B&H Photography Podcast

Music photography has always been a listener favorite, and through the years we've gathered countless stories from legendary photographers about what it takes to document all aspects of the music scene. As we temporarily pause in recording new episodes while we build out a studio for video podcasts, we decided to take a trip down memory lane and feature some noteworthy clips from our 10-year archive. This compilation of favorite moments celebrates the intersection of photographic mastery and music history, with talents spanning from Lynn Goldsmith to Mick Rock, Jeanette Beckman to Graham Nash, among the many other dedicated music photographers we've had the pleasure to interview. If you'd like to take a deeper dive into any of the original episodes, you'll find links in our episode timeline below. Most important, please subscribe to @BHPodcastNetwork to get our latest updates on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Featured Photograph © Jim Marshall, from the new book The Beatles By Jim Marshall: Live At Candlestick Park, in bookstores June 2, 2026 Episode Timeline: 0:58: Excerpt from The Markers of Our Bliss—Lynn Goldsmith and Rock 'n' Roll 4:22: Excerpt from Mick Rock: The Name Says It All 6:59: Excerpt from Master Blaster Charles Daniels Reveals his Unseen '60s Era Photo Archive 12:06: Excerpt from 'Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky - Rock Photography of the 1960s 15:55: Excerpt from Jazz Photography and "Harlem 1958" by Art Kane 20:38: Excerpt from Hip-Hop Fellini—Anniversary of "The Greatest Day in Hip-Hop," by Gordon Parks, featuring Michael Gonzales, Sheena Lester & Vikki Tobak. 29:24: Episode Break <p class="MsoNor

"Live From New York, it's Saturday Night!" That single sentence has become a catchphrase for devotees of comedy and popular culture for more than 50 years—generations of fans who willingly turn their attentions from the height of weekend revelry to the televised antics of Saturday Night Live. As this illustrious broadcast wraps its 51st season, we're releasing an encore of our 2025 chat with SNL's photographer-in-residence Mary Ellen Matthews, while we busy ourselves backstage to bring you some exciting changes and an upcoming new look to our own show. Week in, week out for more than two decades, Mary Ellen has conjured visual magic behind the scenes, creating inventive and irreverent portraits that air for three seconds each as so-called "bumpers" that transition to and from the show's commercial breaks. During our spirited chat about what is arguably the world's best photo gig, we follow Mary Ellen from a fateful 1993 phone call, inviting her to assist the show's founding photographer Edie Baskin, through her journey from mentee to team leader. Along the way, we pull back the curtain on the creation of some iconic images and learn what it takes to be "in the driver's seat [with] a whole busload of very important people to take care of." "My job is to make this easy and fast," she notes. "And I don't want anyone to be overthinking anything because they've got enough to worry about with all the sketches and all the pre-tapes and their responsibilities to the rest of the show, which is the most important thing." Episode Timeline: 3:00: Living the dream as SNL's resident photographer while being creative under stressful deadline pressure. 4:44: Mary Ellen's early immersion in photography, at the side of her hobbyist father. 6:56: Arriving in NYC, early work for a record label, and the call to assist SNL's founding photographer in residence, Edie Baskin. 11:55: SNL's transition from film to digital, plus the cameras Mary Ellen shoots with today. 15:37: Conceptualizing the weekly portrait shoots and collaborating with subjects. 20:31: Behind-the-scenes of a dicey photo shoot, plus SNL's weekly production timeline. 27:25: Episode Break 28:12: Beyond portraits, the images Mary Ellen shoots as props for SNL sketches—sometimes with a 4x5. 33:11: The scheduling of SNL portrait shoots and getting portrait subjects to have fun. 36:34: Testing for shoots, the atmosphere on-set, and flying by the seat of your pants. 40:06: Communicating with a celebrity's team to get everyone on the same page about shoots and concepts. <p class="PlainPaper" style= "text

Photography has plenty of different specialty areas—portraits, sports, fashion, food, still life—to name just a few. In today's show we're going to investigate a specialty that involves all these subjects, while calling for a photographer who is technically precise, emotionally intuitive, and practically invisible, all at once. It's a corner of the industry people rarely consider, but one that holds massive influence over our cultural lives. This is the domain of the Unit Set Photographer: the person responsible for the pictures that sell a film or a show before anyone else has seen a frame of it. During a spirited conversation with photographers Myles Aronowitz and Cara Howe, we pull back the curtain on what it really feels like to toil on set, build trust with talent, and come away with great images under conditions that are rarely in your favor. In addition to learning the origin stories to their intense, multifaceted careers, we distinguish between work on feature films and tv productions, reveal the secret superpowers of stealth and stillness essential for success on set, describe how to build alliances across an film entire crew, and talk about value of the global shutter to combat banding with LED lights. Or, as Myles sums things up in a nutshell, "One of the great things about being a still photographer on set is you're basically observing everything. I think of it as a learning experience every day." Episode Timeline: 3:26: Defining the role of a unit set photographer and how it fits into a larger film or tv production. 8:24: How Myles first got into photographing stills for movie sets in the analog days. 11:22: Cara's career path to working on films, joining the union, and becoming a unit set photographer. 16:54: Digging deeper into the multifaced role of still photographer on movie sets. 20:50: Does your work on a film set affect how you experience the finished production? 22:28: Making distinctions between work on a feature film set vs a tv production. 35:40: The importance of relationships with other crew members, from the assistant director to the lighting crew to the sound department. 40:35: Episode Break 41:22: The sound blimp days of working with film and DSLRs before the switch to mirrorless. 52:37: The cameras and lenses Myles t

Sports photography hinges on freezing peak action—transforming a high-speed blur into a dramatic portrayal of human effort. When you combine that with the unyielding drive of elite athletes on the world stage, the pressure to nail the shot provides an incredible adrenaline rush. In today's podcast, we discuss the unique challenges of documenting history in the making and unpacking stories from the Winter Games with renowned sports photographer Jean Fruth, recently back from her first Olympics. From a hectic scramble on arrival in Milan—getting to the arena and gearing up as her first game was already in progress—to the detailed planning and creative insights she brought to every second of the ensuing competition, Jean shares her front row seat at the Games. We also follow her behind the scenes and learn how she negotiated a special request for access and her diplomatic response that transformed an unqualified maybe into a yes. As she notes during our chat, "My Olympics was an intense women's hockey Olympics. It was—I have a chance to make something special, something different. I have two and three games per day. I'm here for almost three weeks. I have a chance to make all kinds of pictures. So, I'm not going to play it safe." Episode Timeline: 2:24: Jean's shift from baseball to hockey to promote women's sports, plus her path to photographing hockey at her first Olympics. 13:11: The high-pressure logistics behind Jean's arrival in Milan with her first game already in progress. 21:52: Photographing day two and connecting with her photography heroes. 24:30: Jean's creative approach to photographing hockey at the Games, plus the challenge of shooting through plexiglass. 28:07: Chasing the story behind Women's Olympic hockey games and the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). 30:02: The ask to shoot behind-the-scenes and Jean's approach to dealing with a maybe. 35:06: Episode Break 35:51: Jean talks about her gear and the tools available to photographers in the media center. 44:21: Lugging her gear to a prime Opening Ceremonies vantage point despite wrong directions, plus the pizza delivery service that sustained her during overnight editing sessions. 50:57: Derek and Jean talk lighting, camera settings, and using a preset to pan with action shots. 54:26: The challenges of shooting through plexiglass, plus getting creative with different elements to keep it interesting—from panning techniques to playing with colors. <p class="PlainPaper" style= "text-align: justify; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1

Above Photograph © Donald Pettit, NASA At its best, photography draws from both science and art, to give resulting images a dual purpose—aesthetic innovation and scientific merit. And when that photography happens from the windows of the International Space Station, capturing star trails, city lights, and our blue planet against the void of space, it becomes something truly transcendent. In today's show, we're privileged to chat with NASA Astronaut Donald Pettit, a scientist, inventor, and photographer who has spent nearly two years living, working, and making pictures in orbit. Some fun take aways from our chat include: How photographing in a microgravity environment can turn a traditional group portrait into bodies scattering like bowling pins when the photographer tries to join the shot. The vast perspective when viewing out a window of the ISS—on the order of half a continent—rather than a 50-to-100-kilometer horizon on earth. The stratospheric volume of imagery captured during a mission, and the discerning Lightroom workflow Don uses to retrieve individual photos from his archive at home. The importance of a humble synch cord to connect two cameras and render the "many decades of brightness" on an EV scale as a single HDR image to illustrate the rapid transition from day to night that occurs in orbit. And, finally, how Don has taken the concept of synchronized imagery to a cosmic level by pairing the same phenomena he captures from orbit with a complementary view recorded from earth, in collaboration with astrophotographer Babak Tafreshi. As Don explains towards the end of our chat, "I'm a big proponent of the concept of a frontier. My frontier happens to be space, but there are frontiers all around us." He then shares this parting advice: "So just explore the frontiers that present themselves to you, the frontiers that you're motivated to go to. And just open your eyes and collect data, and then record or write about it, because you could make an observation and if you don't somehow share that with others through publications or imagery, it's almost as if it's never been done." Guest: NASA Astronaut Donald Pettit Episode Timeline: 2:06: Donald Pettit's introduction to photography, plus connections between his love of science and his creative vision. 5:51: Don's first space flight in 2002 - 2003, using both film and digital cameras, plus the learning curve on the ground to prepare for photographing in space. 10:36: The success rate when shooting with film and challenges to photographing in orbit. 13:42: From photographing with a barn-door tracker to Don's recent use of an orbital sidereal tracker. 19:07: Advances in digital camera technology, Don's relationship with NASA photo trainers, and challenges to capturing group shots in microgravity. 23:43: Don's most memorable photos from space, the advantages of pro

One of the most polarizing questions in the mind of any photographer is "Should—or shouldn't I—get an agent?" The role of an agent in a photographer's career is often misunderstood, leading hungry creatives to think that securing representation is their number one key to success. In truth, the relationship between a photographer and agent is far more nuanced than simply booking more assignments. In today's podcast, we take a deep dive into this complex alliance in a discussion with two generations of top agents, whose combined careers span from the film-era to the latest in media buys. Listen in for a behind-the-scenes look at the many details involved, from the four P's Jennifer (JP) Perlmutter looks for in a photographer's work to Michael Ash's skill in editing a portfolio to allow a photographer's individual vision and passion to shine. Our experts also shed light on critical topics such as branding, while making distinctions between a physical and emotional brand. Get fresh insights about standing out in an oversaturated marketplace and the matter of seeing ahead of the curve on trends. As JP notes, "You don't have to hop on the current trend. You don't need to create the new trend. You need to create what's true to you, what's true to your vision, and then know that there are enough people out there—that there is your niche. There are the people who are going to love what you're doing." Guests: Jennifer Perlmutter & Michael Ash Episode Timeline: 3:16: Is there a difference between the terms agent and rep? 4:11: Michael Ash on his start as an agent in late 1970's New York. 7:46: Jennifer Perlmutter talks about her beginnings at the dawn of social media. 12:25: Having a good eye for talent, plus the qualifications and skillsets needed to be a rep. 16:54: Producing as part of an agent's role, plus a peek inside relationships between photographers and a rep. 20:16: Navigating connections between clients, photographers, and reps—plus contracts. 27:34: An agent's role in protecting a photographer's interests, plus their skill in editing and curating the work. 35:46: JP describes the Four P's—what she looks for in a photographer's work. 43:14: Episode Break 44:36: To brand or not to brand, plus distinctions between physical and emotional branding. 47:28: How do you stand out in an oversaturated marketplace and hone a unique vision? 53:29: The current trend for nostalgia and harkening back to the analog world. 57:56: Michael and JP discuss today's advertising marketplace and usage rates. 1:01:08: The matter of taste vs analytics in today's commercial marketplace. 1:04:21: How do you see ahead of the curve or know which trends are worth jumping on? Where do we go from here? 1:11:14: Apostrophe's mentorship program, advice for young

