Behind the Shot

I never used to go to photography conferences. It's not that they didn't interest me, it's just that none of them cover my genre of music photography. WPPI is all about weddings and portraits, and while Imaging USA seems to cover a bit more, it doesn't go anywhere near concerts. Still, a few years ago I went to WPPI with a friend, to cover it on the show, and I found out that I didn't care what the conference covered. What I enjoyed the most was meeting other photographers after hours to talk shop. Since then, I have been to all but one WPPI, and a few of the old Photoshop World conferences - which I really miss. That is all to say that no matter what you think of conferences, the networking side is almost always worth the trip. This past January I decided to try out my first Imaging USA, partly because it was in Louisville, KY, the home of the Bourbon Trail. The conference, for me, was a huge success. I was able to hang out with some old friends, and meet a few new ones, like today's guest. While at Imaging I stopped by to say hello to my friends at the Platypod booth, and while there I met fellow Platypod Pro Lenworth Johnson. Lenworth is a commercial fashion and beauty photographer based in Houston, TX, and originally from Jamaica. We talked a bit at the conference, and I browsed through his site, and knew right then I needed to get him on the show. My original thought was to cover one of his amazing fashion or beauty shots, since that's what he's mostly known for, but that would have been obvious. Instead I decided we should focus on a tangential part of his work. Lenworth also shoots fashion related product photography, like perfumes and makeup, and I have never really had that genre on the show before. The challenges of product photography are quite varied, from holding highlights on reflective surfaces, to subject separation and color accuracy, and Lenworth tackles these challenges so well I thought he could help you and I get a better sense of this difficult subject matter. His work has been honored with multiple awards: 2019 Guru Awards Photoshop World Award 2020 Silver Advertising Award MIFA Award 2022 Gold Commercial Photography-Product MUSE Awards 2023 Gold People Photography-Portrait MUSE Awards 2023 Gold Commercial Photography-Fashion MUSE Awards As a KelbyOne instructor, Lenworth teaches a few classes, including Fashion & Beauty, lighting, and getting published. Join commercial fashion and beauty photographer Lenworth Johnson and me as we talk about his fashion and beauty work, and as we dissect his product shot of Chanel makeup, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Lenworth Website: lenworthjohnson.com Instagram: @lenworth.johnson Facebook: @photographyLJ X / Twitter: @LJ_Photography1 LinkedIN: @lenworth-johnson-2966a319 Lenworth's KelbyOne Classes KelbyOne: KelbyOne.com Lenworth's Photographer Pick Mary Bel: marybelphotography.com | @marybelphotography

One of my favorite parts of doing this podcast is that I get to discover and meet some amazing photographers, and L.A. based Nikon Ambassador Joey Terrill is a perfect example. We've all joked about a photographer we know being able to "shoot anything", but in reality very few people can truly shoot any subject matter. There are a few out there though, Joe McNally comes to mind, that just get it. Their photography seems to breath it's own air, and be alive. Joey is one of those talents. His career has included a range of specialties including architecture and interior design, advertising and corporate photography, golf course landscapes, and editorial portraiture, and his macro photography is fascinating. Joey's website has three galleries, Portraits, Scenes, and Macro, and if you spend a little time there you'll get some insight into how Joey sees the world. Perhaps this quote from his website sums it up best: "My camera is the window through which I experience life" From extreme close-up or a vast valley, to a portrait of a corporate CEO made to look like a star, Mr. Terrill just seems to understand what we are doing when we take a photo. He understands how to make a viewer feel something, as though they've been invited into the scene. That, my friend, is a skill I wish I had. Joey has worked with clients like American Express, Coca-Cola, Disney, Golf Digest, Major League Baseball, Nikon, Red Bull and Sports Illustrated. As an educator he teaches workshops and speaks at seminars including PhotoPlus Expo, WPPI, CES, Imaging USA, and of course Nikon School. Join photographer and Nikon Ambassador Joey Terrill and me as we dive into the artistic world of his macro photography, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Joey Website: joeyterrill.com Instagram: @joeyterrill Glass: @joeyterrill Facebook: @joeyterrill X / Twitter: @joeyterrill Joey's Photographer Pick George Hurrell: georgehurrell.com | @hurrellphotos

I find guests for Behind the Shot in a number of ways. Sometimes it's a referral from a friend, sometimes it's a cold email I send after seeing an image I just need to know more about, and now and then it's through a photographer's PR company. Regardless of how I find them, more often than not I end up being introduced to an amazing artist I wasn't familiar with beforehand. That is the case today. Jiří Lízler was brought to my attention by the folks over at Wonderful Machine, a company I think of as a PR firm, but that describes itself as "an art production agency with a network of 559 photographers in 44 countries". Whatever you see them as, they have a pool of talent that includes some of the best of the best, and they've brought me awesome guest ideas in the past. When they brought Jiří up to me two things jumped out... one was that I had never, that I recall, had an architectural shot on the show before, and the other was that Jiří's work is insanely good. I am so glad this show worked out. If, like me, you were not familiar with Jiří Lízler, let me introduce you... Jiri is a renowned Award-Winning commercial photographer from the Czech Republic, with a portfolio that features luxury hotels and high-end residential interiors. His work has been featured in international media fixtures like Conde Nast Traveller, The Telegraph, Forbes, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, The Times, Archilovers and more. From a clientele perspective, I am not sure you will find bigger names, with clients that include Microsoft, McDonald's, Chanel, Warner Bros Discovery, St. Regis, Ritz-Carlton, Six Senses, The Luxury Collection, and Hyatt. As I am writing this, I have the Tear Sheets page of his website in front of me, and wow. Jiri's work is truly fantastic. Join Czech based commercial photographer Jiří Lízler and me as we discuss his world of photographing hotels & resorts, travel & tourism, architecture and interiors, and more, while taking a deep dive into his photo of the pool at the Corinthia Hotel Prague, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Jiří Website: jirilizler.com Instagram: @jirilizler LinkedIN: @jiri-lizler-hotel-photographer Jiří's Photographer Pick Rupert Peace: rupertpeace.com | @rupertpeace

