Job hunting, balancing freelance work with the Orioles and dealing with 20 inches of snow has been my last week.
Same old same old, well besides the 20 inches of snow.
As the field of photojournalists continues to shrink everyday, I find myself only motivated more to improve. Naturally as the field shrinks, competition for available jobs increases. Making images that everyone else makes will get you no where.
The last year I have really been trying to figure out what I want to inject into my images. Taking the basic ideas of light, composition, form, etc. and producing a product that is uniquely mine.
Often this is hard to do, especially when you find yourself photographing the same subject time after time. My work with the Orioles was naturally very repetitive but allowed me to really work on different elements of my shooting.
When I look up to my mentors and inspirations I find that the way they produce images fits with who they are.
A good friend and colleague once asked me what makes a "Matt Hazlett image." The scariest part was at the time I couldn't tell him. I knew what it meant but putting it into words seemed almost impossible.
Every time I approach an assignment I think about that. How can I report on the topic and shed light onto the subject while creating an image that fits with how I shoot. Although creating words that do not sound cliche is still a challenge, I am at least always thinking about what that means.
Until next time, take care!