While its origin is murky, the adage "Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time," is at the heart of this wide-ranging discussion about ethical practices in wildlife photography. From exotic safaris to local birding expeditions, interest in this subject matter has grown tremendously in recent years. Ever advancing camera technologies and increasing ease of use make stunning pictures more accessible than ever, but when these advantages combine with an unbridled enthusiasm for getting the shot, it can often put wildlife at risk. After defining conservation photography as an act that extends beyond image capture to effect a change in the world, we delve into questionable practices that can threaten animal safety and compromise natural behaviors. From avoiding obvious red flags of baiting an animal with food or using audio lures to trigger photogenic results, to more subtle actions of approaching too quickly, getting too close, or staying too long—our guests shed light on alternative methods for ethical behavior in the field. As Melissa states, "You just have to become a part of the landscape and feel yourself within this community of other beings whose voices and whose messages are as filled with meaning as ours are, but we really have yet to tap into it." Guests: Melissa Groo & Bobby Stormer Episode Timeline: 3:56: Defining the term conservation photographer and making a distinction with the term wildlife photographer. 5:25: Melissa's career shift to focus on animal research and her early days photographing wildlife. 12:15: Bobby's expansion from fine art to photography, his shift to photographing animals, plus his passion for local wildlife & animal rescue. 16:49: Bobby's rescue of a fox and her kits, and his work with rehabbers to rehabilitate animals in need. 20:04: The ethics of photographing wildlife, best practices to consider, and mistakes photographers can make that cross ethical lines. 28:59: An increased awareness of wildlife ethics and the importance of sharing best practices in photographing animals to help educate one another. 36:04: Truth in image captioning and the question of sharing detailed location details, plus the distressing truth behind wildlife game farms. 44:42: Episode Break 46:24: The cameras, lenses, and related photo gear Melissa and Bobby pack, plus their camer

It takes a lot of guts to engage with a stranger on the street, ask probing questions about their struggles, and come away with a portrait and a story as a record of the human connection that was made. Now, imagine repeating this process countless times over 15 years under the moniker Humans of New York (HONY) and watching what started as a passion project take the world by storm. In today's show, we're privileged to chat with this 21st century archivist of everyday citizens and their lived experiences. Listen in as HONY's creator, Brandon Stanton, shares how he transformed street photography into a practice of deep human connection—moving beyond candid pictures to create a unique space where strangers can reveal their most authentic selves. Some key discussion points include: the art of active listening, the power of vulnerability, and how finding someone's struggle unlocks their genius. Brandon also reflects on building a creative practice through daily discipline and navigating the tension between social media algorithms and meaningful art. Stay to the end for a peek behind the scenes of Brandon's recent blockbuster installation that brought ordinary New Yorkers' stories into the hallowed space of Grand Central Terminal. At its core, this is a life lesson in the evolution of authentic storytelling in an increasingly digital world, creating scarcity in an age of abundance—not through better images or words, but through genuine human interaction that can't be replicated in the digital realm. Guest: Brandon Stanton Episode Timeline: 2:38: The first portrait Brandon made of two random strangers he encountered in a Chicago subway car. 7:48: Absorbing rejection when asking people for a picture so to get as broad a representation of the general public as possible. 15:20: The art of stopping someone on the street to capture a photograph and a story, and the evolution of Brandon's creative process. 22:45: Capturing moments of authenticity, the profundity of a person's struggles, the granularity of lived experience, plus the evolution of finding people to approach. 31:57: The mindset and habits Brandon established early on that enables him to create his art. 36:40: Brandon's evolution in capturing people's stories—from reconstructing stories from memory to notetaking in real time to crafting a story from audio recordings. 40:22: Episode Break 41:46: Starting Humans of New York as an antidote to being fired from his full-time job 43:05: The therapeutic aspect of talking to people, and Brandon's process of listening with his entire body to become a vessel for other peoples' stories. 50:22: The role of philanthropy, doing good for others on a grand scale, and Brandon's determination to do the best work possible. 54:15: Brandon talks about the impact of social media and its effects on human behavior. <

Picking up a camera is often the start of a life-changing journey. And when it's combined with a focus on community building, the determination to lead by example, and shrewd entrepreneurial skills—this basic action can have a ripple effect with the potential to change countless lives. In today's show, we speak with creative community trailblazer CJ Wolfe, who has built a passion for pictures and infectious team spirit into a multifaceted brand that encompasses rental studios, a creative agency, and a non-profit organization with a mission to educate and inspire disenfranchised youth. Listen in and discover how CJ tapped the determination and leadership skills instilled in him as a student athlete to build a thriving business from the ground up. As an advocate of the 10,000-hour rule, he put in the time and focused on studying the industry and its varied tools and processes, to propel both himself and his community to the next level. When asked what advice he'd give to young photographers just starting out, CJ notes: "…have your third eye open to what's going on around you, and how you can fit that into your story, into your art, into your creativity with your camera. Because nowadays, photographers, you're just not a photographer. Like, there's so much more to that now." Guest: CJ Wolfe Episode Timeline: 2:55: CJ's first camera, his pictures of fellow athletes, and learning camera settings on the fly. 6:29: The skills CJ learned from sports that have helped him build his business. 10:37: The challenges involved in establishing a 600-square-foot photo studio and rental business. 16:55: Building the business by studying the industry and the needed tools and trusting that process. 20:52: Establishing the CJ Wolfe Foundation as a non-profit organization and building the staff. 24:57: Earning people's trust, changing the perception of the neighborhood, and looking to establish studios in other cities. 31:23: Looking ahead to another five years and having more impact, plus CJ's plans to get back to his own photography. 33:59: CJ's advice for photographers who are just starting out: Always be open to learning new things about storytelling and marketing. 36:55: CJ's upcoming plans related to upcoming photo activations and major events going on in Philadelphia. Guest Bio: CJ Wolfe first picked up a camera in 2018, while pursuing college studies as a student-athlete. Since that time, he's become a staple within Philadelphia's creative community, influencing sports, music, and lifestyle through his creativity behind the scenes and, most importantly, behind the camera. Early on, CJ recognized a major gap in his hometown—a lack of safe, inspiring spaces for photographers to refine their craft, showcase their talents, and build professional networks. Responding to that need, in 2020, he founded Immortal Vision

Paul Mobley and Ian Spanier have much in common: from starting their respective careers in New York City before relocating to the West Coast, to their knack for forging a human bond with portrait subjects, to an unrelenting drive to generate ambitious commercial assignments while being equally dedicated to complex personal projects. In today's podcast, Paul and Ian compare notes on their photographic journeys from coast to coast, while discussing their shared inspiration for 20th century portrait masters such as Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, and in Ian's case, Harry Benson. A few of the key points covered: Secrets to becoming invaluable as a photo assistant; how no one can ever out hustle a New York photographer; and while great gear is important for reliability, what's more essential is to engage with your subject and shoot for feeling And, when it comes to surviving as an artist amid the latest media challenges, Paul adds a heartening note to the end of our chat: "You know, if we go back to what we started talking about: these pictures are made with our hearts and our minds, AI can never replace that. And if people want to hire us, they really want to know what's inside of us, so for that reason alone, I'm not worried." Guests: Paul Mobley & Ian Spanier Episode Timeline: 3:50: Paul's decision to move from Detroit to New York City after college and his early years as a photo assistant. 7:44: Ian's early photo journey through high school, college, and working as a photo editor in the publishing industry. 10:28: The influence of 20th century master portraitists such as Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, and Harry Benson. 15:28: Comparing the photo industry vibes of New York and Los Angeles. 22:11: The business of being a professional photographer: 10% taking pictures, 90% putting out fires and taking care of business. 28:40: The importance of gear in developing a style—equipment is secondary to what comes out of your heart, your mind, and your eye. 36:44: Episode Break 37:20: Preparation for a portrait shoot, getting the keywords for what a client needs and getting in front of a portrait subject. 43:32: Top challenge—Getting around the gatekeepers to get time with your subject. 49:35: The famous subjects at the top of Paul and Ian's bucket lists. 56:11: Personal projects and what this work lends to Paul and Ian's output. 1:01:44: Staying relevant in today's commercial marketplace, the value of past work, and the influence of hybrid media to getting new jobs. 1:06:38: The question of generative AI in today's creative economy—it's all about adapting, but AI can never replace what's in our hearts and our minds. Guest Bios: Paul Mobley is the quintessential portrait photographer, with a career that bridges high-profile commercial work and deeply human documentary projects. After formal ph

In case you didn't already know, 2025 marks 10 years since we started the B&H Photography Podcast, making today's show our tenth annual Photo Gear of the Year episode! A lot of cameras have come down the pike since that first recap, along with a veritable roller coaster of marketing strategies and photographic trends. To follow up on a trend discussed last year, we start out with a nod to point-and-shoots, a craze that, according to Kevin, has "become fever pitch." To expand on this theme, we look back in time to when digital point-and-shoots were losing ground to the ubiquitous camera phone, leading to Mike's theory that the current digicam trend is "real nostalgia for mid-aughts frivolity." We also point to a multi-tiered strategy among manufacturers, allowing them to cater to different user bases—from vloggers to professionals to hybrid shooters to the all-important enthusiast market. This lighthearted banter leads into our main course, focused on new releases from Canon, FUJIFILM, Godox, Hasselblad, Leica, Nikon, OM SYSTEM, Panasonic, Peak Design, Ricoh Pentax, Sigma, and Sony. Finally, in addition to predictions for 2026, we wrap things up with Kevin's picks for travel-friendly photo accessories to catch his eye this year. Stay to the end to learn about Peak Design's latest travel bags and tripods, plus the innovative modular design behind a new flash system from Godox. Guest: Kevin Rickert Episode Timeline 2:50: Kevin looks back at recent camera trends, and identifies separate tiers for vlogging, high resolution cameras, hybrid cameras, and the nostalgia for old point & shoots. 9:11: Canon releases: R50 V, R6 Mark III, Powershot V1… plus a nod to the older G7 X Mark III 18:00: FUJIFILM releases: X-half digi

