Episodes
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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 epiphany about human-altered landscapes. 35:48: Burtynsky talks about forming his photo lab Toronto Image Works as a ballast to provide income in printing for other photographers while pursuing personal fine art photo projects. 43:38: Burtynsky’s retrospective exhibit at the ICP in New York, his thoughts about the future of technology, plus recent collaborations with a young artist working in Artificial Intelligence.Guest Bio:
Edward Burtynsky has spent more than 40 years bearing witness to the impact human industry on our planet. Regarded as one of the world’s most accomplished contemporary photographers, Burtynsky’s work is included in the collections of more than 80 museums worldwide and featured in major exhibitions around the globe.
Born in St. Catharines, Ontario in 1955, Burtynsky’s early exposure to a nearby General Motors plant and ships navigating the Welland Canal in his hometown captured his imagination, helping to formulate his ideas about the scale of human creation he would later capture in photographs. These images explore the collective impact we as a species have on the surface of this planet. A select list of Burtynsky’s many distinctions include the inaugural TED Prize, the title of Officer of the Order of Canada, the International Center of Photography’s Infinity Award for Art, a Royal Photographic Society Honorary Fellowship, and the World Photography Organization’s Outstanding Contribution to Photography Award. Burtynsky currently holds nine honorary doctorate degrees, and in addition to his work in photography, he was a key production figure in the award-winning documentary film trilogy Manufactured Landscapes, Watermark, and ANTHROPOCENE: The Human Epoch. All three films continue to play in festivals around the world.
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Host: Derek Fahsbender Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens -
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.Guest Bios:
Mary Virginia Swanson has spent her career helping artists find the strengths in their work, identify receptive audiences, and present their personal vision in an informed, professional manner. Her broad background as a photo educator, author, entrepreneur and advisor spans areas of exhibiting, collecting, licensing, and marketing photographs. A few career highlights include working with Ansel Adams to manage education offerings at the Friends of Photography in California, heading Special Projects for Magnum Photos in New York, and founding and directing Swanstock as a unique licensing agency for fine art photographers. Swanson is the recipient of many awards, including the Society for Photographic Education’s Honored Educator Award and the FOCUS Award for Lifetime Achievement in Photography from the Griffin Museum in Boston to name just two. In 2011, Swanson co-authored Publish Your Photography Book with Darius Himes, which is now in its third edition. Currently, Swanson works independently from her home base in Tucson, offering classes, workshops and consulting services to artists and arts organizations, serving as an advisor for multiple nonprofits, and giving back through other community-minded activities.
Rick Smolan is both a photographer and an entrepreneur. A former contributor to Time, Life, and National Geographic, he is perhaps best known as creator of the Day in the Life book series, plus subsequent book projects of massive scope. As CEO of the multi-modal company Against All Odds Productions, Smolan designs and executes crowd-sourced, global projects that combine compelling storytelling with state-of-the-art technology. These projects capture the human face of emerging topics while engaging a wide range of media platforms to result in books, TV specials, social media apps, exhibitions, and hundreds of millions of media impressions.
One such project, based on Smolan’s 1977 National Geographic cover story about Robyn Davidson’s solo travels across the outback has enjoyed continued life in multiple books, plus the feature film Tracks, with Adam Driver cast in the role of Smolan. Other recent projects include The Human Face of Big Data, which looks at how all our devices are creating a planetary nervous system, and The Good Fight: America's Ongoing Struggle for Justice, which became one of Amazon's top 100 books within a week of its release.
Stay Connected:
Mary Virginia Swanson
Website InstagramRick Smolan
Instagram Facebook YouTube Against All Odds WebsiteHost: Derek Fahsbender
Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman
Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens
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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. 1:21:29: The changing ethics of photographing in polar regions, plus findings from Jonas’s Jubilee ExpeditionGuest Bios:
Acacia Johnson is a photographer, writer, and a 2023 National Geographic Explorer based in Anchorage, Alaska. Drawn to painterly light and otherworldly landscapes, her work focuses on the environment, conservation, and connections between people and place. Over the past 10 years, she has made more than fifty expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica as a photographer and a guide—always seeking to inspire wonder and compassion for these remote regions during a time of rapid change. Her photographs have been exhibited internationally and have been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, National Geographic and TIME magazines, among other publications. In 2021, Acacia was awarded the Canon Female Photojournalist Grant, and in 2022 she received the ICP Infinity Award for Documentary Practices and Photojournalism.