One look at the client list at the bottom of Paul Mobley’s About page and it’s quickly apparent that he’s one of the best commercial, advertising, and editorial portrait photographers working today. It’s a list of A level celebrities & musicians, and Fortune 500 companies, that speaks volumes about the type of work Paul creates. Whether it’s a celebrity promoting his or her latest project or a 100-year- old farmer celebrating his family’s legacy, Paul has that rare ability to direct as well as photograph his subjects, to create some connection with them that puts them at ease in front of the camera. They seem to trust him at an almost uncanny level. The result? He creates portraits that are authentic, and timeless. In addition to his corporate, advertising, and editorial work, Paul is an accomplished author, having published four books of his photography with Welcome Books: American Farmer (2008), Everyday Heroes (2012), If I Live to Be 100 (2016), and American Firefighter (2018). For all four books, Mobley traveled around the country to meet the subjects in their hometowns and photograph these ordinary citizens leading their extraordinary lives. Mobley has also put together a traveling exhibition of his American Farmer photographs that will tour museums and colleges around the United States until 2025. You’ll find links to his books and exhibition below. Join commercial, advertising, and editorial portrait photographer Paul Mobley and me as we talk about his portrait work, compositing portraits, and as we dissect his multi-shot image of comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Paul Website: paulmobleystudio.com Instagram: @paulmobleystudio Facebook: @PaulMobleyStudio X / Twitter: @PaulShoots LinkedIN: @paulmobleystudio Traveling Exhibition Website: eusa.org/exhibition/american-farmer/ Paul's Books Amazon: amazon.com Paul's Photographer Pick Ruvén Afanador: ruvenafanador.com | @ruvenafanador

Zoe Rain is one of those photographers in the rare group of artists that was born to do what she does. Some people can learn to become amazing artists, while others, people like Zoe, seem to have a natural gift for seeing the world through a lens. At the young age of 20, Zoe was already touring with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and that work brought a bit of notoriety, to say the least. Since then, her work has graced the cover of Rolling Stone, appeared on subway car ads, and been plastered on billboards across the world. Working with some of the biggest names in music, including Chance The Rapper, Ed Sheeran, Christina Aguilera, Ke$ha and Vic Mensa, has brought Zoe into the world of successful commercial photographer - a leap many people in music photography dream of. From multiple opportunities as an Apple keynote speaker, to being on industry panels hosted by agencies including Soho, Havas, & Leo Burnette, Zoe is now a sought after artist, and speaker for some of the largest brands in the industry. Zoe's love of travel has led to her photojournalistic projects, involving intimate collaborations with nonprofits such as the 30-30 project & Construction for Change. This work includes Rain’s portraiture series “Woman of Togo”, which has been featured in galleries across the US. After over a decade of success, Zoe is at the top of her game. Join commercial photographer and filmmaker Zoe Rain and me as we discuss everything from her life on the road with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, to her wonderful portrait work, and as we examine her portrait of Ed Sheeran, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Zoe Website: rainstudio.com Instagram: @ZoeRainPhoto

Back in June I did a review of the StellaPro Reflex line of lights titled "Is This My New Favorite Light?". Well, today I've got an update. StellaPro has upgraded the hardware. The StellaPro Reflex lights are “Continuous Strobe Hybrid” LED lights. They allow you to do constant light, as you might do for video, or using digital burst mode you can use the lights like you would a flash. Technically, these are not flashes, they are LED lights, but they allow you to over-charge the LED and release all of that charge as a burst of light, a burst that can be up to 1 stop brighter than the constant light. And that constant light isn't just some weak modeling light, like you might have in a standard studio monolight. These are bright, very bright. After doing that deep dive review I was impressed. I mean, no product is everything we want, and there's definitely a wishlist I have in my head for these lights, but for me the pros outweighed the cons. And now StellaPro has made some interesting changes... First, they consolidated the Reflex line into one model, eliminating the standard Reflex (no S), and leaving only the Reflex S. There is a Reflex Studio too, but the light head in that model is the Reflex S. Secondly, they've increased both the continuous and burst power 50%, doubled the runtime, and made the light 50% faster – now delivering 30 fps of full power bursts without missing a burst. How much more do these upgraded lights cost you ask? Well, it's not more expensive. It's not even the same price. The upgraded lights are almost $250 cheaper! It actually feels weird writing that. An already good product is made better and they charge less? What the hell is the world coming to. The StellaPro Reflex S lights are now $849, and with the added power they're a pretty damn good deal - that is if they live up to the claims. Today we are going to test this new upgraded hardware, which comes in the form of a larger battery handle, and a firmware update to the light head. The Reflex Lights I will be using in this show were sent to me by Stella Pro Lights for the purpose of that original review show back in June, and the upgraded battery handles were sent to me for the review of the upgrade. Let me be clear though, they have not paid me further and this is not a sponsored review. I am free to have and state any opinions that I have, and StellaPro doesn’t get to see this show before it goes live. This is just my honest opinion based on what I might look for in a portable light. As always, If you want a crazy technical review - that’s not me, but there are a lot of those out there. Here are the various sections in the show, so feel free to jump around to the areas that interest you. 00:00 - Intro 01:21 - Disclaimers 03:11 - What is the StellaPro Reflex S? 04:09 - What Changed? 04:38 - The Upgrade 06:35 - Old vs New Battery 09:11 - Updated Specs 10:58 - Testing Intro 15:16 - Black Background Tests 19:45 - Block Wall Test 20:56 - Portrait Tests Intro 21:43 - Portrait Tests 24:30 - Light Falloff Test Intro 25:21 - The Falloff Setup 25:53 - Light Falloff Tests 27:01 - Wishlist 30:57 - Final Thoughts 32:33 - Outro Join me as I take a look at the recent update to the StellaPro Lights Reflex S. We'll take a look at the upgraded hardware, and check out the claim of 50% more power. Original StellaPro Reflex Review Mentioned in the Show (June 2023) Is This My New Favorite Light? A Review of the Stella Pro Reflex:YouTube.com Inverse Square Law Video Mentioned in the Show Digital Photography 1 on 1: Episode 59: Inverse Square Law:: Adorama Photography TV on YouTube Connect with StellaPro Lights Website: stellaprolights.com Facebook: @stellaprolights Instagram: @stellaprolights YouTube: @stellaprolights Connect with Steve Portfolio: stevebrazill.com Facebook: @SteveBrazillPhotography Instagram: @stevebrazill Twitter: @stevebrazill Mastodon: @stevebrazill