"Wow, this is your job? I didn't know that was a job! That's amazing. Can I have this job?"  That offhand epiphany neatly sums up the enviable career path of wildlife, adventure, and travel photographer Chelsea Mayer. From an early start with her mom's camera to her selection for an Ambassador mentorship, before becoming a partner photographer, with Girls Who Click, all the way through to her certifications as a 100-ton boat captain and professional divemaster, the course Chelsea plotted has made her undeniably qualified for a thriving career. In today's show, we do a deep dive into the steps she's taken to keep her career moving forward and the vital role of mentors who've kept her motivated and focused on details that count. And on the flip side, Chelsea talks about common fears and obstacles creatives must overcome to land a dream job like her current role with National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions.  "There are so many different paths to get a job in photography or adjacent to photography," Chelsea points out. Yet, as her story make crystal clear, "How do you know that you want to do it if you didn't know it exists? Guest: Chelsea Mayer Episode Timeline: 2:15: Chelsea's early interest in photography and filmmaking, then adding structure through formal education. 5:31: From a casual whale watching trip to finding a photo job on the boat. 8:26: Chelsea's involvement with the organization Girls Who Click—from ambassador to partner. 13:18: Chelsea talks about uncertainty and roadblocks in building her photo career.  15:29: Pivoting to a new opportunity to sell limited edition fine art prints due constant travel in her current job. 18:49: Overcoming a fear of public speaking in a new role at National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions. 22:04: Chelsea's gear for whale watching expeditions and underwater work.   24:48: Chelsea's disarming approach to teaching, the inspiration she draws from the outside world, and finding focus in photographing for fine art prints. 30:46: Chelsea describes a magical underwater experience with a Mola Mola.   32:48: Breaking through walls and asserting herself in a male dominated field. 36:01: Chelsea's aspirations for the future: owning a boat and teaching photography in Antarctica. 37:24: Advice for other young photographers: become undeniably qualified. Guest Bio: Chelsea Mayer is a photographer and cinematographer specializ

Join Deanna as she welcomes professional side-quester, storyteller, and video editor, Mylene Mae (@mylenesmind). Mylene shares her personal journey, including how she pivoted from working in STEM and got started in video, as well as her learning process and the struggles of digesting long-form content. They discuss the importance betting on yourself, staying curious, and forgetting the metrics and finding the fun in content creation. Credits: Host & Creative Producer: Deanna Testa Creative Producer: Elena Maidebura Creative Editor: Larissa Mattei Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

Photographs preserve what daily life cannot—moments that would otherwise fade into obscurity. In today's show, we explore this topic through a nexus of American culture, popular folklore, and photographic archives in a chat with Alan Govenar and Adam Forgash, two photographers and visual historians who are passionate about unearthing and preserving forgotten stories. Coming from different backgrounds, Alan's formal training and experience with the non-profit Documentary Arts complements Adam's hands-on skills hunting for treasures and selling vintage photographica at New York's Chelsea Flea Market. A few of the points they discuss include: the central role of the community photographer in twentieth-century life, the cultural significance of Route 66 as a favored connection point, the painstaking process of resurrecting century-old portraits from damaged glass plates, and much more. As Adam notes about these rescued portraits now titled "Faces of the Mother Road," "I've had these kinds of collections over the last 30 years and kind of let them go, but this one, I knew there was something special about it. So, as soon as I realized what I was looking at, I stopped. I put it in climate control storage. I got archival paper to put it in. I started a numbering system. "It feels pretty good," he adds, "to get more serious about my craft, realizing that I am a photo historian, even though I don't have a degree." Guests: Alan Govenar & Adam Forgash Episode Timeline: 3:07: Alan Govenar's early connections to photography and his introduction to Stoney, the hunchbacked tattoo artist who jumpstarted his photo career. 8:33: The role various media has played in Alan's work as an interdisciplinary artist and how changes to media has influenced his storytelling. 11:37: Adam Forgash describes New York's Chelsea Flea Market and the treasure trove of 8,000 glass negatives he discovered there. 16:18: A peek into the Texas African American Photography Archive, and the era of the community photographer. 22:02: Storytelling within a historical context and a photographer's accountability in reverse engineering a story from vestiges of the past. 27:01: Adam's accidental discovery of a second half to SJ Tyler's archive and tracking down information about the photographer. 30:49: Connecting the story of SJ Tyler's portrait studio to an exhibit celebrating the centennial of Route 66. 32:28: Episode Break 33:47: Making distinctions between Alan's formal education in folklore and Adam's schooling at the hands of New York's Chelsea flea market crowd. 40:23: Adam's approach to beginning this project, and how SJ Tyler's collection differed from past archives he's worked on. 42:52: Connections between Tyler's photographs and the significance of travel on Route 66, plus Adam's relationship to Tulsa. 44:26: Placing p

In Episode 7, host Deanna Testa sits down with the vibrant and hilarious, Tolú Ekundare (@tolukundare) to spill the tea on what it takes to grow as a modern creator. Tolú shares how she landed two big Netflix shows, the challenges of getting started in the podcasting space, and how she continues to build her own brand while staying her most authentic self. Credits: Host & Creative Producer: Deanna Testa Creative Producer: Elena Maidebura Creative Editor: Larissa Mattei Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

News reporting has got to be one of the toughest markets for a visual journalist to crack. But the whirlwind of 24/7 news cycles and the pressures of telling human stories in rural news deserts have not deterred today's guest, Keren Carrión, a photojournalist and short form video producer currently working on the NPR visuals team. Follow along as we chart Keren's evolution from stills to documentary video stories to vertical social media clips that can be absorbed in two minutes or less. We also learn about the many opportunities for feedback and career advancement she's explored, and the mix of internships and mentorship programs that have been central to her career success. When asked about parting advice for current students she notes, "I think it's really important to have a visual voice. And the only way to find that is to keep shooting. Yeah. And I will also say meet with as many people as possible, be mentored, go to portfolio reviews figure out how to elevate that voice." Guest: Keren Carrión Episode Timeline: 2:28: Keren's early photo experiences, pairing pictures with stories for her high school paper. 5:05: Adding video to the mix in college and how this has influenced her storytelling. 10:40: Keren's advice to college students: Seek out networking and internship opportunities. 12:17: Momenta Workshops and other non-profit mentorship programs, and how these opportunities can shape creative vision and skills. 20:20: Working with Report for America in Texas, covering under-reported stories and rural news deserts. 26:22: The evolution of news media and Keren's work at NPR to create short form videos for distribution across social media platforms. 31:12: Keren's current gear, from iPhones to Sony mirrorless cameras, for shooting vertical videos 35:32: Non-traditional news reporting and how user-generated content is now shared by larger news organizations. 38:28: Keren's future aspirations to evolve with the industry and learn new skills as platforms and audiences change. 39:56: More advice for the next generation: Keep shooting to find and elevate your visual voice. <p class="PlainPaper" style= "text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 355.5pt 5.0in 5.5i

In this episode, we sit down with New York-based photographer and content creator Brandon Woelfel (@brandonwoelfel) to discuss his personal journey as well as the growing pains of being modern creator and photographer. Brandon shares how fine art led him to taking photos, adapting to the ever-changing social media landscape, gaining confidence in one's own work, educating in the space, and even leveraging AI. Whether you're a photographer, filmmaker, TikTok star, podcaster, or just starting your creative journey, this conversation is full of insight, motivation, and practical advice you can use right now. Episodes drop every other Thursday. Hit subscribe and join the B&H Creators community for more unfiltered conversations with creators shaping today's culture. Guest Bio: Brandon Woelfel Brandon Woelfel is known for his dreamy portrait photography. His creative use of lighting and color lend a unique sense of intimacy to his portraits that makes his work instantly recognizable. He's also the author of two photo books, Ultraviolet and Luminescence. Credits: Host & Creative Producer: Deanna Testa Creative Producer: Elena Maidebura Creative Editor: Larissa Mattei Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

Although they cater to different senses, photography and music share much in common. In both these arts, timing, rhythm, and mood are key. It's been a while since we've mixed photography and music on the show, so we're particularly excited about today's chat with two photographers who share a passion for documenting musicians and their fans—in particular, devotes of punk and indie rock. From early memories of being truly moved by music to practical tips about photo access, image rights and restrictions, plus the complexities of organizing your work for a book, the conversation doesn't miss a beat. So, turn up the volume as Bootsy Holler reminisces about dropping into the Seattle music scene in the early 1990's to capture the raw energy of her favorite bands, now compiled in the book Making It: An Intimate Documentary about the Seattle Indie, Rock and Punk Scene. And Chris Ortiz describes how the house parties he captured at a punk commune in Kansas served as the foundation for his skills as a music photographer with a keen eye for differentiating himself in the photo pit. As Chris points out when it comes to preparing for a show. "It goes back to knowing that music and knowing the band, and being able to sit back and say, Yes, I am a fan of the band, but I also am professional, so this is what I'm going to look for when the band comes out." Guests: Bootsy Holler & Chris Ortiz Episode Timeline: 3:20: Bootsy Holler recalls her early days dropping into the Seattle music scene, photographing garage bands and dive bars. 9:41: Chris Ortiz talks about his start in photography, and his time photographing house parties at a punk rock commune in Lawrence, Kansas. 12:01: The difference between documenting live music and making portraits of musicians, where you need to develop a rapport with your subjects. 17:32: A tip of the hat to Chris as a longtime podcast superfan, plus what he's learned from listening to our 10-year archive of shows. 20:20: Bootsy's early stylistic influences and its effect on her art and music photography. 25:54: The earliest memory of being truly moved by music and the songs Bootsy and Chris were listening to when they truly got it. 31:56: Applying the inner feels of music to photographing a concert and connecting with the rhythm to grab key moments. 39:00: Negotiating access, shooting from the photo pit vs the side of the stage, plus differentiating your pictures from other photographers' work. 48:00: Episode Break 48:56: Chris talks more about current dynamics for gaining access when shooting music and concerts. 53:44: Current limits on concert photo usage and restrictions on contracts offered by some artists and entertainment companies. 58:28: Legal parameters related to pictures in Bootsy's book, plus the difference between concert pictures and portrait situations.