Jonas Paurell is an explorer, conservation photographer, photo educator, and speaker from Gothenburg, Sweden. One of his most ambitious projects is a 25-year documentation of the Arctic. Through ski expeditions and icebreaker voyages, he has captured both the resilience and vulnerability of Arctic landscapes, emphasizing the fragility of the region and the urgent need for preservation. In 2022, Jonas launched The Jubilee Expedition, recreating the historic Swedish Polar Expedition of 1872 to highlight this region’s rapid melting and the far-reaching impacts of climate change. Jonas is also founder of Terra Photography Expeditions, which offers immersive workshops in both Arctic regions and South American rainforests, helping photographers deepen their connection with nature while refining their craft. Additionally, before dedicating his life to photography, Jonas served as a human rights lawyer for the United Nations.
Stay Connected:
Acacia Johnson
Website Instagram Facebook XJonas Paurell
Website Terra Photography Expedition Instagram Facebook YouTubeHost: Derek Fahsbender
Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman
Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens
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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 Jamel Shabazz WikipediaHost: Derek Fahsbender
Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman
Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens -
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 bookChris Orwig
Chris Orwig Website Chris Orwig on Instagram Chris Orwig on Facebook Chris Orwig on YouTube Chris Orwig on X Chris Orwig Sony Ambassador pageHost: Derek Fahsbender
Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman
Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens
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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 conditions or unique atmospheric effects, despite the physical challenges. 59:15: Wear and tear on camera gear due to the unfriendly environment at the track, plus using broken gear or common objects for creative visual effects. 1:056:08: Camera settings and creative techniques when panning, plus accounting for variables of relative distance combined with motion and speed to achieve a desired result. 1:16:27: Camden & Jamey discuss the use of their motor sports photos and licensing their images to clients. 1:24:13: Parting advice to fans interested in becoming a credentialed motor sport photographer—bring your camera to a race as a fan, and start making pictures!Guest Bios:
Camden Thrasher is a motor sports photographer with a distinctive ability to capture unique scenes of fast action. Growing up in Vancouver, Washington, it was the sound of engines from a nearby racetrack that first drew him to motor sports. After becoming a fixture at the track with his camera during high school, Camden studied automotive design and engineering in college, expecting to work as an engineer or on a pit crew.
But the money he was making as a side hustle with his camera convinced him to stick with photography, and he hasn’t looked back since. Using a unique slow shutter speed method, perfected over many exposures, Camden revels in showcasing the abstract qualities of gleaming metal, bright lights, and dynamic action that are hallmarks of this sport. Now based out of Atlanta, Georgia, Camden’s work has been commissioned by top racing teams and featured in a wide range of media, from print magazines to automotive branding campaigns.
Jamey Price is an automotive photographer based in Charlotte, North Carolina, whose motor sports work has taken him to more than 25 countries, and across most of the continental US. Jamey's photography career began while he was competing as a thoroughbred horse racing jockey and exercise rider. During this time, he completed more than 50 races, notching 11 wins in the saddle. His life in horse racing was eventually compiled into the self-published book Chasing: Racing Life in England & Ireland. Yet, in 2011, Jamey’s photography career switched from horses to horse-power. Since he began chasing race cars, his images have been published worldwide in magazines, distributed by sports imagery wire services, and featured by top commercial clients. Additionally, Jamey is a LEXAR Elite Artist, since 2014.
