U.S. soldiers assigned to the East Africa Response Force (EARF), deployed in support of Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, conduct a meeting at a cooperative security location in Libreville, Gabon, on Jan. 4, 2019. The EARF provides a broad range of rapidly deployable military capabilities to protect American interests on the African continent should any threat arise. Photo by U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Chris Hibben

Look for MVA 2020 contest entry information updates to be posted on the MVA website no later than Oct. 31, 2020.

Reservist turns childhood photography passion into award-winning career

By Kenny Holston and Jensen Stidham

With a Pentax K1000 camera, black and white film and several hours logged in a darkroom, a young man working for his high school newspaper had no idea that he was building the very foundation upon which his photojournalism career would eventually flourish.

A passion for photography coupled with unwavering work ethic led the young visual storyteller to graduate from his high school darkroom and into the professional realm of photojournalism and multimedia with the U.S. military.

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Now years removed from shooting for his high school newspaper, U.S. Air Force Reserve Tech. Sgt. Chris Hibben, pictured, has been selected as the 2019 Military Visual Awards Photographer of the Year. MVA is an annual military visual journalism competition in which military photojournalists from around the world compete in hopes of earning the title of photographer of the year.

Hibben began his military career with the U.S. Navy in 1991 and was assigned to the USS John F. Kennedy as an active duty sailor before becoming a journalist in the Navy Reserve.

“I’ve been a photographer since I was a kid,” said Hibben. “I’ve always had such a passion for it.”

During his time in the Navy, Hibben deployed to Special Operations Command South in Puerto Rico before making the decision to part ways with the Navy and seek a photojournalism career with the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

U.S. Air Force pararescuemen assigned to the 48th Rescue Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, conduct exercise scenarios during Razor’s Edge, a two-week-long pre-deployment exercise in Parker, Arizona, on Dec. 9, 2019. Practicing real-world scenarios helps pararescuemen execute their core function of personnel recovery in austere environments downrange. Photo by U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Chris Hibben

Hibben found employment with the 440th Airlift Wing in Milwaukee, where he was assigned to the Visual Information unit. He has always been the type of storyteller who strives to be in as many different and dynamic situations as possible in an effort to tell more in-depth stories through his imagery.

This method suited him well, as he eventually transitioned from his unit in Milwaukee to the 4th Combat Camera Squadron in Riverside, California. The 4th CCS is now located in Charleston, South Carolina. It’s a storied unit that often puts photojournalists like Hibben on the front lines of combat, disaster relief efforts and other global military missions. Most recently the combat camera airman completed an eight-month deployment to the Horn of Africa, documenting operations in East Africa.

“I believe what makes a photographer good is the ability to be in as many different situations as you can. If you’re shooting the same thing every day, it’s going to get dull, and you don’t get that adrenaline rush that makes your mind think, ‘OK, well, how can I show this story?’” said Hibben.

The veteran photojournalist also explained the importance of having a method to get images out quickly when covering certain topics. Hibben uses Adobe products during his postproduction process and has gotten his technique dialed in over the years.

“I don’t use Adobe Lightroom; I go directly from Adobe Bridge into Adobe Camera Raw,” said Hibben. “Most of the time when I’m doing photos, I’m trying to get them out as soon as possible. One of my favorite things to say is, ‘We’re first to fight, first to grab and first to get them out onto the internet.’”

U.S. Air Force pararescuemen assigned to the 48th Rescue Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, conduct exercise scenarios during Razor’s Edge, a two-week-long pre-deployment exercise in Parker, Arizona, on Dec. 9, 2019. Practicing real-world scenarios helps pararescuemen execute their core function of personnel recovery in austere environments downrange. Photo by U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Chris Hibben

According to Hibben, this mindset has helped him keep a fresh perspective when approaching his subjects and has been instrumental in helping him produce portfolios like the one that earned him the title MVAPOY.

“Whether it be on a ramp of a C-130 or in a combat zone doing deliveries, I think being able to be in multiple different places and getting those different types of shots and then getting them out allows you to be a better photographer,” Hibben continued.

Hibben’s winning portfolio is made up of carefully selected images that range from quiet moments to dynamic scenes, but one photo stands out to him most.

“I’d say my favorite image would have to be the guys that are sitting at a table while we were in Gabon, Africa, getting ready for a mission. It’s real dark; it’s kind of like the Last Supper-looking shot. Everybody is in a meeting; their attention is focused; you see some faces, some silhouettes, people with their heads turned and other guys just kind of sitting there. You could look at each person and see their own story,” Hibben explained.

“To be able to frame that photo with the lighting that was behind them and be able to get an image pulled out just really kind of set the tone of what we were doing. I believe that was like our first day we were there. Everybody’s gearing up to do an operation, and it was just really kind of surreal,” he continued.

“I remember being like, ‘Holy cow, you know, this is the stuff that you read about, this is the stuff that movies are made of, and I’m living the actual movie,’” said Hibben.

The success and great images Hibben has captured throughout his career have ultimately put pressure on him to perform at the highest level each time he goes out.

“You know, it’s a lot of pressure, I’ve got to admit. Even in my civilian job, I have to be a hundred percent all the time. You’re only as good as your next gig, so if you screw up, they’re not going to hire you again,” Hibben explained.

U.S. Air Force pararescuemen assigned to the 48th Rescue Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, conduct exercise scenarios during Razor’s Edge, a two-week-long pre-deployment exercise in Parker, Arizona, on Dec. 9, 2019. Practicing real-world scenarios helps pararescuemen execute their core function of personnel recovery in austere environments downrange. Photo by U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Chris Hibben

While not on Reserve duty, Hibben owns and operates a broadcast television company, Snap 180 media, in which he produces live television events for companies such as ESPN, Fox and The Weather Channel, all of which expect high-quality products, Hibben said.

As the nation and the world grapple with COVID-19, Hibben hasn’t shied from the camera, often taking his place on the front lines with other photojournalists while still trying to be as safe as possible to tell the many complex and historic stories surrounding an epidemic like nobody has seen in modern history.

“It’s an interesting time to be able to go out and actually document what’s going on,” said Hibben. “You've got hospital staff, government employees and other critical people at the forefront of this, but what about the people behind the scenes? You know, the carryout delivery guy delivering food to doors, restaurants that are now doing curbside pickup — there’s a lot of stories out there that should be told.”

As Hibben relishes his 2019 MVAPOY victory, he’s already back in the thick of it capturing images and telling stories that just might land in his 2020 portfolio.

To see more picture by Chris Hibben, click here.

Look for MVA 2020 contest entry information updates to be posted on the MVA website no later than Oct. 31, 2020.

BIO CHRIS HIBBEN

In 1991, Hibben joined the Navy, where he was a yellow shirt on the USS John F. Kennedy CV-67. After his active duty time, Hibben became a journalist in the Navy Reserve assigned to the Naval Reserve Center, Milwaukee. He has been a photographer since a child, and being a journalist was his passion. After a deployment to Special Operations Command South in Puerto Rico, Hibben decided to change services and join the Air Force. He was assigned to Visual Information at the 440th Airlift Wing in Milwaukee. After two years he joined the 4th Combat Camera Squadron in Riverside, California. He is still assigned to the 4th, now stationed at Joint Base Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina. In his civilian life, Hibben owns a broadcast television company, Snap 180 Media, producing live television events for ESPN, Fox News, The Weather Channel and other national networks. Hibben just returned from a deployment to the Horn of Africa, where for eight months he documented operations in East Africa.