What do you look for in a single image? A naturalness to the aesthetic: the image shouldn’t be overly contrived or polished. Something surprising, new, fresh. A picture that I haven’t seen before.
What do you look for in a photographer? A professional who is able to represent the magazine well, collaborate with colleagues, and has a consistent, personal style that sets him or her apart from others. A commitment to a long-term project that shows her passion and personal interests, and how she works when freed from the editorial constraints of time and art direction.
How do you describe what you do? On a bad day? An administrator and air traffic controller, dealing with contracts, budgets, agents, bills, etc! On a good day: an advocate for photographers, a curator of images, an educator on visual literacy, and an interpreter and translator of words into visuals.
Photography is ubiquitous. Because of this, to have a career as a photographer you must have a strong personal vision, and think creatively about outlets for your work.