B&H Photography Podcast

Family portraits have come a long way since the heyday of department-store setups. In this episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we examine business and creative factors at work in this constantly evolving field, recorded on location at B&H’s 2023 Depth of Field Conference. Listen in for fresh insights on family portraiture from two specialists serving very different market segments. Above photograph © Monica Sigmon, Sigmon Taylor Photography Our first guest is Michele Celentano, a serial entrepreneur who’s shifted from weddings to families to her latest focus on the big business of school and sports portraits. After getting the scoop on her career trajectory, Celentano describes how she’s modernizing and redefining this very lucrative market. After a break, we chat with Monica Sigmon about the central role that formal family portraits can play in establishing a visual legacy and building self-worth among your clients, while she also elaborates on the complex economic factors involved in pricing your work. Guests: Michele Celentano & Monica Sigmon For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://blogd7.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/business-family-portraits-michele-celentano-monica-sigmon Top shot © Monica Sigmon, Sigmon Taylor Photography Episode Timeline: 3:37: Celentano’s early mentors, professional groups that helped coach her in business, and early advice she received. 9:55: Reinventing yourself, from weddings to portraits to school and sports photography. 14:25: Adapting a business to the volume market for school sports portraits. 16:52: Differentiating between school sports portraits and senior portrait styles and modernizing the approach to deliver a clean contemporary look. 19:28: Believing in the work you do to manifest a value-based experience for your clients. 24:58: Episode Break 26:14: The power of a family portrait to change the way that children and families see themselves, and the value of formal printed portraits that lock in time as part of family history. 34:14: The shrinking of the family portrait specialty as a full-time career. 36:00: Sigmon’s Black Label portrait series as a premium style of formal portrait. 37:42: Explaining a family portrait shoot to kids to get them on board with the concept, while minimizing studio clutter and props to keep the focus on the portrait session. 44:25: The importance of taking control of the shoot and the experience. You are hired for being an expert in what you do. Guest Bios: Michele Celentano has enjoyed a professional photography career of more than 30-years, from her start photographing weddings in New York City, through a shift to newborn, children, and family portraiture to her recent focus on the school and sports portrait market. Widely known as the "Queen of Group Posing,” Celentano has a passion for teaching and giving back to the photographic community. Her artwork has been published in numerous books and in a wide range of professional photography magazines. Monica Sigmon is on a mission to revitalize family portraiture. After opening her Williamsburg, Virginia, photography studio, in 2000, she quickly built a successful business with a reputation for excellence and cutting-edge imagery. The recipient of two prestigious degrees from the Professional Photographers of America, she is a popular speaker, traveling nationwide to offer entertaining programs on marketing, building your brand and running a luxury studio with authenticity. Sigmon is also co-host of The f-Stops Here podcast. Stay Connected: Michele Celentano Website: https://www.michelecelentano.com/ Michele Celentano Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelecelentanophotographer/ Michele Celentano Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MicheleCelentano.photographer/ Michele Celentano Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/michcelentano/ Monica Sigmon Website: https://www.sigmontaylor.com/ Monica Sigmon Instagram:...

Humans and pets have shared a deep bond for centuries, yet our animal companions are now considered more a part of the family than ever. So, it’s no surprise that pet photography is a blossoming niche, and a perfect subject for this week’s podcast—especially since it’s National Pet Month! Above photograph © Nancy Borowick We start by chatting with pet photographer Karen Hoglund, who alerted us to her work in response to Allan’s musing about using the hashtag “kittens” to generate traffic on social media. After noting that #kittens only yields a 20 percent bump over #photographer, Hoglund offers advice on the dos and don’ts of posing pets, and picking up on their non-verbal signs of anxiety or stress. After a break, we switch gears from posed pet portraits to learn about Sony Artisan Nancy Borowick’s candid editorial-style coverage of the Westminster Dog Show, and her long-term project, “Part of the Pack.” Primarily known for telling intimate stories about people, Nancy explains how an invitation to photograph the dog show helped her process the loss of both her parents to cancer. She talks about the challenges of covering the show’s frenetic atmosphere, describing how she maintains focus by seeking out telling details. As we all agree, pets are truly a gift in our daily lives, and learning how to capture their unique personalities in pictures can only deepen this bond and enrich our experience. Guests: Karen Hoglund & Nancy Borowick For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://blogd7.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/kittens-picturing-pets-karen-hoglund-nancy-borowick Top shot © Nancy Borowick Episode Timeline: 2:06: Does #Kittens or pictures of cute pets help to drive traffic on social media? 4:28: How to recognize signs of stress and anxiety in pets, and tips for posing pets during a photo session. 7:48: Giving treats to a pet so they’ll behave during a photo shoot and behavior differences to keep in mind when photographing dogs or cats. 16:06: Tips for photographing groups of pets and people, plus advice for photographing darker-colored pets. 21:32: Hoglund’s pet photography gear bag and her thoughts on using mirrorless cameras and lenses. 25:57: Episode Break 27:04: Nancy Borowick’s love of the Westminster Dog show and the challenges of working in such a fast-paced, frenetic environment. 36:11: Difficult breeds to photograph, the benefits of real-time eye autofocus for animals in Sony lenses, and Borowick’s favorite dog breed. 39:25: Borowick’s love for close-up details as storytelling tools, and her favorite lens: a Sony G series 85mm f/1.4. 42:30: Evolution from photographing at the dog show to Borowick’s long-term project “Part of the Pack,” and the differences between dogs and owners at a top competition setting and in a home environment 54:30: Final thoughts from Borowick and Hoglund about owning pets today. Guest Bios: Karen Hoglund started out as a graphic designer, art-directing photo shoots for ad agencies and commercial clients. After honing her camera skills by photographing children and families, she shifted focus to her true love—dogs and cats. After starting a pet photography business in 2012, she hasn’t looked back, working from her home base in Denver, Colorado with a squeaky toy in one hand, a camera in the other, and fur all over her clothes. Nancy Borowick is an internationally renowned photographer, author, teacher, and speaker. A graduate of the International Center of Photography, she is a Sony Artisan of Imagery and a Kickstarter Thought Leader. Working regularly with the New York Times since 2013, Borowick has told intimate stories of people, places, and pets from every corner of the globe. Her break-out project about her two parents in parallel treatment for stage-four cancer has received major accolades and awards such as The Arnold Newman Prize and the Humanitarian Award from the organization Women That Soar. This project was...

