PDN 30

Did we tell you yet? Jessie and James were named one of PDN's 30 emerging photographers to watch in 2008. Here's what they had to say about us:


You can see some of the other photographers, a distinguished company, in PDN's gallery.

We shared our page in the issue with photographer Emiliano Granado who said these truths about the honor and expectation of being in the PDN 30. From an interview posted today on An Art Producer's Perspective:

"APP: PDN's 30 is a great nod to your work how do you see it impacting the future of your career?

EG: It's basically that. A great nod. My career is going to be made by me. With hard work and great images. I definitely don't think PDN 30 is going to catapult me into the photographic stratosphere by itself. I think the PDN 30 acknowledgment is 50% recognition of great work produced, and 50% an unwritten contract to keep producing great work.
The PDN editors have put great trust in each year's recipients. I definitely think they choose photographers who show great commitment and professionalism to elevating their work - we've just started, this isn't a lifetime recognition award! That list loses significance if the photographers stop being relevant after a couple of years. Simply being on the list will NOT keep your career going, so it's important to keep grinding and hustling!"

It's been three months since James and I found out that we were on the list. I remember Holly Hughes, PDN's editor, calling us as we wrapped up a still life shoot for Budget Travel. I answered the phone, thinking it was the photo editors from BT checking in at the end of the day. But it was PDN, fact-checking a crucial piece of information: how long had we been photographing as team?

That is not a question with an easy answer. We have been taking photographs together since our first date. We decided to start shooting professionally as "Morgan & Owens" in May of 2005. Like so many other happy couples, we marked that event by going up to the Brooklyn Court House...to register our business.

I've read every PDN 30 issue cover-to-cover since 2000, when as a photo editor, I dug through it for new talent. Several of my friends have appeared in its pages. PDN's editorial page on this, their 10th anniversary, revisits the reasons for showcasing new talent in their pages: "to provide emerging artists with a sorely needed venue to exhibit their images, to create a reliable source for the photo community to seek out these talents, and to engage other aspiring photographers in thinking about what it takes to succeed in this profession." I've turned to them for all of these reasons. Which makes us even more psyched to be included, as you probably noticed if you were at the Boat after PDN called us back:



Thank you to PDN for acknowledging all the hard work that goes into making pictures. And a special thank you to all of you who supported us, posed for us, taught us, and cheered us on.