B&H Photography Podcast

Nothing beats the thundering energy and human drama that unfolds across the surface of an automotive racetrack. Photographers who specialize in this adrenaline-fueled niche are best served by nerves of steel and the high endurance to lug multiple cameras and the long lenses needed to freeze the action. In today’s show, we plunge headfirst into what it takes to cover the many facets of auto racing with two of the finest professionals in the field, photographers Camden Thrasher and Jamey Price. From stories of unexpected hurdles to access when scouting an unfamiliar course to the mix of visual stimulation and extreme exhaustion that accompanies a 24-hour endurance race, our chat is full of real-world insights. We also discuss the gear these photographers rely on and the wear and tear that comes with hard core use.   And for listeners who’ve always wanted to try their hand at motor sports photography, Jamey Price shares some parting advice. “You don't build a portfolio by getting credentials,” he says. “You build a portfolio by going to races as a fan, bringing your camera, and making cool pictures from fan areas. Tell stories, do something different.” Guests: Camden Thrasher & Jamey Price Episode Timeline: 3:46: Jamey’s start as a jockey and making comparisons between photographing horse racing and motorsports 8:29: Camden’s early start attending auto races, then discovering photography through exploring his father’s film camera as a cool mechanical device. 10:25: Both photographers share their trajectory from starting out as a motor sports photographer to making it into a career. 18:04: A race day timeline and the many variables involved in motor sports photography. 27:28: Camaraderie & competition between photographers working the circuit, etiquette when shooting, and the importance of individual style. 37:24: The thrill of endurance racing and how photographing these 24-hour-long races differs from other types of motor sporting events. 43:38: Episode Break 45:10: Camden and Jamey’s go-to camera gear, the long lenses they lug, plus how often they use manual focus, especially when panning through people or trees. 54:50: Getting otherworldly visuals when faced with adverse weather conditions or unique atmospheric effects, despite the physical challenges.  59:15: Wear and tear on camera gear due to the unfriendly environment at the track, plus using broken gear or common objects for creative visual effects. 1:056:08: Camera settings and creative techniques when panning, plus accounting for variables of relative distance combined with motion and speed to achieve a desired result. 1:16:27: Camden & Jamey discuss the use of their motor sports photos and licensing their images to clients. 1:24:13: Parting advice to fans interested in becoming a credentialed motor sport photographer—bring your camera to a race as a fan, and start making pictures!   Guest Bios: Camden Thrasher is a motor sports photographer with a distinctive ability to capture unique scenes of fast action. Growing up in Vancouver, Washington, it was the sound of engines from a nearby racetrack that first drew him to motor sports. After becoming a fixture at the track with his camera during high school, Camden studied automotive design and engineering in college, expecting to work as an engineer or on a pit crew. But the money he was making as a side hustle with his camera convinced him to stick with photography, and he hasn’t looked back since. Using a unique slow shutter speed method, perfected over many exposures, Camden revels in showcasing the abstract qualities of gleaming metal, bright lights, and dynamic action that are hallmarks of this sport. Now based out of Atlanta, Georgia, Camden’s work has been commissioned by top racing teams and featured in a wide range of media, from print magazines to automotive branding campaigns. Jamey Price is an automotive photographer based in Charlotte, North Carolina, whose motor sports work has taken him to more than 25 countries, and across most of the continental US. Jamey's photography career began while he was competing as a thoroughbred horse racing jockey and exercise rider. During this time, he completed more than 50 races, notching 11 wins in the saddle. His life in horse racing was eventually compiled into the self-published book Chasing: Racing Life in England & Ireland. Yet, in 2011, Jamey’s photography career switched from horses to horse-power. Since he began chasing race cars, his images have been published worldwide in magazines, distributed by sports imagery wire services, and featured by top commercial clients. Additionally, Jamey is a LEXAR Elite Artist, since 2014. Stay Connected: Camden Thrasher Website Camden Thrasher Instagram  Camden Thrasher Facebook  Camden Thrasher Flickr Camden Thrasher on B&H Explora   Jamey Price Website Jamey Price Instagram Jamey Price Twitter Jamey Price YouTube Jamey Price TikTok Jamey Price Lexar   -------- Host: Derek Fahsbender Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens  

Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2025

As any established photographer will tell you, forging a career can be a long and arduous journey, with no instruction manual to guide you through the process. The lofty world of top-notch pros is often shrouded in mystery and full of things they don’t teach in photo school. In today’s show, we get to peek behind the scenes of this complex, and often chaotic environment in a chat with two colleagues who’ve found a way to balance their freelance careers as independent creators with lucrative work assisting in a high-profile photo studio. Listen in, to learn how a casual job application through LinkedIn landed Mike Foley an interview, ultimately resulting in a salaried role as first assistant to a world-class portrait photographer. While technical mastery counts for a lot, we discuss the critical importance of soft skills like personality and work ethic to success in such environments. We also distinguish between salaried full-time work and more common freelance roles, and the juggling required to coordinate the complex planning involved.  As freelance lighting assistant (and longtime café owner) Alex Savidis admits, “the juggle becomes quite hard at times, but I think it's a necessity, especially when you're trying to pursue something that you're passionate about. You can't just become a successful photographer overnight. It takes years to build up to that.” Guests: Mike Foley & Alex Savidis Episode Timeline: 2:57: Mike Foley describes heirloom portraiture as his bespoke brand of portrait with the ability to last a lifetime. 5:10: The backstory to Mike getting hired as a photo assistant for a world class portrait photographer. 11:25: The personality and skill set needed to work in a high-end photo studio, Alex’s take on being added to the team, plus the various roles within the studio. 17:30: The role of a B-cam operator to capture the finer details of a video shoots, plus an overview of a typical shoot day. 23:05: Mike talks about the video work in his portfolio as a differentiating factor in his getting the assisting job. 28:23: The work structure and expectations for photo assistants, from freelance to salaried positions, plus discussion about length of tenure. 34:50: Episode Break 35:55: Memorable stories from the studio—from the largest two-day shoot with a crew of 150, to the core personnel involved in work-a-day shoots. 42:28: NDA’s and the etiquette of what an assistant is able to share when dealing with high-end clients. 46:30: The growing acceptance of photographers who do freelance work and juggle regular 9-5 jobs with photo assignments.   52:07: Learning outcomes from working in a world class portrait studio, and the mindset to hold yourself to a higher standard. 57:49: Mike and Alex share advice for budding photographers based on what they’ve learned from working in a world-class photo studio.   Guest Bios:  Mike Foley is a New York City-based photographer specializing in heirloom portraiture and editorial photography. After starting out photographing weddings and small events, Mike quickly grew into commercial work, providing clients with timeless images they can use to elevate their visual presence and define their brand. His approach behind the camera is warm and humanistic, allowing his subjects the space to be themselves. In addition to his own photo services, Mike is currently content manager and digital designer for an internationally renowned portrait photographer. On set, he serves as first assistant and B-camera operator, while also providing on-set and post-production support behind the scenes for clients like Balenciaga, New York Magazine, and many more. Australian native Alex Savidis is passionate about storytelling through both still and moving imagery. Based in New York since 2020, he pushes creative boundaries by merging elements from his street and landscape photography into his portraiture & wedding work, weaving memories into art. For the past year and a half, Alex has also worked as lighting assistant and B cam operator in the same high-profile portrait studio as Mike, catering to world-renowned clients and political leaders. On B cam, it’s his job to focus on finer details and provide viewers with a deeper, more intimate perspective on a given subject, capturing nuances that enhance the storytelling. Additionally, when he’s not juggling camera gear or fine-tuning lights, you can find Alex behind the counter of the café Regular NYC in southern Manhattan, an establishment he founded in early 2024. Stay Connected: Mike Foley Website: https://mikephotographs.com/ Mike Foley Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/_mikephotographs/ Mike Foley Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaeljamesphotos/ Mike Foley Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-foley-3095a7126   Alex Savidis Website: https://www.alexsavidis.com/ Alex Savidis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex.savidis/ Alex Savidis Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-savidis-14155b272 Alex Savidis Regular NYC Cafe: https://regular.nyc/   End Credits: Host: Derek Fahsbender Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2025