Tati Bruening and Anya Anti are two rising stars at the confluence of photography, digital assets, and social influence. In this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we get the lowdown on their burgeoning careers in fashion / beauty and conceptual / fine art portraits in part two of our chats from B&H’s 2023 Depth of Field Conference. Above photograph © Tati Bruening We start with Tati Bruening, who shares how her plea to “Make Instagram Instagram Again” became a global meme, ultimately prompting a response from the platform’s head. Learn how she spent the pandemic focused on daily DIY shoots with friends, allowing her to quickly master her Canon 5D Mark IV inside and out. Today, Bruening is supported by a powerhouse management team. Hear how she made these essential connections, get tips on working with a manager, and learn which pitfalls to avoid. After a break, we shift gears to Anya Anti, who fills us in on the intricate set design and attentive compositing work behind her whimsical portraits, which seamlessly bridge fantasy and real life. She distinguishes between shooting self-portraits for a more personal approach and posing models as alter egos for more control behind the camera. We also tackle the elephant in the room—artificial intelligence in photographic creation—with Anti weighing in on both the significant ethical issues posed by AI and its positive aspects as incorporated in Adobe’s smart selection tools. Guests: Tati Bruening and Anya Anti For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/confronting-algorithms-and-ai-tati-bruening-anya-anti-at-depth-of-field-2023 Top shot © Tati Bruening Episode Timeline: 2:38: Tati Bruening’s offhand Instagram post that turned into an international viral movement, emphasizing the value of stills over video. 6:13: Bruening’s preferences for lighting tools, modifiers, and lenses. 11:52: Making an initial connection to a manager and assembling a wider team. 14:04: Bruening’s 5-year plan to stop being controlled by social media algorithms. 15:33: Bruening’s tips for seeking and working with a manager and pitfalls to avoid. 18:50: Episode Break 20:44: Anya Anti’s approach to self-portraits vs. photographing other people to use as alter egos in her pictures. 25:20: Concept development and preproduction process for Anti’s portraits. 28:27: Concerns about AI technology and its related ethical issues. 32:31: The beneficial aspects of AI and using Adobe smart selection tools. 34:22: Upcoming projects, a series of editing tutorials, and animation pieces. Guest Bios: Tati Bruening rose to fame by making personal portraits of some of TikTok's most recognizable stars, celebrating the individuality of her subjects. She made headlines in 2021 by posting a simple request to ‘Make Instagram, Instagram Again’ and the rest of the world echoed her sentiment by adding over 300,000 signatures on her Change.org petition. She consults on Gen Z with various companies and has been a featured speaker on photography and social media at events such as VidCon 2022, among many other conferences. Anya Anti specializes in on-location fine art and conceptual portraiture. An internationally published, award-winning photo artist, Anti strives to go beyond traditional portraiture to tell imaginative stories through her art and share her passion for beauty and a craving for everyday enchantment. An international speaker and workshop instructor for companies such as Broncolor, Adobe, and Nikon, Anti has been a featured presenter at events like Adobe MAX, Adobe Live, PPE, WPPI, CES, among others. Stay Connected: Tati Bruening Website: https://www.illumitati.com/ Tati Bruening Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/illumitati/ Tati Bruening Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tati.tutu.5/ Tati Bruening Twitter: https://twitter.com/illumitatiana Tati Bruening TikTok:...

Sam Hurd and Dixie Dixon may target different photo markets, yet they both prioritize craft and emphasize a human connection to their subjects. In this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we get the lowdown on their respective careers in wedding photography and fashion/lifestyle assignment work as part of our coverage of B&H’s 2023 Depth of Field Conference. Above photograph © Dixie Dixon We start with Sam Hurd, who shares the story behind his decision to shift from photographic storyteller to craftsman. He also describes how switching to mirrorless cameras has changed his process. Sam’s superpower is his inventive Ring of Fire technique for creative flare, and we discuss this in depth, while also touching on everything from image quality and lens design to the promise of AI-generating tools and the elements that get lost in the exchange. After a break, we chat with Nikon Ambassador Dixie Dixon, who describes how making a connection with your subjects begins with detailed research well before the shoot day. She regales us with tales from major advertising projects, including how her efforts to get a release for a Ford Mustang led her to the company’s CEO. Get a first alert on her next book project and hear how her recent forays into video and directing tv commercials earned her a coveted advertising award. For more information on our guests and their photos, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/photographic-craft-connections-sam-hurd-dixie-dixon

“Do I really replace lenses or just buy more of them? That’s the major question,” says Kevin Rickert, B&H Photo’s Senior Sales Trainer for cameras and lighting, in the heat of discussion for our Notable Lens Releases of 2022 and 2023 episode. Listen in as we assess the latest crop of optics from Canon, FUJIFILM, Hasselblad, Nikon, OM SYSTEM, Sigma, Sony, and Tamron. The full list makes for a lot of glass, so we’ve narrowed things down to a focused selection of primes and zooms spanning medium format, full frame, cropped sensor, and Micro Four Thirds formats. As in our annual Cameras of the Year show from December, we mix up the tech talk with practical anecdotes to help match lenses and customers based on user experience. Among the many threads of our chat, we commend the release of some new and different focal lengths—from Nikon’s 26mm pancake to Sony’s 20-70mm f/4 G-series zoom to Tamron’s 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 telephoto. “Maybe the 26mm will be the new 28, which is great,” says Rickert. “We like choices, and a lot of brands are going this route with their lens offerings.” Guest: Kevin Rickert Episode Timeline 25:06: Episode break Guest Bio: Kevin Rickert is B&H Photo’s Senior Sales Trainer for Cameras and Lighting. It’s Rickert’s job to collaborate with camera and lens manufacturers to create curriculum for training B&H’s world-renowned sales staff. He knows his stuff! Born and raised in New York and self-described as a ballpark journeyman, Rickert has traveled to—and photographed—all Major League baseball stadiums in the United States since 2008. Earlier this year, he helped to represent the B&H Sales Team, in Nashville, at Imaging USA 2023―where he discovered how hot Nashville hot chicken, really is! Stay Connected: B&H Photo Video Website: https://www.bhphotovideo.com B&H Photo Video Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhphoto B& Photo Video Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhphoto B&H Photo Video YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BandH B&H Event Space YouTube: https://bhpho.to/BHEventSpaceYT B&H Photo Video Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bhphoto B&H Photography Podcast Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1001107823418353

No matter how you slice it, wedding photography is a fancy business. On this week’s podcast, we take that fancy up a notch in a conversation about luxury wedding photography with James Christianson and Otto Schulze. These former competitors took a giant leap to reinvent themselves as the collaborative partnership James x Schulze, while also adapting their sales strategy to a marketplace where the driving force is want rather than means. Listen in as they describe how they balanced economic risk with the creative freedom to chase small moments and beautiful light. You’ll also gain insight into how a luxury client’s buying psychology differs from the norm, and the essential importance of taking a client-first approach to projects. “Confidence is the currency of the successful,” explains Christianson about the necessary shift in mindset. “If you can bring confidence in who you are and what your skills are—whether that’s with a camera, or skills with people, or both—that will take you a long way in being able to move through any room.” Guests: James Christianson and Otto Schulze Top shot © James x Schulze Episode Timeline 2:55: The logistics of and locations for the luxury wedding photography market. 6:38: Balancing the economics of a collaborative business with the creative freedom and flow of chasing small moments and beautiful light. 10:42: Shaking the middle-class sales mentality and adapting to the buying psychology of luxury clients. 14:45: Put your client first by asking open-ended questions and taking a genuine interest in connecting to best identify their wants. 17:56: The logistics of working with wedding planners in the high-end photography market. 21:40: Destination weddings in a post-COVID world, and the luxury client as a recession proof market for wedding photography. 26:10: James X Shulze’s go-to camera gear—from the medium format FUJIFILM GFX to the Leica Q—yet always being mindful of the special atmosphere of the venue. 31:27: Episode break 32:32: Introducing James X Schulze’s education brand Sage. Tap into the mindset and confidence needed to cultivate luxury wedding photography clients. 37:14: Distinguishing between premium and luxury wedding clients, and the relative budgets for each 40:10: Develop the story the client wants to tell with their wedding, rather than approaching the wedding as just a photo shoot. 45:14: James and Otto’s approach to education involves more than great photographs. Equally important is being a better business owner, and consistency in putting in the work. Guest Bios: James Christianson started his career as an educator and entrepreneur. He has more than 20 years of photography experience under his belt combined with a business and education background that brings a distinctively clear voice to his work. Otto Schulze traveled the globe as a documentary photographer, spending the past 20 years in pursuit of the “decisive moment.” His ability to see outside the box makes him an inspirational and visionary imagemaker and educator. Working together, James x Schulze have achieved world-class brand recognition as luxury wedding photographers, combining editorial, documentary, and fine-art styles. Named as one of the world’s top 50 wedding photographers by Harpers Bazaar, they are hyper-focused on communicating each client’s unique story through a final portfolio of unparalleled images. Most recently, they launched the online education platform Sage, and the online course “The Business of Luxury Weddings” to inspire other wedding professionals seeking to take their business to the next level. Stay Connected: James x Schulze’s Wedding Website: https://www.jamesandschulze.com James x Schulze’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesandschulze James x Schulze’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamesandschulze James x Schulze’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamesandschulze James x Schulze’s Education Website:...

