Author: Joe McNally

Life lessons from a pro: Joe McNally on capturing his imagination

Joe McNally has seen it all. Known for his technical skills and vast storytelling experience from shooting for the likes of LIFE, National Geographic, and Adidas, McNally has worked in over 70 countries on both journalistic and commercial assignments. In his new book, “The Real Deal: Field Notes from the Life of a Working Photographer”, he looks back at the past 40 years of his work and the stories, skills, and observations to come out of it. We talked to McNally about his book, how he ended up where he is today, the experiences and lessons he has gained along the way, and that time he brought a cow into the kitchen. Where did the idea for the book come from? There are many photographic books in the marketplace that show you the f-stop, the shutter speed, where to put the light, where to put the camera, it’s basically a blueprint for producing X type of result. This book is not that. The motivation for the book stems from being a photographer for a very …

Discovering the beauty and potential of post–production with Joe McNally

NOTE: This article discusses an older version of Capture One Pro. To learn more about our latest version, click here. Acclaimed photographer Joe McNally has shot National Geographic covers and built an award-winning career in commercial and editorial photography. Explore his portfolio and discover why Capture One changed his mind about post-production.   My career as a commercial and editorial photographer has taken many twists and turns – aerial photography, fashion, sports, news, and studio portraiture. I’m a generalist photographer, and ever since turning the corner from film to digital years ago, I have always regarded the world of post-production with a certain wariness. Introducing Capture One into my photo editing workflow has truly invigorated my photography process. I grew up admiring photographic heroes, redoubtable shooters whose work adorned the pages of LIFE and NationaI Geographic. I wanted to be them. Without being too corny, I identified my mission with terms I swiped from the motto of LIFE magazine. “To see life; to see the world….” Seventy countries and many assignments later, I’m still curious, …