Above Photograph © Chase Jarvis We’ve all heard the saying “The best camera is the one that’s with you.” But do you know how this catch phrase ended up as a mantra of the mobile economy? In today’s show, we speak with Chase Jarvis, the man behind Best Camera—the wildly successful photo sharing app that predated Instagram—to get an inside look at his wild ride.  A born entrepreneur and self-made photographer with a hunger that always worked against the grain, Chase’s meteoric rise in action sports/lifestyle photography dovetailed with the dawn of the sharing economy, leading him to a moonshot idea. The ensuing saga of Best Camera’s viral success, subsequent demise, and Chase’s quick pivot into his next visionary business model—Creative Live—is both a cautionary tale and a redemption story. All told, you’ll gain fascinating insights into the nexus of creative innovation and big business at the highest levels.  When asked about his biggest take away from Best Camera given the benefit of hindsight, Chase doesn’t miss a beat, responding, “If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.” Guest: Chase Jarvis Episode Timeline: 3:44: How Chase’s mastery of sports and the gift of his grandfather’s camera gear led to a passion for teaching himself photography. 9:33: Channeling real-world examples from his grandfather and father into early pictures, along with library books about the masters’ and photographic techniques. 15:35: The development of Chase’s early entrepreneurial spirit and how his second-grade teacher stifled these efforts. 22:50: Bucking trends and connecting with the uniqueness you bring to your images as a creative style. 26:32: Embracing social media and the sharing community early on and the ability to see around the corner as an entrepreneur. 35:53: Chase’s fast track to commercial success, technological innovation, and developing the Best Camera App. 46:20: Episode Break 47:48: The lessons learned from the Best Camera failure and how Chase channeled these lessons into the success of the first livestreaming learning platform, Creative Live. 52:24: Making the pivot from the first live photo feed to building Creative Live as a way to answer questions the questions asked by a massive global audience.  1:00:51: Creative Live’s pioneering approach to a freemium business model, plus offering access as a core company value. 1:05:29: The most popular offerings at Creative Live: the fundamentals, the business of classes, and the big name thought leaders. 1:12:38: Chase’s views on the current—and future—landscape in social media, creativity, and AI, plus advice for getting comfortable being uncomfortable.  1:20:43: What success means to Chase, and the message in his recent book Never Play it Safe: A Practical Guide to Freedom, Creativity and a Life You Love. Guest Bio:  Chase Jarvis is an award-winning artist, entrepreneur, bestselling author, and one of the most influential photographers of the past 20 years, whose diverse portfolio spans from advertising campaigns for Apple, Nike, and Red Bull to collaborations with athletes like Serena Williams and icons such as Lady Gaga and Sir Richard Branson. As an early adopter of social media and the sharing economy, Chase created Best Camera (the first photo-sharing app) in 2009 and co-founded the online education platform CreativeLive in 2010. Chase has spoken on six continents and advised Fortune 100 companies, with invitations to both the Obama White House and Buckingham Palace. Based in Seattle with his wife Kate and their dog Bodhi, he hosts the widely successful Chase Jarvis LIVE podcast (over 50 million downloads) while serving on several nonprofit boards.  Stay Connected: Chase Jarvis Website: https://chasejarvis.com/ Chase Jarvis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chasejarvis Chase Jarvis Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chasejarvis Chase Jarvis Twitter: https://x.com/chasejarvis Chase Jarvis YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChaseJarvis Chase Jarvis Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chase_Jarvis Chase Jarvis Best Camera App: https://chasejarvis.com/project/the-best-camera/ Chase Jarvis Creative Live: https://www.creativelive.com/instructor/chase-jarvis Chase Jarvis Never Play It Safe book: https://chasejarvis.com/never-play-it-safe/ End Credits: Host: Derek Fahsbender Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

