How To Become This Year’s Photographer of the Year
By Martha Mintz, ACN President and 2023 Photographer of the Year Recipient
Want to know how to become 2024’s next Photographer of the Year? We asked last year’s winner, Martha Mintz, ACN President, what her secret is, how she won the award this year, and the impact it has on her career.
1. How do you become the Photographer of the Year?
How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice! Every time I look at old photographs I’ve taken, even from just a couple of years ago, I cringe because I know I’m capable of better now. There are standouts that I will always love, but the whole of my work is always improving. It improves because I remain curious…and get frustrated when I can’t get the results I want in a certain situation. When I run into trouble, I research how to better tackle it next time and strive to do better. How I research is an important piece, too. If I have a tough situation, I know I can go to other great photographers in the industry, like Lorne McClinton or Katie Knapp, and get their thoughts. I’m very lucky to work with some amazing photographers as part of THE FURROW team. They’re all happy to share what they know. I’m a fan of Google for problem-solving, but when it comes to overall bettering myself as a photographer I feel I get the most from the educational opportunities at Ag Media Summit and through ACN articles and ACN SIG webinars. I’m excited to see the webinars, especially, ramping back up now that we have Jessie Scott filling the vacant SIG Committee Chair position.
2. How does this award help your professional career and ACN career?
It makes me feel special! That sounds silly, but it’s true and there’s value in feeling seen among your peers. Writing, photography, design, video, etc., is creative work and what’s seen as “good” is very subjective. As such, it’s difficult to maintain the sort of ego about your craft that say a lawyer with a winning record may boast. Being recognized as Photographer of the Year gives me an incredible boost of motivation to keep creating, and keep setting those 4:30 a.m. alarms to get the good light even after days on the road. It’s also a resume builder of course, especially for a freelancer. It confirms to my current clients that I’m delivering high-end work and tells potential clients they can trust me to consistently deliver solid photographs in a wide variety of settings and conditions.
3. What tips or tricks do you have for ACN members who want to receive this award as well?
To me, being Photographer of the Year doesn’t mean I went somewhere epic and took a stunning, once-in-a-lifetime photo. POY is about having an overall portfolio of solid photos. Most of the photos in my POY portfolio never made it to the awards show screen in the general categories. The portfolio itself is diverse, just like the photos from any good shoot should be. There are detail shots, landscapes, portraits, action, working shots, crops, and livestock. The photos are taken from different angles and in various lighting situations. Most importantly, the portfolio only includes shots I feel are really solid, near-perfect execution. Less is more. I didn’t include every photo used in my photo story entries, for example, just the best.
4. Why do you enjoy being a member of ACN?
I enjoy being a member of ACN because it’s the only space in the world I can connect with a group of people who truly share the challenges, joys, skills, and passion that go with working as ag communicators. The people are talented, driven, and know how to create a community that benefits all involved. It took me a while to settle into ACN. Initially, I just went to Ag Media Summit and entered the ACN contests. Then I got on a committee, then another, then the board, and so on. The leaders and members of this group have done an amazing job of dragging me out of my comfort zone with their requests, allowing me to grow in ways I likely wouldn’t have without their intervention. They saw capabilities in me that I had not yet seen in myself and encouraged me to rise to challenge after challenge. I’m so grateful for the personal growth that has resulted from the seeds they planted. I hope I’m able to plant a few seeds myself.