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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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In today’s podcast, we chat with Boris Eldagsen, visual artist and AI pioneer, and Miles Astray, documentary photographer, on a plethora of issues surrounding AI-generated content. Boris and Miles share a ton of insight into the nature of AI-generated images, from the implications of it becoming more prevalent, the possibility and dangers of the spread of misinformation all the way to the need to rethink how we engage with social media.
These are just a few of the points raised in our discussion with them. If you haven’t already listened, This episode is part of a wider series tracing the effects of AI on today’s creative community.
Guests: Boris Eldagsen & Miles Astray
Top shot: TOP_SHOT_Eldagsen_Astray_bhpodcast
Photo caption: AI Generated Image “The Electrician” vs Authentic Photograph “Flamingone”
Photo credit: Collaged diptych: © Boris Eldagsen / © Miles AstrayEpisode Timeline:
3:40: Boris shares his thoughts on the difference in reception between his and Miles’ respective contest entries.
6:34: Discussing the blurry boundaries between editing photographs and generated images.
15:18: Miles shares some of his motivations behind his photo, “F L A M I N G O N E”.
20:12: As AI images become more prevalent what happens when we’re flooded with content with questionable basis in reality.
27:24: The pitfalls of generated images and living in a “post-truth” era.
29:37: Episode Break
30:52: The surprising, sometimes idiosyncratic nature of what AI models generate when entering prompts.
42:33: What the lack of guardrails and censorship with AI-generated content means for creativity.
47:55: Discussing the possible dangers of AI-content to the documentary-photography process.
53:07: The opposing nature of social media as a news source and a business.
59:34: The prevalence of fact checking on social media sites.
1:06:53: On the lack of a perfect solution to the problem with manipulated images and the spread of disinformation.
Guest Bios:
Boris Eldagsen is an acclaimed media artist, photographer, and AI pioneer based in Berlin. His work in photomedia explores the limits of what can be depicted. Using a combination of street photography, staged works, and, most recently, both still and video AI image-making tools, he deals intensively with the subconscious, which inspires him to create new worlds of images.Boris has taught creativity, concept development, and photographic art in both Germany and Australia since 2004. Additionally, he is a member of Deutsche Fotografische Akademie, and is responsible for their online activities.
Miles Astray is a multidisciplinary artist who combines writing and photography into art activism. He was inspired by a slow and immersive journey around the world that started in 2012, when he set out to work with grassroots nonprofits for a year.
Little did he know this would be the first step of a new chapter of a reinvented life, living and working with local communities in Latin America, Asia and Africa. When he returned home for the first time in 2018, he found home was no longer a place to settle, it was just another place to stop along the path of a greater journey. And, thus he’s still out there, not so much to find answers, but to keep asking questions.
Stay Connected:
Boris Eldagsen Web site: https://www.eldagsen.com/
Boris Eldagsen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boriseldagsen
Boris Eldagsen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boriseldagsen
Boris Eldagsen YouTube: www.youtube.com/@boriseldagsen
Boris Eldagsen Prompt Whispering Workshops: https://www.promptwhispering.ai/workshops/
Miles Astray Web site: https://www.milesastray.com/
Miles Astray Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milesastray/
Miles Astray Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MilesAstray/
Miles Astray Twitter: https://twitter.com/milesastray
Boris Eldagsen Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/fake-memories-promptography-and-generative-ai-with-boris-eldagsen
Stephen Shankland Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/photography-in-the-age-of-ai-with-stephen-shankland
Fred Ritchin Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/photography-in-the-age-of-synthetic-imaging-with-fred-ritchin -
In today’s podcast, we’ll be talking with Norwegian photographer Naina Helén Jåma about her documentation of indigenous South Sami culture in Norway and her career as a press photographer in Scandinavia.
Jåma details her childhood growing up in the small rural village of Snasa, where, at the age of 15, she began her career while working as a cultural interpreter and archivist at the Saemien Sijte Museum.
From there, Naina takes us on a journey through her fascinating career as a photographer, from her training at the Nordic School of Photography to her work for world-renowned publications such as The New York Times, Bloomberg, and The Guardian
Alongside her journalistic work, Naina maintains a close relationship with the traditional Sami arts of Duodji. Documenting the ongoing development of this art form pays tribute to oral knowledge and silent tradition, which is learned and transmitted visually.Above photograph © Naina Helén Jåma
If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here.
For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see:
www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts
Guest: Naina Helén Jåma
Episode Timeline:
2:23: Naina’s early childhood and growing up in Snåsa, a small village in Norway with approximately 2,000 inhabitants.
6:14: Naina’s first job and the start of her career, working as a cultural archivist at the Saemien Sijite Museum.
10:44: How photographing handcrafted Sami items became Naina’s thesis while enrolled at the Nordic School of Photography
14:45: Discussing different aspects and signifiers of traditional Sami clothing.
19:40: The eight different seasons of Sami culture.
22:06: Discussing the role and influence of animism and other traditional Sami belief systems.
28:18: Episode Break
29:40: Naina’s go-to kit for cameras and lenses
33:10: Tips for shooting in cold climates and extreme conditions
35:14: Structuring documentation when working as a photojournalist
39:49: Naina’s diverse reportage, from documenting the NATO summit to Sami youth protests due to windmill farms violating traditional reindeer hunting lands.
46:30: What Naina learned from her time working on the other side of the lens as a Director of Photography
49:26: “Man Borrows the Land from Future Generations”
53:06: Naina Helén Jåma answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire.
Guest Bio: Naina Helén Jåma is a South Sami photographer and storyteller from Snaasa in Norway, currently based in Oslo. After starting her career at the Saemien Sijte Museum at age 15, where she worked to interpret and preserve South Sami culture.
Naina has maintained a close relationship with the traditional Sami arts of Duodji. Documenting the ongoing development of this art form pays tribute to oral knowledge and silent tradition, which is learned and transmitted visually. Trained at the Nordic School of Photography in Sweden, Naina has worked as both a photojournalist and a photo editor for various Scandinavian newspapers and agencies, as well as major international publications such as The New York Times, Bloomberg and The Guardian.
Naina is a member of the Sami Artists Association, and in 2020 she received a working grant from the Sami Council. Most recently, she was selected by the Norwegian Journal of Photography as one of nine photographers to work on a two-year heritage project, where she will be photographing and doing in-depth interviews to investigate the evolving legacy of Sami culture.