Stay Connected:
Camden Thrasher Website Camden Thrasher Instagram Camden Thrasher Facebook Camden Thrasher Flickr Camden Thrasher on B&H Explora
Jamey Price Website Jamey Price Instagram Jamey Price Twitter Jamey Price YouTube Jamey Price TikTok Jamey Price Lexar--------
Host: Derek Fahsbender Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens -
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. 52:07: Learning outcomes from working in a world class portrait studio, and the mindset to hold yourself to a higher standard. 57:49: Mike and Alex share advice for budding photographers based on what they’ve learned from working in a world-class photo studio.Guest Bios:
Mike Foley is a New York City-based photographer specializing in heirloom portraiture and editorial photography. After starting out photographing weddings and small events, Mike quickly grew into commercial work, providing clients with timeless images they can use to elevate their visual presence and define their brand. His approach behind the camera is warm and humanistic, allowing his subjects the space to be themselves. In addition to his own photo services, Mike is currently content manager and digital designer for an internationally renowned portrait photographer. On set, he serves as first assistant and B-camera operator, while also providing on-set and post-production support behind the scenes for clients like Balenciaga, New York Magazine, and many more.
Australian native Alex Savidis is passionate about storytelling through both still and moving imagery. Based in New York since 2020, he pushes creative boundaries by merging elements from his street and landscape photography into his portraiture & wedding work, weaving memories into art. For the past year and a half, Alex has also worked as lighting assistant and B cam operator in the same high-profile portrait studio as Mike, catering to world-renowned clients and political leaders. On B cam, it’s his job to focus on finer details and provide viewers with a deeper, more intimate perspective on a given subject, capturing nuances that enhance the storytelling. Additionally, when he’s not juggling camera gear or fine-tuning lights, you can find Alex behind the counter of the café Regular NYC in southern Manhattan, an establishment he founded in early 2024.
Stay Connected:
Mike Foley Website: https://mikephotographs.com/ Mike Foley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mikephotographs/ Mike Foley Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaeljamesphotos/ Mike Foley Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-foley-3095a7126
Alex Savidis Website: https://www.alexsavidis.com/ Alex Savidis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex.savidis/ Alex Savidis Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-savidis-14155b272 Alex Savidis Regular NYC Cafe: https://regular.nyc/End Credits:
Host: Derek Fahsbender Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens -
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 an award-winning artist, entrepreneur, bestselling author, and one of the most influential photographers of the past 20 years, whose diverse portfolio spans from advertising campaigns for Apple, Nike, and Red Bull to collaborations with athletes like Serena Williams and icons such as Lady Gaga and Sir Richard Branson. As an early adopter of social media and the sharing economy, Chase created Best Camera (the first photo-sharing app) in 2009 and co-founded the online education platform CreativeLive in 2010. Chase has spoken on six continents and advised Fortune 100 companies, with invitations to both the Obama White House and Buckingham Palace. Based in Seattle with his wife Kate and their dog Bodhi, he hosts the widely successful Chase Jarvis LIVE podcast (over 50 million downloads) while serving on several nonprofit boards.
Stay Connected:
Chase Jarvis Website: https://chasejarvis.com/
Chase Jarvis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chasejarvis
Chase Jarvis Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chasejarvis
Chase Jarvis Twitter: https://x.com/chasejarvis
Chase Jarvis YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChaseJarvis
Chase Jarvis Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chase_Jarvis
Chase Jarvis Best Camera App: https://chasejarvis.com/project/the-best-camera/
Chase Jarvis Creative Live: https://www.creativelive.com/instructor/chase-jarvis
Chase Jarvis Never Play It Safe book: https://chasejarvis.com/never-play-it-safe/End Credits:
Host: Derek Fahsbender
Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman
Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens
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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 generation at the pixel level, and comparing this to the shift from analog to digital.
1:12:23: The importance of the user community in making further advances to AI-powered software tools.
1:17:34: What’s next with AI, a real-world comparison to the original Blade Runner movie, plus the dynamic of scary vs cool.
Guest Bios:After starting as a political news and celebrity portraitist in Washington, DC., Sam Hurd was quickly drawn to wedding photography as a way to explore more inventive ideas. He focuses on deceptively simple photographic techniques with the potential to transform difficult or uninspiring environments into unique creative visions.
A hallmark of his work are several in-camera techniques he developed such as Prisming, Lens Chimping, Color Spreading, and his Ring of Fire effect for in-camera flare.In addition to his long-held passion for photography and creative reinvention, Sam is equally skilled in information technology and computer science since majoring in this field during college. That background, combined with a belief that modern AI tools can offer new avenues for creative exploration when thoughtfully leveraged, has led Sam to build several services to assist and inspire photographers. These include Insight, which analyses images in real time, returning visual pose ideas based on the actual environment and subjects in front of the lens - an entirely new process for breaking through creative blocks while working.
