The Photographer’s Q&A focuses on Canadian photographers and visual journalists.

This week’s Q&A is with Warren Toda, freelance photographer in Toronto, ON.

Is there a Canadian photographer you want to know more about, or want to make a submission? E-mail gregyapp@gmail.com

What were your first steps in the industry?

Originally, I was in charge of circulation and distribution for the Globe and Mail, in the all-important Toronto east end. Okay, I delivered the Globe and Mail by bicycle when I was 11 years old. Had to get up at 5:30 am, (snow, rain, cold…) and bicycle in the dark, uphill and against the wind. If it wasn’t for me, the Globe and Mail wouldn’t be where it is today.

US actor Nicolas Cage poses in front of a movie poster for his film ‘Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans’ after a press conference at the 34th annual Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto Canada on 15 September 2009. Photo by Warren Toda.

When I was six years old, I had a cheap, plastic point-and shoot with a light leak, and I did portraits of all the other kids on the street. With each roll of film processed and printed, I got a free roll. What a deal!  My father would load the camera and back outside I’d go.

In university, I used to skip classes to wander about the streets of downtown Toronto to shoot whatever caught my eye, using a Minolta SLR. Always B+W film which I processed and printed myself. I once snuck into the media pit during a British Royal visit. None of the real photographers complained. But the police, who probably noticed my bright blue university jacket, yanked me out.

In my twenties, I started doing pictures for a few weeklies (all B+W film), and a few small Canadian and US sports magazines (all 35-mm transparency). Also did some medium format work for various small commercial jobs. The editor of the local weekly paper told me to stop wasting my time at her paper and go to one of the big dailies in Toronto. So I did.

I started by doing freelance spot news, features and sports, and took the photos to the Toronto Sun, Toronto Star and Globe and Mail. The Star never used any of my pictures. My second picture in the Globe was a front page. Since the Sun used almost everything I shot, I gravitated that way. One day, the Sun was short-staffed and the photo editor called to ask if I would work a shift.

My very first shift at the Sun started at 10:00 am. I walked in at 9:45 am. The photo editor handed me an assignment sheet for a job that started at 9:00 am. He just said “Here, you’re late”. Minutes later and only three blocks away, I got my first speeding ticket and it cost more than I would make that entire day.

When you were a student, what did you want to do after graduation, and are you where you thought you would be now?

I graduated from university with a degree in chemistry. First job was at a lab doing research into Alzheimer’s Disease. It actually helped to get something published in a science journal somewhere. But the whole research thing moved too slowly (no Internet back then). Then I went to work for a private, commercial lab which was, at the time, my ideal job.

Since the lab managers knew that I took pictures, they occasionally hired me to shoot things that needed to be photographically documented. Yes, I even photographed a dead mouse allegedly found in a beer bottle and the customer was trying to sue the brewery. I had the opportunity to work for a couple of other labs but they were far too corporate; just walking into their offices felt weird.

I was still taking pictures on evenings and weekends for local and daily papers. One day, I got brave (or foolish) and just quit the lab job to pursue photography full time.

Today is certainly not what I expected when I went to school, and my bank account proves it. Sometimes I wish I had moved into photography much sooner, perhaps forgoing the university degree in favour of a photography-related program. However, I also wished I had won a multi-million dollar lottery by the time I was 20 years old.

What or who are your biggest inspirations?

It used to be reading the newspapers every single day and analyzing every picture, including the advertising pictures. I loved reading the “Best of Photojournalism” annual books from the NPPA, as well as Life, Time and National Geographic. But today, with some exceptions, magazines have faded into entertainment fluff and newspapers are too concerned with numbers.

Will this change? Yes, but not for a while. We still haven’t bottomed out yet.

There are exceptions when something major happens, such as the current disaster in Haiti, and then photojournalism returns to its superb spotlight.

Newspapers have to (re)learn to get out of the way and let the pictures do the talking. Some newspapers are like bad sportscasters who can’t shut up and let the game just happen.

Years ago, when reading the Toronto Star every day, I noticed that the best sports pictures were always shot by a photographer appropriately named “Goode” (the late Jeff Goode). I also thought it was interesting that the best feature and news pictures were done by a “supreme” photographer, (Boris Spremo). I was fortunate to meet both. At every event, I always made sure to notice where these photographers stood, what lenses they used, and everything else they did. Next day, I’d studied the Toronto Star to see their results and if my pictures even came close.