Stay Connected:
Naina Helén Jåma Website: https://www.nainahelen.com/
Naina Helén Jåma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nainahelen/
Naina Helén Jåma on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nainahelen.photography/
Naina Helén Jåma on Twitter: https://x.com/nainahelenwj/
Naina Helén Jåma in the Norwegian Journal of Photography: https://njp.no/2024/naina-helen-jama/
Naina Helén Jåma on Blink: https://blink.la/u/nainahelenEnd Credits:
Senior Creative Producer & Host: Jill WatermanSenior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens
Theme Music: Gabriel Richards
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In today’s podcast, we’ll be talking with Long Island-based pediatrician and self-taught photographer Dr. Greg Gulbransen, whose newly released book Say Less documents the three years Gulbransen spent embedded with Malik, the paralyzed leader of a Crips’ set in the Bronx.
Gulbransen details his journey from wildlife and fashion photography to documenting the lives of at-risk members of the Bikes Up Guns Down club to his most recent (and most daunting) project: photographing members of a violent street gang.
Gulbransen also touches on his years-long campaign to require auto makers to install rear-view cameras in all American-made cars, a personal crusade born of the tragic car accident involving his infant son.
Guest: Dr. Greg Gulbransen
Top shot © Dr. Greg GulbransenEpisode Timeline:
3:45: Dr. Greg’s early medical training in the Bronx, and his experiences photographing at-risk kids from the Bikes Up Guns Down bike club.
13:26: The start of Dr. Greg’s 3-year project photographing Malik, a gunshot victim and paralyzed leader of a Bronx Crips’ set.
14:55: The complex relationship between Dr. Greg, Malik and his mother, which allowed him to operate in such a potentially dangerous environment.
19:23: Christmas with Malik and his family.
30:57: Dr. Greg talks best practices for administering Narcan, using informants to keep himself safe, and helping Malik stay out of prison.
44:48: Episode Break
45:46: Working with former LIFE magazine editor in chief Bill Shapiro to edit and plan his photo book.
49:22: Obtaining two sets of releases from Malik and other set members for all photos and text to appear in the book.
51:40: Dr. Greg discusses his copious notes while embedded, and details about capturing candid photos of set members and other neighborhood subjects.
54:50: Dr. Greg’s traumatic yet successful campaign requiring the auto industry to install of rear-view cameras in all American cars.
Guest Bio: Dr. Greg Gulbransen is a Long Island-based pediatric doctor, who has been making photographs since 2014. Following a tragic car accident involving his son in 2002, Gulbransen successfully campaigned to get the auto industry to install rear-view cameras in American cars. As a result, all new cars in the US must have rear-view cameras, leading to an immeasurable impact on the lives of Americans.After starting out with wildlife pictures and editorial fashion work, Gulbransen transitioned to documenting the lives of unique individuals with interesting stories in an aim to preserve their legacies through photography. This work is often informed by a drive to highlight issues impacting American society, with a focus on young people.
Over the course of three years, Gulbransen photographed Malik, a set leader of the violent street gang, the Crips. In 2018, Malik was shot and paralyzed by a bullet from a rival gang. As a result, his world now centers around the small Bronx apartment where he’s cared for by family and fellow gang members. This project was recently released by Gost Books as the monograph Say Less, Gulbransen’s first book.
Stay Connected:
Dr. Greg Gulbransen’s Website: https://www.gulbransenphoto.com/
Dr. Greg Gulbransen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greggulbransenpeds
Word on the Street YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@superwariobro
Dr. Greg Gulbransen’s book Say Less: https://gostbooks.com/en-us/products/say-less -
How would you feel if all the coverage you saw about your culture was a superficial view from the outside, rather than a narrative steeped in details of lived experience?
Above photograph © Tailyr Irvine
This is the motivating force that led today’s guest to pick up a camera, enter the newsroom, and cultivate an insider’s perspective on contemporary Native American life, to expand the scope and enhance the accuracy of stories being told.
From exploring quiet moments at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests to a revealing photo project on Blood Quantum, you’ll gain fresh insight into the traumatic history and complex issues affecting Native American people today.
Make sure and stay to the end for details about valuable resources like the Indigenous Photograph database and Illuminative’s Guide to Native Representation, as well as to learn about Tailyr’s ongoing work with businesses and organizations, to foster native representation in their projects.
All told, you’ll walk away with a new appreciation for the idea that “Learning your culture is a privilege, and it's not a privilege that everyone gets.”
For more information on our guest and the gear she uses, click here.
If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here.
Episode Timeline:
2:04: Tailyr’s early documentation at Standing Rock, and the value of her insider perspective as a Native journalist.
8:19: Distinctions between stereotypical views and a more authentic and diverse representation of Native culture.
12:42: Tailyr’s Reservation Mathematics project and the controversial issue of blood quantum.
21:05: The role of reservations as a center for Native culture and history, and the recent push to revitalize Native traditions.
24:11: The dark history of Native boarding schools and Tailyr’s work in telling stories about past abuses.
29:25: The public response to Tailyr’s Reservation Mathematics story and the challenges to changing this system.
32:30: Episode Break
34:25: Tailyr Irvine’s go-to gear and photojournalistic techniques.
38:21: Documenting tribal powwows to feature individual style rather than reinforce Native stereotypes.
42:56: Rules of etiquette at a powwow, the importance of consent, and questions of picture use.
47:17: Tailyr’s first assignment on the Blackfeet Boxing Club and an ESPN editor’s help to overcome economic barriers to entry.
54:28: Tailyr’s consulting work and building partnerships with businesses and organizations to foster native representation in projects.
1:04:06: Tailyr Irvine answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire.
Guest Bio: Tailyr Irvine is a Salish and Kootenai photographer and journalist born and raised on the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana. Her work focuses on providing in-depth representations of the lives and complex issues within the diverse communities that make up Native America.
