PHOTO CONFESSIONAL: Rory Doyle
James McGee poses for a portrait atop his horse in Bolivar County, Mississippi on Nov. 4, 2017.
IF YOU WEREn’T A PHOTOGRAPHER, WHAT OTHER PROFESSION WOULD YOU PICK?
I would work with my wife, Marisol, at Leña Pizza + Bagels. It's a brick oven, wood-fired restaurant that we opened just over 1 year ago.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST CRUCIAL DECISION YOU HAVE MADE IN YOUR CAREER’s DEVELOPMENT?
almost didn't take a job at the local newspaper because I didn't want to have to write articles in addition to making photos for the paper. But I'm really glad I took the job. Becoming a better reporter/journalist helped make me a better photographer.
Mosquitoes fly in front of a flash light illuminating a grain bin on a farm in rural Bolivar County, Mississippi on June 25, 2016.
HOW IMPORTANT IS RESEARCH IN YOUR WORK?
Most of my work is editorial/documentary in nature, which means research is a big part of the process. Whenever possible, I go into assignments with background knowledge that comes from research.
IS THERE A PHOTOGRAPHER/ARTIST WHO IS A CONSTANT REFERENCE FOR YOU?
I was mentored by James Estrin and Ed Kashi for three years, and both of them have been instrumental in my career growth.
Anita Carter bathes her five-month-old granddaughter in the sink using a combination of boiled water and boxed drinking water in Jackson, Mississippi on Jan. 5, 2023. The city’s water taps were considered unsafe for drinking and bathing.
WHAT WOULD YOU NOT WANT TO PHOTOGRAPH?
I've never had fun photographing weddings. To me, It's just not as fun as editorial assignments.
Quentin (left) and Jamie Morales hoop net for catfish in Bayou Sorrel, Louisiana on Sept. 9, 2020.
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE, AND WHAT IMPORTANCE DO YOU GIVE TO TECHNIQUE?
Most people are surprised to learn that my main camera remains a really old Nikon D700. I just really like the look and I'm not drawn to the super-sharp, tons of megapixels that the newer cameras have. And yes, technique is important, but I also believe that creativity comes from taking risks and breaking from the norms. You do you — develop and find your own style.
WHAT IS THE STARTING POINT OF YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?
Typically, the first thing I'm paying attention to is light. What are the lighting conditions and how can I make something creative based on the light.
D’Kamiyon Johnson, left, and Carlos Smith share a horse outside a rodeo in Greenville, Mississippi Oct. 27, 2018.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY WITH A # TAG?
My tag would be #storytelling. I'm always thinking about ways to tell stories through my work.
Crew Members organize a barge at the Port of Rosedale in Rosedale, Mississippi on Aug. 26, 2020.
at what point did you feel you were a photographer, and what made you think that way?
After working at the local paper for a year, the local university hired me as their official photographer. That was the first point where I felt like I could identify as a full-time photographer.
HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH REJECTION?
Earlier in my career rejection was a lot harder to accept because I wanted to achieve. But I soon realized that there's a lot to learn from rejections. They can really make you think critically about how to make something better.
HOW DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SUCH SUCCESS?
I don't think so much about success. There are so many accomplished and successful working photographers. What I do think about a lot is a lifetime of learning. I don't ever think I'm done learning and striving to improve.
Jarvis Odems and Jaden Grayson sit atop their relative’s steps following a tragic tornado in Rolling Fork, Mississippi on March 28, 2023.
HOW DO YOU APPROACH STRANGERS IN YOUR PROJECTS OR TO INCLUDE IN YOUR PROJECTS?
I approach everyone with the Golden Rule — do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
David Sellers breaks gets emotional after setting up a sandbag levee around his home to protect from flooding in Holly Bluff, Mississippi on Feb. 21, 2020.
IS IT COMMON FOR YOU TO QUESTION YOURSELF OR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY?
I question myself every day. Mindfulness is a big part of my approach, and I'm always thinking about the privileges I'm provided in my career, and how I can hopefully provide a just platform for the people I photograph.
Tracy Harden stands with her grandson, Thomas, alongside debris that used to be her restaurant before a deadly tornado in Rolling Fork, Mississippi on March 29, 2023.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A NEW PHOTOGRAPHER WHO IS JUST STARTING OUT?
Working as a freelance photographer is difficult, but if you're willing to work hard (especially overcoming roadblocks in the beginning), there's a lot of reward in being an independent photographer.
Backwater flooding surrounds a farm in rural Issaquena County in the Mississippi Delta on June 14, 2019.
ABOUT Rory Doyle
Rory Doyle is a freelance photographer based in Cleveland, Mississippi. Born and raised in Maine, Doyle studied journalism at St. Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont. In 2009, he moved to Mississippi to pursue a master’s degree at Delta State University. He was a 2018 and 2023 Visual Artist Fellow through the Mississippi Arts Commission and National Endowment for the Arts. He has exhibited in New York, London, Atlanta, Mississippi and beyond. Doyle's work has been published in The New York Times, Washington Post, Smithsonian Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, ProPublica, ESPN, The Guardian, Politico, CNN and numerous outlets.
Portrait by Amr alfiky
