American Photo’s Innovators of 2006

Being named an Innovator of the Year by American Photo makes me feel like a freakin’ rock star.

Photo by John Von Pamer

It’s not the surprising congratulations I’ve received from unlikely quarters, it’s not that it made my momma proud (in fact I don’t think she’s even picked up the issue yet), it’s not that they managed to come up with a photo of me that I actually like (after I totally dropped the ball on getting one to them, thanks guys!) But really mostly it’s the very fine company I am in. Other Innovators on the list:

Caterina and Stewart (for Flickr, but of course)

Lesley Martin, Executive Editor of Aperture Books

Joerg Colberg, founder of Conscientious

All these Innovators have something in common: They are past, present or future panelists for Hey, Hot Shot!, a cornerstone of the gallery’s program, and one of the main reasons I was selected as an Innovator. As an added bonus, Fall 2006 Hot Shot Shen Wei get an Honorable Mention in the Images of the Year section. It’s great to be in such fine company, and I know for a fact that each and every one of us has some more innovation on tap for 2007.

Also, American Photo deserves an Innovator shoutout itself. Their State of the Art blog is starting to make waves. Web editor Jay DeFoore conceived the blog as a supplement to the print version and has managed to create a nice blend of old school and next wave. It’s great to see the EIC David Schonauer making regular contributions. Miki Johnson is the chief contributor, and she’s prolific in the way that bloggers ought to be. Her recent Blog It, Share It post was widely linked to, not just because she linked widely, but because it was a great synopsis of the whole blogging photographers thang. (Go, Miki, GO!)