There are times when I see a photographer's work that I have an emotional response, a feeling that I am seeing something special. That's what happened the first time I browsed through Victoria Will's website. Photo after photo there was something.... with impact. That doesn't happen very often. Victoria's career in photography began as a photojournalist, but has now moved to a focus on celebrity portraiture, editorial, and commercial assignments. That beginning, however, is readily obvious. Her images feel spontaneous, like she just happens to be there with a camera while some A List actor, or Hall of Fame musician. happened to be posing. Victoria's portraits just feel honest and authentic. Victoria's images have appeared in the pages of some of the top publications, including Vogue, The New York Times, and Rolling Stone, ESPN and W Magazine. Commercial campaigns for brands like Carhartt, Levis, Netflix, Hulu, Epix, AT&T, Bose, Samsung, Ralph Lauren, and Miller High Life have also used her work. Her About Page says that her approach is "rooted in collaboration and meaningful connection where she seeks intimacy, authenticity, and elegance with a thoughtful eye and composition". I would probably just describe her work as magic, but I guess her wording is probably better for the website. You don't get to this level of success, and talent, without other people noticing, and she has a crazy collection of awards. Victoria has been recognized by American Photography, PDN Photo Annual, and Communication Arts, and her imagery has been the subject of both solo and group exhibitions internationally. Her first monograph, Borne Back, a collection of tintype portraits, was published in 2017 by Peanut Press. Tintype photography is something I know very little about, or more accurately, nothing at all. Luckily for all of us, Profoto has a video on their YouTube channel documenting the process. You can check out "Victoria Will Shoots the Stars at Sundance" here. In 2023, Victoria became one of the newest members of the Canon Explorer of Light program, an honor I will say is so very well deserved. She is one of the best working today. Join Canon Explorer of Light Victoria Will and me as we explore tintype photography, and discuss her tintype image of famed actor Sam Shepard, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Victoria Website: victoriawill.com Instagram: @victoriawill Twitter: @vwillphoto Victoria's Book Borne Back: peanutpressbooks.com Profoto Video on Victoria Shooting Tintypes Victoria Will Shoots the Stars at Sundance: youtube.com Victoria's Photographer Picks Dana Scruggs: danascruggs.com | @danascruggs Benedict Evans: benedictevans.com | @benedict_evans

Regular watchers / listeners of the show will know Dave Williams. He's a great friend, and amazing photographer, and he has a skill I value... an eye for great guests. In fact, he has connected me to more potential guests than I think anyone else. Because of that, when Dave sends me someone, I pay attention. Today is the result of that process. Dave described Paul Kober's work to me, and I was immediately struck by how unique the concept was. Paul is what most would call a wildlife and nature photographer, but I have never seen his subjects photographed in quite the same way before, or since for that matter. All of Paul's photos are taken in his backyard, and he places various string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments hanging from the trees or sitting on the ground. Next, he smears jelly, peanut butter, or birdseed in strategic places on the instruments to attract wild animals. Then, he waits.... and waits, sometimes for many hours. When the squirrels, birds, deer, or other wildlife come into the scene he has created, he grabs the shot. Catching the wildlife in artistically pleasing positions is the key, and somehow he does exactly that. It's also important to note that no animals are photoshopped into position, it's all about the patience he has to wait for just that right moment. His interest in photography only started about twelve years ago, and over the years he has experimented with doing portraits, landscapes, and architecture images, before finding his niche. Paul is very passionate about music, and in fact made a living as a professional jazz saxophonist for a number of years. He's also passionate about animals - he and his wife currently have five shelter cats. In this relatively short period of time, Paul's photography has garnered him a great deal of recognition. He has been showcased in Photoshop Magazine, and AirSpeed Magazine. He won the prestigious international GURU award, and nine awards in the London Photography Awards. One of his pictures was even used as the cover for a flute composition. Join photographer Paul Kober and me as we explore his musical wildlife photography project, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Paul Website: paulkoberphoto.com Instagram: @paulkoberphoto Facebook: @paul.kober.52 Dave William's Post About Paul on DIY Photography This Photographer Shoots Cute Animals Playing Musical Instruments: diyphotography.net Paul's Photographer Pick Kaylee Greer: dogbreathphoto.com | @dogbreathphotography Chapters 00:00 - Intro 00:38 - Intro to Paul Kober 14:12 - Photo Discussion 42:52 - Speed Round Q & A 47:44 - Paul’s Photographer Pick - Kaylee Greer 51:19 - Outro 51:41 - Remembering Terrell Woods

It never surprises me how often Scott Kelby's name comes up when I am talking about photography with someone. I remember, back when I started out in photography, how much I learned from watching his videos with "The Photoshop Guys". Scott, to me, is photography education personified. Scott has been on the show a few times, for Insights From Scott Kelby and Timeless Photography, but I still remember the first time I met him in person. It was at a Photoshop World in Vegas, and I was at the hotel bar where everyone from the conference hung out. Scott walked in and the room seemed to gravitate slowly towards him. I recall thinking "it's gotta be weird to be him right now" at the same time as thinking "I should go introduce myself". Clearly, I am part of the problem. Still, I walked over and before I got to him he spotted me and walked towards me to say hi. Since then I have had the pleasure of seeing him at a few conferences, and hanging out for a few hours at the NAMM show in Anaheim, CA, but one of the most amazing things is to just sit in a session Scott is teaching and watch him work. Scott Kelby was born to do what he does, and I'm not talking about the business side of Scott here. Sure, Scott is an icon in the photography world. He's the founder and namesake of KelbyOne, the gold standard in online photography education, and the creator of Photoshop World, but the teaching... that is where Scott shines. His knowledge is up there with the best in the business, but his pacing, speech patterns, and demeanor, all make absorbing that knowledge so easy. He has authored numerous books, and he shares a lot of his knowledge on his blog at scottkelby.com. I'd argue that his Guest Blog Wednesdays are one of the most amazing resources out there for photographers, and twice now I have been honored to write a post there, for Five Lessons Learned from Hosting the Behind The Shot Podcast and The Joy of Live Music Photography. Scott's Annual Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk – the world’s largest social photography event - just seems to get bigger each year, and he's more than just well versed in photography by the way. Scott is an accomplished musician, playing guitar (what an amazing guitar collection he has), bass, drums, and piano. Plus, he is one of the few photographers that seemingly can photograph anything – Any. Thing. Travel, fashion, beauty, people, the great indoors, automotive, sports, anything he points his camera at seems to crop itself for him, and that is one of the things I love about Scott's work. His eye for composition, and what makes a shot work, is amazing. That is what brings him here today. Scott does regular photo critique shows, usually blind photo critiques, on his show The Grid, usually with Erik Kuna, and his insight is amazing. I firmly believe that one of the best and fastest ways to improve your photography is to get fair honest critiques from a trusted source, and that's what Scott is doing. I also did a series of image critique shows, with my buddy Don Komarechka, for two years, but that stopped when the war broke out in Ukraine, and then Don moved to Bulgaria. At some point while we were doing those shows Scott wrote a blog post titled "What to expect from a photo critique", and it was so damn good that I started mentioning it at the start of every critique show I did with Don. Let me explain... Often I would get an email from someone who's image Don and I critiqued trying to explain the image, and in doing so trying to let me know why we were "wrong" with what we had said. The same thing happens when I judge one of the image competitions I do periodically here in California. People feel that if we judges and critique people only knew the hardships they went through to get an image, or what the crowd was like, or what the music sounded like, or insert your explainer here meant, that we would understand how amazing their image was. We just didn't understand their art!

