The Visual Student

This original interview with Tim Webb Workshop’s very own Chris Radcliffe was conducted by “The Visual Student,” a blog from the National Press Photographer’s Association.

Chris Radcliffe is the University Photographer at Eastern Kentucky University. A 2003 graduate of EKU, Radcliffe has been in his current position for six years.

2009 EKU Women’s Soccer seniors photographed for the soccer poster. (Chris Radcliffe/Eastern Kentucky University)

VS: Talk about your background and how you got in to photography.

Radcliffe: “Photography has been (nearly) a lifelong interest. I tried to gain some formal training in high school but the photo teacher wouldn’t let me in the class because it would have conflicted with an advanced painting class… and she felt I was a better painter than I would be a photographer. Sup now Mrs. Lutz? I bought a SLR with my HS graduation money and started shooting everything. Went to college and serendipitously got a job with the university photographer. A few years later, when he decided to leave for a freelance career I was a couple months from graduating. I applied and got the job.”

VS: Did you ever consider newspapers as a career option when you were in college?

Radcliffe: “When I was younger I was a very non-invasive person (still am a little). I did not like getting into other people’s business and I was overly sensitive to idea of privacy. So, I thought being a photojournalist meant you were rude, intrusive and not well liked. I was dumb. Then I had ZERO interest working for a newspaper. As I get older (and less dumb) my interests and my personal convictions have evolved and would probably be better suited to newspaper work than even my current job.”

VS: Talk about your role as a university photographer.

Radcliffe: “My role as the university photographer is very diverse. In the same day I might block off two hours in the morning for departmental headshots in my office. Next, walk across campus to photograph a congressman presenting our chemistry dept with a check for new lab equipment. Then, off to a meeting to discuss ‘rich media’ and how we need 100 new facebook pages (turns out we do). After than I’m back in my office to grab my lights and my student worker then out to the football field to shoot the football poster.

When that’s over I race to daycare to pick up my son and teach him every bad thing I can think of just before I have to be at the university’s country club to shoot a dinner for a retiring professor. Later, I’m back at home throwing some clothes and a tooth brush in one of three camera/light bags and off to the airport to catch a red-eye to NYC to photograph an alumnus at her Brooklyn designer handbag studio the next morning. Then, the next day… I’m in my office editing and fulfilling stock photo requests. The day after that I try to stay outside and capture the Fall or Spring color. The variable speeds at which I work can be taxing but, I don’t think I’d like it any other way.”

Students graduating from the Fire and Safety Engineering Technology Program are given their fire helmets after they walk off the stage. The Fire Program is one the most distinguished in the country. (Chris Radcliffe, Eastern Kentucky University)

VS: What’s the best part about your job?  The worst?

Radcliffe: “I really enjoy working on a college campus. It’s a tremendously rewarding atmosphere. Oddly, I have quite a bit of flexibility in my schedule. Some things have to go down when the important people say so but, most of my schedule is determined by me. I get to shoot a bunch of sports and I get to play with the best gear. I’m able to develop relationships with a lot of interesting people and I genuinely like everyone I work with. I hope this doesn’t upset any of the people for whom I work but, I shoot A LOT of banquets and award ceremonies… they aren’t necessarily what photographers dream about shooting but it’s part of the game and the company is good. I do get a bunch of free dinners in October and April.

This is me being honest; After 8 years of covering these events it’s hard to stay motivated as the producer of the visual history of said events. The first few times I was super motivated…lying on my belly, standing on tables and chairs, hanging cameras… all to tell THE story.  Lately, it’s hard to keep that same attitude… sometimes everything seems the same and all I reeeeaaaally need is the grip and grin shot (because most of the time that’s all we send out to media). See where I’m going? I have to keep the motivation and the professional courtesy to photograph every event to the best of my ability. If I leave out the ’story’ of the event it could come back to haunt me down the road..”

VS: Does this job satisfy your passion as a visual story teller?

Radcliffe: “Not completely BUT, that’s largely my fault because of the reasons I mentioned a bit ago. The workload can be pretty intense and sometimes telling the story requires a significant investment of time. As I mature in this position I’ve learned how to allocate my energies fairly well. Still, I wish I had more time to tell the STORIES of our university rather than focus so much on the PR aspect. There are countless stories to be told and because of some big changes we are going through in our online presence I should be able to tell more of those. Budget cuts have been hard on some schools. There have been some university photographers that have lost their jobs (but, very few that I know of). I think the way that technology is going (especially at my school) the need for photography and video will be huge. So, like I said… I see more photo stories in my future. In fact, we already have a few cool ones planned.”

A promotional photo of a student studying for final exams in the campus Meditation Chapel. (Chris Radcliffe/Eastern Kentucky University)

VS: Talk about the significance of your photos as a historical record at EKU.

