📸 RIP Photographer and Filmmaker Ross McDonnell

IN MEMORY

RIP ROSS MCDONNELL

Meeting and coming across so many incredible photographers on a regular basis, I'm so often reminded why I didn't pursue photojournalism, a career I aspired to when I was in my early 20s. In a nutshell, I’ve always liked to play it somewhat safe, which means I don’t have what it takes for that particular career path.

The late photojournalist and filmmaker Ross McDonnell had precisely what it takes. He was a risk-taker, brave, and fearless (as well as talented and personable)—a winning combination of characteristics for a photojournalist.

Author and journalist Ioan Grillo has written a beautiful tribute to Ross, who was found dead weeks after “wild swimming” (alone, in the middle of the night) at Fort Tilden Beach in Queens on November 4. I won’t even attempt to summarize Ioan’s piece here, but it's a rare glimpse inside the world and mind of a photojournalist who lived life to the fullest (and then some).

Also worth your time is Ross McDonnell’s photography website, where you’ll get a taste of his work, which is in equal parts mysterious, bold, and surprising; it leaves you wanting more. Amongst his imagery, taking up an entire page, you’ll also find the words below.

NEWS

• “A stranger asked me to take her photograph. It saved my life.”

• Zines get their due in a new exhibition at The Brooklyn Museum.

• The World Press Photo Contest bans AI-generated images from entry.

• Behold the 2023 Birdlife Australia Photography winners.

• “What Is Photography? (No Need to Answer That.)”

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