10 Questions with... Don Komarechka I have had a lot of guests on this show, but few I know as well as Don Komarechka. Don is a great friend, which seems odd considering we have never met in person. We did our critique shows together for about two years, in honestly, chatting with him is always a blast. for that reason, I figured he was a perfect guest for my new "10 Questions" series. Don has been on the regular show too, a few times. The first was way back in February of 2018, for "The Art of Snowflakes", next was July of that year for "Improve Your Macro Photography", and the last time was for "Water Droplet Refractions" in 2019. I need to get him back for a regular show soon. I'd had the "10 Questions" idea for awhile, and while recording a show with Toy Photographer, and Platypod Pro, Jesse Feyereisen. I decided to give it a shot. I asked him last minute if he wanted to try it, and lucky for me, he said yes! Now, Don has agreed to to doing the show again, and this isn't a "normal" show at all. It's a rapid fire 10 questions ranging from photography to any other subject, and some are just off the wall. From auroras to pollen, insects to infrared, much of Don’s photographic adventures help us to see how the universe works. Exploring a world we cannot see with our own eyes is a common thread in Don’s career as a professional photographer. Always science-minded but never formally trained, Don uses photography as a way to explore and understand the world around him. Photographing something unusual or unknown is the perfect excuse to learn something new. Don’s work often pushes up against the technical limitations of modern camera equipment and the physical limitations of light itself. It's in that space between photography and geek that Don seems to be most at home. He even hosts a podcast called Photo Geek Weekly, which I have had the honor of being a guest on a number of times (and it is honestly one of my favorite things to do). When you browse through Don Komarechka’s work you may have the feeling you are not doing enough with your photography. I know I do. His work is something unique and special. Part photography, part science experiment. One of the things I truly love about Don is his total openness to the process. He will share anything to help people understand his craft. He shows behind the scenes shots often, and on the macro episode we did he even shared his raw files to convince someone that the bee was alive and real. Don is honestly one of the coolest photographers I know, and I hope you enjoy today's special show with him. Join Macro Photographer, and Platypod Pro, Don Komarechka and me as we dive into 10 random questions - some photography related, and some are far from it. Connect with Don Full Portfolio: donkom.ca Snowflake Portfolio: skycrystals.ca Photo Geek Weekly Podcast: photogeekweekly.com Workshops: donkom.ca/workshops Facebook: @donkomphoto Instagram: @donkomphoto Twitter: @donkom Flickr: @donkom 500px: @donkom

My guest today most likely needs no introduction. As Vice President of Operations for KelbyOne, Erik Kuna has been around the photography world for a long time, and he's been on the show before, for the episode titled Shoot for the Skies. His specialty is photographing rockets and spaceflight, but make no mistake, Erik could teach you a lot about almost any genre of photography. From behind the camera, Erik photographs launches for organizations like NASA, SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, and Orbital ATK. Whether he's working for a media outlet, a magazine, or for an actual space agency, his goal is to create images that help educate people on the space industry. The educator side of Erik is where many people know him from. Working for KelbyOne, has led to him being the regular co-host with KelbyOne founder Scott Kelby on their show The Grid. Erik's 20+ years of experience serve him well there, and around the photography world, teaching seminars, workshops and classes. From landscapes, travel and nature, to night photography, twilight and rockets, Erik is as knowledgeable as it gets. He’s also worked with partners such as Adobe, Google, Canon, B&H Photo and many more to produce training videos and corporate events to help their customers and clients unlock their full potential via education and inspiration. Join rocket and spaceflight photojournalist Erik Kuna and me as we try to better understand what goes into creating his amazing images, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Erik Personal: erikkuna.com KelbyOne: kelbyone.com Photoshop World:photoshopworld.com Facebook: @erikkuna Instagram: @erikkuna Twitter: @erikkuna Erik's Prints Prints on SmugMug: erikkuna.smugmug.com Erik's Workshops with Jay Grammond Dakota Adventure: Light Painting Under The Stars: jgrammondphotography.net Erik's Photographer Pick John Kraus: johnkrausphotos.com | @johnkrausphotos Apps Erik Mentioned Adobe Lightroom: adobe.com Adobe Photoshop: adobe.com PhotoPills: photopills.com Flight Club: flightclub.io Astrospheric: astrospheric.com Erik's Agency SuperCluster: supercluster.com Behind the Scenes Images Shown During the Show