Justin Benson started out photographing sets and location scouting for film and TV. But in 2011 his life changed after he answered a last-minute call from a family friend in need of a wedding photographer. Justin quickly discovered wedding photography was his true calling and he’s been at it ever since, with his wife joining him as a second shooter in 2016. Based in Connecticut, Justin works in a modern traditional style, combining a hint of candid moments with posed scenes.
In 2019, just before COVID started shutting things down, Justin learned about an enterprising developer who was seeking photographer input to incorporate in an AI-powered image culling app he was cooking up. After much discussion and advice about how to improve this product, Justin signed on and became a co-founder of the AI-based software company Aftershoot.
Stay Connected:
Sam Hurd Website: https://samhurdphotography.com/
Sam Hurd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamthesam/
Sam Hurd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samhurdphotography
Sam Hurd Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@iamsamhurdphotography
Sam Hurd Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/iamthesam
Sam Hurd Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/samhurd
Insight Photo Website: https://www.insight.photo/
Sam Hurd on the B&H Photography Podcast: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/photographic-craft-connections-sam-hurd-dixie-dixon
Blade Runner movie clip: https://youtu.be/IbzlX43ykxQ?si=g9NG8TPkRskGsvW6’Justin Benson Website: https://jbensonphotography.com/
Justin Benson Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Jbensonphotography/
Justin Benson Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jbensonphotography
Aftershoot Website: https://aftershoot.com/
Justin Benson & Aftershoot on the B&H Explora blog: -
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 aerial photography.
54:17: Comparing aerial photos from a helicopter with those made from a drone, plus Claudio’s thoughts on viewing the world from the point of view of eternity.
Guest Bio: Claudio Edinger is one of Brazil’s preeminent photographers. After studying economics at Mackenzie University in São Paulo in the early 70s, he turned his attention to photography, and he hasn’t stopped since.Edinger moved to New York City in 1976, and during the 20 years he spent in the US, he completed immersive photo essays about the Hasidic community of Brooklyn, the denizens of Manhattan’s Chelsea Hotel, and habitués of LA’s Venice Beach. He also freelanced for Brazilian and North American publications such as Veja, Time, Life, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times Magazine, among many others.
The author of more than twenty books, Edinger’s photographs have been collected worldwide and exhibited by institutions such as New York’s International Center of Photography, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Maison Europeénne de la Photographie in Paris, and the São Paulo Museum of Art, to name but a few.
Edinger has received many honors for his work, including the Ernst Haas Award, the Hasselblad Award, the Higashikawa Award, and the Leica Medal of Excellence, which he received twice.
Always seeking new approaches to his work, Edinger has explored a wide range of camera formats and photographic techniques over the course of his career. In 2000, he began working with a large format camera, using selective focus to approximate human vision, and in 2015, he started an exploration of aerial photography—a theme that continues to this day.
Stay Connected:
Claudio Edinger Website: https://www.claudioedinger.com/
Claudio Edinger Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudioedinger/
Claudio Edinger Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/claudio.edinger/
Claudio Edinger Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudio_Edinger
Claudio Edinger Chelsea Hotel book: https://www.abbeville.com/collections/just-released/products/the-chelsea-hotelEnd Credits:
Host: Derek Fahsbender
Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman
Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens
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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.
Guest Bio: The eclectic career of Lou Jones has spanned every camera format, film type, artistic movement, and technological change, while simultaneously evolving from the commercial to the personal. Recognized by Nikon as a “Legend Behind the Lens” and honored as a Lowepro “Champion,” Jones has maintained a photography studio in Boston for more than 40 years, all while traveling to over 65 foreign countries on assignment.
Jones works primarily with advertising agencies and design studios for corporate clients such as Nike, Mobil, and Federal Express, as well as influential publications like Time, Fortune, and National Geographic, among many others.
The author of more than a dozen books, Jones is also an esteemed educator and has served as a board member for organizations such as ASMP National, the Photographic Resource Center and the Griffin Museum of Photography.
