cause most places a single text is 50 cents abroad. You can find the right address depending on carrier here: http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/939/sms_email_cingular_nextel_sprint_tmobile_verizon_virgin/ I’m away from Dallas, where I call “home,” pretty frequently. I love to be on the move, experiencing something new. A few years back I remember hearing my mom say how one her favorite things in the world is being clean and getting into clean sheets… that’s when I realized I am pretty much on the opposite end of the spectrum. Don’t get me wrong, I love to be comfortable and I appreciate clean sheets but I would much prefer be sleeping in some unknown bed in India than to be in the comfort of “home.” Being comfortable is, well, comfortable– but I don’t enjoy it. It’s the moments that I am not comfortable that I feel most alive.6. Who’s been an inspiration for your photography? How do you stay inspired? Do you read blogs? If so, which ones would you recommend?
I find inspiration in a ton of a stuff… here’s goes a list off the top of my head: The beautiful Creation God has surrounded us with, , my Dad, Paul Bowen, Steve McCurry, the clouds, Ryan Booth, Nicholas Kristof, Esther Havens, Rich Mullins, Comm Arts (Photo Annual & Design Annual), PDN mag, my friends, Bon Iver, Gilad Benari, Jonny Lang. (PS: that was in no particular order.) I’m not really an avid reader of any blog… I occasionally glance through Scott Kelby’s latest posts, see what’s hot on SmashingMag and stay up-to-date with what’s goin’ on at Apple on MacRumors and AppleInsider.7. How do you normally approach people from other cultures? What are your limits at the moment of shooting people in need, or in a complicated situation?
As a follower of Jesus, I’m called to care for orphans and widows and those in need. As a photographer, it’s a difficult struggle in knowing how to best answer that call… when to photograph a situation and when to set down the camera completely and and just offer a hand or conversation. A strictly photo-journalistic approach might argue that this compromises the reality of my the story and tampers with it’s validity… but I’m not called to be strictly photo-journalistic, I’m called to be the hands and feet of Christ. Period. It’s a great idea to set standards and rules, but ultimately I’ll be answering to the Creator and if that means “compromising” the validity of my story, so be it. Working with people in other cultures is a challenge and is vastly different depending on their social upbringing, especially their religious background. For instance, in India my experience has been that most of the time the people are honored at the idea of being considered beautiful enough to have their picture taken and even more honored to get to see it on the back of the camera; this makes it incredibly fun (and socially engaging) to work with and document the people in their every day lives. Southwest Ethiopia on the other hand is very different. All over Africa there are “exotic” tribes that have vastly different cultures and dress very differently (or don’t dress at all.) Tourism has picked up as roads have been built and and people in these tribes have gotten smart. They make fake villages next to the roads and when they see a car coming they get up and dance in hopes that the vehicle will stop and pay them for pictures. They’ve even got so smart that they count the clicks from your camera and charge you 1 Birr (about 8 cents) per photo! So, as a documentary photographer going into some of these areas to document the impact of a mission group or a health need, it was incredibly difficult to shoot photos anywhere near the people without them hiding their faces. I could pay them for each photo I take, even when they are in the background but I don’t agree with the principle of paying for photos (that’s another article all together.) The best solution is the Polaroid PoGoprinter… it’s a pocket-sized, battery powered printer, that spits out a business card sized print in about 60 seconds. You plug it directly into the USB port on your camera and print the photo right there… best of all, the print is waterproof and tearproof so it’s perfect for the rugged conditions in the bush. By using the PoGo you aren’t just “taking their photo” but instead you are giving them something back right there, an image of themselves, a little token that tells them they are beautiful.