Tailyr is also a co-founder of Indigenous Photograph, a global database dedicated to support the media industry in hiring more Indigenous photographers to tell the stories of their communities and to reflect on how we tell these stories. She is a National Geographic Explorer and frequently contributes to the New York Times and other national outlets.Stay Connected:
Tailyr Irvine Website: https://www.tailyrirvine.com/
Tailyr Irvine Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TailyrIrvine/
Tailyr Irvine Twitter: https://x.com/tailyrirvine
Tailyr Irvine Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TailyrIrvine/
Tailyr Irvine on National Geographic: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/storytelling-through-photography-tailyr-irvine/
Tailyr Irvine’s Blackfeet Boxing Story: https://indigenousfutures.illuminatives.org/ending-violence/tailyr-irvine
Illuminative’s Guide to Native Representation for Entertainment Industry Professionals: https://illuminative.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IllumiNative_industry-guide_June-2022.pdf
Native American Journalists Association Website: https://najanewsroom.com/
Tailyr Irvine’s Vital Impacts Grant: https://vitalimpacts.org/pages/grant-winner-2023-tailyr-irvine
Indigenous Photograph Website: https://indigenousphotograph.com/
Senior Creative Producer & Host: Jill Waterman
Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein
Executive Producer: Richard Stevens
Theme Music: Gabriel Richards
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Where does the medium of photography stand in an era where the latest mantra encourages people to “Skip the Photo Shoot?”
How can a viewer continue to trust photographs as evidence in a marketplace where AI is touted as a “revolution,” and “the new digital camera” that we need to embrace?
And what methods can a photographer use today to be considered a credible witness with a transparent code of ethics?
These are just a few of the points raised in our discussion with renowned writer, photo editor, and educator Fred Ritchin. For more than forty years, Ritchin has kept tabs on the progressive shift from using a camera to record the visible as truth to getting the world to look the way we want it to look.
Join us, as we wade through the swampy terrain separating photographic fact from synthetic creation, as part of a wider series tracing the effects of AI on today’s creative community.
Bonus invite: In preparation for an upcoming discussion between visual artists and AI instigators Boris Eldagsen and Miles Astray, we’re soliciting listener questions. To get your chance for an on-air shout out, please post a question for our guests to the comments section below or email it to: [email protected].
Guest: Fred Ritchin
Top shot: Synthetic image, not a photograph, generated by the artificial intelligence system DALL-E, in response to the text prompt by Fred Ritchin, “An iconic photograph from the year 1945,” 2023.
For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/photography-in-the-age-of-synthetic-imaging-with-fred-ritchinStay Connected:
Fred Ritchin Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Ritchin
Fred Ritchin bio from ICP: https://www.icp.org/users/fredritchin
Four Corners Project: https://fourcornersproject.org/
The Fifth Corner https://thefifthcorner.org/
Writing with Light Campaign: https://wwlight.org/
The Synthetic Eye book: https://wwnorton.com/books/9780500297391
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Sports enthusiasts from around the world will soon be glued to their nearest viewing screen, watching the action unfold during the international Summer Games in Paris.
But how much do you know about the finer points of photographing elite level competition, or about the lightning-fast, high-tech journey these images make from inside a camera to a remote editing workflow, and then onward to be enjoyed by you, the viewer?
In today’s podcast we’ve got the inside track on how these visual delicacies are brought to life and served up to global audiences. Our guests are Getty Images Chief Photographer Maddie Meyer and Managing Editor James Chance, who runs Getty Images’ editing operations in Europe.
We start with Maddie, who details the advance preparations and complex logistics required to ensure the success of 60 Getty Images photographers on the ground in Paris, alongside a sizable amount of remote and robotic gear. In the show’s second half, James describes the impressive synergy between the photographers on site and the massive team of photo editors he’s assembled to work remotely from London and in other locations around the world—a complex infrastructure that’s a first for the agency.
Immerse yourself in the passion for sports and learn what it takes to capture images that set you apart from the pack.
As Maddie Meyer sums up, “That's where the real challenge comes in. And that's where I would say it's really difficult. But that's where knowing the athletes comes in, knowing the way they move, knowing their rituals before they get in the pool, knowing some of the dynamics between the athletes, where you can really kind of pick up on the minutia to try and make something special.”
Guests: Maddie Meyer & James Chance
Episode Timeline:
3:37: Maddie’s college internship at Getty Images, and her experiences as a woman shooting sports.
8:30: Plans for covering the Paris Games, and details about the Getty Images team.
11:56: Maddie’s aquatics specialty and details about photographer assignments.
16:23: A question of shooting strategy: going for maximum volume vs anticipating more and shooting less.
22:37: Dedicated cameras vs remotes and robotic equipment, plus Maddie’s go-to gear: A Canon R3 mirrorless and 28-70 mm f/2 lens.
28:23: Episode Break
29:35: The synergy and trust between photography and photo editing teams.
33:28: Logistics of staff photographers, remotes, and robotic cameras on the ground to capture the Paris Games
38:28: Details about Getty Images remote photo editing staff in the UK during the Paris games, and their three-stage editing process.
43:33: The technical tools—hardware and software—powering the Getty Images workflow and file management process.
1:00:58: The most important qualities in a Getty Images photo editor.
Guest Bios:
Maddie Meyer is a chief photographer for Getty Images based in—but not geographically limited to—Boston, Massachusetts. She joined the Getty Images team in January 2015, after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in photojournalism from Ohio University. Maddie’s assignments range from covering New England’s professional sports teams to international travel covering events such as the Men’s and Women’s World Cup, the FINA World Swimming championships and the Olympic Games in Rio and Pyeongchang. Her pictures are continually published in major metropolitan newspapers, magazines, and websites worldwide, including ESPN, the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, the Washington Post, among many other media outlets.
Equally skilled as a photographer, James Chance began his editing career as a freelancer in London. He currently serves as the managing editor for Getty Images Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He works to train and schedule the editing team, as well as plan editing for major events such as the Women's World Cup in Australia, and the Paris Olympic Games. James helped to create the vision for Getty Images remote editing plan, where photo editors will be working out of the company’s London office, while the photographers will be in Paris.
Stay Connected:
Maddie Meyer Website: https://www.maddiemeyerphoto.com/
Maddie Meyer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddiemeyer2/
James Chance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameschance_5
Getty Images Website: https://www.gettyimages.com/
Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1742972-REG/samsung_mu_pe4t0s_am_4tb_t7_shield_portable.html
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A photographer’s success hinges on access. This is an underlying thread in the tapestry woven in this week’s show. Our discussion covers multiple facets and cultural attributes of Indian society, as seen through the eyes of a photographer with a knack for being in the right place at the right time.
In this month’s episode of the series, Picturing World Cultures, we speak with Indian photographer Pablo Bartholomew about his long career as a documentarian and photojournalist.