In tandem with his busy assignment career, Jones pursues long term projects on subjects as diverse as death row inmates, the Summer and Winter Games, and his most recent endeavor, The panAFRICAproject, a contemporary visual portrait of the entire continent, to establish an archive representing its 54 individual countries devoid of the preconceived, western notions of distress.
Stay Connected:
panAFRICAproject Website: https://panafricaproject.org/
Lou Jones Photography Website: https://www.fotojones.com/
Lou Jones Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loujonesstudio/
Lou Jones Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fotojones/
Lou Jones Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Jones_(photographer)
Lou Jones 2018 presentation at the B&H Event Space: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plVb_EFMcQM
Lou Jones on the B&H Explora blog: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/features/lou-jones-takes-a-long-term-approach-from-jazz-portraits-to-the
Lou Jones’s book Speedlights & Speedlites: Creative Flash Photography at Lightspeed: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1025994-REG/focal_press_978_0_240_82144_3_book_speedlights_speedlites.htmlEnd Credits:
Host: Derek Fahsbender
Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman
Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens
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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 photographer. 1:06:15: How to start out as a competitive cycling photographer, questions about credentials, and adapting to new networks to distribute your work. 1:13:23: Balancing technical aspects of action photography with the desired emotional response while building in certainties and calculating risk. Guest Bios: British-born, New York-based photographer Phil Penman has documented the ever-changing scene of New York City’s streets for more than 25 years. and he has quite a bit of experience in the world of professional cycling himself. In his career as a news and magazine photographer, Phil has photographed major public figures and historical events. His reportage following the 9/11 terrorist attack was featured in major print publications and media broadcasts worldwide, and his work covering New York City’s pandemic lockdown is in the collection of the U.S. Library of Congress. In addition to exhibiting at Leica galleries in New York, Washington, D.C., Boston, and London, Phil’s signature street photography has appeared in international exhibitions as far afield as Venice, Berlin, and Sydney. He also tours the world teaching photo workshops for Leica Akademie. Phil’s books, "Street" published in 2019, and "New York Street Diaries" published in 2023 both became best-sellers and have been featured at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Kristof Ramon is a pro-cycling photographer who covers some of the world’s most prestigious races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’ Italia, the Tour of Flanders and Paris Roubaix. Born and raised in Belgium, Kristof discovered photography while attending film school at age 19. He eventually followed his passion for cycling and photography and has focused exclusively on this sport since 2011. Working under the name Kramon, his talent for storytelling and his ability to capture the atmosphere and raw emotion of racing makes his images stand out from typical race photography. Kristof’s reputation has earned him the respect and trust of many of the biggest racing teams and riders - which is why he’s able to capture such extraordinary in-between moments and behind-the-scenes images. The riders are always his primary focus, as evidenced in his close-up portraits of racers caked in sweat, mud, dust, snow, and grime. Kristof’s first book, The Art of Suffering, was released in June 2024 by Laurence King Publishing. Stay Connected: Phil Penman Website: https://www.philpenman.com Phil Penman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philpenman/ Phil Penman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philpenmanphotography/ Phil Penman Twitter: https://x.com/Penmanphoto Phil Penman Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Penman Kristof Ramon Website: https://kramon.be/ Kristof Ramon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kramon_velophoto Kristof Ramon Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kramon/ Kristof Ramon Twitter: https://x.com/kristoframon Kristof Ramon Photoshelter: https://kramon.photoshelter.com/ Kristof Ramon Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kristoframon/ Kristof Ramon at Lawrence King Publishing: https://us.laurenceking.com/products/the-art-of-suffering
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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 Nautical Quarterly. Many of these images have won him awards from the New York, Philadelphia, and New Jersey Art Directors Clubs, the Graphic Artists Guild, Art Direction Magazine, Print, and Graphis, among others.
More recently, Allan has had great success exhibiting—and winning awards for—his photos as fine art prints, as well as dabbling with artificial intelligence using the traditional photos from his vast image library as source material.
