Lens and Soul | Meet Justin Mott | Interviewed by Printique
An excerpt from the full article.
“Some photographers follow a carefully planned path. Justin Mott chose a different route—one powered by instinct, storytelling, and what he calls “irrational confidence.”With one year left in his photojournalism degree at San Francisco State University, Justin packed his camera and flew to Vietnam for what he considered an informal “self-education.” He expected an adventure. Instead, he found a calling.
Photographing the last two northern white rhinos left in the world.
Tell Us About Yourself
I’m Justin Mott— an editorial and commercial photographer who’s been based in Vietnam for almost 20 years. In that time, I’ve covered over 100 diverse assignments for The New York Times and photographed global ad campaigns all over the world for Fortune 500 companies.
I’m calm and confident whether leading large-scale commercial productions or navigating complicated editorial assignments. Clients trust me to guide complex shoots with ease, balancing logistics and creativity to deliver visuals that work seamlessly and tell stories with impact.
When I’m not working, I’m usually with my wife and our three rescue dogs, or out on my bike. I’ve completed multiple IronMan races… but I definitely don’t look the part.
How did you get your start in photography?
I went to San Francisco State University, which had a fantastic photojournalism department. Back then, my dream was to shoot for The New York Times. With about a year left before graduation, I took what I like to call a “sabbatical of sorts” and traveled to Vietnam with my camera. I figured I’d try some self-education in a foreign country, find stories, and see what happened. I’ve always lived life pretty loosely and with irrational confidence that I can make things work out with hard work.
I fell in love instantly—both with the place and the storytelling. I built a small body of work here in Hanoi, landed an assignment with The New York Times in Malaysia, and instead of heading back to finish my degree, I decided to stick around and ride the momentum. Fast forward 20 years later: no diploma on my wall, but over 100 assignments for the NYT and my own production company, Mott Visuals. Vietnam became home, and honestly, I wouldn’t trade that “unfinished degree” for the life I’ve built. I learned a lot at school so I don’t want to discredit my education, but I also learned a ton by diving in head first. “
Read the full article here.
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