From his early intimate views of 60s-era hippies launching a counterculture invasion from the West to his photojournalistic coverage of historic events, Bartholomew shares insights about dynamics at work behind the scenes. We also discuss changes to the marketplace for pictures over time, and whether an iconic picture is still able to affect a change in the world.
As an antidote to a life chasing the news, Bartholomew embarked on a ten-year documentation of India’s remote Naga tribes. In the show’s second half, he walks us through his background research and the permissions process involved in photographing tribespeople and their customs with professional lighting gear.
There’s also a personal motivation behind Bartholomew’s Naga Project. As a child, he had heard many stories about goodwill the Naga showed his father’s family during their flight from Burma to India during World War II.
“Principally, what I couldn't wrap my head around was that headhunters, they're supposed to be these ferocious people. Why would they let fair game pass through their backyard, to the degree where they would provide food and shelter?” he says. “So, there was in this savage something very kind. And I wanted to find out what the contradiction was.”
Tune in today for more on the Naga tribes and other stories from India!
If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here.
Guest: Pablo Bartholomew
Episode Timeline:
2:16: Pablo describes how the caste system functions as a defining aspect of Indian culture.
7:18: The influx of the Western hippy counterculture in India as recorded in Pablo’s earliest pictures.
12:27: Capturing life on the streets of Delhi, Bombay, and Calcutta, a photo essay on Calcutta’s Chinatown, and Pablo’s work with the renowned Indian film director Satyajit Ray.
17:05: The rise of Pablo’s photojournalism career, the dynamics of a photographer’s access, and his iconic images of the tragic gas leak at Bhopal.
29:09: Pablo discusses how the work of a photojournalist has changed in the past 40 years.
32:53: Go-to camera gear, the various cameras Pablo’s used over the years, and his transition from analog to digital.
36:37: Tips for mitigating the heat and humidity of India, plus equipment for image storage and film scanning.
40:10: Episode Break
41:23: Pablo’s long-term project documenting the Naga tribes in Northeast India, his preliminary ethnographic research on the tribes, and gaining permission to photograph with full lighting gear.
51:43: Animist practices within the Naga tribes, and distinctions between tribes within the Naga identity.
1:00:05: Naga rituals it may be too late to photograph, and a memorable festival held by the Konyak tribe.
1:04:09: Pablo’s cross-cultural project documenting economic emigres from India who have resettled in the US, France, England, Madagascar, and Portugal.
1:14:38: Pablo Bartholomew answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire.
Guest Bio: Pablo Bartholomew, a self-taught photographer born in New Delhi in 1955. His father Richard was a noted art critic as well as a photographer, allowing Pablo to learn photography at home at a very young age.
In his subsequent career of nearly fifty years, Pablo has documented societies in conflict and transition, while also recording intimate details of his own generation maturing amid a changing India.
From 1983 to 2004, his photojournalistic work was featured in every major international publication, from National Geographic to Paris Match and beyond. Pablo’s photographs have been recognized by World Press Photo on three different occasions, including a 1985 ‘Picture of the Year’ award for his riveting image from the Bhopal gas tragedy.
In 2013, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for his contributions to photography, and in 2014, he was honored with the status of Chevalier de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.
For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-pablo-bartholemew-india
Stay Connected:
Pablo Bartholomew Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pablobartholomew/
Pablo Bartholomew Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/parabart
Pablo Bartholomew Bhopal photo from World Press Photo 1985: https://www.worldpressphoto.org/collection/photocontest/1985
Pablo Bartholomew Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Bartholomew
Pablo Bartholomew Nagaland Project: https://ninefish.in/viewing-room/the-nagas/
TEDxIIMRanchi: Pablo Bartholomew - A Life in Photographyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBldVr4YIBE
Kishor Parekh: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kishor_Parekh
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Most people’s perception of prison life revolves around sensationalized news stories and Hollywood movies depicting drab, inhospitable environments far outside our reach.
In today’s show, we’re challenging that view in a chat with two educators who use photography as a framework for teaching visual literacy and the art of storytelling to incarcerated men.
Cameras, computers, and sometimes even books, are prohibited from classrooms inside lock up, which forced our guests to come up with creative workarounds, using the generosity of the photographic medium as a path to engage in dialog with their students.
As one of our guests, Nigel Poor, puts it: “With a little bit of ingenuity, there's always a work around to come out with something really beautiful and emotional. And that's one of the pleasures of working in a prison, is that you've got to really rely on your imagination and your ability to hit a road bump and find a way around it.”
Don’t miss this inspiring discussion with two artists and educators who successfully adapted their teaching to the prison workaround, then connected with students on a human level, ultimately triggering their capability to “see fascination everywhere.”
Guests: Chantal Zakari & Nigel Poor
For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/pictures-from-the-inside-seeing-fascination-everywhere-with-chantal-zakari
Top shot courtesy of Nigel Poor and the San Quentin State Prison Museum, with thanks to former Warden Ron Davis and retired Lieutenant Sam Robinson
Stay Connected:
Chantal Zakari Website: https://www.thecorner.net/chantal-zakari
Chantal Zakari Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/show.n.tll/Chantal Zakari’s Pictures from the Outside book: https://www.thecorner.net/picturesfromtheoutside
Tufts University Prison Initiative (TUPIT): https://sites.tufts.edu/tupit/overview/
Nigel Poor Website: https://nigelpoor.com/
Nigel Poor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nigelpoor/
Nigel Poor’s San Quentin Prison Project: https://nigelpoor.com/project/san-quentin/
Nigel Poor’s San Quentin Prison Project book: https://aperture.org/books/the-san-quentin-project/
Ear Hustle Podcast website: https://www.earhustlesq.com/
This is Ear Hustle book: https://sites.prh.com/thisisearhustle
Mount Tamalpais College: https://www.mttamcollege.edu/
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Documenting a culture can be a daunting process, especially when it involves a history of conquest and colonialism. Synthesizing such a complex and traumatic past in a contemporary narrative is a formidable task, requiring extensive researchh and dedicated planning. This is the back story to today’s podcast.
Above photograph © Juan Brenner
For the seventh chapter in our monthly series, Picturing World Cultures, we speak with Guatemalan photographer Juan Brenner about his recent projects in the country’s Western Highlands.
Our chat begins with Brenner’s introduction to photography as a youth, and the protective bubble surrounding him during the country’s brutal civil war. He left Guatemala at age 20 to forge a career as a fashion photographer in New York, which filters into our discussions about portraiture and photo gear.
