Matt Rainey is an American photographer. He received the 2001

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

for Feature Photography. Rainey was also part of the group that received the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news and reporting. In addition, he has received more than 200 awards during his career.

Personal life

Rainey was born on April 14, 1966, in Denville Township, New Jersey. He currently resides in the Annandale section of Clinton Township, New Jersey. He married Michelle Seagall Rainey in 2003.

Education

Rainey attended

West Morris Central High School West Morris Central High School (WMCHS) is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Washington Township, Morris County, New Jersey, United States. It is one of two high schools in ...

Chester Township, New Jersey Chester Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 7,838, reflecting an increase of 556 (+7.6%) from the 7,282 counted in the 2000 Census, which had ...

, and graduated in 1984. He then attended the School of Visual Arts in New York as a film major for a year before changing his major to photography, attending Rutgers University in New Jersey and graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography in 1988.

Career

Rainey has worked as a photographer for many entities including the '' Daily Record'', '' The News Tribune'', '' The Star-Ledger'',

Rodale, Inc. Rodale, Inc. (), was an American publisher of health and wellness magazines, books, and digital properties headquartered in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, with a satellite office in New York City. The company was founded in 1930. In 2017, it was acquire ...

and Weidenheimer Creative. He also works with several other companies as a freelance photographer.

Awards

Rainey was awarded the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography while covering the dormitory fire at Seton Hall University for '' The Star-Ledger''. The photo series, "After the Fire" covered the experience and recovery of two Seton Hall University students. He received his second Pulitzer in 2005 for Breaking News Reporting as part of the group covering New Jersey governor Jim McGreeney’s resignation Rainey is also the recipient of the 2001 Robert F. Kennedy Award for Domestic Photojournalism and the 2005 Taylor Family Award for Fairness in Newspapers, administered by the

Neiman Foundation for Journalism The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University is the primary journalism institution at Harvard. It was founded in February 1938 as the result of a $1.4 million bequest by Agnes Wahl Nieman, the widow of Lucius W. Nieman, founder of ' ...

at Harvard University. He is the recipient of the Sigma Delta Chi Gold Medal administered by the

Society of Professional Journalists The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is the oldest organization representing journalists in the United States. It was established on April 17, 1909, at DePauw University,2009 SPJ Annual Report, letter ...

. Rainey has been named the runner up for the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism, the DART Award. He holds Best in Show honors in both, The National Headliners Competition and the Society for News Design.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rainey, Matt Photographers from New Jersey Living people 1966 births People from Clinton Township, New Jersey People from Denville Township, New Jersey West Morris Central High School alumni