Photography is one of those disciplines that has always fascinated me, perhaps because at first glance, as with writing, it seems so simple, so easy. And then once you try it, you realize just how focused and talented the experts are.

Lauded as one of the top 100 important people in photography, Joe McNally is an excellent example of a master in his field. Perhaps most compelling of all, he is also very human.

And he knows how to make us laugh. A lot. As demonstrated by the recent Authors@Google talk, available on YouTube.

Based on his new book “The Moment it Clicks”, McNally’s presentation takes us on a visual journey through his career as a photographer. An engaging and passionate speaker, McNally tells the story of a man who, though sometimes a victim of his own caprice, has used his tenacity, vision, and empathy to continue to grow and learn as much as possible about his profession.

The presentation touches on a number of themes that apply not only to photography, but to any other field. Here are some of my favorite moments.

Understanding what Motivates You

While showing a series of pictures that he took of John Glenn, McNally describes himself as a generalist and talks about what motivates him.

“I’m not driven by a particular type of photography, or place, or social cause, or people. I’m driven simply by the enthusiasm I have, the love really, of being a photographer. The moment of exposure, that moment that it does click, that instant that you know that you got a picture that you came for.” [28:50]

Being Passionate about the Work

McNally also talks about photos he’s taken that have not been published. As he shows a photo that he took of Gorbachev in the woods, he says:

“I don’t care what they do with my pictures. I just care about making them.” [41:50]

Adapting to Change

McNally is no stranger to creativity. Some examples: a shot of John Glenn covered with a projection of a shot of his skeleton [30:40] and another shot of a professional basketball player bouncing on a trampoline against the projected backdrop of the moon [39:30].

As he shows these photos, McNally also reveals his humility, especially when he admits that it is “almost embarrassing” to show them now “in the age of PhotoShop”. I suspect that this humility is part of what made it easier for McNally to adjust to technological advances in his field.

Later in the presentation, he provides a series of shots that exemplify the benefits of digital photography. “I have thoroughly embraced digital.” He continues by commenting on how digital has created “An amazing set of circumstances we find ourselves in now as visual communicators.”[55:35]

The Importance of Empathy and Humour

Throughout many of his stories, McNally demonstrates how he was able to capture some unique shots by using humour and empathy. Some of the more memorable shots are: John Glenn feeding astronaut food to Bill Clinton [29:57] and a cover photo from TIME magazine of grinning Gold-Medalist Chinese Athletes [36:50].

Watch the video. I promise you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.