Stockland Martel

New York Times assistant managing editor Michele McNally, who is in charge of photography, is taking questions from readers all this week in the latest installment of the newspaper’s online “Ask the Times” feature. Her answers to several questions have already been posted, including one from a college student who describes himself as “an aspiring multimedia journalist.” Asks E. Drake Martinet, “How do you project the role and public voice of the photographer will change as news presentation morphs in the coming years?”

For photographers who continue to resist expanding into other platforms, such as video or even blogs, McNally’s response will be chilling. “I believe that the role of the photographer has already changed,” writes McNally, who for many years served as picture editor for Fortune and was a co-editor of the Day in the Life photo-book series. “…A photographer can suggest an idea, do the research, shoot the pictures, and shoot video. … The newsroom is an ever-changing place and traditional roles no longer apply. The photojournalist of the future needs to be flexible and ready to go in any direction.”

You can read McNally’s response to this other queries throughout the week here.