Transcribed - Published: 27 March 2025

Photographers often react instinctively against artificial intelligence, typically focusing on controversial generative AI. Meanwhile, a different branch of AI technology—machine learning systems—has been making remarkable progress helping photographers manage overwhelming image workflows under tight deadlines.   In today's show, we explore this trending topic in a discussion with Justin Benson and Sam Hurd, both accomplished wedding photographers and tech entrepreneurs.   Justin begins by clarifying the distinction between machine learning and generative AI before taking us behind the scenes of Aftershoot, the workflow tool he co-founded. He highlights the key advantages of culling and editing images locally rather than using cloud-based alternatives.   We also explore the question of trusting automated workflows and discuss how aesthetics factor in, particularly since machine learning systems adapt to a photographer's culling and editing preferences over time.   Our conversation naturally addresses the ethical concerns surrounding AI. Sam's posing tool, Insight, uses generative AI to offer photographers fresh creative suggestions, but importantly, it trains exclusively on images from his own extensive collection. You'll hear about his journey developing this tool initially for personal use before scaling it as a service for others.   By the end, you'll have gained fresh perspective on how these AI-powered tools can enhance your current workflow, along with hearing some thought-provoking predictions about what the future may hold. Guests: Sam Hurd & Justin Benson Episode Timeline: 3:34: Sam’s background in the creative arts complimented his love of technology in developing his photography career.  7:26: Justin’s busy wedding workload and how his photography knowledge became an asset in developing an AI-powered culling & editing software. 9:35: Differentiating between machine learning and Generative AI, plus ethical concerns related to companies using cloud-based systems. 12:49: The influence of AI-related processes to a photographer’s creative output, plus the significance of the human element in generating new creative content.   18:43: Factoring for aesthetics when it comes to AI-powered culling and editing software, plus how much to trust the process. 30:34: Implementing an AI-powered software program in a photographer’s overall workflow process, and reallocating time to details that really matter. 42:00: Episode Break 42:50: The backstory to Sam Hurd’s AI-powered posing tool Insight, plus why posing people is so hard. 54:59: Staying ahead of the curve with various AI-powered workflow tools, plus essential differences to Insight as a text-based service instead of an app. 1:02:57: How the increasing use of generative AI is causing a shift in assumptions about posting portrait pictures to the Internet. 1:07:30: Debating future advancements to AI technology, image generation at the pixel level, and comparing this to the shift from analog to digital. 1:12:23: The importance of the user community in making further advances to AI-powered software tools. 1:17:34: What’s next with AI, a real-world comparison to the original Blade Runner movie, plus the dynamic of scary vs cool.   Guest Bios: After starting as a political news and celebrity portraitist in Washington, DC., Sam Hurd was quickly drawn to wedding photography as a way to explore more inventive ideas. He focuses on deceptively simple photographic techniques with the potential to transform difficult or uninspiring environments into unique creative visions.  A hallmark of his work are several in-camera techniques he developed such as Prisming, Lens Chimping, Color Spreading, and his Ring of Fire effect for in-camera flare. In addition to his long-held passion for photography and creative reinvention, Sam is equally skilled in information technology and computer science since majoring in this field during college. That background, combined with a belief that modern AI tools can offer new avenues for creative exploration when thoughtfully leveraged, has led Sam to build several services to assist and inspire photographers. These include Insight, which analyses images in real time, returning visual pose ideas based on the actual environment and subjects in front of the lens - an entirely new process for breaking through creative blocks while working.  Justin Benson started out photographing sets and location scouting for film and TV. But in 2011 his life changed after he answered a last-minute call from a family friend in need of a wedding photographer. Justin quickly discovered wedding photography was his true calling and he’s been at it ever since, with his wife joining him as a second shooter in 2016. Based in Connecticut, Justin works in a modern traditional style, combining a hint of candid moments with posed scenes.  In 2019, just before COVID started shutting things down, Justin learned about an enterprising developer who was seeking photographer input to incorporate in an AI-powered image culling app he was cooking up. After much discussion and advice about how to improve this product, Justin signed on and became a co-founder of the AI-based software company Aftershoot.  Stay Connected: Sam Hurd Website: https://samhurdphotography.com/ Sam Hurd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamthesam/ Sam Hurd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samhurdphotography Sam Hurd Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@iamsamhurdphotography Sam Hurd Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/iamthesam Sam Hurd Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/samhurd Insight Photo Website: https://www.insight.photo/  Sam Hurd on the B&H Photography Podcast: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/photographic-craft-connections-sam-hurd-dixie-dixon Blade Runner movie clip: https://youtu.be/IbzlX43ykxQ?si=g9NG8TPkRskGsvW6’ Justin Benson Website: https://jbensonphotography.com/ Justin Benson Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Jbensonphotography/ Justin Benson Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jbensonphotography Aftershoot Website: https://aftershoot.com/ Justin Benson & Aftershoot on the B&H Explora blog: 

Transcribed - Published: 13 March 2025

Above Photograph © Claudio Edinger When it comes to photography, Claudio Edinger has a Midas touch. Equally celebrated for his immersive photo series, the intimacy of his portraits, and his aerial views that conjure a sense of the eternal through selective focus, his compulsion for research drives adjustments to his photographic strategy from one project to the next. In today’s show, we unpack the many facets of Claudio’s storied career, from his arrival in New York and early documentation of Brooklyn’s Hasidic community in the late 1970s to the environmental portraits he made inside Manhattan’s infamous Chelsea Hotel, and beyond.  Learn the backstory to his fortuitous connection with master portraitist Philippe Halsman, and the influence this had on his photographic vocabulary. We also discuss Claudio’s aerial imagery made from helicopters and drones, and debate the slippery slope between noteworthy content, image quality, and resolution. As a longtime disciple of meditation, Claudio’s approach to photography is equally influenced by the underlying flow of energy essential to life on this planet, which led him to state, “I'm open to whatever the universe brings my way. But the universe has to conspire in your favor. My whole life has been like that. I've been guided. My intuition brings me to places, and the place drags me into it.” Guest: Claudio Edinger Episode Timeline: 3:03: Claudio’s beginnings in photography while studying economics in Sao Paulo, and his first exhibit at the Sao Paulo Museum of Art. 4:55: A move to New York in 1976 and a two-year project on Brooklyn’s Hasidic community. 8:42: Connecting with master portrait photographer Philippe Halsman, and how this expanded Claudio’s vocabulary as a photographer. 15:35: A move to the Chelsea Hotel and a new photographic strategy to make environmental portraits of the building and its residents. 19:52: The influence of August Sander’s work, and Claudio’s pursuit of intimacy to create images with universal meaning. 25:22: The organic path of Claudio’s photographic approach, and how he developed his selective focus technique.  28:15: Episode Break 29:06: The predictable visual effect of a Hasselblad’s square frame, combined with a tripod and flash for portraits of patients in a Brazilian insane asylum. 33:06: Using the same techniques to capture the insanity inside an institution, as well as to photograph the institutionalized insanity of Brazilian Carnival.  37:51: Claudio’s assignment work, plus his time as a New York paparazzo and the lessons this taught him.  39:28: Claudio’s experience as a war photographer in El Salvador, and the urgency of living connected to war.  43:42: Shifting to a 4x5 Toyo camera to further explore the tilt-shift look of selective focus.   48:57: The shortcomings of large format that forced Claudio to shift to digital and then discover aerial photography.   54:17: Comparing aerial photos from a helicopter with those made from a drone, plus Claudio’s thoughts on viewing the world from the point of view of eternity. Guest Bio: Claudio Edinger is one of Brazil’s preeminent photographers. After studying economics at Mackenzie University in São Paulo in the early 70s, he turned his attention to photography, and he hasn’t stopped since.  Edinger moved to New York City in 1976, and during the 20 years he spent in the US, he completed immersive photo essays about the Hasidic community of Brooklyn, the denizens of Manhattan’s Chelsea Hotel, and habitués of LA’s Venice Beach. He also freelanced for Brazilian and North American publications such as Veja, Time, Life, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times Magazine, among many others.  The author of more than twenty books, Edinger’s photographs have been collected worldwide and exhibited by institutions such as New York’s International Center of Photography, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Maison Europeénne de la Photographie in Paris, and the São Paulo Museum of Art, to name but a few. Edinger has received many honors for his work, including the Ernst Haas Award, the Hasselblad Award, the Higashikawa Award, and the Leica Medal of Excellence, which he received twice.  Always seeking new approaches to his work, Edinger has explored a wide range of camera formats and photographic techniques over the course of his career. In 2000, he began working with a large format camera, using selective focus to approximate human vision, and in 2015, he started an exploration of aerial photography—a theme that continues to this day. Stay Connected: Claudio Edinger Website: https://www.claudioedinger.com/ Claudio Edinger Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudioedinger/ Claudio Edinger Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/claudio.edinger/ Claudio Edinger Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudio_Edinger Claudio Edinger Chelsea Hotel book: https://www.abbeville.com/collections/just-released/products/the-chelsea-hotel End Credits: Host: Derek Fahsbender Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