© Austin Mann | www.austinmann.com
© Austin Mann | www.austinmann.com
8. How do you promote your work?
The methodology behind promoting your work as a freelancer has completely been rocked in the last few years… fortunately my generation is in a place where we’ve been able to ride the top of that wave of change instead of being drowned by it. It wasn’t ’til recently that I started doing any self-promotion work at all. I’ve had a web domain since I was 15 (when I was into web development) so having a web presence has always been a given. I got Twitter early on in ’07 but it didn’t real take off ‘until ’09 so that wasn’t really a powerful tool ’til recently. Now my Twitter is an insane tool to share work, communicate with other fotogs in the field and promote my brand. I try to take advantage of writing for blogs like this as often as possible… it takes time and rarely, if ever, is directly paid work but it’s tremendously valuable exposure. I also run my own travel blog, TREK , which is where I put a lot of my thoughts and latest images when I am abroad. I’ve started to post Q&A material, gear reviews and other material that will hopefully benefit readers. Above all, it’s really important to talk to people… I mentioned this in my guest post over on Scott Kelby’s blog. I don’t think I can say it any better so here’s the excerpt:“Engage people. Talk to everyone. I’m not talking about your clients/talent/assistants but also your cabbie, the security guard, the janitor, your pilot. Everyone has a story… Share yours, give them an opportunity to share theirs and there is no telling what you’ll learn and where that relationship might lead.”
9. Tell us about the last piece of gear that you deemed important enough to buy. How about the one that’s been most important in your career?
Newest: LCDVF… I picked one of these up for the motion stuff I was shooting in Ethiopia last month. I read quite a bit about the LCDVF vs Zacuto Z-Finder and finally went with the the LCDVF for a few reasons… 1) LCDVF was almost half the price ($160 vs $300+) 2) LCDVF connects with a magnetic frame that makes it super easy to take on and off… although it doesn’t hold as well as the tripod mount of the Z-Finder it’s much more convenient to take on and off (which is necessary since I use the 5DMKII for stills frequently.) 3) LCDVF shows the entire screen… Z-Finder cuts off the corners so you don’t quite see the entire image. Most Important: I would have to say the Canon 1DS Mark III. I bought this camera right when it became available in March 2008… since then I have fired off somewhere in the range of 50,000 frames on it. The thing is built like a rock… I’ve had it completely exposed in HEAVY downpours of rain in India, smashed it into volcanic rock with my entire body weight in Guatemala AND ………… yet never had a single problem with it. That thing is built like a rock and that upgrade from the prosumer (5DMKII) to the professional (1DSMKIII) for me is a no brainer. Another thing I keep in my bag at all times is a SureFire G2 LED flashlight (http://www.surefire.com/G2-Led). I use that thing FREQUENTLY and would be sunk without it. I actually consider it a bit of a self-defense mechanism whenever I’m in dark and/or unknown areas. Their lights are on the pricier side but I’m a firm believer that SureFire makes the best lights on the planet.
© Austin Mann | www.austinmann.com
10. What would be your advice for a photographer who is just starting out in this field?
SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT! I remember a time a friend was looking at one of my images from Nepal and he asked, “How do you even get a picture like that?” My answer came off the top my head but I realized later how true it really is… I told him, “I get images like that because I committed to be a photographer, which means I am going to shoot at any chance I get. If I’m out shooting constantly, flexing my creative juices then the images are going to come naturally.” Incredible image opportunities you would never have imagined will present themselves if you are out shooting. If you are in an early stage in your career and looking to be building a portfolio, I’d encourage you to set a goal (like 5 hours a week) to be creating images, whether it be capturing water drops falling into a cereal bowl in your room, out at the dog park working on a series of canine portraits or just . If you only take away one thing from this article, let it be this: Pro fotogs have pro portfolios because they have SHOT A TON… not because they sat around online worshiping other fotogs and chasing twitter followers. Working as a freelance photographer is handwork. You need to be determined, disciplined and driven. You are your own boss so you need to set your own goals… for the day, the week, the month and year. Where do you want to be when in 3 years? Set a lofty goal and then break down the steps that it’s gonna take to get there and DO IT. Realize that most of your clients in the NGO world won’t have a clue what they need, they’re hiring you for much more than your expertise as a photographer (whether they know it or not)… they just know they need a story told… it’s your job to figure out the best way to do it. When you are hired to go to a mission site to capture what’s going on realize that you are the ONE person that gets to see and experience what is going on… you are the bridge to that place for the rest of the world. When you are there, picture yourself back home telling stories about what you saw… what images will you wish you had to better tell the story? Those are the images that can be the most powerful. Stay up to date with the work of those you admire but don’t idolize them. Never fall into the pit of thinking there’s only one way of doing things… photography of any sort is about problem-solving. No shoot is the same, the light, subject and conditions are always changing– get creative and deal with the new challenges. EXPECT CHALLENGES! Take pride and joy in figuring out ways to overcome them. If you have this mindset, nothing will stop you. If you have any questions about prepping for trips overseas, equipment to carry, bags to pack in, my favorite travel underwear or ANYTHING… I love to help so shoot me an email. I try to post informative tidbits on my Twitter pretty frequently so check that out, too. Thanks to Heber for being a huge encourager and for running this awesome blog… this takes a ton of effort to create such a valuable resource for our community!- Austin
portfolio: http://www.austinmann.com/
travel blog: http://www.austinmann.com/trek
twitter: http://www.twitter.com/austinmann
email: studio@austinmann.com
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Abby Metty, Austin Mann and Paul Go Images, heber vega. heber vega said: New 10.Q Interview! Austin Mann – One of the most brilliant humanitarian photographers today! http://bit.ly/aXGBKb [...]
Heber and Austin, thanks for this 10.Q Interview. It was really encouraging to me on a number of levels. Keep up the good work!
Great to hear that!
My hope one day, is to interview some of our readers in the future, that have been inspired by the work featured throughout these series of interviews. You can be the first! Keep working…
Wonderful interview. Austin gave some great advice. Shoot…shoot…shoot. I couldn’t agree more.
For the record, Austin isn’t crazy when he talks about ninjas. You really have to watch out for those guys, they come out of no where, in all parts of the world. Austin is much more well-traveled than myself, but in the places I’ve been, even DEEP in the bush (once with Austin) we had plenty of ninjas to contend with. You have always got to have your defenses up. Any time you’re trying to take a photo, you have to be careful of the ninjas. On more than one occasion, I actually ran interference with Austin and I was the one usually taking on the ninjas so he could get ‘the shot’.
PS. we need to start a flickr group of the ninjas we ‘shoot.’
Wow. You’re so right about the ninja poses with kids in Africa! What’s up with that? Here in Malawi and Mozambique–same thing!!! I am sure that the influx of Chinese films reaching the kids via bush movie houses (running off of electric or car battery or whatever) has something to do with it.
VERY powerful images! Thanks for the tips on communicating via Skype for iPhone and SMS via email. Clever! I was not aware of the PoGo. Sounds like a great tool as well and an immediate gratification. I wonder if the ink/replacement parts are available widely in Africa or not?
Great interview, and I laughed out loud when Austin mentioned the ninja poses. Towards the end of my last trip to Africa, I gave up and started pulling my own poses whenever I was confronted with a group of ninja kids. We’d end up having a show-down – great way to break the ice!
Wow everybody else is confirming the ninja poses among children in Africa.
Now I’m really curious about that, any picture to share?
I hope I can travel one day to Africa and witness it by myself.
Thanks to all of you for your comments!
Heber, I got your hook up right here…
Ninjas of Sudan…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zulusafari/sets/72157624043523411/
As you can see, none of these are something I’d frame and put on my wall. Usually they are in the way and not the subject of the intended photo
Thank you Taylor!
that was fast man.
Now I’m a firm believer on the african ninjas! and you’re right, you should start a Flickr group for this type of shots, who knows, maybe one day it will be look as something different.
Thanks again,
Heber
Austin tells the following which sounds familiar:
“Often times organizations will look at their cash flow and say… “How many lives can I impact with this $5K?” If they just look at it objectively and see that they can either give clean water to hundreds of people OR they can get quality media work, they’re going to pick the clean water every time. But if you sit with them and show them how powerful media is in sharing stories with current and/or potential donors and make them realize that they could be increase the impact of that $5K ten-fold over time, then they’ll be giving you serious thought.
