Justin McManus
Where have you worked and over what time period?
The Age newspaper and freelance.
How did you get into press photography - what was your big break?
I worked my way into press photography in a methodical manner. Firstly, I studied photography and then got employment through suburban newspapers, freelance work and a desire for international experience to learn the trade. I believe in the lived experience of gaining knowledge and developing your craft and I think this has helped to build a sense of photographic narrative in my work.
What is your favourite photograph of all those you have taken and why?
A picture that I took of Marshall Baillieu giving protesting nurses what was described as an "inelegant gesture" at a protest outside the Baillieu Library at the University of Melbourne. Marshall, who is a cousin to then Victorian Premier, Ted Baillieu, gave the nurses the middle finger when they disrupted a book launch for one of his family members at the library. I consider it one of my favourite pictures because it highlighted the power of a great news picture. Within hours of the picture being published the Government had a joint press conference with the nurses, announcing that talks would resume in the nine-month-long dispute and the matter would be resolved within a week. And to the amazement of the nurses, by the following week, it had been resolved with almost all of their concerns and demands met.
What is the biggest change you've seen in press photography over your career?
The advent of digital photography and the internet. It has been a double-edged sword. While digital cameras have revolutionised the picture making process and in many ways made our job easier, I think it has also undermined some of the credibility of our profession, in that people are less likely to believe that a picture never lies.
What was the first camera you used and what camera do you use now?
A Kodak 110 cartridge camera. Nikon D4.