Michelle McNally joined The New York Times as director of photography in June 2004 and was promoted to assistant managing editor in July 2005. Before joining The Times, Ms. McNally was picture editor of Fortune Magazine from November 1986 until May 2004. Previously, she was picture editor of Time Life’s Magazine Development Group. She began her career as a sales representative for Sygma Photo News in 1977. In charge of all photography at the Times, Michelle McNally manages over a hundred people behind her narrow desk and is known as a hard-worker. Also famed for her discretion, she took part of the Lens portfolio reviews last Saturday and gave the opportunity to a few lucky young photographers to show her their work. At the end of the day, she took the time to sit down and agreed to talk a bit about her experience to Le Journal.
When James Estrin came to you with the idea of a weekend of free portfolio reviews sponsored by LENS, how did you respond?
Michelle McNally: It sounded good to me. I thought that both amateur and professional photographers would welcome it. I did tell him to make sure that it was okay with all our standard’s people and that this was the sort of things the New York Times could do. That it would match with our role. For photographers, this weekend was an incredible opportunity to meet individually with all these people from the photo world, and most important: for free.
Yes, it was free. What do you think of the market of portfolio reviews?
MMN: I honestly don’t know that much about it. I don’t know how that market works.
But you know it is usually expensive…
MMN: Yes, then this event organized by the New York Times is a really good thing. Lots of people came to me saying it was great to be able to chat with me or others. But I’d like to say that portfolio reviews happen all year through many ways. The editors of the New York Times look at new works of new photographers every day.
Do you do this yourself as well?
MMN: Usually, I don’t do individual portfolio reviews. People send me links and if I think the photographer is someone I want to see used, then I’ll send his or her information to one of our individual desks. At the Times, we have 40 photo editors.
How many photographers do you discover per year?
MMN: A lot, actually. There’s many ways to do it for me. Through my workshops, where I can sit down, look at work and really talk to the photographer. During my typical day, there’s no way I can find the time to do this. I’m running a huge department; I have deadlines after deadlines.
You are very busy but you found the time to be here today. Any good reason?
MMN: First, Lens Blog is sponsoring this so it’s one reason. But also, I enjoyed getting out of the office and looking at a lot of work. I enjoyed to push all these young people in new directions.
What do you think of the work you’ve seen today?
MMN: There is a certain caliber of work, no question about it.
Do you think you’re going to contact any of the photographers you’ve met today?
MMN: Totally. There’s one photographer I like, her name is Sara Naomi Lewkowicz, she’s awesome.
Would you organize this kind of events again?
MMN: A lot of people are asking if we’re going to do this again. And they were reviewers. I wait to hear from the photographers though; I want to know what they thought of their reviewers (laughs). But we hope!
Some more general questions about photography. How do photographers have to organize themselves today to find work?
MMN: It depends really on the type of work they want to do. That’s the most important aspect that they need to figure out: “What do I want to do?” Once that’s figured out, there are many different paths to take.
Talking about documentary, the last exhibition at Bronx Documentary Center was quite original: testimonies of war in Iraq, intimacy of a soldier, and pictures by Gary Knight but also texts etc. What do you think of these multimedia projects and new approaches of dramatic events?
MMN: I’m totally enthusiastic about using any way to evoke what it is, what that person feels, whether it’s through photo, video, audio, or a combination of several of these mediums. As long as it is evocative and emotional.
Today, we’ve seen some photographers who are big fans of Instagram. I asked this question to Kathy Ryan a few months ago. How would you react if the only pictures you could use regarding a major news event were available only on Instagram (or such a platform) and captured by citizen photojournalists?
MMN: In this case, if no professional photographer was on the field, I’ll probably chose to use these images. But I would like to have these pictures confirmed by fact checking. As an example, a lot of these citizen pictures coming out from Syria were used and where confirmed before publication. You would see a line below them, saying: “The AP confirms that this is an accurate image.” But a lot of times, when I see these materials, it makes me really wish to see what a professional photojournalist could have done by being on location. I’m always left with that sort of feeling.
Do you have a preference in photography?
MMN: Sure, documentary or reportage. But I look at everything, in gallery shows, museums, books etc.
What are you expecting from photography in terms of innovation?
MMN:
I don’t know if I’m expecting something in particular. I should maybe. Do I know what it is: the answer is no. Right now, I see experimentations, as said before, with the combination of photo, audio, video etc. That is sort of an innovation.
Then, how do you see the future of photography?
MMN: Well, I’m hoping we get a little retro, in the sense that not everybody can take a picture that can be published. I’m still attached to the idea of working with a professional photographer. One who is smart, that I can trust, that is recording events on the field and understand how we need to have them covered.
So you prefer quality to quantity?
MMN: Yes!
Interview by Jonas Cuénin