Through the late 80s-90s, all the news photographers I’ve met were (and still are) very helpful. Not going to name them because I’d forgot some, but they were/are from all the Toronto papers, Reuters, The Canadian Press and Macleans.

Do photo editors today still have the time, (say 30-45 minutes), to spend with some guy who just walks in off the street with pictures? Do they still say, “go into our darkroom and look at some of the pictures on the light table and see what you think”, or, “wait while our darkroom makes contact sheets of your film and then we’ll go over your pictures” ?

I remember a photo editor, after saying my day’s pictures weren’t that good, handing me two packs of film along with, “Here, try it again.”

Shahar Peer of Israel returns the ball during her second round match at the Rogers Cup women’s tennis tournament in Toronto, Canada on 20 August 2009. Photo by Warren Toda.

Do you have a mentor?

No. Many years ago, I read every single photo-related book in the Scarborough and North York public library systems. I then drove into Markham, Pickering and Toronto to read their books. Books about photojournalism, general photography, architecture photography, sports photography, advertising photography and yes, even wedding photography. Also books on marketing, advertising, running a small business, and industrial design (hey, those books have really good pictures and good design is also about shapes, light and lines).

I once had a summer job at a book publisher which carried several series of instructional photo books and also several coffee table photo books. Any damaged or returned books were either sold cheap or given to employees. Surprising how many photo books got damaged.

What was a pivotal point in your career?

Probably quitting my real day job and then realizing that both nothing and everything was before me. Shortly after this, noting that my bank account had fallen to $7.00 was also somewhat motivating. Buying my first Nikon with motordrive was quite exciting.

Firefighters battle a truck fire on Highway 401 after another truck flipped over on the Highway 427 overpass (rear) and dropped a load of steel pipes onto the 401 roadway. — Just to show what happens when you have cameras with you on your day off and stuff like this happens a few thousand feet away. Photo by Warren Toda.

What are you working on now?

Finding more work to feed my bank account. Finding interesting work to feed my photography.

It’s easy to have wild, crazy or big ideas for photo projects. The problems are getting started and, of course, the fear of failure. It’s easy to come up with a list of all the things that can go wrong with a project. But maybe that’s just me.

Some photographers do projects that will get them onto front pages and magazine covers. Others do projects that try to change the world. Nothing wrong with either. I think all photographers have an ego to be fed, and by definition, a photojournalist must get their pictures published and must have an audience.

But sometimes, small ideas get lost or neglected. Small projects are perhaps easier and quicker to pursue, but are less-likely to get published. So the question is: is it worth doing a project that won’t get published or won’t change the world? If no one sees a photo, does that picture really matter?

My always-ongoing project is to do a better-than-half-decent photograph.

How important to you is multimedia?

On one hand, it has zero importance. No one is asking for it unless you’re a staff photographer at a newspaper.

Very few papers are even presenting it properly. Certainly there are still technical issues with broadcasting via the Internet compared to television or radio. No matter how much papers deny it, they are competing with TV and, to some extent, even with radio.

There’s lots of opportunities for papers go beyond the printed page and be different, yet no paper is bothering. I don’t think it’s an editorial issue but rather it’s a marketing failure and a corporate failure.

On the other hand, multimedium possibilities exist, it’s relatively easy and inexpensive to do (compared to years gone by), and it has great potential for both editorial and commercial purposes. I don’t think it can be ignored and it would be a great thing to learn. As soon as I buy that new super-fast computer and that new camera which will be announced at the end of this year, then ….

Flashback:

Back in Grades 7 and 8, we had a school course in which we learned about mixing audio with still images. Also, had the option of learning “video” – back then it was 8-mm or Super 8. One kid in the class went on to a career in stage/TV (acting, directing), another is/was an actor, and another is currently a TV journalist.

Audio was recorded on a reel-to-reel, which was edited with scissors and tape, as was the film. Still images were 35-mm transparency. The results were shown on a gigantic screen with multiple projectors, synchronized by stopwatch, hand and ear (i.e. listening to the audio track). No computers or digital anything.

