244: Scott Strazzante - Images that Last : Capturing Long Term Photo Projects

Scott Strazzate is a Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist with
more than 30 years of experience shooting for publications like
the Chicago Tribune and the San Francisco Chronicle. Scotts Book
“Common Ground” is a 2 decades-long exploration of a piece of
land that transitioned from Homestead Farm to Sprawling Suburbs.
Today we talk about the long-term project, what to look out for,
and ideas for you to start your own long-term project.


 


Key Takeaways:


Scott narrates his experience starting in photography, from
his interest in childhood till he took up photography as a
full-time job, rather than staying in the family business.

Not having to face criticism in the early stages of his
career was an advantage in a way, as Scott notes it may have
discouraged him from pressing forward. On the other hand, less
knowledgeable people appreciating his work kept him going.

Studying the photography of other professionals also played a
major role in keeping him motivated and inspired.

The brightest spot of an image is usually where your eye goes
first, and you can learn to control in a split second, how to
compose an image that is pleasing to look at. 

Scott describes the importance of focusing on creating images
after gaining in-depth knowledge about your gear, rather than
always trying to get new gear hoping to become a better
photographer.

Having to overcome the fear of interacting with people became
paramount, as this was a challenge that came with expanding from
sports photography.

Scott narrates in detail, events leading up to his "Common
Ground" photography project, with no initial plan to create it,
as well as the emotion and serendipity surrounding the project.
He notes that to date, it is the major work he is known for, and
was a personal project rather than a product of affiliation with
any paper.

I tell photographers that if they want to do a book that
people would enjoy, they should take photographs of one block or
storefronts, make prints of these, and put them away for years,
when these come out later, they will be greatly appreciated.

Repetition is something that I always look for in
photography, I think it's fascinating, and a good way to make a
compelling image. If you can have one of something, two is
better.

Three acts in a photo story: A beginning, a middle, and an
end. When doing a photo story you want this: a cat climbs up a
tree, someone shakes the tree, the cat gets out of the tree.

Scott describes a major challenge with photojournalism being
having to leave people's lives when the story is over especially
because you may not be able to continue to just hang around, even
if they would want you to.



 


Resources:


Scott Strazzante’s website

Scott’s Prints for sale

Scott Strazzante on Instagram

Scott Strazzante on Twitter



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