Women photographers take center stage in this week’s show, in celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. We reveal the blind spot of photo history in a chat about the book A World History of Women Photographers, with photo historian and co-author Luce Lebart and contributing writer Pauline Vermare. Gracing the pages of this book’s 500-page heft are images and stories behind 300 women photographers, spanning both photo history and geographic reach. Listen in to learn about the exhaustive process Lebart and co-author Marie Robert undertook to find this range of talent and then commission essays from 160 women writers and curators. We also discuss how the position of women within photography has changed over time and across cultures. There are fresh discoveries to be made by even the most ardent photography devotees, as illustrated by the many photographer names and related resources we mention during the episode, also listed below in our show notes. Guests: Luce Lebart and Pauline Vermare Top shot © The National Museum of Iceland, Reykjavik Episode Timeline 4:17: Luce Lebart describes the editorial statement behind the book A World History of Women Photographers as a manifesto to complete a history that already exists. 10:14: Back stories about women working as picture editors, art directors, designers, and art buyers in photo industry trenches, with male photographers as hunter gathers in the field. 13:32: The international network behind the research for this book. Which came first—the contributing writers or featured photographers? 21:21: The matter of women photographers who stayed in the shadow of a master or did not receive equal recognition as her spouse. 26:45: Avoiding the pitfall of a western centered approach in the geographical representation of photographers selected for the book 30:56: Additional book projects and databases of women photographers. 33:44: Episode break 34:38: Pauline Vermare describes differences between France and America in their respective approaches to photography. 38:36: Pauline discusses the Japanese women photographers she wrote about for the book. 45:00: American photographer Nancy Burson’s stature as a forerunner of current trends for AI generated photographs. 49:40: How A World History of Women Photographers encourages questions of readers, inspiring Pauline to create a forthcoming book on Japanese women photographers. Guest Bios: Luce Lebart is co-author, with Marie Robert, of A World History of Women Photographers. A photography historian and curator currently based in Paris, she is a researcher for the Archive of Modern Conflict, a collection and publishing house based between London and Toronto. Luce served as director of the Canadian Institute of Photography from 2016 to 2018, after spending five years directing the collections of the French Society of Photography in Paris. Pauline Vermare is a French photography curator and historian based in New York. A contributing writer to A World History of Women Photographers, she was formerly the cultural director of Magnum Photos in New York, a curator at the International Center of Photography and the Museum of Modern Art. From 2002 to 2009, she worked at the Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation, in Paris. Stay Connected: A World History of Women Photographers English language edition: https://www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/books/a-world-history-of-women-photographers-hardcover A World History of Women Photographers French edition: https://www.editionstextuel.com/livre/une-histoire-mondiale-des-femmes-photographes Luce Lebart Website: https://lucelebart.org/ Luce Lebart Facebook: ? Luce Lebart Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucelebart Luce Lebart Twitter: https://twitter.com/lucelebart?lang=en Mauvaises Herbes (Weeds) exhibit: https://www.cpif.net/ Photo Europea Photo Festival: https://www.fotografiaeuropea.it/fe2023/en/concept-2023/ Pauline Vermare curated Kunie...

When was the last time you updated your website? Despite the popularity and traction of social media sites, having a stand-alone website to promote your work and build your brand is key to connecting with your given audience. In this week’s podcast, we explore the dynamics of building and maintaining a professional caliber website with insights from both sides of the coin. We start by chatting with website designer Alex Vita, who shares pet peeves as well as the best practices he’s honed over more than 13 years of work with photo industry clients. All will benefit from Alex’s insights on building a client-focused website as a way to build trust. After a break we get the artist’s perspective from the illustrious photographer, environmental activist, and creative whirlwind Benjamin Von Wong, who also happens to be one of Alex’s clients. Listen in as Ben and Alex discuss his web strategy and take a deep dive into the challenges of staying relevant and getting noticed in an oversaturated creative climate. We also dip into thoughts about how the evolution of AI is likely to change the future of the visual world, to make photographs the starting point for a conversation rather than its final purpose. Guests: Alex Vita and Benjamin Von Wong Top shot © Benjamin Von Wong For more information on our guests and the gear they use, click here. Episode Timeline 3:55: What role do stand-alone photography websites play in a world of viral social media sites? 12:16: Alex’s pet peeves in photography websites. Two general categories: poor content and poor user experience. 20:55: Bounce rates, Google analytics reports, and how to determine the success of your website. 26:17: What are the most important considerations for good SEO and how have best practices for SEO changed over time? 31:59: Alex’s recommendations for image size and compression for fast performance and readability on a wide range of devices—from mobile to retina screens. 35:55: Episode break 36:56: The varied roles that Ben Von Wong’s websites and web presence play in communicating his environmental message. 41:40: How Ben’s various microsites and social media presence helps with virality in marketing his work. 47:25: Ben’s position as an environmentalist in a world full of advertising and boosted content—Ethics and principals come first. 52:30: How the evolution of AI and integration with Chat GPT is about to change the future of the visual world. 1:02:33: Ben’s recommendations for what to look for when seeking to work with a web designer. Guest Bios: Alex Vita is a professional website designer, specialized in crafting sites for photographers and photo agencies. Working from his home base in Bucharest, Romania, Alex’s super-power is thinking outside the box to grasp the big picture, helping photographers to structure their web presence by prioritizing maximum impact. Ben Von Wong is a Canadian artist, photographer, social influencer, and activist, best known for his hyper-realistic style, bridging photography and fantasy. His storytelling targets environmental issues such as ocean plastics, fashion pollution, and electronic waste, fueled by an extensive viral component that has generated more than 100 million views to date. Stay Connected: Alex Vita’s Website: https://www.foregroundweb.com/ Alex Vita’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foregroundweb Alex Vita’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foregroundweb/ Alex Vita’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/foregroundweb Alex Vita’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@foregroundweb Benjamin Von Wong’s Website: https://www.vonwong.com Benjamin Von Wong’s Blog: https://blog.vonwong.com Benjamin Von Wong’s Case Studies: https://unforgettablelabs.com Benjamin Von Wong’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thevonwong Benjamin Von Wong’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vonwong Benjamin Von Wong’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/thevonwong Alex Vita’s YouTube:...