But our primary focus is on Brenner’s recent personal projects, created after his return to Guatemala, and an epiphany he had about the idea of “Indigenous Power.”
Listen in as he describes how this concept was subsequently called into question. You’ll gain insight into the unequal power quotient that comes with being a “Mickey Mouse” photographer and discover how critical aspects of communication extend well beyond the basic structure of language.
As Brenner notes during our chat, “You have to be really careful just being a photographer. It's so colonialist, you know, having a camera. You have this big robot that you stick in people's faces. You have this advantage. And, for me, it's really important to think about that a lot.”
If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here.
Guest: Juan Brenner
For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-juan-brenner-guatemala
Stay Connected:
Juan Brenner Website: https://www.juanbrenner.com
Juan Brenner Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juan_brenner
Juan Brenner Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JuanBrenner5/
Artist talk with Juan Brenner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPiwQXWUMJ8&t=40s
Juan Brenner’s book Tonatiuh: https://editorialrm.com/en/producto/tonatiuh/
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Julia Blaukopf is not afraid to think big, particularly when it comes to her photographs. She’s also not afraid of blurring the lines between fine art and commercial enterprise. Equal parts photographer, designer, visual artist, and entrepreneur, Julia is the founder of Fotografica—an arts-products venture with the goal of re-envisioning options for photography and photo-based products.
Top shot © Julia Blaukopf
In this week’s podcast, Julia leads us along her inspiring path—from her early days working with alternative processes and forging relationships with crafts people to her latest collaborations with architects, designers, and developers in the creation of architectural-scale commissions and custom photo-based installations.
When collaborating with professional partners and clients on huge projects, psychology is key, which we discuss in detail. Blaukopf also describes the critical importance of seeking out the best printers and installers. Besides a command over technical details such as sound absorption, color fading, and bubbling, she sheds light on lesser-known yet equally essential construction issues such as fire codes.
In addition to Blaukopf’s commercial work, she is also a documentarian with a passion for women’s empowerment and social justice. Towards the end of our chat she describes her work in that realm, offering insights about connecting with non-profits, and sharing stories through photography that have the ability to galvanize change.
Guest: Julia Blaukopf
For more information on our guest and the gear she uses, see:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/larger-than-life-julia-blaukopfs-custom-photographic-wall-decor
Stay Connected:
Julia Blaukopf’s Website: https://www.juliablaukopf.com/
Fotografica Website: https://www.thefotografica.com/
Julia Blaukopf’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliablaukopf/
Fotographica’s Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/fotografica_official/
Julia Blaukopf’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliablaukopf
Julia Blaukopf’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julia.blaukopf/
North Bar Wall Covering: https://www.thefotografica.com/north-bar
Julia’s book The Rain Parade: https://www.abingdonsquarepublishing.com/rainparade.html
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How much do you know about New York City’s 1982 Loft Law, which established a process for artists to obtain legal occupancy of the raw industrial spaces they inhabited, while also providing rent stabilization and protection from future eviction? Or the pigeon fanciers who were once a fixture across the rooftops of Brooklyn and remain valued as neighborhood sentinels?
If these poetic vestiges from Gotham’s storied past have you dreaming about the good old days, then you won’t want to miss our podcast with gen-Z New Yorkers (and good buddies) Joshua Charow and Josh Katz.
Their ambitious, self-assigned photo projects explore rarified mini-worlds featuring magical artist spaces and exuding West Side Story vibes.
While their respective explorations occupy opposite ends of the struggle for prized urban space, the insights they share when discussing both their working methods and their paths to publishing are instructive and inspirational. What’s more, their spirited camaraderie in conversation is infectious!
As Charow aptly notes toward the end of the episode, “I have to say, I don’t know if this book would exist without Josh Katz. Because I started this project towards the end of him finishing his, and as a close friend, he was able to basically show me the roadmap of how you get from idea to a finished book. And like he said, it’s really hard to understand how that works without someone in your life who can show you the steps you have to take.”
And for bonus points, listen up to discover the former guest of the show who also sat down with Charow, and ultimately lined him up with a book agent!
For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/nyc-artist-lofts-brooklyn-rooftops-with-joshua-charow-josh-katz
Guests: Joshua Charow and Josh Katz
Top shot © Joshua Charow
Stay Connected:
Joshua Charow Website: https://www.joshuacharow.com/
Joshua Charow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuacharow/
Joshua Charow TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joshcharow
Joshua Charow Twitter: https://twitter.com/joshuacharow/
Joshua Charow YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joshuacharow
Joshua Charow Loft Law book:
https://www.damianibooks.com/en/collections/charow-joshua
Joshua Charow Westwood Gallery Exhibit: https://www.westwoodgallery.com/exhibitions/loft-law-photographs-by-joshua-charowosh Katz Website: https://www.joshkatz.me/
Josh Katz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshkatz/
Josh Katz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/joshkatz
Josh Katz Kickstarter campaign:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/joshkatz/new-york-in-quarantine-rooftop-culture-through-crisis?ref=5bku66
Josh Katz On the Roof book: https://www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/books/on-the-roof-new-york-in-quarantine-hardcover
Josh Katz Skatefolio Project: https://skatefol.io/
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The dictionary defines culture as “the way of life for an entire society.” But sometimes larger forces create rifts within the whole, inevitably leading to a confrontation between factions. A prime example of this cultural struggle is playing out today within the cities and villages of Ukraine, the focus of today’s episode.
Above photograph © Maxim Dondyuk
In this sixth installment of our monthly series, Picturing World Cultures, we speak with Ukrainian photographer and visual artist Maxim Dondyuk, and his wife and artistic manager, Irina.
Our conversation stretches beyond the current conflict, to encompass other aspects of Ukrainian society. From Maxim’s early series on a country doctor’s final visits with patients (which drew inspiration from the work of W. Eugene Smith) to his in-depth coverage of Ukraine’s TB epidemic, we witness the evolution of his working methods and his dedication to long term documentary projects.
Step behind the scenes of a military camp for children run by Cossacks, and gain insight into the cultural split between pro-Russian and pro-European factions, which Maxim photographed for his book Culture of Confrontation.
As he writes in this book, “One culture tried to cling to old times, old ways of living. They were nostalgic for a past that meant a lot to them, to their parents, and grandparents. Yet there was another culture that felt completely differently. They looked ahead to forging something new, a different country.”