Stay Connected:
Allan Weitz Website: https://www.allanweitz.com/
Allan Weitz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allanweitz/
Allan Weitz articles on the B&H Explora Blog: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/users/allan-weitz
Podcasting 101 with the B&H Photography Podcast Team: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd2KDaNSjGI
Steve Sasson Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/invention-of-digital-camera
Japan Camera Hunter Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/podcast-the-japan-camera-hunter
Graham Nash Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/graham-nash-ace-photographer-digital-printing-pioneer-music-legend-the-bh
Bruce Gilden Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/closer-look-bruce-gildenEnd Credits:
Founding Host: Allan WeitzIncoming Host: Derek Fahsbender
Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman
Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens
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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 athlete can ride in a single day.
Guest Bios:
Ron Tarver was born and raised in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, and is now based outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During 32 years as a staffer at The Philadelphia Inquirer, he was nominated for three Pulitzer’s and shared the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for public service, in addition to many other accolades.
Tarver’s photographs have been exhibited internationally. His pictures can be found in private, corporate, and museum collections, and have appeared in major publications both in print and online.
In 2004, he co-authored the book We Were There: Voices of African American Veterans, published by Harper Collins, accompanied by a traveling exhibition.
A recipient of a 2021 Guggenheim Fellowship and a 2001 Pew Fellowship in the Arts, Tarver has also received funding from the NEA, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and an Independence Foundation Fellowship.
He currently serves as Associate Professor of Art at Swarthmore College. His book, The Long Ride Home: Black Cowboys in America was released by George F Thompson Publishers in September.
Ivan McClellan is a photojournalist and designer originally from Kansas City, Missouri. These days he calls Portland, Oregon home.
His work reveals marginalized aspects of black culture, challenging broad assumptions and myths about racial identity in America.
His project Eight Seconds, focuses on elevating narratives about American Black cowboys, and transforming the culture of the American West by ‘re-centering’ black women and men back as an integral part of our historical narrative.
After initially self-publishing his photos in book form, Eight Seconds: Black Rodeo Culture was released by Damiani books in April 2024.
The winner of the 2022 Getty Inclusion grant, McClellan’s photos have been presented in and collected by Museums and cultural spaces across the United States. His work has also been featured in ESPN: The Undefeated and Fast Company.
As an experience designer for Adobe Lightroom, he has led projects for Nike, Adidas, Disney, and the U.S. National Soccer Team. And most recently, he founded the Eight Seconds Rodeo in 2023.
Stay Connected:
Ron Tarver Website: https://www.rontarverphotographs.net/
Ron Tarver Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rontarver/
Ron Tarver Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Tarver
Ron Tarver The Long Ride Home book:
http://www.gftbooks.com/books_Tarver.htmlIvan McClellan Website: https://eightsecs.com/
Ivan McClellan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eightsecs/
Ivan McClellan / 8 Seconds Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/eightsecs
Ivan McClellan at Damiani Books: https://www.damianibooks.com/en/collections/mcclellan-ivanEnd Credits:
Host: Allan Weitz
Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman
Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens
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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
29:36: Leica D-Lux 8
31:42: Leica Q3 43
35:52: Fujifilm X-T50 (a baby Fujifilm X-T5)
37:30: Fujifilm X-M541:54: Pentax 17
48:52: Mint Camera Rollei 35AF
51:17: Episode break
52:22: Canon EOS R1
55:50: Sony a1 II59:31: OM SYSTEM OM-1 Mark II
1:02:35: Nikon Z6 III
1:05:48: Canon EOS R5 Mark II1:14:40: Leica SL III
1:17:55: FUJIFILM GFX 100 SII
1:20:31: Nikon Z 50 II
1:21:28: Sony ZV-E10 II
1:23:19: Panasonic Lumix S9
1:27:19: Kevin’s predictions for 2025
1:33:36: Peakto Image Management Software
1:35:06: Capture One 16.5 with Match Look
1:35:49: Fjordan iPhone camera grip
Guest Bio:
Kevin Rickert is B&H Photo’s Senior Sales Trainer for Photography and Lighting. It’s Kevin’s job to keep in touch with camera and lens manufacturers and get details about all the latest releases and updates. His role is to make sure the world-renowned B&H staff has all the information to answer your who, what, why, and other questions that you may ask, so they can satisfy all your wants and needs.
Born and raised in New York, Kevin is an intrepid street photographer, an avid traveler, and a baseball fan with 22 years in electronic retail, the last 10 of which have been spent as a sales trainer at B&H.