We’re all about flower power on this week’s podcast, in celebration of Valentine’s Day. Joining us in discussion are photography curator Danae Panchaud, co-author of the recent book Flora Photographica, along with contributing photographer and audience favorite Abelardo Morell. After describing the book’s genesis and scope, Danae delves into the extensive research process she and co-author William Ewing employed to sift through many thousands of photographs celebrating this wide-ranging subject. From sumptuous floral still lives to delicate blooms photographed in service of an activist cause to conceptual treatments depicting flowers as imposters of real life and beyond—this magnificent book offers fertile ground for consideration and debate. After a break we continue the conversation with photographer Abelardo Morell, whose featured images from the series Flowers for Lisa evolved from a single photograph created as a gift for his wife to encompass a wide-ranging exploration of and homage to great artists of the past. As an alternative to a floral bouquet, we invite you to consider the enduring value in the gift of a photograph—or better yet an entire book of floral photography—to make a photoholic’s heart flutter. Guests: Danae Panchaud and Abelardo Morell Top shot © Abelardo Morell For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts Episode Timeline 4:52: Danae Panchaud explains the research process for Flora Photographica and describes the joy in discovering the innovative methods photographers have used to explore this wide-ranging subject. 10:16: Distinctions between the new edition of Flora Photographica and an earlier volume by William Ewing sharing the same title, published in the 1990s. 13:53: The effects of digital tools and technologies on both the images themselves, and the research methods used to source images for the book. 16:31: Insights about Flora Photographica’s nine intriguing chapter titles: Roots, In Situ, Enquiry, Arrangement, Essence, Imposters, Hybrids, Fugue, and Reverie. 21:00: Incorporating floral pictures with political themes and conceptual work on floral subjects, and the use of captions to help convey these messages. 23:55: Using the element of surprise in picture selection and sequencing to highlight unexpected images and allow readers to discover new artists. 32:50: Episode break 34:20: Abe Morell’s first flower photograph was a double gift: A birthday gift for his wife and a gift for Abe to embark on a new challenge. 38:19: The benefits of working at home in the studio to use as a breeding ground for new ideas. 39:55: The incorporation of painting with photography, and Abe’s efforts to reinterpret and transform past works from art history. 42:34: How work on this photo series enhanced Abe’s perception of flowers as a common object. Guest Bios: Danae Panchaud is a photography curator, lecturer, and museum professional based in Switzerland. After studying photography at the widely acclaimed Vevey School of the Arts, she turned to curatorial practices at Geneva University of Art and Design. She has since held positions in the fields of contemporary art, design, and science at several Swiss institutions. From 2018 to 2021, she served as director and curator of Photoforum Pasquart in Biel. She was appointed director of the Centre de la Photographie Genève in 2021, where she explores the medium as a tool for constructing knowledge through both contemporary and historical photographs. Danae is actively involved in a number of Swiss associations for photography and the arts, currently serving as president of Spectrum – Photography in Switzerland. Abelardo Morell is a repeat visitor to the podcast, having previously appeared in the show Abelardo Morell: Alchemist of Photography in 2022. Born in Havana, Cuba, Morell immigrated to the United States with his parents at the age of 14. After earning a BFA...

"Selecting photos is a different skill than making them,” explains renowned picture editor Mike Davis in this week’s podcast. This essential understanding forms the core of Davis’s new book Creating Visual Narratives Through Photography: A Fresh Approach to Making a Living as a Photographer. Davis approaches this topic with a mix of clarity and candor, to offer deeply engaged yet highly accessible insights about making photos—and making sense of those photos—while also discussing the elusive art of selecting and sequencing pictures and other ways to create visual narratives. Some of the key points covered in our chat include the visual vocabulary Davis assigns to photographs, his ideas about elevating pictures beyond simply informational content, how making multiple passes through a photo edit can help a photographer remove themselves from the experience of making the work, and his three different approaches to image sequencing. Listeners will also gain a fresh understanding of ways in which both the art of creating visual narratives and the photo industry itself have evolved over time, to raise the bar on creative expression. In presenting this book, Davis’s goal echoes the response he has received from hundreds of photographers he’s helped to tell stories with their pictures, “I never would have thought of things that way, had we not had this engagement.” Guests: Mike Davis Photos © Mike Davis Episode Timeline 3:26: Photography as a visual vocabulary, and distinctions between, nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. 6:25: What are informational photographs and how to make photos that rise above this basic level. 9:08: Davis’s definition of composition: the full realization of light, and color, and distance in conveying a 3-dimensional space. 18:33: How the photo industry and relationships between photographers and photo editors have changed over time. 30:42: Davis discusses his photos published in the book and shares thoughts about photographing with intention. 39:34: Episode break 44:18: Three approaches to image sequencing and how they work within the full spectrum ofrafting a narrative 46:17: Mike Davis’s most visually successful book project and a general timeframe for image sequencing. 48:06: Davis’s approach to working with photographers on sequencing a book. 51:46: Davis describes his picture editing process using multiple passes through a set of photographs. 56:40: The primary audience and Davis’s ultimate goal in writing Creating Visual Narratives Through Photography: A Fresh Approach to Making a Living as a Photographer. Guest Bio: Mike Davis is a visual consultant, editor, author, photographer, and professor emeritus. He has worked independently with hundreds of photographers as well as in staff positions for organizations as diverse as National Geographic, The White House, and several of America’s visually powerful newspapers. Mike was twice named newspaper picture editor of the year, and he received The Sprague Award from The National Press Photographers Association, its highest honor. He has edited more than 40 books as an independent consultant, judged a wide range of photography competitions and grant programs, lectured widely, and served as a member of various workshop and review faculty. Most recently, Mike spent eight years as an endowed faculty member at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School, where he taught visual storytelling courses and directed The Alexia Grants. Stay Connected: Mike Davis website: https://www.michaelddavis.com/ Mike Davis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedavis_mnpls/ Creating Visual Narratives Book: https://www.routledge.com/Creating-Visual-Narratives-Through-Photography-A-Fresh-Approach-to-Making/Davis/p/book/9781032262857

Creating and sustaining a successful photo career is no easy feat. To help aspiring young imagemakers acquire the needed creative concepts and business skills, two New York-based organizations—ASMP NY and BKC—have teamed up to offer the innovative mentorship, education, and industry immersion program The Bridge. Open to individuals from 18- to 26-years-old, The Bridge embraces diversity and offers opportunity to underserved communities, regardless of formal photography experience. Best of all, this four-month, real world program is free to accepted students. We first learned about The Bridge during a chat with program co-founder Liam Alexander for the show ASMP-NY and the Future of Photo Trade Organizations in February 2022. Since the program’s second year recently wrapped with a gallery exhibition in Brooklyn, and plans are in the works to expand The Bridge to other ASMP chapters in 2023, we wanted to learn more about this valuable initiative in advance of the next application window this spring. For this week’s podcast, we’re joined by Alexander, who sheds light on The Bridge program’s inner workings and educational goals during the first half of the show. After a break, we speak with 2022 Bridge graduate Eli Edwards, who describes what he learned through the program, and the resulting shift in the pictures he makes, as well as in his creative point of view. To discover how to futureproof your career and learn how to apply for this free program, make sure to listen in! Guests: Liam Alexander and Eli Edwards ASMP Bridge Program photo © Saad El Amin For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/celebrating-asmp-nys-mentorship-program-the-bridge Episode Timeline 3:50: Application and selection process for The Bridge Mentorship, a program designed to fill the gap in existing educational models. 9:27: Introduction to The Bridge program partner BKC, and program co-founder Justin Lin. 17:13: The Bridge Program coursework: Developing Your Creative Point of View. 20:52: Bridge Mentorship Program Core Supporters: The ASMP Foundation, Sony, and Freelancers Union, and a widening network of additional supporters. 25:17: A five-year vision for the program: Producing the future of the photo industry every summer. 26:50: Episode break 27:24: 2022 Bridge Program participant Eli Edwards and his easy application through Instagram. 32:42: Effects of the program on Eli’s pictures and his new confidence in making project-based work. 36:40: Is YouTube University an effective tool for learning the ropes of photography? 40:56: How Eli’s shift from social media to photography changed his creative point of view, and some social media tips. 46:38: Ways to support The Bridge program and application window for the 2023 Bridge program mentorship. Guest Bios: Liam Alexander is a fine artist and creative director who seeks to catalyze social change through artistic expression. As the current president of ASMP New York, he co-founded the ASMP NY Bridge program in 2020 with Justin Lin of BKC. He has also been instrumental in building other community focused creative projects designed to educate and inspire, such as IThou at NYU’s Kimmel Galleries, The Exchange at Rush Arts, and #StrokeofGenius. Liam’s own work has been featured in gallery exhibitions and art fairs throughout the US, and at the second annual Toolkit Festival in Venice, Italy. His work has been published in magazines including Nylon and Rolling Stone, and he creates projects with major brands like Wix.com, Samsung, SAP, Renaissance Hotels, and the city of New York. Eli Edwards is a photographer, videographer, writer, producer, and director. Born in Los Angeles, Eli currently resides in New York City, where he works as a freelance videographer and photographer for brands, events, and musical artists. He was a 2022 participant in the ASMP Bridge program, where he produced the photo series ‘A...