Join us for this frank discussion about how such conflicting forces take visual form in Maxim’s powerfully arresting images.
If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here.
Guests: Maxim & Irina Dondyuk
Stay Connected:
Maxim Dondyuk Website: https://maximdondyuk.com/
Maxim Dondyuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maximdondyuk/
Maxim Dondyuk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maximdondyuk
Maxim Dondyuk Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/maximdondyuk
Maxim Dondyuk Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxim_Dondyuk
Maxim Dondyuk‘s W. Eugene Smith Grant: https://www.smithfund.org/2022-maxim-dondyuk
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For anyone familiar with the photo industry, the mammoth lawsuit between The Andy Warhol Foundation and renowned music photographer Lynn Goldsmith should be no secret. This complex battle over the rights to her 1981 portrait of the artist formerly known as Prince lasted seven years and went all the way to the Supreme Court.
But do you know the circumstances behind her original portrait session with the famously reserved musician, and were you aware of all the misinformation about this case that was disseminated in both legal documents and the press?
Lynn is a longtime friend of the show, and our 2017 episode about her extensive, long-term work with the band Kiss, among other crazy stories, was a fan favorite. We invited her back to discuss this case in 2022, when the Supreme Court first agreed to hear it, but heeding the advice of her legal counsel she wisely declined our offer at that time.
In May 2023, the Supreme Court ultimately ruled in Lynn’s favor in a 7-2 decision, which has already been shown to benefit others seeking remedies for the misuse of their creative works.
Yet, while this landmark decision happened last year, the case itself was not officially resolved until very recently—Friday, March 15, 2024, to be exact—a day some might recognize as the Ides of March.
Now that the final resolution has been signed, sealed, and delivered, we felt it was a perfect opportunity for Lynn to give us a recap of this David vs Goliath battle, with all its complexities and underlying bias.
From details about the Fair Use doctrine, to the matter of copyright registration, to her thoughts about the current photographer community, to the importance of standing up for one’s rights, Lynn provides a clear and insightful assessment of one of the most traumatic and threatening experiences that any independent artist can face, as only she can.
To her very core, Lynn believes creativity can make anything possible, an ideology she sums up aptly at the end of our chat.
“I felt like some higher power picked me for this,” she says. “And that I had to make myself feel like a 1940s film with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, where there was going to be a happy ending, that everything would work out just fine, and that I was going to prevail.”
Guest: Lynn Goldsmith
Top shot © Lynn Goldsmith
Episode Timeline:
2:50: The backstory to Lynn Goldsmith’s 1981 photo session with Prince.
7:17: Shooting both color and black-and-white in the days of film, a separate camera for each option.
11:15: Vanity Fair’s 1984 use of Lynn’s black and white portrait for artist reference.
13:47: Lynn’s discovery of the original image use after Prince died in 2016.
19:50: The value of saving detailed records of licensing agreements for future reference.
23:14: The preemptive lawsuit the Andy Warhol Foundation filed against Lynn, and the misinformation contained in the Federal court filing.
32:15: Lynn discusses the Fair Use doctrine and the matter of copyright registration in relation to her case.
36:43: Episode Break
38:04: Meeting with the Andy Warhol Foundation and the deal on offer to resolve the lawsuit.
44:40: Lynn’s thoughts about the current photographer community and the importance of standing up for your rights.
48:09: The multiple rounds of the Prince portrait lawsuit, from the first Federal case to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court.
56:29: Uneven reporting about the lawsuit in the press, with the photo press being fearful to write anything, and the art press releasing misinformation without fact checks.
1:00:27: Behind the scenes at the Supreme Court hearing, the effects of the 7 – 2 decision, as well as Justice Kagan’s written opinion.
1:08:48: Lynn’s thoughts about generative AI.
Guest Bio: Lynn Goldsmith is a multi-awarded portrait photographer whose work has appeared on and in between the covers of top magazines worldwide. Her subjects have varied from entertainment to sports, film directors to authors, and from top celebrities to the ordinary man on the street. Her forty years of photography are both an investigation into the nature of the human spirit, as well as the natural wonders of our planet.
As the author of 12 major photo books, Lynn’s images are also featured in numerous museum collections, yet her professional achievements are in no way limited to the world of photography. She is the youngest member ever accepted into the Director's Guild of America (DGA), where she achieved several firsts—from the first rock show on network television to the first music documentary released as a theatrical short, and more. In the mid-seventies, Lynn stopped directing to concentrate fully on photography.
By the early 80s, she departed from both photography and film, to become the first ‘optic-music’ artist. Using the a.k.a. Will Powers, she produced the album "Dancing for Mental Health" on Island Records. Her debut album won critical acclaim and her single, Kissing with Confidence, reached #3 on the British charts.
The wide range of Lynn's talents, skills and achievements are products of a belief she holds constant: Creativity is based on breaking limiting thought patterns, thus making anything possible.
Stay Connected:
Lynn Goldsmith’s Website: https://lynngoldsmith.com/menu.html
Rock and Roll Photo Gallery Website: https://rockandrollphotogallery.com/
Lynn Goldsmith’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynngoldsmith/
Lynn Goldsmith’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/goldsmithphoto
Lynn Goldsmith’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lynngoldsmithartist/
Lynn Goldsmith’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lynn-goldsmith/
Lynn Goldsmith’s GoFundMe Campaign
Lynn Goldsmith’s Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Goldsmith
Pelican 1510TP Carry-On Case: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1241003-REG/pelican_015100_0050_110_1510tp_carry_on_case_with.html
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Professional tree planting is back breaking piecework—a combination of high intensity sport and industrial labor that requires both technical finesse and remarkable physical and mental endurance. Using techniques more often associated with high-performance athletes, experienced planters (commonly known as high-ballers) leap up and down through uneven and debris-strewn terrain, armed only with a shovel and 30-kg bags of seedlings on their backs.
In recent years, tree planting has become a rite of passage among young Canadians not afraid of hard work and dirt under their fingernails. As seasonal work, it attracts many students from Canada’s southern cities. Due to the brutal physical demands, most are under 30 years old. Out on the cut block inclement weather is common, and the swarms of biting insects are legendary.
Working in—rather than on—the land for months on end, and sharing an isolated camp site creates a solid bond among planters. This has molded into a subculture of sorts, which is the subject of today’s show.