Stay Connected:
B&H Photo Video Website: https://www.bhphotovideo.com B&H Photography Podcast landing page: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts B&H Photography Podcast on B&H Photo’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BandH/podcasts B&H Photography Podcast Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1001107823418353 B&H Photo Video Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhphoto B&H Photo Video Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhphoto Micro 4/3rds YouTube video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m072i-jDSg4 Peakto Image Management Software: https://cyme.io/peakto-photo-organizer-software/ Fjordan iPhone Camera Grip: https://shop.fjorden.co/en-us/pages/about -
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 photographing diverse communities for long-term stories that let her see backstage. Marcela has received both national and international accolades, including a Hasselblad Foundation scholarship, a National Geographic All Roads Photography Award, and Mexico's most prestigious art grant, the National System of Art Creators Award, which she received twice. Her photographs have been featured in solo and group exhibitions within Mexico and the United States, Europe, and Asia. Marcela has taught photography at universities, in high schools and in specialized workshops. Additionally, for 16 years she served as producer for American photographer Mary Ellen Mark’s Annual Oaxaca Photo Workshops.
Stay Connected:
Marcela Taboada Website: https://www.marcelataboada.com/
Marcela Taboada’s National Geographic story: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/photo-story-consecrated-mexico-monasteries/End Credits:
Senior Creative Producer & Host: Jill WatermanSenior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Theme Music: Gabriel Richards
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens
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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, and Cal Flyn author of the book Islands of Abandonment.
Above image: © Jade Doskow
While our two guests work in different disciplines, which leads to divergent approaches to the pictures they make, their shared purpose tells similar stories.
Among the topics we discuss are a distinction between romantic landscapes of the past and a more ambivalent attitude to the subject today, and a photographer’s responsibility to make pictures that go beyond merely decorative intent. You’ll also discover how dedication to a fine art passion project can lead to career advancement through paid assignments.
Join us for this fascinating discussion about recording the gradual process between post-industrial decay and engineered regeneration, or other states of rewilding
Guests: Jade Doskow & Cal Flyn
For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/reclaiming-a-natural-landscape-with-jade-doskow-cal-flynStay Connected:
Jade Doskow Website: https://jadedoskowphotography.com/
Jade Doskow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j_doskow/
Jade Doskow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jade.doskow/
Jade Doskow at Freshkills Park: https://freshkillspark.org/os-art/jadedoskow
Jade Doskow Lost Utopias Documentary: https://www.philipshane.com/lost-utopias
Jade Doskow Urban Omnibus Project: https://urbanomnibus.net/2022/11/extra-terrestrialCal Flyn Website: https://www.calflyn.com/
Cal Flyn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calflyn/
Cal Flyn Linktree: https://linktr.ee/calflyn
Cal Flyn Islands of Abandonment: https://linktr.ee/IslandsofAbandonment -
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
For more information about our guest and the gear he uses, see:
https:/www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-mark-leong-chinaStay Connected:
Mark Leong Website: https://www.markleongphotography.com/
Mark Leong on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markleongphotography/
Mark Leong on Redux Website: https://reduxpictures.com/artist/mark-leong
Mark Leong’s book China Obscura: https://www.amazon.com/China-Obscura-Mark-Leong/dp/0811844617
Mark Leong’s Award from Center: https://centersantafe.org/comingofage
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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 TennesonEpisode 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-profit Santa Fe Center for Photography, now known as CENTER.
In addition to serving as CENTER’s Vice-President of the Board of Directors, he serves on the President’s Council of the Texas Photographic Society; he’s a Board member for the American Society of Media Photographers Foundation; and The National Center for The Photograph.Craig Stevens is a photographer, printmaker and photographic educator.
He has taught, written about, and lectured extensively on art and education since 1975 when he received his MFA from Ohio University.For 12 years he was associate director of the Maine Photographic Workshops, where he was also involved in the creation and development of the Workshops’ Resident Program. In 1994, he was workshops director for the 25th anniversary of Les Rencontres Internationale de la Photographie in Arles, France.
