Ian Bates: The Tiny Miracles of Photography

When 9^th grade students curled up with their summer reading novels this past August, they might have chosen bestselling author Sherman Alexie’s acclaimed work, The Absolutely True Diary Of a Part-Time Indian, one of our short list selections. Enthralled perhaps with Alexie’s lively storytelling, they might have checked the back of the book for Mr. Alexie’s author photo.

At that very moment, Rutgers Prep alumnus Ian Bates might have adjusted the focus of his camera. Commissioned by the New York Times, Ian created stunning portraits to accompany an article celebrating the release of the author’s widely anticipated memoir. “Sherman and I decided to take a walk along the shores of Lake Washington in Seattle near his home.” Ian remembers. “This would provide us with many opportunities to play with nature and also cityscapes.” Ian met Mr. Alexie at a coffee shop and the two men started walking, chatting a bit about the significance of the new book and their lives as working artists.

Ian, who graduated from Rutgers Prep in 2010, is a professional photographer pursuing work through two major avenues. Through commissions, Ian’s assignments arrive through phone calls and emails from editors who have learned to trust him to find the perfect image for the location and subjects they wish to highlight. Having grown up admiring the work of his father, an environmental journalist, Ian often tackles environmental assignments. His editorial clients include National Geographic Magazine, National Geographic Traveler, The New York Times Magazine, California Sunday Magazine, Bloomberg Businessweek, WIRED, The Wall Street Journal, Surface, Stern, Juxtapoz and others. Ian is deeply interested in the search for pictures and shares, “It is special to find a picture that feels like a tiny miracle on assignments. It’s really lucky when that happens.”

When he isn’t working on commissions, Ian pursues his own dynamic projects, which have earned him the designation as one of PDN’s New and Emerging Photographers to Watch for 2017. He describes his long and evolving process: “My own art projects come slowly and usually with some small vague idea… Sometimes that idea blossoms into something like the project I am currently work on titled Meadowlark which has spanned over three years at this point and included about 25,000 miles on the road meeting strangers to photograph…For me, so far at least, projects develop over time. They are constantly changing, especially with the edition of new photographs.” 

The accolades that Ian has recently earned do not surprise our own art department chair Scot Wittman, whom Ian calls “the reason [he’s] tried so hard to make good work.” Scot, who taught Ian for three years and helped steer him to the photojournalism project at Ohio University, remembers Ian as talented, driven, and clearly bound for a career in the arts.

“Responding to a Photo 5 assignment, Ian Bates created a series Where fires may rage that gave a singular view of a local fire department.  Rather than document the eye candy of spectacular fires, Ian presented a photo essay introducing viewers to different personalities: family members volunteering their time, friends goofing off before the call, people serious about their commitment.  It was clear Ian was going to pursue this new passion, and that he would continue to make work that is quietly gripping.”

Perhaps the two most talented photographers to have attended Rutgers Prep, Ian and Scot formed a close bond. Ian remembers when Mr. Wittman gave students cameras and a roll of film and challenged them to make pictures around the art building. “I felt that magic of making something that I have always enjoyed. The pictures I made were absolutely terrible. I think that was it for me. I was going to be a photographer and nothing else. I really can't say enough about how important Mr. Wittman was for me. I still credit him with putting me on this course of life that brings me so much joy.”  

Ian also fit Drawing and Design into his course schedule at Rutgers Prep. He loved the class even though he claims to be terrible at drawing and painting. “But”, he points out “it was important to be making something visual in another way. That class helped develop [my] attention to detail and craft.”

These days, Ian also spends his time managing the business side of a career in the arts. In addition to pursuing amazing photographs, he must market himself, correspond with editors, and handle all of his own billing. “Everyday is different for me. I work from a 2nd bedroom in the house I rent in Seattle. One day I am reading essays by one of my favorite photographers Robert Adams in a hammock overlooking the Pacific Ocean and another I am standing in the middle of a wildfire in Northern Alberta, setting up my tripod and wearing head-to-toe, yellow, fireproof clothing.”

Thinking of those 9^th grade students still tackling summer reading assignments and plotting educational paths after their time at Rutgers Prep, Ian Bates has advice for other young artists: “A career in the arts is hard. It is hard work and hustle…But if you are determined to work in your field, then work harder than everyone else around you…Make sure you're happy doing what you're doing.”

Lastly Ian would shared a quote that his friend and mentor, the photographer Matt Eich wrote in a book for him, “Photography and life require patience. Take your time.” In the seven years since Ian graduated from Rutgers Prep, he has taken the time to capture extraordinary moments of beauty and power. Look out for his photographs to see which corners of the world he sheds light on next.

To view more of Ian's work, please visit his website: http://www.iancbates.com/