The New York Times Application
Cover Letter Photostory
To Becky, Ted, Carla and the The New York Times Fellowship team,
Grimacing, I whipped out my notebook to record their names, putting on a smile despite the searing pain. The scorching temperature of my camera lens had etched a love bruise along the forearm. If not for the thickness of my khakis, I would have burns along my knees too. Sometimes, even as we responsibly and respectfully approach the scene, this is part of photojournalism.
A day in our shoes may involve hours wandering around a city during its hottest recorded summer because, despite the heat, people were still going about their day in whatever ways they could.
People experiencing homelessness Cammie Allende and El Mack provide water to their dog during a summer heat wave on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Las Vegas. The National Weather Service extended its excessive heat warning for the area through Friday. (Mingson Lau/KSNV)
An empty water bottle at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign during a summer heat wave on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Las Vegas. The National Weather Service extended its excessive heat warning for the area through Friday. (Mingson Lau/KSNV)
Auto Glass Aces mechanic Omar Martinez works during a summer heat wave on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Las Vegas. The National Weather Service extended its excessive heat warning for the area through Friday. (Mingson Lau/KSNV)
Justin Lewis grills chicken at Bob Baskin Park during a summer heat wave on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Las Vegas. The National Weather Service extended its excessive heat warning for the area through Friday. (Mingson Lau/KSNV)
It may mean conversing with people taking shade in their makeshift homes as they prepare for a city-mandated eviction…
William Nemoff poses for a photo within his tent in the homeless encampment known as “The Zone” in Phoenix on May 8, 2023. Mandatory Credit: Mingson Lau/The Republic
Katie Oswald hands out food and drink to people in the homeless encampment known as “The Zone” in Phoenix on May 8, 2023. Oswald hands out The Old Station Subs sandwiches with thoughts of her son who had lived in “The Zone.” Mandatory Credit: Mingson Lau/The Republic
or it could mean following the paws of a shelter cat to document a day in its life.
Frankie, a two-year-old domestic shorthair cat, eats his breakfast of paté along with the other cats at cat café and shelter La Gattara on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, in Phoenix, AZ. La Gattara receives a semi-truck of food every month from Blue Buffalo which is served to the resident cats and donated to other rescues, says La Gattara co-owner Missy Pruitt. (Mingson Lau/JMC 451)
After some time interacting with Dakota Drake, right, and other human visitors, Frankie, a two-year-old domestic shorthair cat, hides in a box at cat café and shelter La Gattara on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, in Phoenix, AZ. (Mingson Lau/JMC 451)
Being a journalist means engaging with, learning from, and demonstrating empathy for both sides of the political spectrum as Ohio canvassers campaign to voters on issues important to them. In their war rooms, you could feel the tension. Subsequently, you can also hear the relief in their voices and their desire to be understood.
American Civil Liberties Union worker Bobbie Ackerman organizes petition signatures, based on county, from ComFest in Columbus, Ohio, on Monday, June 26, 2023. (Mingson Lau/News21)
Delaware residents Sue Lorenz, left, speaks with Diane Striat speaks during a community event, hosted by anti-abortion group Ohio Right to Life, on the anniversary of the Dobbs decision in Delaware, Ohio, on Saturday, June 24, 2023. (Mingson Lau/News21)
Although the way in which they express themselves may differ, the core principles that motivate people are human motivations. These are concepts I hope to communicate in my photography: that stories we cover often are of, affect, and could impact people like you and me.
Nov 18, 2022; Avondale, AZ, USA; Alvira and Adriel Arvizo play in the backyard of their temporary Avondale home on Nov. 18, 2022, in Avondale. Mandatory Credit: Mingson Lau/The Republic
Nov 18, 2022; Avondale, AZ, USA; Cecilia Arvizo helps her son, Carlos Arvizo, get dressed at their temporary Avondale home on Nov. 18, 2022. Mandatory Credit: Mingson Lau/The Republic
My visual journalism experience provides me with a unique insight and comfortability working with various beats and mediums. For my Digital Reporter role at KSNV News 3, I developed new storytelling opportunities for the station to bolster our digital communication. As the station’s only news still photographer, I contributed stills for my stories, on major events and all our stock photography. For example, during the Harris-Walz visit, I shot photos to contribute to reporter stories, filled a photo gallery, uploaded select stills to our lead story page/thumbnail minutes after the pair took the stage, and implemented them in social graphics I designed and published afterward. Furthermore, by shooting stock photos and designing the graphic templates for our social media, I learned to adjust my framing to accommodate different use cases.
I also contributed with reporting, producing a two-part, extensive investigation into the chaos of a MrBeast Las Vegas production, compiling voting data to show increased municipal election participation after a 2019 change, and various day-turn, multi-medium stories, which include a video package for broadcast, writing the article, producing a photo gallery, and a photo-based graphic or video edit for our socials. As a photographer, I am a communicator, and digital platforms are the medium which my stories are most often communicated through. This drive to innovate and evolve is why The New York Times photography Fellowship excites me and is more meaningful to me than even a staff position.
The Times’ commitment to impactful visuals and meaningful journalism inspires me to be a better journalist. More importantly, is the The Times’ care and investment into the future of journalism.
For me, a fellowship isn’t just for developing my photojournalism but an opportunity to better understand the mechanisms by which we communicate with our audiences. I pursued my degrees to further my understanding of digital media — researching how user experiences and new technologies, including digital tools, emerging platforms, and AI, would impact our communication.
Members of the VLP team pose for a photo during a research trip to speak with the community in Safford, Ariz. on October 7, 2022. Mingson Lau, second from left, forgot to smile.
One of Mingson Lau's prototype product solutions to improve news communication.
Maria Manoag and Abhijith Ajith developed finished products from the team's prototypes.
I aspire to be a fellow so I can learn from our trade’s best communicators and translate those concepts into my visual journalism and, one day, contribute toward the newsrooms of our future with the same excellence as The Times.