Transcribed - Published: 27 February 2025

Above Photograph © Lou Jones Africa is the cradle of our civilization. Yet, most Westerners see this massive continent from a distance, and often through a scrim of largely negative headlines.  For more than a decade, Boston-based photographer Lou Jones has sought to challenge this misperception. In 2013, he launched an in-depth photographic documentation of individual countries across Africa under the title the panAFRICAproject.  Jones joins us on today’s podcast to recap his efforts to date, which currently encompasses a third of Africa’s 54 nations.  Listen in to learn how the project came to be—growing from a solo endeavor to travels with two assistants and enough photo and lighting gear to illuminate an airplane factory. We also discuss the delicate mix of diplomacy and six degrees of separation Jones employs when negotiating access to photograph—plus much, much more. “We're talking about contemporary Africa,” Jones points out. “Talking to people local—not academics in America—to tell us what's important to their culture, what's important to their country, what's important to their community, what's important to their company. Directly from people living there.” Guest: Lou Jones Episode Timeline: 2:58: Lou’s earliest trips to Africa predating the panAFRICAproject, then traveling to Ghana to start the project. 7:26: The logistics of travel as a solo photographer and the six degrees of separation that informs his photographic process.  11:33: The substantial diplomacy required in meetings to negotiate access, while avoiding cliches and stereotypes. 19:29: The value of Lou’s images as currency in gaining access to photograph business environments. 26:18: The evolution of Lou’s photo crew, planning and packing for multiple purposes, plus the art of trading down with project costs. 32:10: The contents of Lou’s gear bags, and how he packs everything from cameras to Speedlights to lighting accessories. 39:53: Photography as a bridge to cultural sensitivity and the relationship between a photographer and his or her subjects. 43:08: EPISODE BREAK 44:00: The evolving process of planning each trip to Africa and the constant work when boots are on the ground. 48:12: The complex algorithm Lou and his team use in planning which African country to document next. 53:56: Technological advances and cultural trends coming full circle in Africa, plus cell phone use and fin tech. 59:45: Two cultures side-by-side. Documenting the parallel worlds of contemporary society and indigenous traditions in daily life. 1:05:56: Use of photographs from the panAFRICAproject and maintaining connections with photographic subjects.  1:08:12: Kickstarter and crowdfunding campaigns to support panAFRICAproject travel and books. 1:16:03: Next steps in the panAFRICAproject and the project’s impact on a local, grass roots level. Guest Bio: The eclectic career of Lou Jones has spanned every camera format, film type, artistic movement, and technological change, while simultaneously evolving from the commercial to the personal. Recognized by Nikon as a “Legend Behind the Lens” and honored as a Lowepro “Champion,” Jones has maintained a photography studio in Boston for more than 40 years, all while traveling to over 65 foreign countries on assignment. Jones works primarily with advertising agencies and design studios for corporate clients such as Nike, Mobil, and Federal Express, as well as influential publications like Time, Fortune, and National Geographic, among many others. The author of more than a dozen books, Jones is also an esteemed educator and has served as a board member for organizations such as ASMP National, the Photographic Resource Center and the Griffin Museum of Photography.  In tandem with his busy assignment career, Jones pursues long term projects on subjects as diverse as death row inmates, the Summer and Winter Games, and his most recent endeavor, The panAFRICAproject, a contemporary visual portrait of the entire continent, to establish an archive representing its 54 individual countries devoid of the preconceived, western notions of distress. Stay Connected: panAFRICAproject Website: https://panafricaproject.org/ Lou Jones Photography Website: https://www.fotojones.com/ Lou Jones Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loujonesstudio/ Lou Jones Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fotojones/ Lou Jones Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Jones_(photographer) Lou Jones 2018 presentation at the B&H Event Space: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plVb_EFMcQM Lou Jones on the B&H Explora blog: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/features/lou-jones-takes-a-long-term-approach-from-jazz-portraits-to-the Lou Jones’s book Speedlights & Speedlites: Creative Flash Photography at Lightspeed: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1025994-REG/focal_press_978_0_240_82144_3_book_speedlights_speedlites.html End Credits: Host: Derek Fahsbender Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