Toronto Raptor Jose Calderon defends against the Detroit Pistons in the first half of their NBA basketball game in Toronto Canada on 05 November 2008. — Photographers in Toronto know why I have to include a Calderon picture. Extreme crop from a loose, full-length picture. Photo by Warren Toda.

How do you ensure you are progressing as a visual journalist?

I try to keep up with, or at least be knowledgeable of, what others are doing. But ultimately, there is no right way to do anything. Techniques and styles come and go. Stories often go in cycles. But it’s important to know what’s possible.

Technically-speaking, today’s photojournalism is vastly superior to anything done, say, more than 10 years ago. But content-wise, I wouldn’t say the same thing. Today, there’s definitely more volume and perhaps that makes it seem better.

While there’s an infinite amount of pictures on the web, there’s also a lot of junk. Just because it’s in focus doesn’t mean it’s a picture.

There are some also great photo books which are good to reread over and over again. But today, publishers don’t seem to be as willing to do photojournalism books, unless celebrities are involved. So, for better and worse, the web is today’s newsstand and library.

Going to conferences to see and hear other photographers talk about their work is always inspiring, and it acts as a good kick in the pants to get moving.

Sometimes there’s no need to look at what other photographer are doing today. But rather, look at what some great photographers did years ago. Inspiration, vision and creativity weren’t invented with the Internet.

What are some of the must-see websites you visit? Please include why you visit these sites. E.g.: Inspiration, guidance, information, education, etc.?

Probably none. I think the Internet fad is dying out. When I need to know something, I’ll look it up. Except for NPAC and Environment Canada, there’s no site I consider a must-see.

I think the huge volume of sites have turned most of them into commodities and/or have fractured audiences into unmeasurable niches. It’s very difficult to produce a site that’s not only different today but stays different tomorrow. This applies not only to news sites but also photography sites.

As far as photographer sites, I tend to find and read them at random, as I stumble upon them through the magic of the www, rather than bookmarking them.

In my bookmarks, I have such things as:

Various government sites (provincial and federal)  - important for getting info and credentials to some events;

Almost all photo manufacturers  -  wish I had more money to spend.

Almost all software manufacturers - wish I had more money to spend.

A lot of photo/computer stores  - wish I had more money to spend.

http://www.dg28.com/technique/ - great site for lighting info. Neil Turner will be in Toronto in a few weeks.

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/    - sometimes inspiring marketing info

http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/ – sometimes interesting, sometimes rambling about nothing.

Russian Marat Safin plays his second round match at the Rogers Cup men’s tennis tournament in Toronto Canada on 23 July 2008. — Tennis is usually nice to shoot but photo positions are sometimes limited. This was shot from a spectator area to make the most of the light. Photo by Warren Toda.

What is your favorite way to unwind?

Late March to November – bicycling. Other than that, try not to get wound up. I know that sounds funny, but a wise photographer once wrote, that when things get stressed or when dealing with idiots, take a few deep breaths and think about bluebirds in Vermont.

After some events, it’s nice to sit, chat, eat, drink with the other photographers who were covering the same thing. It’s like social media but without usernames and passwords. And you don’t have to worry about spilling food on your keyboard.

What’s the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you about being a photographer?

It’s not a baseball. Hold your camera with two hands.

Nice picture. Too bad it’s not in focus.

Go where the reader can’t.

The best picture in the world means nothing if you miss deadline. (Although, I guess in today’s web world, there are no more deadlines. Or, to put it another way, there’s a deadline every minute).

The Photographer’s Q&A focuses on Canadian photographers and visual journalists.

This week’s Q&A is with Peter Bregg, ex-photo editor at Hello! Magazine, and ex-photo editor and chief photographer at Maclean’s Magazine.

Is there a Canadian photographer you want to know more about, or want to make a submission? E-mail gregyapp@gmail.com

What were your first steps in the industry?

First steps was in 1966 when I walked into unemployment office in Ottawa and was sent to Canadian Press office to apply for a job as copy boy. I thought Canadian Press was a printing shop due to the name “Press”. Within a few days I learned what CP was and what the agency did. I was 17 years old and lied by telling them I was 19. The record was corrected when I won a National Newspaper award in 1969.

AIDS in MOZAMBIQUE 2005 – Nurse Paulo Chaugue checks aids patient Luis Cermento under a mosquito net at Vilankoulos Hospital AIDS, TB and Leper ward. Photo by Peter Bregg/Maclean’s

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The Photographer’s Q&A focuses on Canadian photographers and visual journalists.