In some locales, the period between Christmas and the New Year is known as the Wild Nights, where mischief reigns in the darkest days of the northern hemisphere. We’re digging into this theme for our last show of 2022, in a chat with photographer and producer of this very podcast, Jill Waterman, who has been documenting New Year’s Eve traditions and exploits around the globe for the past 38 years. We first spoke with Jill about this project in the two-part show Legacy and Commitment in January 2022. Since she’s now a full-fledged member of the podcast team, we thought we’d investigate some of her more memorable experiences a bit further. Jill is still shooting this series primarily with film, so our conversation ranges from the whys and wherefores of making that choice, to how the growth of the Internet became an essential research tool in the lead up to the Millennium and beyond. We also shed light on the elusive Austrian Perchten and Bulgarian Kukeri, and discuss parading Philadelphia Mummers, Bahamian Junkanoo figures, and Cape Town, South Africa’s legendary Minstrel Parade. To learn about the most rewarding aspect of Jill’s project and find out where she’ll be ringing in New Year’s Eve 2023, pull up a seat, pop some bubbly and listen in! Guest: Jill Waterman Photos © Jill Waterman Episode Timeline 2:35: The beginnings of the New Year’s Eve Project 4:28: Evolution of the project and approach over time 5:34: Shooting black and white film instead of monochrome digital captures 8:12: Opportunities of the Millennium 9:04: The growth of the Internet as a research tool and discovering locations for New Year’s Eve rituals 10:00: Documenting “Perchtenlaufs” in Austria during the Wild Nights 10:59: Common themes in different cultures: Mummer’s Parade in Philadelphia; Junkanoo in Nassau, Bahamas; and the Minstrel Parade in Cape Town, South Africa 14:48: The spread of oral New Year’s traditions and rituals: Burning Effigies and New Year’s Widows in Quito, Ecuador 16:32: Bulgarian Kukeri and New Year’s parade to scare away evil spirits in Razlog 17:28: Advance planning before arrival and proceeding with boots on the ground 18:46: The value of spontaneity and capturing action in the moment 19:58: Working through anxiety, emotional spikes, and physical challenges 21:09: Assessing coverage and reviewing images after the fact 22:12: Underwhelming celebrations, and New Year’s Eve during COVID lockdown 25:50: Episode break 26:35: Jill’s analog camera kit: Nikon F3 HP, a 35-70 mm f/2.8 zoom and 24 mm f/2.8 prime lenses 27:45: Black and white films used—Ilford HP5, Delta 400, FP4, Delta 100—and diluted development to minimize contrast 29:23: The most rewarding aspect of the New Year’s Eve Project 30:41: Working through language differences and being open to communication 32:15: Experiencing the Pied Piper syndrome 32:45: Big crowds and safety issues on New Year’s Eve 35:36: This year’s destination, recent New York Foundation for the Arts award, and project links Guest Bio: Born and raised in Massachusetts, Jill Waterman has been based in New York since 1985. Her personal work is centered in long-term photo projects, such as the ongoing New Year’s Eve Project and other aspects of her focus on night photography. Her photographs have been exhibited internationally and widely featured in press and media. Highlights include a 1997 arts documentary for Deutsche Welle TV in Berlin, Germany; a 2003 Today Show interview with Katie Couric; and a 2015 documentary for the web TV show Culture Connect. Waterman’s first book, the technical volume Night and Low Light Photography, was released by Amphoto books in August 2008. Her professional background includes a past career in image licensing, editorial positions in custom publishing, and her current role as creative producer for the B&H Photography Podcast. Stay Connected: New Year’s Eve Project Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLqZ_PIEugA New Year’s Project...

For anyone seeking a new camera to gift or to hold this holiday season, we present the eighth annual installment of our Cameras of the Year episode! Featured in our discussion are 16 new cameras from Canon, FUJIFILM, Hasselblad, Leica, Nikon, OM SYSTEM, Panasonic, and Sony—presented in alphabetical order. In addition to a detailed review of each camera on our list, we also discuss trends such as the shift from separate cameras for photo and video to a single camera geared to content creation, recent advances in high resolution EVFs, the benefits to cameras with internal memory, an increasing prevalence of AI technologies, the continued relevance of Micro 4/3rds and APS-C models when full frame cameras are shrinking in size and weight, and much more. Along the way, we even come up with some new terminology—Exit Level Cameras! Tune in for yourself and find out what it means. Guest: Kevin Rickert Episode Timeline 3:30: Canon EOS R6 Mark II Mirrorless Camera 4:29: From separate cameras for photo and video to one camera for content creation 5:30: Canon EOS R7 Mirrorless Camera 6:42: A question about image stabilization 7:58: The increasing use of dual card slots 8:50: Newer Canon cameras have a different hotshoe 11:18: Canon EOS R10 Mirrorless Camera 12:25: The legacy of the Canon Rebel series name 14:25: Canon R5 C Mirrorless Cinema Camera 15:43: What constitutes a Netflix-approved cinema camera 17:08: FUJIFILM X-H2S Mirrorless Camera 18:12: FUJIFILM X-H2 Mirrorless Camera 18:20: FUJIFILM X-T5 Mirrorless Camera 19:43: Recent advances in high resolution EVFs 20:55: New FUJIFILM lenses mean faster full-time autofocus 22:15: Hasselblad X2D 100C Medium Format Mirrorless Camera 2400: The benefits to cameras with internal memory 24:38: Medium format 16-bit color gives you more crayons to play with in the box 26:02: Episode break 27:13: Leica M 11 Rangefinder Camera 30:24: US-B Type C connection allows downloading pictures to a phone 30:59: What is pixel binning and why is it useful? 32:12: Nikon Z 30 Mirrorless Camera 35:44: OM SYSTEM OM-1 Mirrorless Camera 37:08: The continued relevance of Micro 4/3rds and APS-C sensors when full frame cameras are shrinking in size and weight 39:54: OM SYSTEM OM-5 Mirrorless Camera 41:29: Panasonic Lumix GH6 Mirrorless Camera 43:15: The value of dual image stabilization 44:14: Sony ZV-1F Vlogging Camera 46:51: Sony FX30 Digital Cinema Camera 48:42: What is a BSI sensor? 49:08: Sony a7R V Mirrorless Camera 49:52: The higher the resolution, the better your lenses need to be 50:52: The increasing prevalence of AI technologies in the photo world 54:40: Sony a7R V updated screen design and menu tweaks Guest Bio: Kevin Rickert is B&H Photo’s Senior Sales Trainer for Cameras and Lighting. It’s Kevin’s job to collaborate with camera and lens manufacturers to create curriculum for training B&H’s world-renowned sales staff. He knows his stuff! Born & raised in New York and self-described as a ball-park journeyman, Kevin has traveled to—and photographed—all* Major League Baseball Stadiums in the United States since 2008. He also recently travelled to South Korea for food, drink, and photography in October. Stay Connected: B&H Photo Video Website: https://www.bhphotovideo.com B&H Photo Video Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhphoto B& Photo Video Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhphoto B&H Photo Video YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BandH B&H Event Space YouTube: https://bhpho.to/BHEventSpaceYT B&H Photo Video Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bhphoto B&H Photography Podcast Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1001107823418353