Transcribed - Published: 13 February 2025

Top shot © Kristof Ramon   The dynamic arena of competitive cycling photography is not for the faint of heart. This grueling specialty requires a mix of split-second reaction times, intuitive technical mastery, and the ability to anticipate—and even more important—embrace risk. It takes a special breed of photographer to continuously capture every ounce of emotion packed into this sport, from bruising injuries and bitter disappointments to the exaltation of a win.    For today’s show, we’ve brought together two passionate cycling aficionados, former competitive cyclist and renowned street photographer Phil Penman and Kristof Ramon, a cycling photography specialist who recently released his first book on the subject. While they’re introduced as strangers, get ready to be wowed by the synchronicity of their shared experiences, and the remarkable chemistry that grows between them over the course of the show.   Most people’s awareness of competitive cycling revolves around coverage of the Tour de France or other major races shown on TV. Our conversation delves much deeper than this, to reveal what happens behind the scenes, and show both the intensity of purpose and the many stages of suffering that’s a hallmark of this sport. Kristof’s book is titled The Art of Suffering for a reason. As he aptly sums up in the book’s opening quote: “Where the conditions get grimmer and the riders start to suffer, that’s when the more interesting stories begin.”   Guests: Phil Penman & Kristof Ramon   Episode Timeline:   3:56: Phil Penman’s connection to the competitive cycling world and how his insight as a cyclist informs his photography of the sport.    7:45: The logistics of photographing competitive cycling and the perils of damaging photo equipment.   10:36: The creative aspect to photographing competitive cycling and how to think outside the box to get impactful shots.   15:16: The many stages of suffering involved in competitive cycling, and the pride riders take in having this documented visually.   20:35: Photographer access, the difference between training rides and race days, and the distinctions between agency access and working independently.   26:26: Changes to Kristof’s photographic approach and the influence of social media in the sport’s evolution.   31:31: Technical aspects of cycling photography, understanding light, capturing speed, and putting in the time so to react intuitively to picture opportunities.   43:44: Episode Break   44:53: Communication strategies, building rapport with riders and teams, and people skills given the sport’s international reach.   47:51: Cycling’s rich history as a professional sport, and recent changes initiated by British Team Sky that helped the sport evolve.   54:45: The back story to Kristof’s Art of Suffering book project and how his collaboration with cycling writer Matt Rendell helped identify suffering as a narrative element.   58:40: Working with clients, balancing that work with personal projects, and developing a distinctive voice as a photographer.    1:06:15: How to start out as a competitive cycling photographer, questions about credentials, and adapting to new networks to distribute your work.   1:13:23: Balancing technical aspects of action photography with the desired emotional response while building in certainties and calculating risk.     Guest Bios: British-born, New York-based photographer Phil Penman has documented the ever-changing scene of New York City’s streets for more than 25 years. and he has quite a bit of experience in the world of professional cycling himself.   In his career as a news and magazine photographer, Phil has photographed major public figures and historical events. His reportage following the 9/11 terrorist attack was featured in major print publications and media broadcasts worldwide, and his work covering New York City’s pandemic lockdown is in the collection of the U.S. Library of Congress.    In addition to exhibiting at Leica galleries in New York, Washington, D.C., Boston, and London, Phil’s signature street photography has appeared in international exhibitions as far afield as Venice, Berlin, and Sydney. He also tours the world teaching photo workshops for Leica Akademie. Phil’s books, "Street" published in 2019, and "New York Street Diaries" published in 2023 both became best-sellers and have been featured at New York’s Museum of Modern Art.   Kristof Ramon is a pro-cycling photographer who covers some of the world’s most prestigious races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’ Italia, the Tour of Flanders and Paris Roubaix. Born and raised in Belgium, Kristof discovered photography while attending film school at age 19. He eventually followed his passion for cycling and photography and has focused exclusively on this sport since 2011.    Working under the name Kramon, his talent for storytelling and his ability to capture the atmosphere and raw emotion of racing makes his images stand out from typical race photography. Kristof’s reputation has earned him the respect and trust of many of the biggest racing teams and riders - which is why he’s able to capture such extraordinary in-between moments and behind-the-scenes images. The riders are always his primary focus, as evidenced in his close-up portraits of racers caked in sweat, mud, dust, snow, and grime. Kristof’s first book, The Art of Suffering, was released in June 2024 by Laurence King Publishing.   Stay Connected: Phil Penman Website: https://www.philpenman.com Phil Penman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philpenman/ Phil Penman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philpenmanphotography/  Phil Penman Twitter: https://x.com/Penmanphoto  Phil Penman Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Penman   Kristof Ramon Website: https://kramon.be/ Kristof Ramon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kramon_velophoto Kristof Ramon Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kramon/ Kristof Ramon Twitter: https://x.com/kristoframon  Kristof Ramon Photoshelter: https://kramon.photoshelter.com/ Kristof Ramon Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kristoframon/  Kristof Ramon at Lawrence King Publishing: https://us.laurenceking.com/products/the-art-of-suffering    

Transcribed - Published: 30 January 2025

Allan Weitz had little idea of the grand photographic adventures in store when he signed on as host of the B&H Photography Podcast shortly before the show’s debut in October 2015. As a self-described big mouth, and with more than 40 years as a working pro fueling his curiosity about all things photographic, Allan quickly honed his chops to become the voice of the show. Today’s episode marks a crossroads, as Allan passes his hosting mic to the show’s incoming host, Derek Fahsbender, producer and host of the B&H Event Space. During a lively chat, we celebrate Allan’s long and successful career, both on assignment and at the helm of the podcast, with some never before told stories and audio clips from memorable interactions with guests. A few of the many topics we cover include, how a kid from Sheepshead Bay made a name for himself photographing classic yachts, the ways in which Allan’s time behind a New Jersey deli counter enhanced his ability to engage with people on a human level—among other benefits to career reinvention—and how his shift into podcasting taught him to use his voice as an instrument. As Allan aptly summarized for attendees of the podcast team’s 2018 presentation of Podcasting 101: “It’s not always what you say, but how you say it.” Guest: Allan Weitz Episode Timeline  3:38: Allan’s B&H Event Space segment from Podcasting 101. 8:35: The back story to Allan’s one-word podcast intro “Greetings!” 10:44: Allan’s chat with digital camera inventor Steve Sasson about their shared Brooklyn roots.  13:56: Allan’s hosting skills as a court jester—or Tummler in Yiddish. 16:12: Gear talk, and a clip from Allan’s chat with Bellamy Hunt of The Japan Camera Hunter. 21:19: Allan waxes poetic about his love for the Hasselblad Superwide, plus his early adoption of digital gear.  28:24: Branching out from commercial assignments to tech writing and other things. 38:18: Episode break 39:27: Memorable stories and life lessons from Allan’s assignment career. 44:22: Allan’s entrée to the world of yachting photography and portfolio tips. 50:44: Allan’s career evolution in the rarified 1980s photography landscape. 57:31: The art of the interview and the value of collaboration among the podcast team.  59:53: Getting beyond difficult pictures during an interview with Bruce Gilden  1:03:50: Upcoming plans and Allan’s Kodachrome book project. 1:10:31: Allan offers listeners his Tusen Takks for their trust in his time behind the mic.  Guest Bio: Allan Weitz started taking pictures when digital meant doing something with your fingers. A graduate of New York City’s High School of Art and Design and the School of Visual Arts, Allan is the founding host of the B&H Photography Podcast, one of the highest-rated photography podcasts in Apple's Creative Arts category.  For more than 50 years, Allan’s photographs have graced the covers and inside pages of dozens of publications, including New York magazine, Esquire, GQ, Yachting, and Nautical Quarterly. Many of these images have won him awards from the New York, Philadelphia, and New Jersey Art Directors Clubs, the Graphic Artists Guild, Art Direction Magazine, Print, and Graphis, among others.  More recently, Allan has had great success exhibiting—and winning awards for—his photos as fine art prints, as well as dabbling with artificial intelligence using the traditional photos from his vast image library as source material.  Stay Connected: Allan Weitz Website: https://www.allanweitz.com/ Allan Weitz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allanweitz/ Allan Weitz articles on the B&H Explora Blog: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/users/allan-weitz Podcasting 101 with the B&H Photography Podcast Team: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd2KDaNSjGI Steve Sasson Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/invention-of-digital-camera Japan Camera Hunter Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/podcast-the-japan-camera-hunter Graham Nash Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/graham-nash-ace-photographer-digital-printing-pioneer-music-legend-the-bh Bruce Gilden Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/closer-look-bruce-gilden End Credits: Founding Host: Allan Weitz Incoming Host: Derek Fahsbender Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