My guest for this episode is Canadian photographer and filmmaker Rita Leistner. Rita documents communities living in extreme conditions, typically investing months or years in a project. After spending a decade as a tree planter during her youth, Rita returned to the forest in 2016 to document a new generation. In 2021, she released her results as an Art Trifecta, featuring large fine art photographs, a 256-page photo book, and the documentary feature film “Forest for the Trees.”
Equally in her element in forests and war zones, Rita’s photographs and her writings about photography, art, and war have been published, exhibited, and collected worldwide. She is represented by the Stephen Bulger Gallery for art, and by Green Planet Films for film.
Guest: Rita Leistner
Above photograph © Rita Leistner
For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-rita-leistner-canada
And if you haven’t already listened, check out all episodes from our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here.https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/promotion/picturing-world-cultures
Episode Timeline:
2:02: The backstory to Canadian tree planting as a business
5:21: Rita’s interest in photography and her early days as a tree planter.
12:43: Comparisons and contrasts between Rita’s early tree planting experiences and what she found when returning to the forest to document this subject.
18:21: A typical day in the life of a tree planter and the actual planting process
26:31: How Rita landed on her distinctive photographic style of capturing fast moving planters with a PhaseOne camera and Profoto lighting.
32:40: Rita talks about how the young planters responded to her sudden presence in the camp.
36:17: Rita’s lighting set up with Profoto B1 lights and coordinating with an assistant to carry all the gear.
41:56: Episode Break
43:10: Rita talks about power consumption, batteries, generators, workflow, and more when working in remote locations.
45:03: Inclement weather, dirt, and bugs when shooting both stills and video footage out in the wilderness.
48:41: The lighting details behind Rita’s enchanted forest nighttime images and timelapse footage.
53:38: How the work of tree planters is perceived by both the logging industry and environmentalists, and the effects this has on the planters themselves.
1:03:47: How Rita’s Tree Planter project has affected her sense of Canadian identity.
1:06:04: Rita Leistner answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire.
Guest Bio: Rita Leistner is a Canadian photographer and filmmaker who creates portraits of communities living in extreme conditions, typically investing months or years in a project. After spending a decade of her formative years as a tree planter in the Canadian wilderness, she returned to this theme to document a new generation of planters from 2016 to 2019. In 2021, she released the project as an Art Trifecta, featuring fine art photographs, a 256-page monograph, and the 91-minute documentary film Forest for the Trees.
Additionally, Rita has been captured by insurgents, assaulted, and shot at, and she has run into gunfire to get a photograph. She has published four books of photography including Unembedded: Four Independent Photojournalists on the War in Iraq (2005), widely considered one of the most influential anti-war books to come out of the Iraq conflict. Rita’s photographs and her writings about photography, art, and war have been published and exhibited worldwide, and are in major corporate and museum collections. From 2010 to 2016 she served as Associate Professor in the History of Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at the University of Toronto. She is represented by the Stephen Bulger Gallery for art, and by Green Planet Films for film.
Stay Connected:
Rita Leistner Website: http://ritaleistner.com/
Forest for the Trees Website: https://www.forestforthetreesdocumentary.com/
Rita Leistner Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ritaleistner/
Rita Leistner Twitter: https://twitter.com/ritaleistner/
Stephen Bulger Gallery Website: https://www.bulgergallery.com/artists/45-rita-leistner/overview/
Green Planet Films Website: https://greenplanetfilms.org/products/forest-for-the-trees?_pos=1&_sid=90a01a45d&_ss=r
Canadian photographer Lorraine Gilbert: https://www.lorrainegilbert.com/
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Cozy up to a ringside seat for a behind-the-scenes tour of the wildest shows in sports entertainment, during our insightful chat about the still photos produced for World Wrestling Entertainment, (otherwise known as WWE).
In 2023 alone, the WWE photo team traveled the globe, covering close to 170 live events, and producing 2.6 million stills to serve the organization’s various platforms.
You might—incorrectly—assume that WWE’s still images are generated from video screengrabs. Well, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
In this week’s podcast, we get the full scoop about stills from WWE’s Vice President of photography, Brad Smith, and Senior Director of photography, Rich Freeda.
Among the many details we unpack: The learning curve required for shooting a WWE event, the importance of showing all aspects of the spectacle in pictures, and the delicate dance between still photographers and TV camerapeople, who are tethered together and both wearing headphones while capturing a show.
In addition to live event coverage, the photo team creates high-level studio portraits of WWE Superstars, which necessitates complex studio set ups at each venue. Given the relentless schedule of three live shows weekly, two of which are traveling, studio gear is circling the country all year long. As Rich Freeda puts it, “We could be a Consumer Reports testing lab.”
And when it comes to the type of photographers best suited to covering WWE shows, Brad Smith sums things up nicely. “[At first,] I instinctively thought, if we’re going to hire new people, they have to be sports photographers. And now I don’t think that at all. I’ll tell you who I’d rather have. I’d rather have a photographer who’s a tour photographer for Bon Jovi than somebody who’s the Yankee’s photographer, because they understand that event is the important thing.”
Psych yourself up for WrestleMania 40 with our WWE episode from the B&H Photography Podcast!
Guests: Brad Smith and Rich Freeda
Above photograph © Rich Freeda/WWE
For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/still-photography-the-wwe-with-brad-smith-rich-freeda
Stay Connected:
WWE Still Photography Page: https://www.wwe.com/photos
Brad Smith Website: https://www.bradsmithcreative.com/
Brad Smith on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradpix/
Brad Smith on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brad-Smith-Creative/
Brad Smith on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nybradsmith
Rich Freeda Website: https://www.richardfreeda.com/collections
Rich Freeda on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richfreedaphoto/
Rich Freeda on Twitter: https://twitter.com/richfreedaphoto
Rich Freeda WWE Profile: https://www.wwe.com/videos/the-photography-of-wrestlemania-with-rich-freeda-making-wwe
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Where will you be on April 8, 2024? If you don’t already know, you’d better figure it out fast, particularly if you’ve got an interest in observing—and ideally photographing—the awe-inspiring phenomenon of a total solar eclipse.
To get you up to speed on essential eclipse details, tune in to our chat with science writer Rebecca Boyle and Gabriel Biderman from B&H’s Road Marketing team. Boyle shares tidbits about Earth’s silvery sister gleaned from research for her book Our Moon, while Gabe discusses preparations (and practice!) for your eclipse photo session, plus strategies for juggling multiple set-ups.