Welcome to the fifth episode of the B&H Creators Green Room Podcast! In this episode, we sit down with viral street photography creator David Guerroro to discuss what it takes to grow as a modern creator. David shares how he got started in content creation, tips for building an audience, the importance of believing in yourself, photographing strangers, and advice for going viral. Whether you're a photographer, filmmaker, TikTok star, podcaster, or just starting out, this conversation is full of motivation, insight, and practical advice you can use right now. Hit Subscribe and join the B&H Creators community for more unfiltered conversations with the creators shaping today's culture.   Guest Bio: David Guerrero Title: Street Photographer & Content Creator Through authentic storytelling and viral content, David Guerrero from Texas has built a global audience inspired by the connection between photography and humani

"Inspiration doesn't have an age gap… Maybe you've heard it 100 times before, but this time it hits differently. Or this time, it's where it sinks in and you have that 'aha' moment." That's just one takeaway from our spirited conversation with Grace Mc Nally. From soaking up a passion for photography through an early mentorship program at NYC Salt to her decision to forgo college and continue learning on the job, Grace has forged an impressive path as a creative renaissance woman with a passion for community. As podcast host Derek Fahsbender notes about this chat, "Great advice is all around you. Experience is all around you. But if you're not soaking it in, if you're not learning from it, then it's not going to make you a better photographer. It's not going to make you a better person. You really have to take it and internalize it." So, sit back and be a sponge for some inspired creative insights! Guest: Grace Mc Nally Episode Timeline: 2:28: Grace's photographic beginnings, her father's influence as a full-time professional, plus discovering the NYC Salt mentorship program. 6:08: Studying photography on the job, plus the influence of mentors like Mark Mann and the program at D&AD Shift NY. 13:40: How Grace's vision has changed through various mentorship programs, how her early self-portraits compare with recent projects to serve others, plus the creative challenges that come with doing paid work. 21:09: Grace's work in art direction and discovering the value of being a photographer in a different stage of production. 23:02: The main inspiration for how Grace sees and its relationship to Irish culture. 24:58: The gear she works with—from her earliest experiments with the iPod Touch to current work with her iPhone and her Canon R6 MK II. 29:30: More on free work vs paid jobs. How do you find your value as a photographer? 34:25: Thoughts about having diverse skill sets, compartmentalizing and creating labels, and Grace's vision for her career moving forward. 38:15: Grace's most instrumental piece of advice for photographers just starting out—Don't stop shooting and don't delete your work! 40:57: Grace's current self-portrait series in the Irish landscape and other future projects. Guest Bio: Grace Mc Nally is a creative renaissance woman with a passion for community. Born & raised in Queens, New York by two creative & crafty Irish Immigrants, Grace has a diverse skill set, with more than 7 years of experience running her creative production house Allegr

In this episode, we sit down with viral ice cream creator Dylan Lemay to spill the tea on what it really takes to grow as a modern creator. Dylan shares how his content creation journey began, how he built his audience, and the importance of balancing life on and off social media. We also discuss his ultimate tips for going viral in 2025 and get a peak of the ice cream business behind the scenes. Whether you're a photographer, filmmaker, TikTok star, podcaster, or just starting out, this conversation is full of motivation, insight, and practical advice you can use right now. Guest Bio: Dylan Lemay Title: Content Creator Dylan Lemay, aka the Ice Cream Guy, is a creator and storyteller who blends food, interactive experiences, and creative video, taking you behind the counter to make the world's most iconic treats. Stay Connected: TikTok Instagram Credits: Host & Creative Producer: Deanna Testa Creative Producer: Elena Maidebura Creative Editor: Larissa Mattei Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

How often do you think beyond the photos you make to consider the larger purpose they serve—both for yourself and, ideally, for a wider audience? In today's show, we explore this idea while connecting the dots between picture making, process, and purpose. Our guides for this conversation are nature/landscape photographer and mountaineer Matt Payne, and street photographer, portraitist, and YouTube storyteller Sean Tucker. While Matt and Sean have widely different photographic specialties, they share much in common, from educational backgrounds in psychology to a profound commitment in using photography to find purpose in life. Taking Matt's 567-mile through-hike of the Colorado Trail as a jumping off point, we explore how balancing such a mammoth feat of endurance with a creative pursuit led him to look inward and see the world around him anew. Beyond the how of making pictures, we discuss the all-important why's of photography—from being more intentional in your image making to forging connections between learning and failure in order to grow creatively. By the end of this chat you'll gain valuable insights about living and working with intention in world oversaturated by social media—where digital fatigue is a valid concern, and AI looms on the horizon. As Sean Tucker notes, "We've been given this gift that can also be a poisoned chalice. And we each need to decide for ourselves how we want to use it, beyond the addictive qualities. We need to take some responsibility and say, 'how much do I want this in my life so that it's useful? And where do I need to draw a line?'" Guests: Matt Payne & Sean Tucker Episode Timeline: 4:01: Matt talks about why he first started taking photos as an avid mountaineer, plus Sean describes his start and the first camera he had as a little boy. 8:52: Jung's concept of two halves to creativity—the morning and the afternoon of life—plus Sean's crisis point in his journey to making meaningful work. 15:06: Matt describes our modern addiction to dopamine and ways to become comfortable with introducing discomfort in your life. Plus, he looks back on his decision to focus full time on his photography two years after quitting his day job. 21:14: Knowing how you are wired and finding the place where your deep joy and the world's deep hunger meet to pump purpose into the universe. 26:36: Matt's 567-mile endurance hike of the Colorado Trail and how he balanced this with photography and creativity. 32:24: How to make sense of all the visual noise around you to become more intentional with your photography. 40:38: Episode Break 41:38: Find the magic by looking

In this episode we sit down with talented viral creator and musician Peet Montzingo to spill the tea on what it really takes to grow as a modern creator. Peet shares how he got started, how ADHD impacted his journey, the power of family, and his ultimate tips to going viral. Whether you're a photographer, filmmaker, TikTok star, podcaster, or just starting your creative journey, this conversation is full of motivation, insight, and practical advice. Hit Subscribe and join the B&H Creators community for more unfiltered conversations with the creators shaping today's culture. Guest Bio: Peet Montzingo Title: Creative Director, Producer, and Creator A multi-faceted artist with a curious and kind heart, whose talents span creating original content, music, literature, and so much more. Through his fascination with mysteries of the world to his deep bond with his family, Peet skyrocketed to fame, boasting millions of followers who find themselves deeply engaged and supportive of his endeavors. Peet often raises awareness for dwarfism with a lighthearted and charming presence, shining a loving light on his mother and siblings, all of whom are little people.   Stay Connected: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3Y9XZfRwSQ/?hl=en  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@peetmontzingo?lang=en  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PeetMontzingo    Credits: Host & Creative Producer: Deanna Testa Creative Producer: Elena Maidebura Creative Editor: Larissa Mattei Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

Above Photograph © Patience Ojionuka How do you transition from being simply "a friend with a camera" to landing paid gigs with top fashion brands? All while juggling a budding photo career and the rigors of post graduate study, along with sharing insider tips to inspire your community on the side.  We answer these questions and more in this, our second episode of Next Frame, a monthly podcast series shining a light on rising creative talents.  Today's guest is Patience Ojionuka, a trendsetting creative known for multitasking between enviable photo assignments and working towards a PhD in psychology. We get the low down on her experiences in the power of pitching and the magic of sharing on social media. "There's always projects happening, and I think that is the biggest thing I learned," she explains. "There's nothing more powerful than sharing your work." Patience also admits, "I was waiting for the perfect time to start, which reminder to anybody listening, the perfect time to start is right now. I just posted it, and it got a reaction that I just wasn't expecting. And that could happen to you. That could happen to anyone." Guest: Patience Ojionuka Episode Timeline: 2:07: Patience Ojionuka's start in photography as an undergraduate doing senior portraits and school events. 4:09: Figuring out how to make photography fit into her life, plus getting past the stigma that part time artists don't have a stake in the industry. 6:20: Connecting with ASMP's Bridge Mentorship Program, how this changed her life, plus finding time, space, and resources to create at Shotti's LR2 Studio.  13:32: A love for lighting and the viral lighting tutorials Patience posts on TikTok. 17:19: How Patience has evolved as a photographer both technically and as a tastemaker. 19:56: A memorable assignment and the value of being kind and personable in a tough industry.  22:53: Learning the power of pitching and sharing your work on social media. 26:13: Patience's current social media strategy, plus the Instagram reel that changed her life. 29:16: Drawing inspiration from outside the photography world and merging the different parts of her brain.  32:58: The most important thing that Patience has learned from mentoring and aims to impart to others.   35:21: Where Patience aspires to be as a photographer five years from now, plus news about a recent project for Teen Vogue. Guest Bio: Patience Ojionuka is a queer, Houston-raised, NYC-based photographer and psychology PhD student. Specializing in fashion and portraiture, Patience has worked on and assisted in projects for Teen Vogue, Wall Street Journal, Self Magazine, Who What Wear, Allure, and has had clients such as Tinder, Lex App, and National University. Outside the studio, you can find her singing a cappella, editing videos, or probably inappropriately doing doctoral homework at

This episode we're talking to the multi-talented, Bea Chu. Bea dives into how her content creator journey began and how she balances education and creativity. We talk about creator communities and tips for improving your audio game.   Guest Bio: Bea Chu is a content creator who started her career as a theatre sound designer and audio engineer. She has over a decade of video-creating experience, and gained popularity with her viral video "How to Turn Your Headset into a DIY Lapel Mic." Since then, she has been educating and inspiring fellow creators through insightful content about the creator economy, as well as producing engaging videos on cinematography, personal branding, and growing on social media. Click to Subscribe to the to the Creators Green Room Channel: https://linktr.ee/CreatorsGreenRoom Stay Connected: Instagram    Credits  Host & Creative Producer: Deanna Tesa  Creative Producer: Elena Maidebura Creative Editor: Larissa Mattei Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

"If you look very intensely and slowly things will happen that you never dreamed of before." This Aaron Siskind quote neatly sums up the deeply contemplative discussion we had with landscape photographers John Paul Caponigro and Joel Simpson in this week's podcast. Siskind's name is mentioned several times in our chat—as are many other 20th century photography legends—making this show both an exploration of photo history and an exercise in a holistic way to envision and record the world around us. Our focus on landscape quickly diverges from realistic depictions in favor of terrain that celebrates abstraction and metaphor. Follow along as we unpack the unwieldy term Pareiolia—the tendency to see familiar things in otherwise random patterns—and discover unique pathways to relate to the natural world. As John Paul Caponigro aptly points out, "I think of every exposure that I make as having a conversation with the subject and myself. I think of every move that I make in Photoshop as having a conversation with the image that started one way and is developing in another. And I ask, you know, what does the image want?" Guests: John Paul Caponigro & Joel Simpson Episode Timeline: 3:30: Joel Simpson describes his early landscapes as a way to re-experience being elsewhere. 9:24: Pareidolia: what it means and its relationship to Joel's photographs. 13:24: John Paul's relationship to the term pareidolia: a way to find patterns and make sense out of chaos. 19:12: The influence of Gestalt psychology when interpreting abstract patterns and photographing the bare bones of the earth. 24:55: Differences between making pictures with the aid of pre-visualization vs going in empty and refining ones' vision in post using digital tools. Plus insights about getting beyond the imitation phase to find a path to originality in your work. 35:58: How do you know when your unique vision from the pictures you make are ready to be released into the world? 42:12: Episode Break 43:24: John Paul's approach to post-processing—using the tools as a laboratory to make multiple iterations. 47:00: Joel describes the discoveries he made when finessing photos of a wonderous landscape from Zhangjiajie, China. 50:21: How does AI factor into crafting an authentic vision, plus the mind as the original AI. 1:03:18: Using photography to tap into things that haven't yet been discovered and elicit a sense of wonder from viewers' responses. 1:06:50: Joel and John

We're kicking off the B&H Creators Green Room with the very talented Shuang Hu. Shuang is a renowned actress, writer, director, producer, and viral content creator with over 12 million followers. Tune in to learn about her creative journey, inspiration, and what it takes to grow as a modern creator.   Guest Bio: Shuang Hu is a talented Chinese-Australian actress, writer, director, producer, and content creator who has gained over 12 million followers since starting her online content in March 2020. Her YouTube channel, THEONESHU, was listed as one of the top 50 most viewed US channels by Tubefilter.com, and her most viral short-form video has received over 298 million views. Shuang has appeared in various TV shows, films, and plays. She also co-wrote, co-created, produced, and starred in Amazon Prime's first original feature film, "Five Blind Dates," launched in February 2024, and she aims to continue sharing engaging stories across different platforms.   Stay Connected   TikTok  Instagram YouTube   Credits  Host & Creative Producer: Deanna Tesa  Creative Producer: Elena Maidebura Creative Editor: Larissa Mattei Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens   Click here to Subscribe

