Black Women Photographers: #BWPTalks with Jody Quon, New York Magazine’s Director of Photography

For our first-ever #BWPTalks Twitter Chat, we had the opportunity to chat with New York Magazine’s director of photography Jody Quon.

Check out the Q&A conversation here:

BWP: How did you get your start?

JQ: I fell into journalism by accident back in 1993. I studied apparel design at Rhode Island School of Design, and aspired to design clothes. I quickly realized that while I loved design, I was not good enough to match up to the designers I admired. Instead, I decided to find another way to contribute to the designers I so admired, and found a job working in PR for Marion Greenberg Inc, specifically for her client Comme des Garcons, an avant garde design house based in Japan.

Those five years taught me how to work. School doesn’t really teach you that. I learned how to communicate with others, how to maintain a certain decorum, how to be thorough, how never to assume, and how everything rests on the details. In 1993, after about 4 years, I was looking for change, and accepted a six-month freelance photo research opportunity with the late Carrie Donovan, who was then the fashion editor at The New York Times Magazine. Carrie was a legend, and this was a dream job!

Six months turned into 11 years, and when Adam Moss, then editor of the New York Times Magazine left for @NYMag in 2004, he took me with him to be photography director here.

Lessons: always align yourself with the people you admire and respect most. It is for these people that you will want to work hard. Never overlook the importance of detail. While the extra step may seem unimportant, it’s precisely that step that prepares you for any curveballs…and finally: Respect and courtesy starts from the top. All my bosses, past and present, have this in common, and therefore have ensured a healthy and productive atmosphere to work within.

BWP: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

JQ: Each issue is so satisfying, but it’s the process of getting there that’s the most rewarding. The final product is almost never what we anticipate it to be, and it’s the discourse, the twists and turns, the surprise of how it turns out, and what you learn that never gets old.

BWP: Follow: What is the most challenging?

JQ: The delicate balance of creativity and intent is not to be underestimated, and there is a lot of rigor that goes into that. Covers are the hardest to get right, and we will get some right and some not. And we learn from each one.

BWP: What grabs your attention when you’re looking to hire talent?

JQ: Intent and voice. There is no limit to the kind of voice and range I’m looking for, but clear intent and consistency needs to be present. Experience in editorial photography is not important, it is more about having a pure connection to one’s subject.

BWP: What components are you looking for when putting together a cover?

JQ: Simplicity! Our best covers are the ones that seem like the easiest and most obvious. Those are actually the hardest. Graphic reduction is important. Solid shapes. Eye contact (when photographing a person) — the connection to emotion is not to be underestimated. Wit — what is the smartest and most unexpected way to telegraph an idea. Language — the cover image and language are equal partners

BWP: What can photographers do to stand out and contribute to @NYMag’s platform?

JQ: Remain true to your voice. Find your lane, and do it well. The internet and Instagram have made it much easier for talented photographers to get noticed. Put your best work out there, and don’t muddy it for the sake of volume.

BWP via @ArielTiana_: What’s the best way for an unrepresented photographer to submit her photos to magazines and publications? As in, who (title/role) do we e-mail once we find the respective directories?

JQ: Email every member of the photo department, and follow up with a phone call. Include a link to your work, and specify how you can see yourself contributing.

BWP: What are some of the lessons you have learned in your role as director of photography?

JQ: As in life, I am reminded every day, how little I actually know — that there is so much room for growth, and frankly no ceiling for it. The best I can do is to use the tools I do have, while remembering to always make room for another lesson, another teaching moment.

BWP: How have you seen this industry evolve over the years?

JQ: Everything moves much faster. I remember when I first started at the New York Times Magazine, we sent faxes. We shot on film (our photos of 9/11 were shot on film). We worked with labs. We logged in pictures — original prints and transparencies. Now, we shoot all over the world. Images come within a day, and a piece could go up instantly. There are fewer magazines. Everything is consumed online. The pandemic means we do Zoom shoots too. The photographer can be in Paris, and the subject in Seattle. It’s all a bit surreal. That said, we need to remember to slow down. Remembering to pause makes us all a little bit more thoughtful, nuanced, and responsible. We must always remember our responsibility to our readers and never cut corners for the sake of getting something up fast. Get it right first.

BWP: What are some steps @NYMag will be taking to address the lack of diversity in the industry?

JQ: We are working across all dimensions of the enterprise to address this. Specifically for photography we are working with new agencies offering up larger rosters of talent with more diversity, and actively hiring more photographers of color at every opportunity.

BWP via @lenubienne: What emerging artist programs do you recommend or participate in/facilitate that help bring up the next group of Black women photographers?

JQ: There are many, but two that immediately come to mind are @nycsalt, and the @followbdc.

And that’s a wrap! Our next #BWPTalks is on Thursday, July 16.