Student Spotlight: Malcolm Taylor

Malcolm Taylor, a sophomore in the visual communications program, arrived at Newhouse in 2022 from his hometown of Chicago. A student in the editorial photojournalism track with a minor in art photography, Taylor has been able to take what he’s learned in the classroom to experiences working at The Daily Orange student-run newspaper, as well as The Renegade Magazine, Syracuse University’s first and only Black general interest magazine.  

Why did you choose visual communications at Newhouse?  

Getting into Newhouse was a challenge for me that I wanted to overcome because I knew that if I did that, I would have a really good education. I chose to major in visual communications because throughout my whole life, I have always been behind the viewfinder of a camera.  

I have always just loved the idea of framing something and picking out a moment in time that means something to you or just looks beautiful. 

How did your interest in photography and visual communications develop? 

When I was five years old, my father (an artist and sculptor) gave me a camera to photograph one of the shows he was having at a local museum, and because of my height-I was so small-I was looking up at these sculptures that he built. I was able to be published in the local newspaper because my perspective, being so small, was so different from all the other photojournalists who were photographing the event, so I get to say I was published since I was five!  

Name a Newhouse professor who has influenced you. 

Professor Greg Heisler. I met him in November 2021 when I talked to him while here for a tour (as a high school student). I think we talked for about five minutes but in that time alone my whole mind was expanded about photography. I thought there was so much more I needed to learn, so I knew I had to get into this program. I define that as one of the moments that completely shifted my perspective on photography. Right away, I thought that I needed to be at a place where I can keep learning from this man.  

What is one of your favorite experiences that you’ve had so far at Newhouse?  

I love the Alexia Fall Workshop because no matter what you’re doing, no matter where you are, you really can’t go wrong. The Fall Workshop in 2022 was just absolutely amazing for me because I got to work closely with a bunch of professional photographers. That experience made me rethink every second that I was holding my camera, and it still does.  

What has stood out to you so far about your Newhouse experience?  

Every day I’m excited to get up and go to a class, especially if it’s a Newhouse class. Because I know that no matter what, I’m going to learn something that shifts my perspective. In the visual communications program, it’s really satisfying to be able to share ideas and learn something from someone who is in a similar field but is working with different software, working with different resources and just sharing ideas and learning from that person. 

Another big part of being in Newhouse is I get to learn and collaborate with writers, and broadcast journalism and magazine, news and digital journalism students, but also feel at home with my fellow photography majors in visual communications. It just really feels like family.