The photo world is filled with remarkable young and up-and-coming talents. They often don't get the visibility they deserve, so we created Next Frame—a new monthly series aiming to shine a light their way. These bite-sized episodes are equally inspired by the guests we speak with and the invaluable contributions of local creative arts programs that have played a key role in their development. We're launching this series with photographer, filmmaker, and boxing & music aficionado Josh Nass, an alumnus of Baltimore's Wide Angle Youth Media programs. From nailing his Photoshop skills while still in middle school to trading in his boxing gloves for a camera during college and beyond, Josh regales us with practical tips about both the successes and challenges all young creatives must face as they transition from trading pictures for access to molding media skills into a profitable career. Looking back on his early days chasing both music and fashion scenes, Josh notes, "Your main role as a photographer—especially with talent and famous people—you know, I thought I was just making them look cool, but I'm making them money. I'm marketing them for their next tour, for their current tour. Looking back, I've learned a thing or two about how to get users' attention online." Guest: Josh Nass Episode Timeline: 2:04: Baltimore/DC-based photographer Josh Nass talks about first picking up a camera to fill his time after hanging up his boxing gloves. 3:40: Leveraging social media to get on stage and photograph his favorite Caribbean singer, then trading free pictures for ongoing access. 7:25: Navigating one's comfort level as an up-and-coming photographer, plus making a distinction between comfort with gear and social ease with subjects and clients. 9:08: Making pictures of cool moments, creative editing decisions to draw out the cool factor, and being first to deliver the files are all key to Josh's success. 14:02: Street hustling at New York Fashion Week to gain access to photograph top artists and celebrities, and the tough lessons Josh learned in the process. 19:06: Josh's connection to Baltimore's Wide Angle Youth Media and the formative role their programs have played in his early photography success. 22:50: Being referred by Wide Angle for a Comcast commercial, and the backstory to what transpired behind-the-scenes. 29:49: Josh weighs future career options and whether he'll choose to pursue photography full time. 35:40: Essential advice for emerging photographers: Prioritize building your skills and don't overvalue your work early on. Plus, a look at Josh's first big

Above Photograph © Matt Emond Summertime is the season for travel. With that theme in mind, in today's show, we're taking you on a short trip around the block to revisit a few of our favorite encounters from B New York-based filmmaker, producer, and podcaster Maria Clinton; and Canadian-born, globetrotting visual engineer and environmental activist Benjamin Von Wong. Guests: CJ Wolfe, Maria Clinton, & Benjamin Von Wong Episode Timeline: 2:32: Philadelphia-based photographer, entrepreneur, and community organizer CJ Wolfe talks about how a camera changed his life, leading him to found Immortal Vision Studios, and a related creative agency. 7:58: Reminiscing about how CJ's early love of coding inspired him to customize MySpace profiles for his friends as a youth. 12:58: CJ's creative goals for the future and the inspiration to get his studio on wheels to expand. 14:34: CJ talks about business shifts and the new ideas he gets from interns—rather than thinking, look to AI. 21:27: New York-based filmmaker, producer, and podcaster Maria Clinton riffs about generational shifts in the realm of content creation. 27:00: The underlying question of who you're creating for and why? 29:05: The difference between content creation and filmmaking. 32:21: Maria talks about The Little Souvenirs podcast, the types of stories she and her co-host tell, and where you can find the show. 33:45: Bild speaker, visual engineer, and environmental activist Benjamin Von Wong reminisces about his previous conversation with the podcast and the challenges he faced back then about continuing his journey as an artist. 38:06: Ben's recent projects, and his theory of activating change by finding the nexus of the right place, the right time and the right people. 43:02: Ben's accidental path to becoming an environmentalist, plus the need to shift hi

"That which unites us is far greater than what divides us." The first four words of this sentence are subtitle, and subtext, for "Path of Liberty," an immersive outdoor photo and media experience on view through fall 2025 at Freedom Plaza on Manhattan's east side. The creative groundwork for this project was a mammoth effort involving an extensive crew both on the road and behind the scenes. In today's podcast, we catch up with two principals of this project's creative team—creative director Daniella Vale and director of photography, Scott Beardslee—to learn more about their daily lives during two months spent traversing the country by van to interview a broad group of everyday Americans. From the founding idea of capturing the diversity of people across America to the curiosity and resilience of the crew when working on the road to the complexities of orchestrating the many sensory elements for an immersive experience in exhibition, our discussion is rich with creative insight. As Daniella shares during our chat, "I always tend to make three films. There's the film I write, the film I shoot, and then, usually, I rearrange everything and make a totally different film in the edit. So, I've gotten pretty accustomed to non-attachment and rolling with things. That's where the magic happens too." Guests: Daniella Vale & Scott Beardslee Episode Timeline: 3:28: The inspiration behind Path of Liberty and Daniella's role as creative lead. 6:59: Daniella and Scott's respective backgrounds in photography and film, plus being curious and distinctions between finding the moment vs creating the moment. 12:02: Daniella and Scott's first introduction in the New York film world. 15:14: Building the crew for Path of Liberty and the challenges of traveling and conducting interviews on the road. 21:35: Daniella describes the three films she makes in the process of writing, shooting, and editing, plus the importance of learning to adapt on the fly. 26:54: Memorable stories from the Path of Liberty road trip. 30:56: Episode Break 31:30: We all want to be happy, but there's a difference between freedom and taking advantage of freedom 34:42: Daniella discusses her time in Japan, and the cultural contrast between American individualism and societies that put the group over the individual self. 41:00: The gear Daniella and Scott traveled with and how it affected the project. 47:59: The interview process with portrait subjects, plus making natural portraits in the moment.

"Live From New York, it's Saturday Night!" That single sentence has become a catchphrase for devotees of comedy and popular culture over the past 50 years—generations of fans who willingly turn their attentions from the height of weekend revelry to the televised antics of Saturday Night Live. Week in, week out for more than two decades, a single photographer has conjured visual magic behind the scenes, creating inventive and irreverent portraits that air for three seconds each as so-called "bumpers" that transition to and from the show's commercial breaks. In this week's podcast, SNL's photographer in residence Mary Ellen Matthews regales us with details about what's undoubtedly the world's best photo gig—a position she's held for 25 years. From the fateful phone call she got in 1993, inviting her to assist the show's founding photographer, Mary Ellen offers candid insights into her journey from mentee to team leader. Along the way, we pull back the curtain on the creation of some iconic images and learn what it takes to be "in the driver's seat [with] a whole busload of very important people to take care of." "My job is to make this easy and fast," she notes. "And I don't want anyone to be overthinking anything because they've got enough to worry about with all the sketches and all the pre-tapes and their responsibilities to the rest of the show, which is the most important thing." Guest: Mary Ellen Matthews Episode Timeline: 2:58: Living the dream as SNL's resident photographer while being creative under stressful deadline pressure. 4:50: Mary Ellen's early immersion in photography, at the side of her hobbyist father. 7:02: Arriving in NYC, early work for a record label, and the call to assist SNL's founding photographer in residence, Edie Baskin. 12:02: SNL's transition from film to digital, plus the cameras Mary Ellen shoots with today. 15:46: Conceptualizing the weekly portrait shoots and collaborating with subjects. 20:16: Behind-the-scenes of a dicey photo shoot, plus SNL's weekly production timeline. 27:35: Episode Break 28:22: Beyond portraits, the images Mary Ellen shoots as props for SNL sketches—sometimes with a 4x5. 33:20: The scheduling of SNL portrait shoots and getting portrait subjects to have fun. 36:44: Testing for shoots, the atmosphere on-set, and flying by the seat of your pants. 40:15: Communicating with a celebrity's team to get everyone on the same page about shoots and concepts. 42:40: The general workflow of SNL portrait sessions: from shoot preparation to editi

Industrial expansion has left an indelible mark on our natural world, fundamentally altering landscapes and ecosystems for the sake of material progress and modern convenience. This transformation has created an environmental challenge of unprecedented scale. In today's show, we'll connect the dots between the raw materials that make up our planet and the industrial forces visually altering our contemporary landscape in a chat with a photographer who's documented these profound global changes firsthand for the past 50 years. Applying visual principals rooted in abstract expressionist painting, Edward Burtynsky has explored a wide range of photographic tools in his image making—from large format film to high-res digital cameras mounted to the most sophisticated of drones. Included among our many discussion topics are his distinctive approach to translating a 3-D landscape to the flat plane of a photograph; his various methods for capturing aerials using either a helicopter, fixed wing aircraft, or various types of drones; and the early business epiphany that led him to open a photo lab as an income stream, rather than work as a camera for hire. As Burtynsky shares during our chat, about the connection between nature and industry: "You know, materials are an incredibly key part of modern society. And yet we need to go to sources in nature, where these materials are found. And I'm just reconnecting a reality that we still live in a material world, and our cities are built of molecules that came from somewhere, and I'm taking you to those places that are vast and huge." Guest: Edward Burtynsky Episode Timeline: 2:58: Burtynsky's early interest in abstract expressionist painting combined with the magic and rituals of composing images with a large format camera 5:28: Planning for aerial views, the shift from using a minerals map in the past to Google Earth today, plus Burtynsky's shooting preferences between a helicopter and a drone and shooting open air. 10:22: Burtynsky's approach to translating a 3-D landscape to the flat plane of a photograph. 17:17: The planning and research behind Burtynsky's work vs the need to pivot in the field. 19:45: Adapting to technology over a 50-year career, and how it's shaped Burtynsky's process—from large format film to high end digital on a drone. 23:16: Episode Break 23:59: Burtynsky talks about permissions to access mines and industrial sites and how this has changed over time. 31:44: A wrong turn on the highway in 1981 and the photos that led Burtynsky to an ep

Every photographer dreams of publishing a book of their photographs. But what exactly does that entail? In today's show, we're going to peek behind the scenes of this complex and daunting process in a chat with two complementary figures who've spent their respective careers helping to redefine what a photo book can be. Starting with three basic questions—Why a book? Why now? And what is the role of a book in your career at this time?—our discussion expands to cover a broad range of concerns. From distinguishing between the many different publishing models available today, to insights on sponsorship and publishing contracts, to tips about marketing and getting people onboard with your project, you'll come away with inventive strategies for publishing your work in book form. We've envisioned this show as an impromptu master class, so get ready to take some notes! Guests: Mary Virginia Swanson & Rick Smolan Episode Timeline: 4:45: Mary Virginia Swanson's basic advice to photographers interested in publishing their photographs in book form, plus the different publishing models available today. 10:22: Rick's start as a freelance photographer and the story behind his shift in roles to launch the Day in the Life book series. 15:04: The importance of sponsorship or in-kind donations, plus innovative strategies for negotiating such deals. 23:04: The two different categories of photo books: greatest hits with the photographer as subject and a book that has a separate subject and overarching story. 27:55: Tips for going on press, advice about publishing contracts, and suggestions for buying back a book before it gets remaindered. 34:54: The issue of vanity presses, and the matter of requiring a subvention from authors to help cover the publisher's costs. 43:03: Publicity and marketing: You are the best salesperson for your book. Tips for getting your book seen and heard about, from magazines to podcasts. 49:08: Episode Break 50:02: Should you create a full mock-up version of a book or just show a publisher a selection of photos? 59:22: Benefits to working with a literary agent when seeking to publish a photo book. 1:01:44: Slicing up the pie by hiring freelaners or finding a partner to share in the work. 1:07:38: The importance of publishing deadlines and many important markers tied to a calendar, plus the cover photo and book blurbs. 1:14:22: Swanson and Smolan on their picks for memorable photo books. 1:25:19: Parting advice about getting other people excited about your project