In an era brimming with instant gratification, some things are worth the wait. This is an apt takeaway from our chat with photographer Charles Daniels about his long-outdated film from the legendary Boston Tea Party and other 60s-era music venues, rarely processed until recently. Joining Daniels in conversation is his long-time partner Susan Berstler, and Gerald Freyer from Film Rescue International, the unique image processing and digitization specialists entrusted with his mother lode of 4,000 plus rolls. Listen in as Daniels tells of his rise from club denizen to emcee to cultural ambassador, introducing 60s-era British invasion rockers to America, with a Leica, two Nikons and a mic in hand. Berstler describes how the unprocessed rolls stockpiled in their home became a COVID project, which then went viral after the launch of a Go-Fund-Me campaign. After a break, Freyer explains how Film Rescue International’s unique processing and scanning technologies can breathe new life into lost and found film, saving untold stories from oblivion. Freyer also recounts his epic drive from Saskatchewan to Somerville (and back!) to safely collect the film for processing, without risking x-rays or other shipping hazards. As Daniels notes during the show, “For years, I never really developed any film, but I was shooting all the time. It was just there, and then at some point I realized that I needed to bring some of this older stuff to light.” With a nod to Daniels’s 80 birthday on November 30, the pictures may have been a long time coming—but what a fabulous gift to photographers and music aficionados alike! Guests: Charles Daniels, Susan Berstler, Gerald Freyer Photographs © Charles Daniels For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/master-blaster-charles-daniels-reveals-his-unseen-60s-era-photo-archive Guest Bios: Charles Daniels was born in segregated Alabama, where his parents ran a late-night speakeasy after farming cotton all day; maybe that’s how outlaw music got into his blood. After moving to Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood with his family in the 1950s and teaching himself photography with a camera he found in his parent’s closet, Charles began capturing whatever caught his eye on city streets and in the era’s legendary music venues. Soon he was serving as emcee for the bands, which provided unique access and strong friendships. This led to Lear Jets and tours with the likes of Rod Stewart, Ron Wood, and the Rolling Stones. Since his start in rock-and-roll, Charles has expanded his photography to embrace a wide range of subjects from music and fashion to dance, performance, and everything in between. Susan Berstler has a long history as a visual artist, curator, and arts producer, deeply immersed in the vibrant arts scene of Somerville, Massachusetts. One of her primary interests is transformative events and media, especially within public art. Her passion for this medium is further enhanced by her work as an Emerging Technology Specialist for Creative Technologies at Harvard University’s Cabot Science Library. After a small grant from the Somerville Arts Council allowed her to begin developing Charles’s treasure trove of film, the Go-Fund-Me campaign set up by a friend quickly went viral, raising more than $70,000 to date. Susan was referred to the company Film Rescue International, which became an ideal solution for film processing and creating high-resolution archival files from the negatives. At present, she is also in discussions with publishers and university archives to identify a final home for this unique image collection. Gerald Freyer is a technically trained photographer who also studied folklore, monument preservation and cultural history at the University of Bamberg in Germany. After working as a research assistant in museums, he became a consultant for digital imaging pioneer Phase One. Since 2007, Gerald has trained museum and...

Food, glorious food—there’s no better time than the holiday season for a bountiful exploration of food photography—a fan favorite. For this episode of the podcast, we’re delighted to connect with food blogger, educator, and content creator extraordinaire Joanie Simon. Listen in as she discusses the magic behind her aspirational, achievable shooting style. Besides examining the limits to reality when shooting fake food, Simon describes her collaborations with a dedicated crew, offers advice about a photographer’s responsibilities when working remotely, and describes her personal evolution through camera brands and models to arrive at the Nikon Z mirrorless system she shoots with today. Discover all these things and much, much more—including a secret recipe for fake ice cream! Guests: Joanie Simon Photograph © Joanie Simon Guest Bio: Instead of an apron, Joanie Simon wears many hats. She’s a food photographer, published author, educator, and content queen, and her daily life is a bouillabaisse of camera gear and culinary delights. In just a baker’s dozen year—that’s 13 for the inexperienced cooks—Simon has built her brand into a powerhouse of creative content and learning. In addition to shooting commercial and editorial assignments, Joanie teaches food photography through her online platform, The Bite Shot. Her food photo adventures on YouTube and Instagram can be found at @thebiteshot and on Tik Tok @joaniesimonsays, and you learn tons more from the many tutorials in her 2021 book, Picture Perfect Food. For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/festive-food-photography-with-joanie-simon Stay Connected: Website: https://joaniesimon.com Education Website: https://thebiteshot.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebiteshot YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/joaniesimonmedia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joaniesimonsays Episode Timeline 3:56: Joanie Simon’s favorite holiday and seasonal foods to photograph 4:34: Cultivating aspirational, achievable food content 6:11: Images created with high quality gear requires exact timing 6:58: How far can you push reality and tricks to making food look good. 8:38: Editorial shooting - an opportunity to run wild, get creative, and shoot conceptually 9:48: A secret recipe for fake ice cream. 12:18: The hero of the shot vs the crash test dummy 13:12: The ratio between single shot pictures and food items that need a test run 15:18: How many team members are on set during a food shoot? 17:37: The evolution of Joanie Simon’s food photography career 19:16: Discovery of remote work and creating digital content from home 21:26: The need to take responsibility for communications when working remotely 23:10: What’s Joanie’s preference: mouth-watering stills or toe tapping videos and stop motion content? 27:18: Software for stills, video, and animation content: Capture One, Dragonframe, and Premiere Pro 29:44: The benefits to and workflow behind shooting tethered 31:09: Joanie Simon’s art background and her hesitation about studying art in school 33:10: Episode break 33:58: Thoughts on using gear in a controlled environment: 35:38: Joanie’s personal evolution through camera brands: from Nikon to Sony mirrorless to Canon and back to Nikon 40:04: The benefits to working in manual mode, and when to use auto focus 42:14: Joanie’s go-to lighting tool: the Godox AD 600 Pro strobe 43:52: Advantages to flash over working with continuous light LEDs 45:44: Drag your shutter when shooting with flash to control the ambient light 46:33: Joanie’s primary light modelling tool: Westcott 4’x4’ Scrim Jim Cineframe 48:36: Lens preferences: Primes or zooms and Joanie’s go-to lenses: 24 – 70 f/2.8 for flexibility and 105 macro lens for background compression 51:02: Food photography with a phone: wipe off the lenses and it all comes down to the light 52:30: Key elements to a food photograph: Texture,...