A few years ago I was walking around the WPPI Expo floor with a friend, when he suggested we stop by the StellaPro Lights booth. This friend does some work with StellaPro Lights, a division of Light & Motion, and he thought I might be interested in seeing their new product - the StellaPro Reflex. As the staff there showed me the lights, I immediately thought that these might be a game changer for some people - maybe even me. Since then, I've been able to see the lights, and meet the people from StellaPro a few times, including at NAB 2022. Every time, I was struck by how kind the staff were, and how passionate about this product they were. Yeah, they're supposed to be passionate about their product while showing it at a conference, but this felt so honest to me. While I was handling these lights it felt like I was holding something different than any other light I've played around with... in a very cool way. If you're not familiar with the StellaPro Reflex, let me summarize for you. The StellaPro Reflex is a “Continuous Strobe Hybrid”, meaning it does both Constant Light or Digital Burst. These LED lights allow you to do constant light like any LED, and I am not talking about a simple modeling light like you have in a standard studio monolight. These are constant LED lights suitable for video use. The Digital Burst mode allows you to use the lights like you would a flash, but these are not flashes. Again, they are LED lights, but they allow you to charge the LED and release all of that charge as a burst of light, a burst that can be up to 1 stop brighter than the constant light. Hopefully the phrase “Continuous Strobe Hybrid” makes a bit more sense now. After meeting the StellaPro Lights folks, they offered to send me some of the gear for a review, and I jumped at the chance. They ended up sending me a 2 Light Kit, including 2 Stella Pro Reflex S lights along with various accessories and cables, and today we are going to put them to use. I do want to make a few things clear for this show... This is an honest, unsponsored review. The Stella Pro Lights I’m using in this show were sent to me by Stella Pro Lights (and Light & Motion) for the purpose of this review, but this is not a paid ad. I am free to have and state any opinions I have, and Stella Pro doesn’t get to see this before it goes live. Also, If you want a crazy technical review - that’s not me. I’m not going to measure actual Kelvin, CRI, and TLCI, etc. If you want technical reviews on any gear, I'd suggest checking out Photo Joseph, Curtis Judd, Gerald Undone, or one of the many people that do that way better than I ever could. I don't know if any of those YouTubers have reviewed these lights, but they do great content. What I want to see is how these lights work for someone like me. I’m not a person that uses constant light or flash daily. I am a concert photographer. I do shoot Meet & Greets, Portraits and Promos, but I don’t normally use studio type lights. I have been able to get by on my Canon Speedlights, and even then I’m not a person that uses constant light or flash daily. So, these are just my opinions based on how I shoot. This show will divided into 3 parts: Getting to know the gear, the unboxing and gear details, and shooting with lights. Finally, I’ll close it out with my thoughts. Join me for a review of the StellaPro Lights Reflex S, and let's see if I have a new favorite light, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with StellaPro Lights Website: stellaprolights.com Facebook: @stellaprolights Instagram: @stellaprolights YouTube: @stellaprolights Connect with Steve Portfolio: stevebrazill.com Facebook: @SteveBrazillPhotography Instagram: @stevebrazill Twitter: @stevebrazill Mastodon: @stevebrazill StellaPro Reflex - Black Background - 3 Feet StellaPro Reflex - Block Wall - 3 Feet StellaPro Reflex with Steve - Black Background - 6 Feet

My guest for this show is none other than my buddy Dave Williams, making his third appearance on the show. On the chance that you haven't seen the other two shows I did with Dave, "Aurora and the Night Sky" and "The Traveling Photographer", let me take a moment to introduce one of my favorite creatives. Dave is a travel photographer based out of London, or wherever his tricked out van happens to be parked. Yeah, you heard that correctly. Dave lives in a van called "Kofifernweh", and this van is insane - you can read about it here. He documents his travels, while photographing and writing, on his popular YouTube series "Due North", and his Aurora images from these adventures are amazing - which isn't a surprise considering he literally wrote The Complete Aurora Guide: for Travelers and Photographers. There's no question about it, Dave is one of the most adventurous people I know. Dave's work has been featured in publications and campaigns for clients including Time, National Geographic, Forbes, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, Triumph, Conde Nast, and Shell to name a few. He also works closely with several companies within the photography and travel industries, including Platypod, Wandrd, Litra, Drobo, Blackrapid, Passion Passport, and Lonely Planet. What has always stuck out in my mind was Dave's ability to teach others, and you can find his tutorials and writings in various places, and I have the links below, but many will know him the same way I did, his work over at KelbyOne, along with his writings for Photoshop User Magazine and ScottKelby.com. He also writes journalistic and inspirational articles for DIY Photography. He’s also presented at Photoshop World Conference, The Photography Show, Russell Browns Art Directors Invitational Masterclass. Recently, I was talking to Dave and he mentioned he was doing a new workshop with another past guest and friend, Kersten Luts, who was on the show for the episode on Creative Portraits and Headshots. He calls this workshop the "Lofoten Islands Viking Photography Workshop", but it's a lot more than that. It's a portrait and landscape hybrid photography workshop deep within the Arctic Circle. There will be a Viking, epic landscapes, rugged mountains, majestic fjords, beautiful reindeer, world-renowned food, traditional red cabins, dancing aurora, and Dave and Kersten as your photo guides. I have to admit, I REALLY want to do this workshop, and I even have had other friends of mine tell me they've already signed up. Not sure I can swing it, since I already have a big vacation planned this year, but yeah, I am looking at it. Dave and Kersten were kind enough to share a discount code for you, so you can take 5% ($250) off when booking with DAVE5. The mantra Dave lives by is ‘once in a lifetime as often as you can’ and so far, that’s working out pretty well Join renowned travel photographer Dave Williams and me as we chat about photographing deep within the arctic circle, and his workshop in Lofoten, Norway, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Dave Website: idavewilliams.com Instagram: @idavewilliams Facebook: @idavewilliams Twitter: @idavewilliams YouTube: @idavewilliams Dave's Workshop with Kersten Luts Lofoten Islands Viking Photography Workshop: idavewilliams.com Dave's Due North Series YouTube.com KelbyOne Dave Williams on KelbyOne Dave's Aurora Book Amazon: The Complete Aurora Guide: for Travelers and Photographers Dave on DIY Photography diyphotography.net Dave's Photographer Pick Kersten Luts: kerstenluts.com | @kerstenluts