Transcribed - Published: 16 January 2025

Top shot © Ron Tarver Cowboy lore has deep roots in American culture. Yet, black cowboys have lived pretty much under the radar until recently, when songs by pop culture icons Lil Nas X and Beyoncé went viral and catapulted the black western aesthetic into the limelight. In today’s show, we’re getting the inside scoop from two photographers who’ve been fully immersed in these vibrant communities since long before they became a top fashion trend. Separated by a generation in age and with pictures spanning from film to digital, we follow Ron Tarver and Ivan McClellan from their early years in Oklahoma and Kansas, to the urban stables of Northern Philadelphia, the legendary Roy LeBlanc Rodeo in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, and beyond. Listen in and discover how the popularity of a single newspaper assignment led Ron to the pages of National Geographic and a career defining body of work. In a similar manner, Ivan’s hunch to act on a chance invitation morphed into a passion project that reconnected him to his midwestern roots and ultimately expanded his role from photographer to that of an entrepreneur and rodeo boss.  Ever wonder about the funding and stamina required to compete as a rodeo athlete? We take that bull by the horns at the end of the show. Guests: Ron Tarver & Ivan McClellan Episode Timeline: 4:09: Ron Tarver and Ivan McClellan’s early memories of cowboy culture during their respective youths in Kansas City and Fort Gibson, Oklahoma. 9:19: Ron’s early story for the Philadelphia Inquirer and his subsequent documentation of black cowboy culture. 15:06: The camera gear and film stock Ron used for his pictures, plus digitizing analog slides using a digital camera, macro lens and bellows system. 20:15: Technical limitations Ron faced when shooting film, and his editing process when working with National Geographic. 23:19: Ivan’s start as a designer, his introduction to photography and the world of black cowboys, and his shooting process at the rodeo. 33:40: The dominance of women within black rodeos, a female horse whisperer, and tips for photographing horses in a rodeo context. 44:34: Episode Break 45:35: The journey behind our guest’s respective books, and Ron’s collaboration with a noted editor to create The Long Ride Home. 51:19: The back story to Ivan’s book—from a self-published Kickstarter release to the editor he worked with to get Eight Seconds published by Damiani. 57:10: Ivan and Ron discuss each other’s finished book projects, questions about model releases, plus the current hunger for black cowboy culture.  1:05:23: Ivan’s work to promote black rodeo athletes and the economics of competing in this arena. 1:10:39: How Ivan’s life has changed since founding the Eight Seconds rodeo in Portland, Oregon. 1:16:04: The impact of Ivan’s work on the lives of rodeo athletes, and the maximum number of bulls a rodeo athlete can ride in a single day.  Guest Bios: Ron Tarver was born and raised in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, and is now based outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During 32 years as a staffer at The Philadelphia Inquirer, he was nominated for three Pulitzer’s and shared the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for public service, in addition to many other accolades. Tarver’s photographs have been exhibited internationally. His pictures can be found in private, corporate, and museum collections, and have appeared in major publications both in print and online.  In 2004, he co-authored the book We Were There: Voices of African American Veterans, published by Harper Collins, accompanied by a traveling exhibition. A recipient of a 2021 Guggenheim Fellowship and a 2001 Pew Fellowship in the Arts, Tarver has also received funding from the NEA, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and an Independence Foundation Fellowship.  He currently serves as Associate Professor of Art at Swarthmore College. His book, The Long Ride Home: Black Cowboys in America was released by George F Thompson Publishers in September. Ivan McClellan is a photojournalist and designer originally from Kansas City, Missouri. These days he calls Portland, Oregon home.  His work reveals marginalized aspects of black culture, challenging broad assumptions and myths about racial identity in America.  His project Eight Seconds, focuses on elevating narratives about American Black cowboys, and transforming the culture of the American West by ‘re-centering’ black women and men back as an integral part of our historical narrative.  After initially self-publishing his photos in book form, Eight Seconds: Black Rodeo Culture was released by Damiani books in April 2024. The winner of the 2022 Getty Inclusion grant, McClellan’s photos have been presented in and collected by Museums and cultural spaces across the United States. His work has also been featured in ESPN: The Undefeated and Fast Company.  As an experience designer for Adobe Lightroom, he has led projects for Nike, Adidas, Disney, and the U.S. National Soccer Team. And most recently, he founded the Eight Seconds Rodeo in 2023. Stay Connected: Ron Tarver Website: https://www.rontarverphotographs.net/ Ron Tarver Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rontarver/ Ron Tarver Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Tarver Ron Tarver The Long Ride Home book:  http://www.gftbooks.com/books_Tarver.html Ivan McClellan Website: https://eightsecs.com/ Ivan McClellan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eightsecs/ Ivan McClellan / 8 Seconds Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/eightsecs Ivan McClellan at Damiani Books: https://www.damianibooks.com/en/collections/mcclellan-ivan End Credits: Host: Allan Weitz Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