Vintage cameras and analog film have grown to be unprecedented media darlings within our crowded digital landscape. With a superstar status fueled by insatiable demand amid a limited supply, in this week’s podcast we investigate both the beauty and quirks of these trending tools. Joining us in conversation are photographer / vintage camera buff Bill Bain, and expert camera technician / repair wizard Shlomo Weinberger from B&H Photo’s Used Department. Whether you cut your teeth on old school tech or you’re an analog adopter in the digital age, there’s a topic of interest for everyone, plus plenty of DYI tips to be had, including our favorite—liquid electrical tape! How many of you dedicated camera buffs knew about that? Guests: Bill Bain and Shlomo Weinberger Top Shot © Jill Waterman For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/vintage-cameras-with-bill-bain-and-shlomo-weinberger Guest Bios: Bill Bain has loved photography since his teenage years, when all his earnings went towards buying gear and paying for film and development. During a long career as an engineer, photography was a constant thread—particularly documenting his family and their extensive travels. Now living a post-corporate life in the Canadian Rockies, Bain devotes much of his time to photography. In addition to being fully immersed in digital imaging, he continues to make good use of his extensive collection of vintage cameras, many dating from the early 1900s. Bain’s analog and digital fine-art images have been featured in Black & White magazine, and his photos of Olympic-style wrestlers have been published internationally. Shlomo Weinberger is a gifted technician who developed a specialty in repairing vintage cameras and lenses over nearly 25 years at B&H Photo. After learning his trade from an old-world technician steeped in the analog age, Weinberger currently operates a special repair shop within B&H Photo’s Used Department, where he patiently inspects, calibrates, lubricates, and otherwise assesses the condition of the cameras and lenses that pass through his hands before they are offered to customers. Stay Connected: Bill Bain’s Website: https://www.bainphotos.com/Film-Photography-page Bill Bain’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bainphotos/ B&H Photo Used Department: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/browse/Used-Equipment/ci/2870/N/4294247188 B&H Photo Vintage Film Equipment: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/browse/Cameras-Photo-Gear/ci/2871/N/4294247179 Episode Timeline 2:47: Bill Bain’s tips when shopping for a vintage camera 3:30: Inspect the lens for mildew or mold and actuate the shutter 4:45: Making use of vintage lens fungus for creative portraits 6:53: Bain’s preferred vintage camera formats: Folding bellows and box cameras 8:05: Bain’s new vintage camera—60-year-old Mamiya C330 twin lens reflex 9:08: How many cameras are in Bill Bain’s collection? 10:19: Black and white or color film, and various emulsions 12:28: Discontinued film formats and a nod to 2016 podcast—Dick Haviland: Last of the Classic Film Re-Spoolers 13:57: Bain’s DYI modification for unavailable film stocks: Plastic wall anchors! 15:34: Different film sizes and determining if a camera will accept a currently available stock 17:42: 120 format film—the most easily adaptable film format 18:18: The difference between 120- and 220-format film 19:12: 127 film and smaller formats 20:20: DYI tip—Use a cigar cutter to trim readily available films to fit smaller formats 22:54: Vintage cameras with interchangeable lenses vs fixed lens cameras 23:14: The Petzval lens—19-century classic and Lomography’s 2015 redesign and release 24:00: Bill Bain’s favorite vintage camera—His mother’s Kodak Jiffy 620 25:02: The poor man’s Leica—the Argus C3 26:42: Read the manual! Plus, finding user manuals for vintage cameras online 28:38: Making minor repairs, and when to pass vintage camera...

Mike Tyson has long been a boxing legend, and for this week’s podcast we speak with the photographer who was there from the very start. Lori Grinker was just a student with a semester-long assignment when she first met Tyson as a 13-year-old kid under the tutelage of famed boxing trainer Cus D’Amato. Grinker’s inside access over the next decade offers an intimate portrait of Tyson that few others have seen, and is now published in the book Mike Tyson. Listen in as Grinker describes how she learned on the job as the only woman ringside, transforming from student to pro in step with Tyson’s meteoric rise. She also weighs in about gear choices, making distinctions between photographing with reflex cameras and rangefinders, and sharing thoughts on shooting black and while film vs digital captures in monochrome mode. Listen in to learn how she juggled documentary coverage with celebrity reportage and sports photography in what was truly a wild ride. Guest: Lori Grinker Photographs © Lori Grinker, Courtesy of Contact Press Images This episode is sponsored by Audio Technica For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/ringside-access-lori-grinker-captures-mike-tysons-rise Guest Bio: Lori Grinker is an award-winning photographer whose work straddles documentary and fine art. Internationally published and exhibited, her long-term, non-linear projects often mix photography with video, audio recording, text, installation, books, and collage. The recipient of many awards and the author of three books, Grinker is a dedicated educator for both University programs and private workshops. She is a senior member of Contact Press Images and is represented by ClampArt Gallery in New York City. Stay Connected: Personal Website: www.lorigrinker.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/lgrinker Twitter: twitter.com/lgrinker Facebook: www.facebook.com/lorigrinker/ Episode Timeline 2:02: Grinker’s photojournalism class assignment, and shifting focus to Mike Tyson 4:40: Tyson’s dedicated study under legendary boxing trainer Cus D’Amato 7:26: The trajectory of Grinker’s photos—from school project to documenting Tyson’s daily life to published news stories 9:04: The learning curve from daily life to photographing ringside 11:55: Enlisting Tyson’s help to get paid by Don King 13:02: Robin Givens, her mother the publicist, and control over Grinker’s pictures 15:34: Tyson’s interest in seeing himself in pictures 17:04: Grinker’s embedded access and hurdles of Tyson’s rise to fame 20:12: Grinker’s experiences in dealing with a no-show photo subject 21:44: Working with photo agencies and joining Contact Press Images 24:36: The benefits to Grinker’s agency support: Canon camera gear, exhibitions, and books 24:58: Grinker’s advice for photographers seeking agency representation 26:26: The importance of owning the rights to your pictures and registering the copyright 28:10: Episode break 28:42: Lori Grinker’s photo gear: From Nikkormat to Leica to Canon and beyond 29:50: Grinker’s first experience with digital—embedded on a ship the during Iraqi invasion 30:36: Learning to use flash and shooting with black-and-white film 31:41: Making the switch to color film for photo assignments 32:00: Comparing the shooting style of reflex cameras and rangefinders 34:52: Grinker’s thoughts on teaching students depth of field 35:32: Learning by doing and Grinker’s earliest teachers 36:52: Grain vs pixels: shooting black-and-white film vs digital in black and white mode 40:50: Film type, Kodak chemistry, and printing with Agfa Portriga paper 42:02: Printing gelatin silver prints for upcoming ClampArt exhibit 44:08: Grinker’s Mike Tyson book and the 2014 book contract 45:12: Reconnecting with Tyson for Spike Lee’s Broadway production 48:18: Choosing a book designer, going through the pictures, making a huge book, and then cuts 49:44: What does Mike Tyson think of the...