So, funny story... I get people pitch themselves for my show very often. It's usually some bizarre pitch, for a subject matter that has zero to do with what my show actually is about. Sometimes it's the potential guest emailing me, and sometimes it's their "representative", but it's almost always some "motivational speaker" that wants to help my listeners. In almost every case, when someone pitches themself it's not a fit, until the other day on Twitter. I had tweeted that sometimes the onboarding process for guests can be.... difficult. I didn't mean that as a dig at my guests at all, just a statement that picking a shot, getting the stuff I need to write the show notes and blog post, and coordinating schedules can be time consuming. Well, I got a reply from Jesse Feyereisen saying "If you ever want to chat with someone about Toy Photography, I’d be more than happy to talk!". As soon as I saw his name I knew who it was... we both have a connection to Platypod. I also already of his work, and he's fantastic! So today, I bring you the Elevated Toy Photography of Jesse Feyereisen. Calling Jesse a "Toy Photographer" doesn't really cover it. He is a photographer, graphic designer and digital creative based in Wisconsin. While he went to school for Visual Communications, and Television Production, he is sort of visual, jack of all trades, working on everything including websites, print ads, video, photography, and nearly anything digitally creative. At some point, his love of photography brought him to try all sorts of genres, from outdoors and wildlife, to astrophotography, macro, and product photography. When he "accidentally" discovered toy photography he instantly fell in love with it. Accidentally or not, his ability to bring toys to life in his photography ended up catching the attention of the folks at Platypod, and he is now a Platypod Pro. Join toy photographer, and Platypod Pro, Jesse Feyereisen and me as we look at how you can elevate your toy photography, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Jesse Website: jessefphotography.com Instagram: @jessefeyereisen Facebook: @jessefeyereisen Twitter: @JesseFeyereisen YouTube: @jessefeyereisenphotography LinkedIn: linkedin.com Jesse's Print Shop: jessefeyereisen.smugmug.com Toy Photography Book for Charity Stop Wars: A collection of photos produced by over 50 Toy Photographers from across the globe: amazon.com Jesse's Photographer Pick Harry Nguyen: @_cinematoygrapher_ Steve's Whiskey Pick Barrel Craft Spirits - Vantage: barrellbourbon.com

I get guest suggestions sent to me regularly, and this show is the result of one of those. Dave Kallmann messaged me on Twitter to suggest a few motorsports photographers, and that instantly intrigued me. Dave is a sports reporter for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and he is one hell of a photographer himself. If he was suggesting someone then I knew I had to take a look, and man, I am so glad that I did. Jamey Price is a motorsport and automotive photographer from Charlotte, North Carolina, and he is in a league of his own. If you've watched or listened to show for any amount of time, you'll know that I spend a lot of time looking through my guest's work to try and find common threads, those things that seem to connect all of the shots together. Many photographers have these fine threads that seem to weave from image to image, a way that they tell their story that is unique to them. For Jamey it's motion. Let me explain... As a motorsports photographer, of course Jamey is photographing things in motion, and when I say motion I mean speed, but that's not the thread I am talking about. Jamey has an ability to coney to the viewer a feeling of actual motion. Through the use of panning, a creative depth of field, or a dragged shutter, Jamey makes you feel like you are along for the ride. I'm not sure if you can motion sickness from a photo, but if you can then you'd be advised to view Jamey's work carefully. I am left wondering if Jamey's early career choices played a role in the resulting images I see. Jamey was a thoroughbred steeplechase horse racing jockey and exercise rider in the United States, England and Ireland. He rode in more than 50 races, and notched 11 wins in the saddle, all the while taking photos between his races. He eventually self published a book titled "Chasing: Racing Life in England & Ireland." In 2011, Jamey's photography career path switched from horses, to horse power. Since then, his images have been published around the world in magazines, newspapers and websites including The New York Times, HotRod, Hagerty, MAXIM, Car&Driver, CycleWorld, Road&Track, Autoweek, RACER, MotorTrend, Autosport, F1 Racing magazine, Motorsport Magazine, Formula1.com, Lamborghini.com, TopGear.com, Blackbird Automotive Journal, Popular Mechanics, Sports Illustrated & ESPN and many others. Named Motorsport Photographer of the Year in 2019 by the National Motorsports Press Association, Jamey currently does freelance work supplying racing and marketing imagery to some of the most respected automotive brands, photographers, agencies and racing teams and drivers across the world including: Lamborghini & Lamborghini Squadra Corse, Ferrari, Ducati, Audi Canada, Acura, Red Bull, Ford, Bentley, Goodyear, PUMA, MOTUL, RM Sotheby's, Aston Martin Racing, Manor Racing F1 team, Force India Formula 1 team, Renault Formula 1 team, Alpine Formula 1 Team, Williams Formula 1 team, Toyota Gazoo Racing, the Macau Grand Prix and many more. Though primarily sticking to the motor racing and automotive world, Jamey has photographed a diverse range of sporting assignments from professional swimming, to the Kentucky Derby & Breeders' Cup Horse Racing World Championships, NFL games, US Women's National team soccer, and of course the fast-paced world of NASCAR, World Endurance Championship, Formula E, IMSA Weathertech Championship, NHRA, Pikes Peak Hill Climb, Indycar & the Indy 500, MotoGP, 24 hours of Le Mans, 24 hours of Nürburgring, more than 35 Formula 1 races, and a little bit of everything in between! Jamey has been the staff photographer for successful Charlotte based luxury print magazine, QC Exclusive and Discover the Carolinas since 2014 and is a sponsored LEXAR Elite Artist. Join award winning photographer, and LEXAR Elite Artist, Jamey Price and me as we peek into his world of F1 Motorsports Photography, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Jamey Website: jameypricephoto.com Instagram: @jameypricephoto