Recently I travelled to Gambia to photograph a school project in a small village. The organization that takes care of the school and its funds, acts like Austin explains: for instance, if they earn 100$ they will send that full amount to Gambia to support the school instead of sending ‘only’ 75$ and keep 25$ for media/advertising/marketing/website etc. In the end, a professional presentation could increase the awareness and funds for the project. I tried to explain them these principles. As an outsider I don’t participate at their meetings so I can only hope they will use some of my advice in their future plans…
Powerful images and super generous answers!
Such a great series…
thanks for all the comments — glad you enjoyed it.
Tim, yes the PoGo is a great… and what makes it even greater is it actually doesn’t use ink. They are using a proprietary technology called ZINK (Zero Ink) that works by using a special paper with embedded dye crystals that react and change color with heat. As a result, you never need to fuss with or replace ink cartridges, all you need is the paper… AWESOME! Better yet, it’s on sale right now for $34.95 at: http://www.adorama.com/IPDIMP.html?emailprice=t
Yes, the ninja poses are nuts… thanks for creating a group Taylor, I’ll be adding a selection to that soon… I need to start tracking those images as they come in… hahaha.
Serge, you did all you can do! The key is getting that concept in their heads… and as you continue to shoot for orgs there is more and more evidence behind your media and the power behind it.
Thanks again! I’m am open book for anyone that has any other questions —
Austin
Thanks Austin for this interview but also for always making clear that we have “access” to you, anytime. And that we can send you our questions. That’s great!
Awesome interview, totally encouraging!
“My photography started and remains to be a form of worship for me… a way to glorify our Creator by appreciating the splendor I see in everything around us. God has equipped me with able body, gear and talent to do the job…not something to take for granted. He tells us that He’ll provide for us, and equip us with what we need if we follow His call and leading. If you’re feeling called into this industry, using your media skills to help others, let the last of your concerns be supporting yourself financially. God’ll take care of you, He makes that promise.”
- What a great, and much-needed reminder! God has provided for me in so many insane ways right when I needed it the most. It can be so hard to remember that sometimes, so thank you.
“Engage people. Talk to everyone. I’m not talking about your clients/talent/assistants but also your cabbie, the security guard, the janitor, your pilot. Everyone has a story… Share yours, give them an opportunity to share theirs and there is no telling what you’ll learn and where that relationship might lead.”
- another great reminder! It’s so easy to get focused on & thinking about what you’re doing, where you’re going, or what’s coming up next. Remaining in the moment, and engaging everyone is just good advice all around – not only for photographers. People are used to being ignored (especially here in New England), it’s disarming and heart-warming to have others actually take an interest in you. My brother always seems to be able to engage anyone he meets and it’s because he just asks them questions, and genuinely cares. I need to break out of my confort-zone and my self-centeredness and do this more often…
Thanks for your kind words… Yes! Break out of your comfort zone and talk to more people… it will change your life!
Beautiful words Austin (it’s from the heart)
I am so blessed to know you my friend. Keep up the amazing work!
-Esther
Ditto Esther!
Thanks -
Austin,
Thanks so much for the responses. I am printing off the blog for the students to read next year. You have been such an encouragement and inspiration to me and the students. Thanks for sharing your story. Can’t wait to read the next “chapter” that God has for you! Stay faithful.
Linda Werhan
PS Would the POGO printer be something you would recommend for a Help-Portrait Day event?
Hey Linda!
Thanks! I hope the students enjoy it… the PoGo is great for a battery-powered mobile solution… but it only prints a 2x3in print, and it’s not super fast… so if you are in the States and have the luxury of a printer that can plug in and set up fast, I’d go with that… I used the Canon ip4700 for our event last year…
Read up on the details behind our shoot here: http://community.help-portrait.com/profiles/blogs/dallas-tx-behind-the-scenes
Thanks!
- Austin
keep up all that hard work. its not easy but you make it look that way. Charge forward and dont stop!