Many of you may have seen Mr. Weidman around on campus last month. And some of you must be wondering, why is he doing so many presentations at ISB? Well, Mr. Weidman is a worldwide known photojournalist. He has worked with several international organisations, as well as creating his own NGO with his wife. He has made some amazing pieces of art including photography from all over the world. I have put together an interview asking him some questions about himself and his work.
Can you give a quick introduction of yourself?
(What do you do, passions, what do you enjoy doing): My name is Taylor Weidman and I've worked over the past 10+ years as a photojournalist. During that time, I've been lucky enough to work in over 40 countries for some of the world's top publications on stories that I thought were either really important or really interesting. Besides my photography, I've also shot a lot of video pieces as well as written a few articles. Outside of journalism, I love to travel, reading, sports, being a dad, and barbecuing. Being stuck at home a lot more due to COVID has given me a lot of time to spend with my family and on my hobbies and I'm really grateful for that.
How has your experience been in ISB?:
I've only been on the ISB campus for a couple of days, but so far I've been really impressed! The students seem smart, engaged, and hardworking. The faculty is incredibly capable and kind. The campus itself is beautiful. And I really, really love the photo lab.
How do you feel after running your NGO and working with big companies such as Nat Geo?:
I'm very proud of the work I did both running the Vanishing Cultures Project and working on journalism projects with organizations like Nat Geo, BBC, Bloomberg, and a lot of others. I feel like the NGO work was a time where I was really able to give back and try to make a difference in the world and I'm proud of the years we were able to dedicate to that work. Later, when my work was more focused on journalism, I was able to work on a number of stories I was really proud of putting in front of a broad readership. I covered a lot of important topics like natural disasters (the Nepal Earthquake), politics (Cambodia and Myanmar elections), and environmental issues (Aral Sea, Mangrove Deforestation, Palm Oil Plantations, Damming of the Mekong, etc).
What tips would you like to give to the ISB kids who are doing photojournalism?:
I think one of the main tips if you're concentrating on photojournalism is to bring your camera with you everywhere and just shoot. The world is full of good light and interesting situations, and the more you're practicing with your camera the better you will become at recognizing good shots. In addition, look at different photographers' work frequently. Follow major photographers on instagram and really analyze their pictures to try to figure out why they work.
By now, you may have a clearer insight about Mr. Weidman and his profession. He chose to go down the path of photojournalism because of his passion for photography and writing. Mr. Weidman’s hard work has made him an extremely successful photojournalist. On behalf of the ISB community, I would like to thank you for visiting and giving the wonderful presentations you have over the last couple weeks.