Today is a new type of show, its: 10 Questions with... Jesse Feyereisen I have been thinking a lot lately about doing some shows that are a bit different from the normal format. Something just for fun, and shorter than the usual style of shows. I've had the "10 Questions" idea for awhile, and while recording a show with Toy Photographer, and Platypod Pro, Jesse Feyereisen (for release on May 4th) I asked if he wanted to be the first guest on this new format. Lucky for me, he said yes! Calling Jesse a "Toy Photographer" doesn't really cover it. He is a photographer, graphic designer and digital creative based in Wisconsin. While he went to school for Visual Communications, and Television Production, he is sort of visual, jack of all trades, working on everything including websites, print ads, video, photography, and nearly anything digitally creative. At some point, his love of photography brought him to try all sorts of genres, from outdoors and wildlife, to astrophotography, macro, and product photography. When he "accidentally" discovered toy photography he instantly fell in love with it. Accidentally or not, his ability to bring toys to life in his photography ended up catching the attention of the folks at Platypod, and he is now a Platypod Pro. Join Toy Photographer, and Platypod Pro, Jesse Feyereisen and me as we kick off a new series where I ask my guest photographer 10 random questions - some photography related, and some are far from it. Connect with Jesse Website: jessefphotography.com Instagram: @jessefeyereisen Facebook: @jessefeyereisen Twitter: @JesseFeyereisen YouTube: @jessefeyereisenphotography LinkedIn: linkedin.com Jesse's Print Shop: jessefeyereisen.smugmug.com Toy Photography Book for Charity Stop Wars: A collection of photos produced by over 50 Toy Photographers from across the globe: amazon.com

I first heard about wedding and portrait photographer, and wedding videographer, Andre Brown through my buddy Ant Pruitt's show "Hands on Photography", when Andre was on for a Photographers' Go-To Tip. I knew I wanted to get him on the show, and once I realized he was an Ambassador for StellaPro - an amazing line of lighting - I worked my contacts there to help get him on Behind the Shot. Here's the thing, Andre's work is different, it's unique in a number of ways. The post "Finding My Success by Exploring Light", for Sal Cincotta's Behind the Shutter, is a great read, and really helps to understand Andre as a creative. His overall approach, as he has described it, is "...a high-fashion, editorial photography style. Showcasing my clients, and my culture with style and opulence. Creating drama with light and the absence of light". What struck me was how he described that he had been "replicating what I saw on the popular wedding blogs. High Key light, light and airy, kind of whimsical", but that his realization that the presence of black culture on some major sites, and in mainstream publications, was fairly non-existent outside of predominantly black publications like Essence and Ebony. As I read that it was like I was seeing the process of finding yourself - creatively - explained, step by step. We all start by re-creating, or emulating, what we see, or like, or think will work, but at some point (at least for the best out there) we have to find why we are doing this at all, what makes us pick up the camera. Seriously, go read that post. Andre is so talented that he has won awards that I know many have tried and never won. For example, the image we are talking about on this show won the 2019 WPPI Silver Distinction Award, and the 2019 WPPI Wedding Division, Bridal Party Award for Second Place. If you've never seen a WPPI competition, it's tough, damn tough. Oh yeah, that was his first competition! Since then he's racked up more than I can list. As an educator, Andre is a sought after speaker, and workshop leader. He has been published in outlets including Essence Magazine, Huffington Post, The Knot, Munaluchi Bride, Black Bride, The B Collective Magazine, and Huffington Post, and his work has also appeared on ABC News, and Good Morning America. A few things in Andre's bio intrigue me, and one in particular makes me think we might be good friends. Andre got his Bachelor of Science in Recording Arts, and at 19 he was the manager of Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer Ric Rude. Whoa. His work through that relationship with Ric Rude included, most notably, "Cater 2 U" by Destiny's Child and hits for other artists including Busta Rhymes, Mary J. Blige, Bow Wow, Omarion, Redman and Method Man, to name a few. I am so curious about this part of his history. The part that made me think we may already be friends is the fact that in his spare time he binge- watches episodes of Law and Order. I record re-runs of the original show regularly. Almost 500 episodes over 20 years means I still come across shows I haven't seen. Join award winning photographer, and Ambassador for StellaPro, Andre Brown and me as we dive into his high-fashion, editorial approach to wedding photography, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Andre Website: AndreBrown.com Instagram: @andrebrownphoto Facebook: @andrebrownphoto TikTok: @andrebrownphoto YouTube: @andrebrownphoto Andre's Workshops Bokeh Academy: BokehAcademy.co Andre's Photography Marketing and Sales Solution SnapFlow: snapflow.co Andre's Photographer Picks Joshua Dwain: joshuadwain.com | @joshua_dwain Karl Taylor: karltaylor.com | @karltaylorphotography Steve's Whiskey Pick Jack Daniel's Triple Mash: jackdaniels.com

PRODUCTION NOTE: I unfortunately had some issues with the guest audio on this show, so you will hear some echo at times. My apologies to my guest, and to you - the viewers and listeners. Tim Gerard Barker is an award-winning photographer and filmmaker based in Hanoi, Vietnam, who I met through the folks over at Wonderful Machine. As soon as I saw Tim's work, I knew I needed to get him on the show. When you look at Tim's portfolio you'll see photography categories for Hospitality I Hotels and Resorts, Lifestyle, Corporate, Industrial, Portraiture, Travel, Landscape | Aerial, and NGO | Documentary, and trust me.... he's amazing at all of those. Looking through his work I was immediately struck by some of his commercial lifestyle shots. The detail in how he structures a scene for a client just blows my mind. His understanding of where the goals of a client and the craft of photography meet is next level. He writes about some of his shoots, and reading the post about today's image was very enlightening. You can find that here, or at the link below, under the subhead "Male Financial Professionals | Hanoi Train Street". Of course, none of that is surprising. Tim has extensive experience working throughout Asia on a wide range of photography and videography projects. His results are not cookie cutter images either. His ability to capture real people and real places, and the uniqueness of a culture, is refreshing. He manages to convey his stories with a colourful, graphic style that has resulted in numerous awards over the years, with citations in the International Photography Awards, Australia’s Top Photographers and Travel Photographer of the Year. His client list is a who's who of corporate giants, including Nike, Forbes, Novartis, Discovery Channel, CNN, BBC and more. Please join award winning photographer Tim Gerard Barker and me as we dive into his approach to commercial lifestyle photography, and how he creates the scenes his clients are looking for, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Tim Website: tgbarker.com Instagram: @timgerardbarker Facebook: @tgbarkerphotographyandfilm Twitter: @timgerardbarker Vimeo: @timgerardbarker YouTube: @timgerardbarker4886 Blog Post About This Episode's Shot: "Lifestyle Photography for a Financial Technology Company" Under "Male Financial Professionals | Hanoi Train Street": tim-barker-uuum.squarespace.com Tim's Photographer Pick Andrew Quilty: andrewquilty.com | @andrewquilty Steve's Whiskey Pick Nikka From the Barrel: nikka.com