In a world of perpetual motion, there exists a realm of profound stillness—where light doesn't simply illuminate, it transforms. Far from home amid Earth's frozen tundras, time itself seems suspended in crystalline air. In today's podcast, we'll visit these places where time hangs in the balance, and we'll explore the intrepid mix of endurance, patience, and vision it takes to make pictures there. Joining us for this conversation are polar photography specialists Acacia Johnson and Jonas Paurell. From making distinctions between Arctic and Antarctic regions, to learning about the unique challenges involved with photographing there, our polar experts share many valuable insights. In addition to tips about packing and safeguarding camera gear in cold weather climates, we also discuss the importance of managing expectations during such trips, especially when faced with a long wait to see wildlife amid the barren stillness. As Alaskan photographer Acacia Johnson puts it, "… I think going into a trip with kind of a sense of exploration, like the joy of the trip is that you don't know, and it's completely unique to your experience. And whatever you do see is kind of a gift." Guests: Acacia Johnson & Jonas Paurell Episode Timeline: 3:37: Acacia Johnson's upbringing in the wilds of Alaska and leaving the area for photo studies at the Rhode Island School of Design in the lower 48. 7:35: Jonas Paurell's youth in Sweden and the impact his first trek to Scandinavian Arctic regions had on his soul. 14:08: The differences between Arctic and Antarctic polar landscapes, plus Acacia's experiences during a winter in Arctic Bay, with no sun for four months. 29:13: Different approaches to storytelling about the Arctic based on subject matter, and capturing an emotion in images that does justice to the landscape. 37:31: The logistics of getting to Arctic and Antarctic locations, and expenses involved with working and living there. 43:19: The Jubilee Expedition Jonas organized to celebrate the 150th anniversary of a legendary Swedish polar expedition to Svalbard. 51:20: Episode Break 51:38: Preparations for a polar expedition and the camera gear Acacia and Jonas pack. 1:00:31: Using a large format camera on polar expeditions, plus managing gear in extreme cold conditions. 1:06:42: Managing expectations for travelers, misconceptions when planning trips, plus different types of vessels used during expeditions to polar regions. 1:16:42: Cultivating an authentic connection to place when photographing polar regions. <li class="MsoNormal

When it comes to his iconic street portraits, Jamel Shabazz is all about building relationships and spreading joy. Yet, beyond the rich tapestry created with both the neighbors and strangers, friends and rivals he's encountered across New York's five boroughs, Jamel's most meaningful role might be that of a street teacher, touching the lives of the people in front of his lens and inviting them to mark their place in history. In today's podcast, we learn from the master while tracing his career path, from early observational learning at the side of his father—a professional photographer in his own right—to his first street portraits of classmates and friends. Jamel also shares how his singular vision was shaped by outside forces, including three years overseas in the Army and 20 years as a New York City corrections officer.  Incredibly, Jamel was able to take his camera along inside, and he describes the fine line he walked in our chat. "So, it was illegal," he admits, "but I was known to have done it throughout my entire career. As time went on, I became known as that photographer within the department that photographed everybody. You know, the brass, the officers. And I gave everybody the photographs. So, yes, I killed them with kindness." Guest: Jamel Shabazz Guest Bio: Jamel Shabazz is a documentary, fashion, and street photographer from Brooklyn, who has spent more than four decades capturing the cultural shifts and struggles of New York City through iconic photographs. His pictures have been exhibited worldwide, are permanently housed in prestigious institutions, and currently featured in nine monographs, along with more than three dozen other photo books. A recipient of the 2018 Gordon Parks Award and the Gordon Parks Foundation/Steidl book prize in 2022, Jamel is also dedicated to education, having instructed young students through programs at the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Schomburg Center, and the Bronx Museum. As a member of the Kamoinge photo collective and a board member of En Foco, Jamel's artistic mission remains centered on preserving urban history and culture through powerful, intimate portraits.   Stay Connected: Jamel Shabazz Website Jamel Shabazz Instagram Jamel Shabazz Facebook <span sty

At first glance, photographers Chris Orwig and Aaron Anderson seem an unlikely pairing—with the natural light and high key palette of Chris's portraits forming a sharp contrast to the cinematic lighting and film noir aura featured in Aaron's work. Yet, their heartfelt discussion about creative reinvention in today's podcast celebrates the notion that opposites attract. Adding to our core topic of reshaping skills at every stage of your career, we'll also delve into keeping abreast of creative trends and remaining relevant as a creator in an increasingly competitive commercial marketplace. Beginning with the premise that it's the teacher who learns the most in the room, Chris and Aaron describe their respective career paths, highlighting the importance of trusting the process that leads to creative growth. As Aaron points out, "that's when I think a lot of the magic happens, because you're learning to trust the part of you that is creating. And it's a really fun thing to see that come to life, because the more you can trust that part of yourself, the more consistently you can create images that feel like you, and that look like the voice that you want to have out in the world." Guests: Chris Orwig & Aaron Anderson Stay Connected: Aaron Anderson Aaron Anderson Visuals Website Aaron Anderson Visuals on Instagram Aaron Anderson Visuals on Facebook Aaron Anderson Visuals on YouTube Aaron Anderson Visuals on X Aaron Anderson Fujifilm Creators page Start with Why book Chris Orwig Chris Orwig Website Chris Orwig on Instagram Chris Orwig on Facebook Chris Orwig on YouTube Chris Orwig on X Chris Orwig Sony Ambassador page   Host: Derek Fahsbender Senior Creative Producer:</stro

Nothing beats the thundering energy and human drama that unfolds across the surface of an automotive racetrack. Photographers who specialize in this adrenaline-fueled niche are best served by nerves of steel and the high endurance to lug multiple cameras and the long lenses needed to freeze the action. In today's show, we plunge headfirst into what it takes to cover the many facets of auto racing with two of the finest professionals in the field, photographers Camden Thrasher and Jamey Price. From stories of unexpected hurdles to access when scouting an unfamiliar course to the mix of visual stimulation and extreme exhaustion that accompanies a 24-hour endurance race, our chat is full of real-world insights. We also discuss the gear these photographers rely on and the wear and tear that comes with hard core use. And for listeners who've always wanted to try their hand at motor sports photography, Jamey Price shares some parting advice. "You don't build a portfolio by getting credentials," he says. "You build a portfolio by going to races as a fan, bringing your camera, and making cool pictures from fan areas. Tell stories, do something different." Guests: Camden Thrasher & Jamey Price Episode Timeline: 3:46: Jamey's start as a jockey and making comparisons between photographing horse racing and motorsports 8:29: Camden's early start attending auto races, then discovering photography through exploring his father's film camera as a cool mechanical device. 10:25: Both photographers share their trajectory from starting out as a motor sports photographer to making it into a career. 18:04: A race day timeline and the many variables involved in motor sports photography. 27:28: Camaraderie & competition between photographers working the circuit, etiquette when shooting, and the importance of individual style. 37:24: The thrill of endurance racing and how photographing these 24-hour-long races differs from other types of motor sporting events. 43:38: Episode Break 45:10: Camden and Jamey's go-to camera gear, the long lenses they lug, plus how often they use manual focus, especially when panning through people or trees. 54:50: Getting otherworldly visuals when faced with adverse weather <a id="_Hlk132798507" name= "

As any established photographer will tell you, forging a career can be a long and arduous journey, with no instruction manual to guide you through the process. The lofty world of top-notch pros is often shrouded in mystery and full of things they don't teach in photo school. In today's show, we get to peek behind the scenes of this complex, and often chaotic environment in a chat with two colleagues who've found a way to balance their freelance careers as independent creators with lucrative work assisting in a high-profile photo studio. Listen in, to learn how a casual job application through LinkedIn landed Mike Foley an interview, ultimately resulting in a salaried role as first assistant to a world-class portrait photographer. While technical mastery counts for a lot, we discuss the critical importance of soft skills like personality and work ethic to success in such environments. We also distinguish between salaried full-time work and more common freelance roles, and the juggling required to coordinate the complex planning involved. As freelance lighting assistant (and longtime café owner) Alex Savidis admits, "the juggle becomes quite hard at times, but I think it's a necessity, especially when you're trying to pursue something that you're passionate about. You can't just become a successful photographer overnight. It takes years to build up to that." Guests: Mike Foley & Alex Savidis Episode Timeline: 2:57: Mike Foley describes heirloom portraiture as his bespoke brand of portrait with the ability to last a lifetime. 5:10: The backstory to Mike getting hired as a photo assistant for a world class portrait photographer. 11:25: The personality and skill set needed to work in a high-end photo studio, Alex's take on being added to the team, plus the various roles within the studio. 17:30: The role of a B-cam operator to capture the finer details of a video shoots, plus an overview of a typical shoot day. 23:05: Mike talks about the video work in his portfolio as a differentiating factor in his getting the assisting job. 28:23: The work structure and expectations for photo assistants, from freelance to salaried positions, plus discussion about length of tenure. 34:50: Episode Break 35:55: Memorable stories from the studio—from the largest two-day shoot with a crew of 150, to the core personnel involved in work-a-day shoots. 42:28: NDA's and the etiquette of what an assistant is able to share when dealing with high-end clients. 46:30: The growing acceptance of photographers who do freelance work and juggle regular 9-5 jobs with photo assignments. <li

Above Photograph © Chase Jarvis We've all heard the saying "The best camera is the one that's with you." But do you know how this catch phrase ended up as a mantra of the mobile economy? In today's show, we speak with Chase Jarvis, the man behind Best Camera—the wildly successful photo sharing app that predated Instagram—to get an inside look at his wild ride. A born entrepreneur and self-made photographer with a hunger that always worked against the grain, Chase's meteoric rise in action sports/lifestyle photography dovetailed with the dawn of the sharing economy, leading him to a moonshot idea. The ensuing saga of Best Camera's viral success, subsequent demise, and Chase's quick pivot into his next visionary business model—Creative Live—is both a cautionary tale and a redemption story. All told, you'll gain fascinating insights into the nexus of creative innovation and big business at the highest levels. When asked about his biggest take away from Best Camera given the benefit of hindsight, Chase doesn't miss a beat, responding, "If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together." Guest: Chase Jarvis Episode Timeline: 3:44: How Chase's mastery of sports and the gift of his grandfather's camera gear led to a passion for teaching himself photography. 9:33: Channeling real-world examples from his grandfather and father into early pictures, along with library books about the masters' and photographic techniques. 15:35: The development of Chase's early entrepreneurial spirit and how his second-grade teacher stifled these efforts. 22:50: Bucking trends and connecting with the uniqueness you bring to your images as a creative style. 26:32: Embracing social media and the sharing community early on and the ability to see around the corner as an entrepreneur. 35:53: Chase's fast track to commercial success, technological innovation, and developing the Best Camera App. 46:20: Episode Break 47:48: The lessons learned from the Best Camera failure and how Chase channeled these lessons into the success of the first livestreaming learning platform, Creative Live. 52:24: Making the pivot from the first live photo feed to building Creative Live as a way to answer questions the questions asked by a massive global audience. 1:00:51: Creative Live's pioneering approach to a freemium business model, plus offering access as a core company value. 1:05:29: The most popular offerings at Creative Live: the fundamentals, the business of classes, and the big name thought leaders. 1:12:38: Chase's views on the current—and future—landscape in social media, creativity, and AI, plus advice for getting comfortable being uncomfortable. 1:20:43: What success means to Chase, and the message in his recent book Never Play it Safe: A Practical Guide to Freedom, Creativity and a Life You Love. Guest Bio: Chase Jarvis is