Transcribed - Published: 2 January 2025

Well, 2024 has certainly come and gone in a flash, meaning it’s time once again for us to reflect on new photo offerings in our annual Cameras of the Year episode, now renamed Photo Gear of the Year. Featured in our discussion are new releases from Canon, FUJIFILM, Leica, Mint, Nikon, OM SYSTEM, Panasonic, Ricoh Pentax, and Sony. In the words of our recurring guest, Kevin Rickert, B&H’s Senior Sales Trainer for Photography and Lighting, “Everything old is new again” at least when it comes to this year’s most sought-after camera releases. A penchant for pocketable, fixed lens cameras led us to organize our camera offerings by type rather than in an alphabetical laundry list. Along with debating the current craze for “the digicam look,” we consider whether manufacturers will respond to consumers’ increasing appetite for midrange point and shoots. After the break, we shift to the newest crop of flagship cameras that are built for speed, while also discussing notable updates to other new releases. We also shed light on the essential role served by firmware updates, both in trimming a new camera’s time to market and allowing you to get more out of the camera you already have. As Kevin points out, “It's an important part of having a camera. Much like if you have a car, you need to get oil changes.” We wrap things up with some predictions for 2025, including Kevin’s hopes for a continued resurgence of point and shoot models, plus some intriguing new photo accessories that caught his eye this year. Stay to the end to learn about the inventive new Fjordan camera control for the iPhone, recently acquired by Leica. Guest: Kevin Rickert Episode Timeline 2:30: Kevin Rickert’s role as a B&H sales trainer for photography and lighting. 9:34: What camera stood out the most this year: FUJIFILM X100VI 18:02: Ricoh GR III HDF / Ricoh GR IIIx 20:00: Nostalgia for midrange point and shoots and the digicam look 29:36: Leica D-Lux 8 31:42: Leica Q3 43 35:52: Fujifilm X-T50 (a baby Fujifilm X-T5) 37:30: Fujifilm X-M5 41:54: Pentax 17 48:52: Mint Camera Rollei 35AF   51:17: Episode break   52:22: Canon EOS R1 55:50: Sony a1 II 59:31: OM SYSTEM OM-1 Mark II 1:02:35: Nikon Z6 III 1:05:48: Canon EOS R5 Mark II 1:14:40: Leica SL III 1:17:55: FUJIFILM GFX 100 SII 1:20:31: Nikon Z 50 II 1:21:28: Sony ZV-E10 II 1:23:19: Panasonic Lumix S9 1:27:19: Kevin’s predictions for 2025 1:33:36: Peakto Image Management Software 1:35:06: Capture One 16.5 with Match Look 1:35:49: Fjordan iPhone camera grip   Guest Bio: Kevin Rickert is B&H Photo’s Senior Sales Trainer for Photography and Lighting. It’s Kevin’s job to keep in touch with camera and lens manufacturers and get details about all the latest releases and updates. His role is to make sure the world-renowned B&H staff has all the information to answer your who, what, why, and other questions that you may ask, so they can satisfy all your wants and needs. Born and raised in New York, Kevin is an intrepid street photographer, an avid traveler, and a baseball fan with 22 years in electronic retail, the last 10 of which have been spent as a sales trainer at B&H.   Stay Connected: B&H Photo Video Website: https://www.bhphotovideo.com B&H Photography Podcast landing page: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts B&H Photography Podcast on B&H Photo’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BandH/podcasts B&H Photography Podcast Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1001107823418353 B&H Photo Video Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhphoto B&H Photo Video Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhphoto Micro 4/3rds YouTube video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m072i-jDSg4 Peakto Image Management Software: https://cyme.io/peakto-photo-organizer-software/ Fjordan iPhone Camera Grip: https://shop.fjorden.co/en-us/pages/about

Transcribed - Published: 19 December 2024

Photographers have a magical ability to transport us to hidden worlds, giving us intimate access to facets of society that would otherwise go unnoticed. Above photograph © Marcela Taboada In today’s podcast, we sit down with Mexican photographer Marcela Taboada, whose long-term documentary projects offer revealing glimpses into underrecognized communities, for Picturing World Cultures. Combining a passion for making pictures that let her “see backstage,” with a knack for “knocking doors” and the tenacity to win over resistant subjects, Marcela gained rare access to photograph the daily lives of Mexico’s cloistered nuns. Follow her painstaking process and learn the secret to her acceptance as the nuns’ photography godmother during our chat.     We also discuss her series “Women of Clay,” documenting the enterprising women of a Mixtec village, who singlehandedly rebuilt their homes after an earthquake using Adobe bricks and a process taught by a Mexican architect. Along the way, Marcela shares insights about the challenges of pursuing a photography career as a single mother with young children and reveals the lessons she learned from seeing aspects of her own story reflected in the lives of her subjects.  If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here. Guest: Marcela Taboada Episode Timeline: 2:21: Marcela’s process in making pictures that let her “see backstage.”  5:15: A childhood memory and her fascination with viewing the stars from an observatory built by her great uncle.  10:16: Marcela’s introduction to cameras and the darkroom by photographing family trips. 13:24: University studies and a photo series inspired by her great aunt entering a Mexican nursing home.  18:13: Marcela’s photo gear and juggling her early photo career while raising two children as a single mother. 22:52: Marcela’s photo series Women of Clay, about a community of enterprising women who rebuilt their homes after an earthquake. 35:19: Episode Break 36:30: Marcela’s project Consecrated, and some background on Catholic monasteries in Mexico. 43:46: The seven orders of Mexican cloistered nuns, Marcela’s long process to gain access to photograph, and the miracle that finally convinced the nuns to let her in. 53:51: Marcela’s role as photography godmother for the Conceptionist order, and her approach to photographing the lives of the nuns. 1:00:38: The decision to photograph in color with a lightweight Sony RX camera for quiet operation and a contemporary look.  1:02:31: The nuns’ reaction to Marcela’s pictures and the ways in which they’ve adapted to 21st century life. 1:08:09: Marcela Taboada answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire. Guest Bio: Marcela Taboada is a freelance photographer based in Oaxaca, Mexico since 1986. After initial studies in graphic design, she became drawn to photographing diverse communities for long-term stories that let her see backstage. Marcela has received both national and international accolades, including a Hasselblad Foundation scholarship, a National Geographic All Roads Photography Award, and Mexico's most prestigious art grant, the National System of Art Creators Award, which she received twice. Her photographs have been featured in solo and group exhibitions within Mexico and the United States, Europe, and Asia. Marcela has taught photography at universities, in high schools and in specialized workshops. Additionally, for 16 years she served as producer for American photographer Mary Ellen Mark’s Annual Oaxaca Photo Workshops.  Stay Connected: Marcela Taboada Website: https://www.marcelataboada.com/ Marcela Taboada’s National Geographic story: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/photo-story-consecrated-mexico-monasteries/ End Credits: Senior Creative Producer & Host: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Theme Music: Gabriel Richards Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

