Megan Rossman graduated from RIT in 2008 and currently works for the Washington Post as the Multimedia Photo editor. She is taking photos, collecting audio, editing videos, and making multimedia videos for the paper and online. She spoke and showed work to Loret’s Portfolio Development class on Friday, October 23.
Megan completed 3 internships before getting a paying job for Washington Post.com after college. She noted that internships helped her develop her photographic and multimedia styles because she was doing it constantly for the paper/online. She strongly recommended students to get an internship and a few so that you have experience when looking for a paying job.
When Megan started with the Washington Post she did a lot of production work rather than actively shooting. On her days off, she connected with a few Non-for-Profits where she volunteered and photographed while getting used to the Washington D.C. area. While the paper was going through some restructuring she was able to pitch ideas to her editor and after constant pestering, she started having shooting opportunities. When first starting out, many people take on as may assignments as they can prove themselves to their editors. Megan noted that once you have established yourself, it is important to pull back and have a life beyond shooting.
The most powerful work Megan has done was when she collaborated with photographer Carol Guzy on stories done in Sierra Leone about women and childbirth. She helped edit the audio and select photos for final edits. Guzy won Best Still Photo in NPPA’s Best of Photojournalism 2009. The work was also a finalist for a Pultizer Prize.
Megan credited her multimedia work in getting her a paying job. She recommended that students take Will Yurman’s multimedia class and work on their portfolios outside of class time. At one point, she was producing one video or audioslide show a week. While in school students should take advantage of opened projects since they do not come up as frequently when working on assignment. The Washington Post offers 2 summer internships, one for video and the other for still photo, unfortunately, both are unpaid.
Posted: October 24, 2009 by ritnppa
Megan Rossman
Megan Rossman graduated from RIT in 2008 and currently works for the Washington Post as the Multimedia Photo editor. She is taking photos, collecting audio, editing videos, and making multimedia videos for the paper and online. She spoke and showed work to Loret’s Portfolio Development class on Friday, October 23.
Megan completed 3 internships before getting a paying job for Washington Post.com after college. She noted that internships helped her develop her photographic and multimedia styles because she was doing it constantly for the paper/online. She strongly recommended students to get an internship and a few so that you have experience when looking for a paying job.
When Megan started with the Washington Post she did a lot of production work rather than actively shooting. On her days off, she connected with a few Non-for-Profits where she volunteered and photographed while getting used to the Washington D.C. area. While the paper was going through some restructuring she was able to pitch ideas to her editor and after constant pestering, she started having shooting opportunities. When first starting out, many people take on as may assignments as they can prove themselves to their editors. Megan noted that once you have established yourself, it is important to pull back and have a life beyond shooting.
The most powerful work Megan has done was when she collaborated with photographer Carol Guzy on stories done in Sierra Leone about women and childbirth. She helped edit the audio and select photos for final edits. Guzy won Best Still Photo in NPPA’s Best of Photojournalism 2009. The work was also a finalist for a Pultizer Prize.
Megan credited her multimedia work in getting her a paying job. She recommended that students take Will Yurman’s multimedia class and work on their portfolios outside of class time. At one point, she was producing one video or audioslide show a week. While in school students should take advantage of opened projects since they do not come up as frequently when working on assignment. The Washington Post offers 2 summer internships, one for video and the other for still photo, unfortunately, both are unpaid.
Category: PJ Perspectives