Alex Federowicz photojournalist

You are a renowned photojournalist for a long time. Did you ever think you would be a photojournalist?

#: If you were to ask me 15 years ago if I ever thought I’d be a photojournalist one day I would’ve probably said no. Back in high school I was aware of documentary photography and that photojournalism was a profession but I really had no idea what it was in practice or, for that matter, how I could ever start down the path to making that a career. I think shortly after that I just got distracted by figuring out what I ultimately wanted to do with my life and forgot about it. It wouldn’t be until my mid-20’s that I would rediscover photography and attempt to do something with it.

 What brought the interest of being a photojournalist?


#: I’ve always been interested in visual story telling. Even before ever being a photographer I was always fascinated by works by 19th and 20th century painters, such as Edgar Degas, Andrew Wyeth, Thomas Eakins, among others, who were documenting the world they lived in visually. So the story telling image was already pretty engrained in my subconscious mind. I played around with photography in high school and my early college years, making documentary style images of my friends and family and mimicking the style of photojournalism or documentary photographers I’d seen. Ultimately though I gave up the camera for more traditional academic studies in history and current world affairs. It wouldn’t be until after college that I would pick up a camera again. Something had reawakened that drive to visually document the world around me. I learned how amazing and fascinating the world really is while in college and knew I wanted a front row seat and the opportunity to tell the stories of the globe’s citizens for future generations.

 What are your major challenges while striving to make a break through?

#: The major challenges are definitely trying to make enough money so that I can keep my career going and still have time to dedicate to personal projects, so I can continue to grow personally and professionally. In the U.S., like most parts of the world, we have too many photographers and not enough work to go around. The digital revolution has made photography accessible to everyone and from a photography markets standpoint we simply have a surplus of pictures. Virtually everyone has a camera with them all the time, thanks to their cell phones, and the fact that almost all phones connect directly to the internet the ability to share photos in real time is easier than ever. Many news outlets use just as much amateur photography as work from professionals these days. What’s worse is that media outlets have found out they can get photography for little or no money all together and that reduces rates across the industry. So really it’s simply supply is outweighing demand and we’re all still seeing how the industry is negotiating this time of flux it’s in. There’s still a place for the professional photographer but I think as things progress only the best ones will survive the cut. I hope I’ll be one of them.

 Is there a point in time you thought of dropping this talent of yours while growing?

#: I still think about throwing in the towel sometimes and just doing something else career wise. There’s just those times as a freelancer, especially one still gaining momentum, that the hustle of getting noticed and finding work gets old. Sometimes a more normal life seems quite a bit more appealing. Ultimately, I always return to my senses and know I’ve invested too much to just give it all up. I may not stay solely in photography forever but visual storytelling will be a big part of my life for sometime to come.

 What pushed you on that this is your career?

#: It was really myself that made the decision that this would be my career. After studying history and current events in college I knew I wanted a more proactive role in recording the historical record for future generations. I knew photojournalism was a thing and that there were photojournalists out there in the world but I didn't’t have any clue on how to get there. So I did a quick web search for photojournalists near where I lived at the time and one of the names that came back was Matt Eich. He was a student at Ohio University and was producing a body of work called Carry Me Ohio, which I became completely enamored by. After that it was pretty much settled, I knew I wanted to be a photographer and I knew I wanted to tell people’s stories.

 Did anybody mentor you?

#: I haven’t had any specific mentors but I have had the chance to work with some extremely talented people and have had some valuable opportunities along the way. Most significantly has been the chance to study photojournalism in the masters degree program at Ohio University’s School of Visual Communication. My first year at OU was a major turning point for my work and made me much stronger as a visual story teller. However, one of the most valuable things you take away from such a school is the community of supremely talented people you turn to for inspiration and support when you get out into the real world.
 Do you remember your major break-through project and which one is it ?
I don’t know if I could choose one project that I could look back on as major break through. You tend to learn something new with every picture, project or assignment. I think that process is very organic and takes a lot of time and reflection on past work, as well as looking at what motivates you to continue on. I’ve come a long way but I still have a long way to go in my development as a storyteller. I’ve always been a firm believer, though, that the journey is more rewarding than the destination.



 You have received a lot of awards – which one is so dear to you and why?

#: I was humbled to have received a handful of honors from the College Photographer of the Year (CPOY) competition after my first year of grad school at Ohio University. The grad program was a really brutal trial by fire and left me questioning what I was doing and if I should just give up. Being recognized among some of the most talented people from all over the world was a nice pat on the back and helped validate what I was pursuing to myself. At the end of the day, though, any recognition is an honor. It’s always humbling to be noticed and know someone likes what you’re doing in the world.

 How supportive have your family being to you?

#: My family has been tremendously supportive, which is so important in such an impossibly tough industry. Emotional and financial support has made my career a reality, in fact, I’m not sure it would be possible to make a career without some help these days. Of course, your parents are always there for your success but I’m also fortunate to have such a wonderful wife. She’s had to put up with a lot as I pursue my career, like moving 2,000 miles across the country, but still tells me to stick with it when I think about giving up sometimes.

 How do your family take the fact that you have to stay away from home sometimes because of your job?

#: Luckily we haven’t really had to deal with this yet, and we may never have to. Generally media outlets don’t like to hire people to travel very much, it’s extremely expensive for them to send someone someplace when they can just hire someone locally instead. What’s more of a reality is dealing with unpredictable schedules but that’s not much of an issue either. My wife works nights as a nurse and has different days off each week so we just take it all day by day and make it work as necessary. It really helps to have flexible personalities.

 How have you touched people’s life positively with your career?

#: I like to think every story I have a part in helps the people or cause it features in someway or the other. That’s a big part of the advocacy of journalism, we do this for people, or the environment, or for a particular cause, etc. I always hope that bringing a particular story to light will help broaden support or understanding for whatever issue I’m covering. No matter what the story, people go out of their way to allow you into their lives and sometimes extremely private or personal moments. Even if it’s for just a moment, I still have a lot of respect for the fact that people place that trust in me and always want to do the best I can to tell their story to the rest of the world, accurately and completely.

 How has your career changed you personally?

#: I don’t know if my career has changed me. I’d like to think I’m still the same person I’ve always been. A career like photojournalism though does foster a lot of growth in an individual though. Every assignment or story I work on takes me someplace completely new, with people from all walks of life and all circumstances. That sort of life experience makes for a well rounded individual and really makes you appreciate how nuanced and complex the human experience really is, not to mention how lucky we really are to be on our own individual journeys. I don’t think I’d have that same outlook on life if I had a normal day to day job.

 How do you relax?

#: I’m definitely happy being outdoors. Most people think of Las Vegas as mecca for misbehavior, gambling, drinking and drug fueled excess. Off the Vegas Strip though it’s really a lovely part of the world to live, with some of the most beautiful places on earth in our backyard. When I have time I love riding my bike in the mountains but usually all I have time for is my daily hike with our dog, Dakota. We live just on the edge of the city so each morning we head out to the desert for a long walk after breakfast, it’s generally my favorite part of the day. Las Vegas is also a very diverse place culturally, so my wife and I like to explore new parts of it when we have time off together. Of course, sometimes we just like to stay at home, make dinner and hang out on the couch.

 Do you have any other thing you want to say about your career and life?

#: At the end of the day I’m humbled that people let me into their lives and grateful that others actually pay me to make pictures and explore the world around me. We all get just one spin around on earth before the lights go out and it’s been amazing to have had a front row seat to all I’ve seen so far and I’m always excited to think about what I might see tomorrow. It’s pretty amazing to think that something as simple as a camera can act as a bridge between worlds and provide the opportunities to see things you never knew existed.