In an interview with C-SPAN's Brian Lamb, New York Times photographer Doug Mills talks about his career photographing the inner workings of the U.S. government. During the interview Mills describes a particularly unique photo taken in the White House and how he took it using the Sony α9. Mills describes how the camera is giving him an edge in the rough-and-tumble, highly-competitive world of political photojournalism.
"I'm using a Sony camera which is completely silent. So, I can be sitting, standing next to my colleagues and they hear me, you know, formerly they could hear me taking pictures, but now, they can't hear. They're completely silent."
And...
"It came on the market earlier in the year and I've been using it now in 2017. I've been using it now probably about eight months. And I was asked to try them out to see what I thought. I've been a Canon photographer for 30 years, 35 years, I mean more than that, probably, my first camera was a Canon and they don't make a mirrorless camera. And so, Sony came to me and asked me if I would be willing to try it and to see what I thought. And I picked it up and I played with it for a few hours. And I remember saying to one of the technicians, this is a game changer. I want to use this camera."
Here's a clip from the interview where Mills explains why he has switched and why the α9 is a game changer for photojournalists in Washington.
Mills is a great and insightful photojournalist. Watch the full interview as he talks about how he took some of his most impactful photos.
You can follow Doug Mills on Instagram and Twitter and see photos that don't always make it into the paper. Instagram: @NYTMills. Twitter: @dougmillsnyt.