Additionally, Craig has served on the faculties of the Santa Fe Workshops, the Anderson Ranch Arts Center, and Les Ateliers de l’Image in France. In 2013, he was the first recipient of the Susan Carr Educator Prize awarded by the American Society of Media Photographers.
After 34 years at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where he held the rank of Professor Emeritus, Craig left full time teaching in 2023.
Stay Connected:
Reid Callanan Website: https://www.reidcallanan.com/
Reid Callanan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reidcallanan/
Reid Callanan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reid.callanan
Santa Fe Photographic Workshops Website: https://santafeworkshops.com/
Santa Fe Photographic Workshops YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SantaFeWorkshops
Center Website: https://centersantafe.org/
Center Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centersantafe/
Center Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CENTERsantafeCraig Stevens Website: https://www.craigstevens.me/
Craig Stevens Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craigstevensstudio/
Maine Media Workshops Website: https://www.mainemedia.edu/
SCAD Website: https://www.scad.edu/
End Credits:
Host: Allan WeitzSenior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman
Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens
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Today’s podcast has us sitting down with Venezuelan photographer and investigative journalist Fabiola Ferrero to discuss her long-term photographic projects in Venezuela, for Picturing World Cultures.
Above photograph © Fabiola Ferrero
Fabiola walks us through her childhood memories of Venezuela and describes how this period contrasts significantly with the country’s current climate. We also discuss how she got started in photography, and how her time spent both in and out of Venezuela helped grow her photography and more.
If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here.
Guest: Fabiola Ferrero
Episode Timeline:2:20: Fabiola discusses Venezuelan culture, and questions using the word resiliency in relation to the country’s ongoing crisis.
5:39: How she got started in photography.
8:20: Fabiola talks about overcoming shyness, learning how to photograph people as an introvert, and the advantages of slowly building a connection with subjects.
11:12: On being the last of her family to leave Caracas.
14:43: Fabiola’s early long term projects, Blurred in Despair and I Can’t Hear the Birds, and the importance of image selection to building different narratives.
19:57: The impact of leaving Venezuela and how this shifted her perspective as a photographer.
24:11: The importance of Fabiola’s assignment work in Venezuela and its impact on her personal work.
25:30: Episode Break
27:04: On migrating to Columbia in 2020, and her eventual return to Venezuela in 2022.
37:04: Fabiola runs us through her gear and setup.
38:09: Collaborating with other journalists in her latest project, The Wells Run Dry
44:10: The challenging topic of hope when discussing the future of Venezuela
46:50: We ask Fabiola about her mentorship program, Semillero Migrante
54:39: Fabiola Ferrero answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire.
Guest Bio: Fabiola Ferrero was born in Caracas, Venezuela in 1991. Her personal work reflects how her childhood memories contrast with her country’s current crisis.
Using her background in writing and investigative journalism, she develops long term visual projects focused on collaborative ways to speak about the human condition under hostile contexts.
To bring opportunities to other emerging photographers, Fabiola founded Semillero Migrante in 2021. This mentorship program on the topic of migration empowers Venezuelans and Colombians and promotes the integration of both cultures.
A 2018 Magnum Foundation Fellow in Social Justice, her additional recognition includes a 2021 Inge Morath Award, a 2022 Carmignac Photojournalism Award, and a World Press Photo award for Long Term Projects, which she received in 2023. Most recently, Fabiola completed a one-year fellowship at Columbia University’s Institute for Ideas and Imagination in Paris.
Stay Connected:
Fabiola Ferrero Website: https://www.fabiolaferrero.com/
Fabiola Ferrero on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabiolaferrero/
Fabiola Ferrero on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fabiola.ferrero/
Fabiola Ferrero on Twitter: https://x.com/FabiolaFerrero/
Fabiola Ferrero, I Can’t Hear the Birds Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_AmKsv_OTM
Fabiola Ferrero, Fondation Carmignac: https://www.fondationcarmignac.com/en/fabiola-ferrero-en/
Fabiola Ferrero, Institute of Ideas & Imagination: https://ideasimagination.columbia.edu/fellows/fabiola-ferrero/
Semillero Migrante Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/semilleromigrante/
End Credits:
Senior Creative Producer & Host: Jill WatermanSenior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens
Theme Music: Gabriel Richards
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