To celebrate the total eclipse back in 2017, B&H teamed up with Atlas Obscura for a two-day festival in Eastern Oregon’s Snake River Valley. This year, the party’s expanding from two to four days! We end the episode with details about the 2024 Ecliptic Festival, held alongside the Valley of Vapors music festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas, smack in the Eclipse’s umbra.
Immerse yourself in this rare astronomical occurrence while rubbing shoulders with celebrated scientists, legendary musicians, artists and photographers galore, plus benefit from dedicated space—and tools—for star gazing and tracking the path to totality and back. The sky’s the limit!
Guests: Rebecca Boyle & Gabriel BidermanTop shot © Gabriel Biderman
For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/ecliptic-visions-with-rebecca-boyle-gabriel-biderman-atlas-obscura-bh
Stay Connected:
Atlas Obscura Ecliptic Festival: https://ecliptic.atlasobscura.com/
Atlas Obscura Website: https://www.atlasobscura.com/
Rebecca Boyle Website: https://rebeccaboyle.com/
Rebecca Boyle Our Moon book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/611468/our-moon-by-rebecca-boyle/
Rebecca Boyle’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/by.rebecca.boyle/
Rebecca Boyle’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/rboyle31
Rebecca Boyle’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rboyle31/
Gabriel Biderman’s Website: https://www.ruinism.com/
National Parks at Night Website: https://www.nationalparksatnight.com/
National Parks at Night’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalparksatnight/
National Parks at Night’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/natlpksatnight
National Parks at Night’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationalparksatnight
National Parks at Night’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NationalParksatNight -
There are many different ways to look at culture, and today we take a geographic approach, to distinguish people who live in rural mountain and hilly settings from those of the wider plains and urban areas.
Our focus is the country of Romania, where we’ll explore the rustic landscape of small farms, hand tilled fields, and local communities that still identify with the working methods and traditions of the past. Along the way, we’ll follow the cyclical work of farmers and shepherds, gain insight into the Orthodox faith, explore vibrant holiday celebrations, and reveal unique rituals with pagan roots.
In this fourth installment of our monthly series, Picturing World Cultures, we speak with Daniel Rosca, a Romanian photographer and travel guide specialized in photographic, cultural, and genealogical tours.
As a child, Daniel experienced the age-old traditions of rural Romania first-hand during time spent on his grandparent’s farm. Following university studies, he spent four years abroad, working in youth development, consulting, and corporate social responsibility. After living in Brussels, Warsaw, Istanbul, and Cairo, and travelling to another 40 countries on four continents, Daniel decided travel should become his full-time job.
He chose to return to his homeland in 2011, where he founded Romania Photo Tours and True Romania Tours, to help curious travelers immerse themselves in—and capture images of—old-world Romanian culture.
In summary, to quote the motto of his photo tour site: Veni, Vidi, Click!
Guest: Daniel Rosca
For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-daniel-rosca-romania
And if you haven’t already listened, check out all episodes from our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/promotion/picturing-world-cultures
Episode Timeline:
2:07: The blend of various cultures and influences that make up Romanian culture, geographic distinctions between regions based on mountains, hills, and plains, Romania’s historic regions, plus the country’s widespread agricultural focus.
9:41: Common misconceptions about Romania: dispelling inaccuracies about Dracula and Romania’s communist past, plus Romania’s current strengths in tech, IT, and engineering.
12:34: Special considerations, both general and cultural, when photographing people in different regions, making pictures of the Roma, military, or police, plus Romania’s strict policies that prohibit driving after even a sip of alcohol.
17:44: Romanian agricultural traditions of scything, haymaking, horse carts, blacksmiths, shepherding, plus the art of traditional egg painting.
23:24: Forging a human connection with local villagers and craftspeople, etiquette and logistics when making pictures, plus the issue of obtaining model releases for portraits.
30:14: Daniel’s go-to photo gear: Nikon Z6 mirrorless and a 24-70 mm f/2.8 lens, the benefits to carrying a flash, plus recommendations for packing and benefits to traveling light
34:08: Episode Break
35:10: Romanian Orthodox churches, regional differences in appearance, rules of etiquette and respectful behavior when photographing, plus the many denominations of Orthodoxy, and details about holiday schedules.
44:42: Meaning of the word Orthodox, distinctions between Orthodox and Catholic faiths, plus Romania’s Lutheran heritage, and fortified churches of Transylvania.
47:11: Romanian bear dance festivals of Moldova over New Year’s, the festival’s pagan roots, tips for getting good pictures by interacting and considering the background first, plus other year end celebrations
54:20: Romanian Easter traditions, a candle lit in Jerusalem on Easter morning and flown to all Romanian Orthodox churches, breaking the Lenten fast, plus Romania’s little-known focus on vegan foods.
1:00:58: Romania’s Dracula lure, distinguishing true cultural history from the literary myth, useful resources for more background about Romania, plus details about Daniel’s genealogical tours.
57:22: Daniel Rosca answers our Picturing World Cultures Visual Questionnaire.
Guest Bio: Daniel Rosca is a Romanian photographer and tour guide specializing in photographic, cultural, and genealogical tours. As a child, he spent a lot of time at his grandparent’s subsistence farm and experienced many of the traditions of rural Romania. After university and four years abroad, he realized how interesting rural Romania and its traditions are and decided to return to his native country to help curious travelers discover them as well.
Before setting down roots in travel, Daniel worked in youth development, consulting, as well as in corporate social responsibility for Microsoft. After living and working in Brussels, Warsaw, Istanbul, and Cairo, and travelling to another 40 countries on four continents, he decided travel should become his full-time job, in the country where he feels most connected. He founded Romania Photo Tours and True Romania Tours in 2011. In summary, to quote the motto of his photo tour site: Veni, Vidi, Click! Where click is not only about clicking the shutter, but also about clicking with the culture.
Stay Connected:
Romania Photo Tours Website: https://romania-photo-tours.com/
True Romania Tours Website: https://true-romania.tours/
Romania Photo Tours Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/romaniaphototours/
Romania Photo Tours Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/touroperatorRomaniaPhotoTours
True Romania Tours Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrueRomaniaTours/
Romania Photo Tours X: https://twitter.com/photo_romania
True Romania Tours X: https://twitter.com/TRomaniaTours
True Romania Tours Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/trueromaniatours/
Romanian photographer Sorin Onisor: https://www.instagram.com/sorin_onisor/
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