Today's guest, former White House photographer Pete Souza, is a bucket-list item for me. I started Behind the Shot because I am a fan of great photography, or more specifically great photographers. Through the over six years I have been doing the show, I have had a range of guests, in a range of genres, from legends, to people I wasn't aware of before asking them to be on the show. While I have discovered many amazing creatives through doing this podcast, when I started there were a few specific people I hoped would someday be on the show. Joe McNally checked off one of those boxes last year when he came on for the show Master of Light, and again when he helped with the show on the Best Photo Advice You’ve Been Given. Scott Kelby has now been on a few times, with Insights From Scott Kelby and Timeless Photography. Trey Ratcliff stopped by twice, for Raise Your Dynamic Range and Documenting Burning Man, Christie Goodwin did Fireworks, Ed Sheeran: Memories We Made, and also helped with the Best Photo Advice You’ve Been Given show, and Rick Sammon, David Bergman, and Don Komarechka each have been here too many times to list. Well, today checks off the name I never thought I would get, and excited doesn't begin to cover what I am feeling. Often described as the White House photographer for the eight years of the Obama administration, Mr. Souza's career, and influence on the industry, is so much more than that. Pete Souza is a best-selling author, speaker and freelance photographer. His actual title during the Obama years was Chief Official White House Photographer and the Director of the White House photo office. That job alone would instill fear in most photographers, but Souza has done it more than once! He was also the Official White House Photographer for Ronald Reagan. As an author, Pete has written some of the definitive books related to White House photography. His book, Obama: An Intimate Portrait, was published in 2017, and debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and to date it is one of the best-selling photography books of all time. His 2018 book, Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents, also debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. Shade is a portrait in Presidential contrasts, telling the tale of the Obama and Trump administrations through a series of visual juxtapositions. His most recent book, The West Wing and Beyond: What I Saw Inside the Presidency, was published in September 2022. This book lets us behind the scenes of the West Wing — and into the Oval Office, the Situation Room, aboard Air Force One, and beyond — in intimate detail. Based on his best-selling books, Souza became the subject of a documentary film, The Way I See It, in November 2020. If you haven't seen it, I can't recommend it enough. It is absolute fantastic. The film takes an unprecedented look behind the scenes of two of the most iconic Presidents in history, Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan, as seen through Souza's eyes and camera. As Official White House Photographer for both these Presidents, Souza was an eyewitness to the unique and tremendous responsibilities of being the most powerful man in the world. The film also reveals how Souza transformed from a respected White House photographer and photojournalist to a searing commentator on the importance of having someone with empathy and dignity in the office of the Presidency. In addition to the national political scene, Souza has covered stories around the world. After 9/11, he was among the first journalists to cover the fall of Kabul, Afghanistan, after crossing the Hindu Kush mountains by horseback in three feet of snow. While at the Chicago Tribune, Souza was also part of the staff awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 2001 for explanatory reporting on the airline industry. As an educator, Pete Souza is Professor Emeritus of Visual Communication at Ohio University, and as a lecturer he is in high demand. He has lectured on his photography at the Smithson...

I often talk about how much I love being a part of the photo community. I have made such amazing friends being around this world of creativity, and today's show is the product of those friendships. There are times that this community starts to feel like "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon", and I love that. A few weeks ago I had Kersten Luts on the show to talk about Creative Portraits & Headshots, and that show happened because of our mutual friend Dave Williams. Dave has been on my show a few times, and introduced Kersten and I because he knew his two friends, both of whom have podcasts, would enjoy chatting. Well, within a day of recording with Kersten he emailed to introduce me to Nina Welch-Kling, saying he thought she would be an amazing guest on Behind the Shot. That chain of introductions is what made today's show possible, because as soon as I saw Nina's work I knew I had to try and get her on the show. Nina Welch-Kling is a New York City-based photographer, originally from a small town in southern Germany. Her background in fine art and architecture combined with a love for roaming the city streets inform her photographic depictions of everyday life. ​ ​She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a Master of Architecture from The University of California, Los Angeles. Now living in New York City she continues to explore creative outlets defined by her passion for photography. Looking at her portfolio, her fine art background shows. Her work has feeling, and emotion, built-in. One of her projects, Duologues, instantly jumped out at me. She describes the project this way: I love to wander the streets and observe people. My series, Duologues, records fragments of these encounters. It is a play between two images creating meanings belonging to neither— a discovery process each viewer interprets differently. Reminiscent of the idea of synchronicity, an idea that describes meaningful coincidences, my pairings intentionally produce uncanny relationships. Shooting intuitively and spontaneously, my eyes lock onto the unusual, the outstanding, and even the mundane. Frequently, dramatic lighting shapes the photographs. I collect the unrelated pieces like stems in a wildflower field - disconnected, yet bound together by their place of origin. The visuals seem familiar but particulars will distinguish them from the common. I match the images by playing a game of Memory: finding in each image shapes, gestures, and symbols that rhyme. The rhyming may occur within the major elements in the image, such as the subject, or in minute details that otherwise might go unnoticed. By pairing two photos that occurred at different moments in time, the story that emerges can bring them together. The final sequence feels deeply connected, even though the encounters on the street were random. The idea of doing diptychs based on the connection of shapes, gestures, and symbols in two images is wonderful, and she is a master at these pairings. So much so that choosing the subject for today's show wasn't easy. There are some sets that just connected to me on first glance, with color, or movement that draws the eye. Still, after much thought, I asked if we could discuss todays Duologue because the use of shape, shadow, and composition really stuck with me, for days after seeing it. On this episode, I'm joined by New York based photographer Nina Welch-Kling to talk about her Duologues project - a set of images displayed as diptychs with shapes, gestures, and symbols that rhyme. Connect with Nina Website: ninaklingphotography.com Instagram: @ninakling Facebook: @nina.w.kling Twitter: @NinaWK Nina's Book Duologues: ninaklingphotography.com Nina's Photographer Pick Harry Gruyaert: harrygruyaert-film.com Steve's Whiskey Pick The Prideful Goat 6 yr Rye: gianttexas.com Bourbon Real Talk: bourbonrealtalk.com | @bourbonrealtalk