Photographers often react instinctively against artificial intelligence, typically focusing on controversial generative AI. Meanwhile, a different branch of AI technology—machine learning systems—has been making remarkable progress helping photographers manage overwhelming image workflows under tight deadlines. In today's show, we explore this trending topic in a discussion with Justin Benson and Sam Hurd, both accomplished wedding photographers and tech entrepreneurs. Justin begins by clarifying the distinction between machine learning and generative AI before taking us behind the scenes of Aftershoot, the workflow tool he co-founded. He highlights the key advantages of culling and editing images locally rather than using cloud-based alternatives. We also explore the question of trusting automated workflows and discuss how aesthetics factor in, particularly since machine learning systems adapt to a photographer's culling and editing preferences over time. Our conversation naturally addresses the ethical concerns surrounding AI. Sam's posing tool, Insight, uses generative AI to offer photographers fresh creative suggestions, but importantly, it trains exclusively on images from his own extensive collection. You'll hear about his journey developing this tool initially for personal use before scaling it as a service for others. By the end, you'll have gained fresh perspective on how these AI-powered tools can enhance your current workflow, along with hearing some thought-provoking predictions about what the future may hold. Guests: Sam Hurd & Justin Benson Episode Timeline: 3:34: Sam's background in the creative arts complimented his love of technology in developing his photography career. 7:26: Justin's busy wedding workload and how his photography knowledge became an asset in developing an AI-powered culling & editing software. 9:35: Differentiating between machine learning and Generative AI, plus ethical concerns related to companies using cloud-based systems. 12:49: The influence of AI-related processes to a photographer's creative output, plus the significance of the human element in generating new creative content. 18:43: Factoring for aesthetics when it comes to AI-powered culling and editing software, plus how much to trust the process. 30:34: Implementing an AI-powered software program in a photographer's overall workflow process, and reallocating time to details that really matter. 42:00: Episode Break 42:50: The backstory to Sam Hurd's AI-powered posing tool Insight, plus why posing people is so hard. 54:59: Staying ahead of the curve with various AI-powered workflow tools, plus essential differences to Insight as a text-based service instead of an app. 1:02:57: How the increasing use of generative AI is causing a shift in assumptions about posting portrait pictures to the Internet. 1:07:30: Debating future advancements to AI technology, image genera

Above Photograph © Claudio Edinger When it comes to photography, Claudio Edinger has a Midas touch. Equally celebrated for his immersive photo series, the intimacy of his portraits, and his aerial views that conjure a sense of the eternal through selective focus, his compulsion for research drives adjustments to his photographic strategy from one project to the next. In today's show, we unpack the many facets of Claudio's storied career, from his arrival in New York and early documentation of Brooklyn's Hasidic community in the late 1970s to the environmental portraits he made inside Manhattan's infamous Chelsea Hotel, and beyond. Learn the backstory to his fortuitous connection with master portraitist Philippe Halsman, and the influence this had on his photographic vocabulary. We also discuss Claudio's aerial imagery made from helicopters and drones, and debate the slippery slope between noteworthy content, image quality, and resolution. As a longtime disciple of meditation, Claudio's approach to photography is equally influenced by the underlying flow of energy essential to life on this planet, which led him to state, "I'm open to whatever the universe brings my way. But the universe has to conspire in your favor. My whole life has been like that. I've been guided. My intuition brings me to places, and the place drags me into it." Guest: Claudio Edinger Episode Timeline: 3:03: Claudio's beginnings in photography while studying economics in Sao Paulo, and his first exhibit at the Sao Paulo Museum of Art. 4:55: A move to New York in 1976 and a two-year project on Brooklyn's Hasidic community. 8:42: Connecting with master portrait photographer Philippe Halsman, and how this expanded Claudio's vocabulary as a photographer. 15:35: A move to the Chelsea Hotel and a new photographic strategy to make environmental portraits of the building and its residents. 19:52: The influence of August Sander's work, and Claudio's pursuit of intimacy to create images with universal meaning. 25:22: The organic path of Claudio's photographic approach, and how he developed his selective focus technique. 28:15: Episode Break 29:06: The predictable visual effect of a Hasselblad's square frame, combined with a tripod and flash for portraits of patients in a Brazilian insane asylum. 33:06: Using the same techniques to capture the insanity inside an institution, as well as to photograph the institutionalized insanity of Brazilian Carnival. 37:51: Claudio's assignment work, plus his time as a New York paparazzo and the lessons this taught him. 39:28: Claudio's experience as a war photographer in El Salvador, and the urgency of living connected to war. 43:42: Shifting to a 4x5 Toyo camera to further explore the tilt-shift look of selective focus. 48:57: The shortcomings of large format that forced Claudio to shift to digital and then discover

Above Photograph © Lou Jones Africa is the cradle of our civilization. Yet, most Westerners see this massive continent from a distance, and often through a scrim of largely negative headlines. For more than a decade, Boston-based photographer Lou Jones has sought to challenge this misperception. In 2013, he launched an in-depth photographic documentation of individual countries across Africa under the title the panAFRICAproject. Jones joins us on today's podcast to recap his efforts to date, which currently encompasses a third of Africa's 54 nations. Listen in to learn how the project came to be—growing from a solo endeavor to travels with two assistants and enough photo and lighting gear to illuminate an airplane factory. We also discuss the delicate mix of diplomacy and six degrees of separation Jones employs when negotiating access to photograph—plus much, much more. "We're talking about contemporary Africa," Jones points out. "Talking to people local—not academics in America—to tell us what's important to their culture, what's important to their country, what's important to their community, what's important to their company. Directly from people living there." Guest: Lou Jones Episode Timeline: 2:58: Lou's earliest trips to Africa predating the panAFRICAproject, then traveling to Ghana to start the project. 7:26: The logistics of travel as a solo photographer and the six degrees of separation that informs his photographic process. 11:33: The substantial diplomacy required in meetings to negotiate access, while avoiding cliches and stereotypes. 19:29: The value of Lou's images as currency in gaining access to photograph business environments. 26:18: The evolution of Lou's photo crew, planning and packing for multiple purposes, plus the art of trading down with project costs. 32:10: The contents of Lou's gear bags, and how he packs everything from cameras to Speedlights to lighting accessories. 39:53: Photography as a bridge to cultural sensitivity and the relationship between a photographer and his or her subjects. 43:08: EPISODE BREAK 44:00: The evolving process of planning each trip to Africa and the constant work when boots are on the ground. 48:12: The complex algorithm Lou and his team use in planning which African country to document next. 53:56: Technological advances and cultural trends coming full circle in Africa, plus cell phone use and fin tech. 59:45: Two cultures side-by-side. Documenting the parallel worlds of contemporary society and indigenous traditions in daily life. 1:05:56: Use of photographs from the panAFRICAproject and maintaining connections with photographic subjects. 1:08:12: Kickstarter and crowdfunding campaigns to support panAFRICAproject travel and books. 1:16:03: Next steps in the panAFRICAproject and the project's impact on a local, grass roots level.

Top shot © Kristof Ramon The dynamic arena of competitive cycling photography is not for the faint of heart. This grueling specialty requires a mix of split-second reaction times, intuitive technical mastery, and the ability to anticipate—and even more important—embrace risk. It takes a special breed of photographer to continuously capture every ounce of emotion packed into this sport, from bruising injuries and bitter disappointments to the exaltation of a win. For today's show, we've brought together two passionate cycling aficionados, former competitive cyclist and renowned street photographer Phil Penman and Kristof Ramon, a cycling photography specialist who recently released his first book on the subject. While they're introduced as strangers, get ready to be wowed by the synchronicity of their shared experiences, and the remarkable chemistry that grows between them over the course of the show. Most people's awareness of competitive cycling revolves around coverage of the Tour de France or other major races shown on TV. Our conversation delves much deeper than this, to reveal what happens behind the scenes, and show both the intensity of purpose and the many stages of suffering that's a hallmark of this sport. Kristof's book is titled The Art of Suffering for a reason. As he aptly sums up in the book's opening quote: "Where the conditions get grimmer and the riders start to suffer, that's when the more interesting stories begin." Guests: Phil Penman & Kristof Ramon Episode Timeline: 3:56: Phil Penman's connection to the competitive cycling world and how his insight as a cyclist informs his photography of the sport. 7:45: The logistics of photographing competitive cycling and the perils of damaging photo equipment. 10:36: The creative aspect to photographing competitive cycling and how to think outside the box to get impactful shots. 15:16: The many stages of suffering involved in competitive cycling, and the pride riders take in having this documented visually. 20:35: Photographer access, the difference between training rides and race days, and the distinctions between agency access and working independently. 26:26: Changes to Kristof's photographic approach and the influence of social media in the sport's evolution. 31:31: Technical aspects of cycling photography, understanding light, capturing speed, and putting in the time so to react intuitively to picture opportunities. 43:44: Episode Break 44:53: Communication strategies, building rapport with riders and teams, and people skills given the sport's international reach. 47:51: Cycling's rich history as a professional sport, and recent changes initiated by British Team Sky that helped the sport evolve. 54:45: The back story to Kristof's Art of Suffering book project and how his collaboration with cycling writer Matt Rendell helped identify suffering as a narrative element. 58:40: Working with clients, balancing that work with personal projects, and developing a distinctive voice as a phot

