The Visual Student

Ross Taylor is a staff photographer at The Virginian-Pilot. Taylor, a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, previously worked at the Hartford Courant and several papers in the south. View Taylor’s website here.

To view the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar website, go to http://www.photojournalism.org/

Magnum’s Bruce Davidson speaks to a documentary photography workshop at the 2004 Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar. (Ken Hawkins)

I was in my early 20’s the first time I went to the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar. Times were different - we shot film, jobs were available, newspapers were robust, and my hair weave was rocking. Fast forward 15 years - film is almost obsolete, newspapers are hurting and my weave – well, lets pretend it never happened.

In a wake of recent bad news, one thing has risen stronger – our sense of community.

No other time in my career has there been a more cohesive spirit between each other. We’re building a better community, and I can think of no better place to experience this than the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar.

I’ve made some of the best friends of my career at this workshop, and each time I step into the doors of the hotel, it feel more like a reunion, and less like a workshop. That’s not to say that inspiration isn’t present. A few years ago I saw David Guttenfelder’s work “The Lonely Man” in Atlanta – I realized through the power and intelligence of his work just how much further I could grow.

Participants ride the elevator at the 2008 Seminar.  (Scott Morgan)

Another moment that comes to mind was Eric Gay’s striking presentation of his Hurricane Katrina coverage in New Orleans. I was not only profoundly affected by his images, but his humility was a shining example of type of character I wanted to emulate.

I hope you’ll think about coming to Atlanta this year - whether you’re a student, or a seasoned professional who packed up their hair weave long ago. It’s a great opportunity to help counterbalance some of the negative news of recent months. I’ve read that more than 15,000 newspaper jobs were eliminated last year alone. It’s a profoundly disturbing fact.

I was laid off in early 2005, and I know the pain. I sympathize, believe me. It’s tough, and it’s in these moments that many of us feel isolated. We’re all looking for spots of hope, inspiration, and community.

You’ll find it in Atlanta.

Photojournalist Jahi Chikwendiu of The Washington Post is surrounded by students during a portfolio review at the 2005 Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar. (Ken Hawkins)