This week’s Q&A is with David Lucas, photo editor at The Globe and Mail.

Is there a Canadian photographer you want to know more about, or want to make a submission? E-mail gregyapp@gmail.com

What were your first steps in the industry?

I took an internship with the Canadian Press in Ottawa and had to hit the ground running covering Royal visits, federal election and anything Fred Chartrand and Tom Hanson could come up with. Not all the assignments made the wire but they all made me a better photographer.

A man fishes in a pond created by the Tsunami in 2004 in front of what’s left of a  home on the shore of the Indian Ocean in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Sunday, December 4, 2005. Banda Aceh was the hardest hit region of the Tsunami that hit on December 26, 2004. (Photo by David Lucas)

When you were a student, what did you want to do after graduation, and are you where you thought you would be now?

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The Photographer’s Q&A focuses on Canadian photographers and visual journalists.

This week’s Q&A is with freelancer Jennifer Roberts.

Is there a Canadian photographer you want to know more about, or want to make a submission? E-mail tanyaworkman@sympatico.ca

You went to Barnstorm 2009, the recent Eddie Adams Workshop. Could you tell us about the experience, what you got from it and how the weekend was run?

I can try to answer, but as it happened just a few weeks ago (Oct. 9 – 12), I feel like I’m still digesting the experience.

The Barnstorm schedule was rigorous, to say the least.

Students were divided into 10 teams, with every group given a theme, and each photographer given an assignment related to their team’s theme. I was in an absolutely amazing team (woo-hoo, Rust!) with a solid faculty and group of students. To give you an idea; our fearless leader was photographer Yunghi Kim; our editor was Scott Thode of Fortune magazine; and our producer was Melissa Lyttle of aphotoaday.org. Melissa did a phenomenal job getting us all wicked assignments within our team’s theme – “working family.” Each photog came back with amazing, diverse work, and I really liked that throughout the workshop students were encouraged to experiment and deviate from their routine shooting styles.

When you weren’t shooting or editing, there were countless incredible lectures to attend throughout the day. Then in the evening some of the best photographers and photo editors were lined up and available both formally and informally for portfolio reviews. I think for a lot of us this led to post-workshop meetings with photo editors in NYC.

Over the weekend I think I logged about three hours of sleep a night. Afterwards I got sicker than I’ve been in years – but it was well worth it. I feel like it’s the most you could possibly learn in four days, a humbling and rewarding experience. I wish I could do it all over again.

All photos accompanying this Q&A are of residents of the Jeffersonville Adult Home in Jeffersonville, N.Y. The pictures were taken October 10 or 11, 2009 during the Eddie Adams Workshop.
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The Photographer’s Q&A focuses on Canadian photographers and visual journalists.

This week’s Q&A is with Rod MacIvor.

Is there a Canadian photographer you want to know more about, or want to make a submission? E-mail tanyaworkman@sympatico.ca

You spent 27 years working for the Ottawa Citizen and 10 years for UPI. What are you working on now / have you really retired?

Well, yes, I am retired from full-time photojournalism, and life is a lot more relaxing in the sense I don’t have to go to work every day. I don’t freelance for newspapers on assignment: I submit photos when I think I have something that can be used. I still think and take photos for myself on a regular basis, and anybody who is my Facebook “friend” gets a running report of my travels.

I have been doing some weddings (six this year), and am actually enjoying the experience. It keeps me in touch with my equipment (primarily a Canon 1Ds Mk II, etc.). Shot with a photojournalism style – which is more appreciated these days – the work is fun. (And it adds to my pension income, too.)

I give presentations to camera clubs, such as the Ottawa Camera Club and the RA Camera Club, and to photojournalism students (at Algonquin College, Carleton University, Loyalist College). I also line up speakers for a men’s club I belong to in Ottawa, using the many contacts I’ve made over the years. I have made myself available for another Cuban assignment, which I’ll talk about later, below, and I am also exploring the idea of filing to an agency and setting up a web page.

During a campaign appearance at CKWS in Kingston, Ont., in 1972, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau found out the local candidate was a doctor. He then asked, “Do I look sickly?” and stuck his tongue out so the doctor could check. (Photo by Rod MacIvor/UPC)

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