Judge 2007

Matt Ware

PHOTO EDITOR, RACER X ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE

"I'll scrub toilets - I'll do whatever - just to get into the business."

Those were the magic words that enabled 25-year-old photographer Matt Ware to score a photography internship and squeeze his way into the magazine industry. In 1999, as a freshman at West Virginia University in Morgantown, Ware was disenchanted with his major in advertising so he turned his focus to the school's photo department and an internship with Racer X Illustrated, a top moto-cross racing magazine also based in Morgantown.

Having ridden and raced BMX for nearly a dozen years, Ware felt a natural affinity for Racer X and dove quickly into the mix. For six years, as he finished his photojournalism degree, Ware worked as an intern in the Racer X offices. Then, in May 2005, he graduated and got the call to come onboard as a fulltime staff photographer.

These days, he handles all of the magazine's photo edit duties and touches every single photo submission that comes in the door. On the weekends, Ware shoots moto-cross races and says he thrives on the balance of working both in the field and behind the photo desk: "I think that helps your shooting because you're seeing so much other stuff that's coming in. It forces you to think of something different and gives you a different perspective."

What are the ingredients of a great photo?
"Of course, a photo needs to be technically good. From there I feel a photo needs to be able to express something. I like to try and think about the photo five or ten, even fifteen, years from now - Is it going to have the same impact through time?"

Any advice for aspiring photographers?

"Always edit your photos. Send them (photo editors) only those photos that are the best quality. Quality speaks volumes over quantity. Also be creative. It's always refreshing to see a photo from a different perspective."