Radcliffe: “Other than the recruitment and retention of students, historical record is one of my main charges. I wont really see the fruits of my effort in this regard for a while. I do have to keep it in my mind when I’m shooting events that might seem insignificant at the time but could turn out to be a turning point for the university. This part of my job is very important to me.”

VS: Do you feel like you have freedom in your job to explore and grow in your own personal vision?

Radcliffe: “I certainly have the freedom to explore and develop as a photographer. The problem is I stay so busy and consumed by what I HAVE to do that it’s easy to say… “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Guess what happens “tomorrow?” My son has to stay home from daycare because of violent diarrhea and my Inbox gets ambushed by things I should have done three “tomorrows” ago. “Tomorrow” is easily lost. I think I strayed a bit from the point of this question. Personal vision is on ME. I have to get out there and learn the next best thing then go do it. The past couple years the big dawgs have really been letting me do my thing. I like it but, it puts even more pressure on me to do well.”

VS: Do you have time for freelance?  What kinds of photography do you pursue outside of work?

Radcliffe: “Ha! No… but, I do anyway because I gotta make that money. Actually, the summers as a university shooter are much slower and I try to pack in some weddings and a few corporate projects. I’ve been photographing adventure races in the summers for the last 5 years. This year I’ve made more of a push to become more prominent in that arena. I’ve started aportrait series of the racers to go along with the race action. Adventure races are extremely fulfilling for me creatively. Not extremely profitable right now but it really charges my batteries. Dig?”

Adventure Racer Bryce Reed of team Rotten Cheese Burgers just after completing the 2010 Odyssey Endorphin Fix. The Efix is regarded as the toughest two day race in the country. Efix is regarded as the toughest two day race in the country. At 200 miles and 50 hrs non-stop through some of West Virginia’s most rugged landscape, that opinion is hard to debate. (Chris Radcliffe)

A participant after completing the 2010 Odyssey Endorphin Fix. (Chris Radcliffe)

VS: Do you have a mentor? How did that person influence you?

Radcliffe: “I do have a mentor. Tim Webb. He was the university photographer I ‘replaced’ (cant really replace that guy) and the only person to ever give me any formal instruction at all. We still hang out almost weekly and we’ve started our own workshop series in Central KY. I am constantly looking at other photographers’ work and I guess in a way some of them have become mentors to me without having had a personal encounter. Because, I’m not ‘educated’ in photography I’ve had to learn much of what I know from either screwing up a lot or by observing the photography of others.”

VS: Do you consider yourself a mentor to any younger photographers?

Radcliffe: “I currently have a couple of student workers and have had others over the years. I really like it when they already know what the heck they are doing because I don’t have to worry about it when I send them out on an assignment. This is only because I stay so busy that if I have to monitor my students too closely… I might as well just do it myself. I don’t mean to sound cold, I’m not like that. Sometimes students come to me with little or no knowledge of photography and I am able to train them from the ground up. This scenario is what’s rewarding. I love to teach. But when it’s the middle of the semester and I have three events in one night I need photographers that know what they are doing.”

VS: Talk about the community of university photographers.

Radcliffe: “There is an awesome group of University Photographers. I belong to an organization called the University Photographers’ Association of America. We have members from as far away as Israel and Australia. Our annual symposium brings in some of the best photographers around, like Joe McNally. Also, held at the symposium are our annual Print and Publication Competitions.

Our very popular Monthly Image Competition is done completely online. The MIC is a GREAT way to see what others are up to and to showcase work that might otherwise go unseen. I really cannot say enough about this group of photographers. The listserv itself has saved me from disaster, provided a sounding board when I have a tough question and jokes to help pass the time. If you are involved with providing photography for your university or if you have an interest in university photography, student memberships are available for $25 and associate memberships for $35.”

VS: What advice do you have for students or other photographers who want to be university photographers?

Radcliffe: “Not all colleges and universities have fulltime photographers. If you are a student and your institution does, get in contact with that person or that office. If you have enough experience you might be put to work immediately. Many times this can count as a class credit if you are in the appropriate major. Even if your school does not have a fulltime shooter, get in touch with the marketing director, communications director, or the PR office. You might also try student life and housing. Those two areas usually have the budgets that might allow for some paid work. This also goes for the working freelancer. Another route would be your student government association as they always have things going on. Lastly, join UPAA and keep track of what we are up to. Oh, www.higheredjobs.com and create a profile to search for similar positions.”

EKU Offensive Lineman Andre Barbour demonstrates his pregame ritual for a feature article in the local newspaper, The Richmond Register. (Chris Radcliffe)

This entry was posted on Monday, May 10th, 2010 at 7:24 pm. It is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.