We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Michael Fernandez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Michael below.

Michael , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

After I received my bachelor’s degree in photojournalism and served in the military, I started working at a small newspaper as a photojournalist for about four years, then I got a photojournalist job at a bigger newspaper and stayed there about 17 years covering local and national news, professional sports and everything in between. I found that a bachelor’s degree in journalism is a must have if you want to work in newspapers as any kind of journalist. At the time of my career, it was very competitive trying to get a newspaper job.

Getting hired is first based on a professional portfolio of images combining, news, sports and feature photos, then the interview process. I was lucky the latter newspaper was restructuring and hiring six photojournalists at once. I was told there were over 200 applicants.

As far as I know, being in the newspaper photo field is the only way to make a real living, being able to buy a house, support a family, etc.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started playing around with a camera before I went to junior college. In junior college I took a photography course. I always loved watching and reading the news and subscribed to National Geographic magazine since I was less than 10 years old. In junior college my instructor told me if I wanted to learn photojournalism, I should go to Cal. State Univ, Long Beach. At the time it was rated the number two photojournalism school in the country behind the Missouri school. While there I had two newspaper internships. I loved it as a possible career.

Working for a newspaper provides a different experience each day. I was able to bear witness and document any assignment I received, from major and minor sporting events, to riding in the motorcade with the President of the United States.

One day I photographed the governor in his office, then later in the afternoon I photographed a professional baseball game.

It’s never boring.

Being a newspaper photojournalist provides you with a wide breadth of skills you need to learn and excel in. Newspaper photojournalists are the best photographers in my opinion because of the wide variety of work that needs to be produced on a daily basis.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I have always tried to do my best on every photo assignment I’ve had. The benefit of working like that is it makes a possibility for a great image that much more possible. You can walk into a regular assignment, like a portrait and just light it and crank it out like you’ve done hundreds of times before, or you can try to make it different, experiment. Most photos will come out good, some will come out great!

An example is I had to get a photo of a college assistant football coach during the last game of his career. Instead of relying on the sideline shot during the game, I ran out onto the field after the game, jostled with other newspaper and TV photographers, while trying to predict which position would be best, then capture the moment when it presented itself.

Several years later, the photo was used as part of a package that won the Pulitzer Prize. You just never know what could happen, that’s why you should always do your best.

Have you ever had to pivot?

After working at daily newspapers as a photojournalist, I have changed to producing photo books. Newspapers are dying out and newspapers and online news outlets are hiring less and less photographers and keeping smaller staffs. I had published a portrait book about truck drivers and their pets during my newspaper career. Since I am no longer working at newspapers, I have published another book titled; “Dogs On Wheels.”
I have another book idea in the works.

I am hustling to make the book successful financially. Personally I am very happy with the book and other people seem to love it and it puts a smile on peoples faces, but I am learning on how to sell it.

It’s on Amazon, EBAY, I’m extremely honored to have it in the Leica Gallery in los Angeles and a couple of stores and I sell it myself on the street.
I have sold almost 100 copies myself, but I need to learn how to get it in chain stores around the country.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://vimeo.com/michaelfernandezphoto
• Instagram: @michaelfernandezphoto

Image Credits
MichaelFernandezphoto