It’s leaf peeping time in the northern hemisphere when trees break into riots of color as autumn plows a path from north to south. Two of the best regions for capturing the show here in the US are across New England and along California’s magnificent Sierra Nevada. To help get you up to speed when preparing for your own foliage excursions, we speak with landscape photography specialists in each of these regions—Jerry Monkman in New England and G. Dan Mitchell in California’s Sierra Nevada. After weighing in with informed opinions about when and where to find the best color this year, Monkman and Mitchell make suggestions about fresh ways to picture the scenery and discuss topographic and geological differences between east and west. We also talk gear—both DSLR and mirrorless—with Monkman opting for the Canon 5D Mark IV or EOS R5, and Mitchell alternating between the Canon 5DS R and FUJIFILM X series mirrorless. For all of the above and much more, please join us for this informative discussion and discover new ways to reap an autumn photography harvest and take your landscape and scenic photography to new heights. Guests: Jerry Monkman & G. Dan Mitchell Photo © Jerry Monkman For further details about our guests, their gear, and a selection of their secenic photographs, find this episode on the B&H Explora blog at: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/fall-foliage-east-and-west-with-jerry-monkman-and-g-dan-mitchell-the-bh Guest Bios: Jerry Monkman is a New England-based conservation photographer, filmmaker, and writer, who’s been telling adventure- and conservation-themed stories for more than 20 years. Together with his wife Marcy, Monkman runs EcoPhotography, a Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based stock and assignment photo business and video production company. EcoPhotography’s award-winning images have been published worldwide, and the Monkman’s have received National Outdoor Book Awards for two books: The AMC Guide to Outdoor Digital Photography in 2012, and Outdoor Adventures: Acadia National Park, in 2017. Monkman’s first feature-length film, The Power of Place, was an official selection of the 2015 New Hampshire Film Festival. His newest documentary feature, The Merrimack: River at Risk, premiered on New Hampshire PBS in July 2020. In 2022, Monkman launched the film production company Reel Quest Films, LLC with partner Ryan Smith. Stay Connected: Jerry Monkman Personal Website: https://ecophotography.com Film Production Website: https://reelquestfilms.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jerrymonkman/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jerrymonkman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ecophotography G Dan Mitchell is a California-based landscape and nature photographer who focus’s his attention on the Pacific coast, the Sierra Nevada, the central California grasslands and deserts, and the American Southwest. Author of the 2015 book California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra, Mitchell’s photographs have been widely exhibited, published, and licensed for commercial use. In 2018, he photographed extensively in Yosemite National Park as a Yosemite Renaissance artist-in-residence. He maintains a prolific online presence, sharing daily images and commentary at his website. Equally active on social media, he founded the 10,000-member “Sierra Nevada: Photographs from the Range of Light” Facebook community. Yet, Mitchell is most at home in the field, where he has scoured the Sierra Nevada backcountry for photographic moments for more than 50 years, and photographed each summer since 2011 with the “First Light” group. Stay Connected: G. Dan Mitchell Personal Website: https://gdanmitchell.com Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gdanmitchell Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gdanmitchell Twitter: https://twitter.com/gdanmitchell Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gdanmitchell

Graham Nash is a true visionary. Whether in the lyrics he writes, the music he plays, the songs he sings, or the photographs he captures, he sees things a little differently and—most important—he sees beauty everywhere. As he describes it during our podcast, “It’s just energy. I see my life facing a column of energy every day. Where do I want to plug in today?” Listen in as Nash regales us with how multidisciplinary interests help him avoid writer’s block, his fascination for early Daguerreotypes, his historic role as a digital printing pioneer, his deep respect for Epson products, and much more. Stay to the end for Nash’s honest assessment of his singing voice, and to learn his secret to staying passionate and making the most of a creative life. Guest: Graham Nash Photos by Graham Nash, excerpted from A Life in Focus: The Photography of Graham Nash, and provided courtesy of Insight Editions. Cover photo © Joel Bernstein For further details about our guest, his gear, and a selection of his historic photographs, find this episode on the B&H Explora blog at: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/graham-nash-ace-photographer-digital-printing-pioneer-music-legend-the-bh Guest Bio: English singer-songwriter and musician Graham Nash is known for his light tenor voice and his iconic status as a founding member of the Hollies, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and later Young. A two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and the recipient of four honorary degrees, Nash was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to music and to charity. A lesser-known detail is that Nash’s long held passion for images even predates his start in music. An avid photographer since the age of 10, Nash began collecting photographs in the early 1970s. In 1990, he chose to auction off his 2,000-print collection to help fund Nash Editions, the pioneering fine art digital printing company he co-founded, using an IRIS Graphics 3047 printer that is now in the collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, At the tender age of 80, Nash is still busy creating both pictures and music, while also maintaining a hectic tour schedule. A book of his photographs, A Life in Focus: The Photography of Graham Nash, was recently released by Insight Editions and is widely available in bookstores and online. Stay Connected: Personal Website: https://grahamnash.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialgrahamnash/ Twitter: @TheGrahamNash Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialGrahamNash/ Episode Timeline 3:10: Graham Nash’s photo collection and the objects he collects today 4:10: How and where his musical and photographic paths cross 4:58: Nash’s work as a sculptor 6:34: The ability to hear photographs, see music, and talk in colors 8:14: Nash’s introduction to photography at 10-years-old 9:50: Nash’s first camera: an Agfa with a small bellows 10:10: Being invisible when taking pictures and blending into the woodwork 12:42: Nash’s favorite music photographers 13:52: It doesn’t matter what camera he uses 14:30: A 1980’s digital camera and an early awareness of the digital world 15:32: Both ends of the photographic spectrum—digital to Daguerreotypes 17:45: From a sense of history to modern Daguerreotypists 18:58: A personal phone number for Louis Daguerre 25:20: Episode break 20:44: Nash’s pioneering work in digital printing 22:18: Iris printers and the issue of ink longevity 25:04: The transition to Epson printers and ink 26:14: An Iris print fades during an hour lunch 27:56: Nash’s preference between black and white and color 28:22: Recommended printers and number of color channels 30:50: Nash’s paper choice: Epson Legacy Fiber 31:22: Coordinate paper, coatings, and inks for optimal results 32:42: Nash’s new book A Life in Focus, and recording music remotely during the pandemic 33:59: Nash’s singing voice and how it’s...

The art of photography offers boundless potential for altering and enhancing human perception—this is the focus of our conversation on this week's podcast. Listen in as we go down the rabbit hole of visual discovery with alchemist of photography Abelardo Morell. From his early desire to enlighten students by transforming his classroom into a camera obscura to his ever-expanding universe of ideas—and the subsequent tools he uses—to record moments in light, Morell is an undisputed master in conjuring magic from a cross section of art and science, time and space. Guest: Abelardo Morell Photographs © Abelardo Morell, Courtesy of Edwynn Houk Gallery For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/the-camera-obscura-and-recording-time-and-space-in-images-with-abelardo-morell Episode Timeline 3:30: Abelardo Morell’s Street Photography Roots 4:29: The Power of a Visual Language 5:50: Creating a Camera Obscura in the Classroom 7:30: Making Pictures Inside the Camera Obscura 7:58: Reciprocity Failure in Film Captures 9:50: Determining Exposure Times When Polaroid Isn’t an Option 11:18: Framing Up Compositions Inside the Camera Obscura 11:56: Shifting from Analog to Digital Cameras 12:22: Phase One Digital Allows the Capture of Moments in Light 14:22: From a Pinhole to Projecting an Image Using Diopters and Lenses 17:47: Morell’s Digital Workflow and Working with a Digital Tech 18:55: Juggling Multiple Projects, Genres, and Tools 20:33: Picturing Childhood as a Creative Breakthrough 25:20: Episode break 26:04: Conceptualizing the Tent Camera for Use in the Landscape 30:25: Shooting Tethered in the Field 31:18: Developing the Tent Camera’s Prism Periscope Lens 32:22: Shifting the Projected Image from the Wall to the Ground 33:00: Patina of the Ground and a Philosophical Meaning 34:00: Channeling Fox Talbot in Cliché Verres 37:42: Morell’s Preference: Black and White or Color? 38:43: Becoming a Painter by Photographing Paint Drying 41:04: Composition and Tension in the Hitchock Series 43:35: Morell’s Preference Between Studio or Landscape 46:26: The Value of Experience and a Benefits of a Teaching Career 48:00: The Bravery in a Lifetime of Artistic Work 49:10: An Evolving Vision for Alice in Wonderland 51:06: Abelardo Morell’s Upcoming Projects and a Residency in Italy 52: 47: Morell’s Upcoming Show at the Montclair Art Museum Stay Connected: Personal Website: https://abelardomorell.net Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abelardomorell/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/abelardomorell Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AbelardoMorellPhotography LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abelardo-morell-82848827