Allan Weitz had little idea of the grand photographic adventures in store when he signed on as host of the B&H Photography Podcast shortly before the show's debut in October 2015. As a self-described big mouth, and with more than 40 years as a working pro fueling his curiosity about all things photographic, Allan quickly honed his chops to become the voice of the show. Today's episode marks a crossroads, as Allan passes his hosting mic to the show's incoming host, Derek Fahsbender, producer and host of the B&H Event Space. During a lively chat, we celebrate Allan's long and successful career, both on assignment and at the helm of the podcast, with some never before told stories and audio clips from memorable interactions with guests. A few of the many topics we cover include, how a kid from Sheepshead Bay made a name for himself photographing classic yachts, the ways in which Allan's time behind a New Jersey deli counter enhanced his ability to engage with people on a human level—among other benefits to career reinvention—and how his shift into podcasting taught him to use his voice as an instrument. As Allan aptly summarized for attendees of the podcast team's 2018 presentation of Podcasting 101: "It's not always what you say, but how you say it." Guest: Allan Weitz Episode Timeline 3:38: Allan's B&H Event Space segment from Podcasting 101. 8:35: The back story to Allan's one-word podcast intro "Greetings!" 10:44: Allan's chat with digital camera inventor Steve Sasson about their shared Brooklyn roots. 13:56: Allan's hosting skills as a court jester—or Tummler in Yiddish. 16:12: Gear talk, and a clip from Allan's chat with Bellamy Hunt of The Japan Camera Hunter. 21:19: Allan waxes poetic about his love for the Hasselblad Superwide, plus his early adoption of digital gear. 28:24: Branching out from commercial assignments to tech writing and other things. 38:18: Episode break 39:27: Memorable stories and life lessons from Allan's assignment career. 44:22: Allan's entrée to the world of yachting photography and portfolio tips. 50:44: Allan's career evolution in the rarified 1980s photography landscape. 57:31: The art of the interview and the value of collaboration among the podcast team. 59:53: Getting beyond difficult pictures during an interview with Bruce Gilden 1:03:50: Upcoming plans and Allan's Kodachrome book project. 1:10:31: Allan offers listeners his Tusen Takks for their trust in his time behind the mic. Guest Bio: Allan Weitz started taking pictures when digital meant doing something with your fingers. A graduate of New York City's High School of Art and Design and the School of Visual Arts, Allan is the founding host of the B&H Photography Podcast, one of the highest-rated photography podcasts in Apple's Creative Arts category. For more than 50 years, Allan's photographs have graced the covers and inside pages of dozens of publications, including New York magazine, Esquire, GQ, Yachting, and Nau

Top shot © Ron Tarver Cowboy lore has deep roots in American culture. Yet, black cowboys have lived pretty much under the radar until recently, when songs by pop culture icons Lil Nas X and Beyoncé went viral and catapulted the black western aesthetic into the limelight. In today's show, we're getting the inside scoop from two photographers who've been fully immersed in these vibrant communities since long before they became a top fashion trend. Separated by a generation in age and with pictures spanning from film to digital, we follow Ron Tarver and Ivan McClellan from their early years in Oklahoma and Kansas, to the urban stables of Northern Philadelphia, the legendary Roy LeBlanc Rodeo in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, and beyond. Listen in and discover how the popularity of a single newspaper assignment led Ron to the pages of National Geographic and a career defining body of work. In a similar manner, Ivan's hunch to act on a chance invitation morphed into a passion project that reconnected him to his midwestern roots and ultimately expanded his role from photographer to that of an entrepreneur and rodeo boss. Ever wonder about the funding and stamina required to compete as a rodeo athlete? We take that bull by the horns at the end of the show. Guests: Ron Tarver & Ivan McClellan Episode Timeline: 4:09: Ron Tarver and Ivan McClellan's early memories of cowboy culture during their respective youths in Kansas City and Fort Gibson, Oklahoma. 9:19: Ron's early story for the Philadelphia Inquirer and his subsequent documentation of black cowboy culture. 15:06: The camera gear and film stock Ron used for his pictures, plus digitizing analog slides using a digital camera, macro lens and bellows system. 20:15: Technical limitations Ron faced when shooting film, and his editing process when working with National Geographic. 23:19: Ivan's start as a designer, his introduction to photography and the world of black cowboys, and his shooting process at the rodeo. 33:40: The dominance of women within black rodeos, a female horse whisperer, and tips for photographing horses in a rodeo context. 44:34: Episode Break 45:35: The journey behind our guest's respective books, and Ron's collaboration with a noted editor to create The Long Ride Home. 51:19: The back story to Ivan's book—from a self-published Kickstarter release to the editor he worked with to get Eight Seconds published by Damiani. 57:10: Ivan and Ron discuss each other's finished book projects, questions about model releases, plus the current hunger for black cowboy culture. 1:05:23: Ivan's work to promote black rodeo athletes and the economics of competing in this arena. 1:10:39: How Ivan's life has changed since founding the Eight Seconds rodeo in Portland, Oregon. 1:16:04: The impact of Ivan's work on the lives of rodeo athletes, and the maximum number of bulls a rodeo

Well, 2024 has certainly come and gone in a flash, meaning it's time once again for us to reflect on new photo offerings in our annual Cameras of the Year episode, now renamed Photo Gear of the Year. Featured in our discussion are new releases from Canon, FUJIFILM, Leica, Mint, Nikon, OM SYSTEM, Panasonic, Ricoh Pentax, and Sony. In the words of our recurring guest, Kevin Rickert, B&H's Senior Sales Trainer for Photography and Lighting, "Everything old is new again" at least when it comes to this year's most sought-after camera releases. A penchant for pocketable, fixed lens cameras led us to organize our camera offerings by type rather than in an alphabetical laundry list. Along with debating the current craze for "the digicam look," we consider whether manufacturers will respond to consumers' increasing appetite for midrange point and shoots. After the break, we shift to the newest crop of flagship cameras that are built for speed, while also discussing notable updates to other new releases. We also shed light on the essential role served by firmware updates, both in trimming a new camera's time to market and allowing you to get more out of the camera you already have. As Kevin points out, "It's an important part of having a camera. Much like if you have a car, you need to get oil changes." We wrap things up with some predictions for 2025, including Kevin's hopes for a continued resurgence of point and shoot models, plus some intriguing new photo accessories that caught his eye this year. Stay to the end to learn about the inventive new Fjordan camera control for the iPhone, recently acquired by Leica. Guest: Kevin Rickert Episode Timeline 2:30: Kevin Rickert's role as a B&H sales trainer for photography and lighting. 9:34: What camera stood out the most this year: FUJIFILM X100VI 18:02: Ricoh GR III HDF / Ricoh GR IIIx 20:00: Nostalgia for midrange point and shoots and the digicam look <p style="mar

Photographers have a magical ability to transport us to hidden worlds, giving us intimate access to facets of society that would otherwise go unnoticed. Above photograph © Marcela Taboada In today's podcast, we sit down with Mexican photographer Marcela Taboada, whose long-term documentary projects offer revealing glimpses into underrecognized communities, for Picturing World Cultures. Combining a passion for making pictures that let her "see backstage," with a knack for "knocking doors" and the tenacity to win over resistant subjects, Marcela gained rare access to photograph the daily lives of Mexico's cloistered nuns. Follow her painstaking process and learn the secret to her acceptance as the nuns' photography godmother during our chat. We also discuss her series "Women of Clay," documenting the enterprising women of a Mixtec village, who singlehandedly rebuilt their homes after an earthquake using Adobe bricks and a process taught by a Mexican architect. Along the way, Marcela shares insights about the challenges of pursuing a photography career as a single mother with young children and reveals the lessons she learned from seeing aspects of her own story reflected in the lives of her subjects. If you haven't already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here. Guest: Marcela Taboada Episode Timeline: 2:21: Marcela's process in making pictures that let her "see backstage." 5:15: A childhood memory and her fascination with viewing the stars from an observatory built by her great uncle. 10:16: Marcela's introduction to cameras and the darkroom by photographing family trips. 13:24: University studies and a photo series inspired by her great aunt entering a Mexican nursing home. 18:13: Marcela's photo gear and juggling her early photo career while raising two children as a single mother. 22:52: Marcela's photo series Women of Clay, about a community of enterprising women who rebuilt their homes after an earthquake. 35:19: Episode Break 36:30: Marcela's project Consecrated, and some background on Catholic monasteries in Mexico. 43:46: The seven orders of Mexican cloistered nuns, Marcela's long process to gain access to photograph, and the miracle that finally convinced the nuns to let her in. 53:51: Marcela's role as photography godmother for the Conceptionist order, and her approach to photographing the lives of the nuns. 1:00:38: The decision to photograph in color with a lightweight Sony RX camera for quiet operation and a contemporary look. 1:02:31: The nuns' reaction to Marcela's pictures and the ways in which they've adapted to 21st century life. 1:08:09: Marcela Taboada answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire. Guest Bio: Marcela Taboada is a freelance photographer based in Oaxaca, Mexico since 1986. After initial studies in graphic design, she became drawn to p

What is the role of landscape photography in a post-industrial world? In today's podcast, we consider some possibilities in a chat with Jade Doskow, current photographer in residence for Staten Island's Freshkills Park<span style="mso-style-textoutline-type: none; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: bevel; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-te

In today's podcast, we sit down with Mark Leong, a fifth-generation Chinese-American photographer, for Picturing World Cultures. Above photograph © Mark Leong From his arrival in 1980s Beijing on a one-year travel fellowship, to his decision to live and work there long-term over the following decades, we follow Mark's path from his ancestral village to the Beijing art scene, and beyond. He walks us through his experiences in documenting the massive cultural shifts as Chinese society transitioned from uniformity and limited choice to a realm of consumerism and increasing globalization. We also discuss Mark's long-term photographic project featuring China's Post-90's generation, the young adults born under the country's one-child policy. As Mark points out toward the end of our chat, "What's interesting to me about this generation I'm photographing is that they have this kind of creativity, and they have the resources to use this creativity to make something." If you haven't already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here. Guest: Mark Leong <p style="vertical-ali

Today we chat with Reid Callanan, founder and director of the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops and renowned photo educator Craig Stevens, formerly of Maine Media Workshops and Savannah College of Art & Design, about photography mentors, lifelong learning, and the role photo workshops play in cultivating community. Craig and Reid share plenty of insight, not just on the requisite trust that's required in a successful mentor and student relationship, but other topics such as what it means to be truly passionate about photography, collaboration, as well as how to critique the work of others without being "critical." Whether you're just getting started as a photographer or you're a seasoned vet, you're sure to walk away from today's podcast with a nugget or two of wisdom. Photo caption: Double portrait of Reid Callanan and Craig Stevens Photo credit: Above Image © Joyce Tenneson Episode Timeline: 4:44: Reid Callanan on first recognizing Craig Stevens as his mentor. 12:20: Craig's early impressions of Reid. 16:25: How the concept of mentorship has changed over time and across generations. 19:56: Craig on the "workshop method" and past history as it applies to photography. 26:23: Online workshops versus intensive in-person learning opportunities. 31:38: Differences between an international photo workshop and a destination photo tour, and questions prospective students should ask. 36:38: Discussing the Santa Fe Photographic Workshop's online mentorship program. 39:20: Making distinctions between mentorship and coaching relationships. 43:03: Episode Break 44:12: On the concept of lifelong learning. 50:52: Discussing the challenges in trying to learn photography as a vocation today. 55:38: The art of critique, what makes a photograph "good," and dealing with personal tastes and biases when discussing photographs. 1:07:38: How motivation and inspiration factor into working with students. 1:11:01: Questions of cropping, aspect ratios, and Craig's panoramic landscape photographs. 1:16:36: Photographic style and the idea of helping a student to differentiate themselves. 1:22:42: The evolution from traditional photographic printmaking to digital inkjet prints. Guests: Reid Callanan & Craig Stevens Guest Bios: Reid Callanan is the founder and director of the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops. In addition to all the responsibilities involved in leading the workshops for the past 32 years, Reid is also an accomplished photographer in his own right who jumps on the opportunity to teach workshops whenever he can. Reid's journey in photography started in 1974 during a semester abroad at Richmond College in London. He's been making images ever since using a variety of photographic processes. After spending 14 years at the Maine Photographic Workshops, Reid headed west in 1990, where he founded the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops and the non-p