Lubell: Magnum Photos started in 1947, founded by four photographers, most famously, Robert Capa and Henri Cartier-Bresson. These photographers were coming out of World War II and had witnessed some amazing atrocities. The were really the eyewitnesses to what was going on and their work was shown in Life Magazine making them the voice of what was happening. After the war, they decided to form a company called “Magnum” to protect their copyright. They realized that if you control the copyright then you control the story. In this way, photographers would be able to cover a subject in a much more thorough way, on their own time. Magnum photographers became known as the best at in-depth storytelling.

MacTribe: How did you get involved in the beginning?

Lubell: I actually come from a business background. My involvement happened as a result of 9/11. I was told about an exhibit on Prince St. that displayed images taken by people before, during, and after 9/11. The image would be scanned and given a number, and the number would then be hung on clothes wire in a vacant storefront. There were over 6,000 images and it was so powerful. While I was there I ran into a friend who said that the exhibit needed help and so I met with the management. Gilles Perez was one of the organizers of this exhibition and also a Magnum photographer. We then took the exhibit to 33 places around the world and donated 1 million dollars to charity with sales from the purchasing of the images. We created a book and had a website that had 2 billion hits in 8 months. It was really an amazing experience, and when it finished, Gilles Perez asked me to come to Magnum and consult. Once I got here the current director resigned and I was offered the job. Although I initially turned the job down, after some time I realized that a person with my background would actually be a good fit and I took the job.

MacTribe: Can you tell us who are a few of your favorite all time photographers?

Lubell: That’s a very dangerous question! I equate all of our photographers to Jedi Warriors: masters in their craft and they all have different approaches. I represent all of them, so I can’t single out any of them!

MacTribe: Can you tell us about "Magnum in Motion" and how it relates to Magnum Photos?

Lubell: We started this initiative in 2004. It allows Magnum to take it’s own content and be our own publishers. Now Magnum has the opportunity to go directly to the audience.

MacTribe: How has the business of Photography changed in the last 10 years?

Lubell: There have been fundamental changes. People now double as both producers and consumers of photos. In the professional world, there’s been a huge change in assignment photography. Photographers have to look at alternative ways to fund their projects and to get their work out there. In terms of rights managed, we were founded on the ideals of copyright. People today don’t understand the value in images. We want the image to get out there but you have to be careful about publishing without acknowledging the photographer or without compensation. Photographers now find more money in collective print sales, exhibitions, etc. rather than previously from licensing size.

MacTribe: Have recent advances in technology enhanced the art of photography in your opinion?

Lubell: It’s about ideas, not about film or digital. Technology has always been a part of the industry. What film would capture was denser a year ago but now the digital camera can capture all of it. There are pros and cons to using either, but what is really important is what you capture in the end.

MacTribe: How many photographers are a part of the Magnum photographic collective?

Lubell: We have 47 photographers that are active and we represent 106 total.

MacTribe: Can you tell us about your partnership with Slate and how that has brought a greater audience to Magnum?

Lubell: Slate’s “Today’s Pictures” featuring the work of Magnum photographers has over 10 million unique visitors per month. Introducing their audience to our content is a good fit because they appreciate Magnum’s work. This now makes up close to 20% of our traffic. Slate also has a partnership with MSN so that 4 or 5 million a day can get to these pictures.

MacTribe: How has Magnum survived as an agency through the economic downturn?

Lubell: There is definitely a decrease in assignments, resulting in an increase in stock licensing. We are working on a big project to photograph America during this troubling time. In a very similar way to the FSA project aligned with Roosevelt’s “New Deal” when photographers were sent out to photograph the events/people surrounding the Great Depression, Magnum is doing a modern day version, to explore and understand this country the way we are here and now, in the new Great Depression. Once we have a substantial body of work we’ll eventually send it to Library of Congress or a fitting partner.

MacTribe: Magnum has a number of wonderful photographers , the work of David Alan Harvey was recently showcased in a postcard campaign, can you tell us a little about his work and how he came to be involved with Magnum?

Lubell: Magnum is owned by the artists. It’s a co-op. To have a new photographer join Magnum, submissions are narrowed down between our 4 offices. The existing photographers will come together once a year and review the remaining candidates. There are only photographers in the room and it becomes an all-out battle to decide who they will invite in. Once decided, they’ll offer the candidate a nominee status and you have 2 years to work on your work and you come back and get assessed and if you have progressed to their liking and you’ll upgrade to an associate status. Then you work for 2 more years to be reviewed again and if you pass that you become a member. There’s really a 2% acceptance rate of applicants.

MacTribe: Magnum recently celebrated a 60-year anniversary, can you tell us about the future plans of Magnum?

Lubell: We’re doing exhibitions, book publishing, assignments, lectures, commercials, our future plans are to take this content, distribute it different ways, and build up our audience so that people are aware of our organization and the photographers.