Transcribed - Published: 5 December 2024

What is the role of landscape photography in a post-industrial world? In today’s podcast, we consider some possibilities in a chat with Jade Doskow, current photographer in residence for Staten Island’s Freshkills Park, and Cal Flyn author of the book Islands of Abandonment. Above image: © Jade Doskow While our two guests work in different disciplines, which leads to divergent approaches to the pictures they make, their shared purpose tells similar stories. Among the topics we discuss are a distinction between romantic landscapes of the past and a more ambivalent attitude to the subject today, and a photographer’s responsibility to make pictures that go beyond merely decorative intent. You’ll also discover how dedication to a fine art passion project can lead to career advancement through paid assignments. Join us for this fascinating discussion about recording the gradual process between post-industrial decay and engineered regeneration, or other states of rewilding Guests: Jade Doskow & Cal Flyn For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/reclaiming-a-natural-landscape-with-jade-doskow-cal-flyn Stay Connected: Jade Doskow Website: https://jadedoskowphotography.com/  Jade Doskow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j_doskow/ Jade Doskow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jade.doskow/ Jade Doskow at Freshkills Park: https://freshkillspark.org/os-art/jadedoskow Jade Doskow Lost Utopias Documentary: https://www.philipshane.com/lost-utopias Jade Doskow Urban Omnibus Project: https://urbanomnibus.net/2022/11/extra-terrestrial Cal Flyn Website: https://www.calflyn.com/ Cal Flyn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calflyn/ Cal Flyn Linktree: https://linktr.ee/calflyn Cal Flyn Islands of Abandonment: https://linktr.ee/IslandsofAbandonment

Transcribed - Published: 21 November 2024

In today’s podcast, we sit down with Mark Leong, a fifth-generation Chinese-American photographer, for Picturing World Cultures. Above photograph © Mark Leong From his arrival in 1980s Beijing on a one-year travel fellowship, to his decision to live and work there long-term over the following decades, we follow Mark’s path from his ancestral village to the Beijing art scene, and beyond. He walks us through his experiences in documenting the massive cultural shifts as Chinese society transitioned from uniformity and limited choice to a realm of consumerism and increasing globalization. We also discuss Mark’s long-term photographic project featuring China’s Post-90’s generation, the young adults born under the country’s one-child policy. As Mark points out toward the end of our chat, “What’s interesting to me about this generation I’m photographing is that they have this kind of creativity, and they have the resources to use this creativity to make something.” If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here. Guest: Mark Leong For more information about our guest and the gear he uses, see: https:/www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-mark-leong-china Stay Connected: Mark Leong Website: https://www.markleongphotography.com/ Mark Leong on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markleongphotography/ Mark Leong on Redux Website: https://reduxpictures.com/artist/mark-leong Mark Leong’s book China Obscura: https://www.amazon.com/China-Obscura-Mark-Leong/dp/0811844617 Mark Leong’s Award from Center: https://centersantafe.org/comingofage

Transcribed - Published: 14 November 2024

Today we chat with Reid Callanan, founder and director of the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops and renowned photo educator Craig Stevens, formerly of Maine Media Workshops and Savannah College of Art & Design, about photography mentors, lifelong learning, and the role photo workshops play in cultivating community. Craig and Reid share plenty of insight, not just on the requisite trust that’s required in a successful mentor and student relationship, but other topics such as what it means to be truly passionate about photography, collaboration, as well as how to critique the work of others without being “critical.” Whether you’re just getting started as a photographer or you’re a seasoned vet, you’re sure to walk away from today’s podcast with a nugget or two of wisdom.  Photo caption: Double portrait of Reid Callanan and Craig Stevens  Photo credit: Above Image © Joyce Tenneson Episode Timeline: 4:44: Reid Callanan on first recognizing Craig Stevens as his mentor. 12:20: Craig’s early impressions of Reid. 16:25: How the concept of mentorship has changed over time and across generations. 19:56: Craig on the “workshop method” and past history as it applies to photography. 26:23: Online workshops versus intensive in-person learning opportunities. 31:38: Differences between an international photo workshop and a destination photo tour, and questions prospective students should ask. 36:38: Discussing the Santa Fe Photographic Workshop’s online mentorship program. 39:20: Making distinctions between mentorship and coaching relationships. 43:03: Episode Break 44:12: On the concept of lifelong learning. 50:52: Discussing the challenges in trying to learn photography as a vocation today. 55:38: The art of critique, what makes a photograph “good,” and dealing with personal tastes and biases when discussing photographs. 1:07:38: How motivation and inspiration factor into working with students.   1:11:01: Questions of cropping, aspect ratios, and Craig’s panoramic landscape photographs. 1:16:36: Photographic style and the idea of helping a student to differentiate themselves. 1:22:42: The evolution from traditional photographic printmaking to digital inkjet prints. Guests: Reid Callanan & Craig Stevens Guest Bios: Reid Callanan is the founder and director of the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops. In addition to all the responsibilities involved in leading the workshops for the past 32 years, Reid is also an accomplished photographer in his own right who jumps on the opportunity to teach workshops whenever he can.  Reid’s journey in photography started in 1974 during a semester abroad at Richmond College in London. He’s been making images ever since using a variety of photographic processes. After spending 14 years at the Maine Photographic Workshops, Reid headed west in 1990, where he founded the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops and the non-profit Santa Fe Center for Photography, now known as CENTER.  In addition to serving as CENTER’s Vice-President of the Board of Directors, he serves on the President’s Council of the Texas Photographic Society; he’s a Board member for the American Society of Media Photographers Foundation; and The National Center for The Photograph. Craig Stevens is a photographer, printmaker and photographic educator.  He has taught, written about, and lectured extensively on art and education since 1975 when he received his MFA from Ohio University.  For 12 years he was associate director of the Maine Photographic Workshops, where he was also involved in the creation and development of the Workshops’ Resident Program. In 1994, he was workshops director for the 25th anniversary of Les Rencontres Internationale de la Photographie in Arles, France.  Additionally, Craig has served on the faculties of the Santa Fe Workshops, the Anderson Ranch Arts Center, and Les Ateliers de l’Image in France. In 2013, he was the first recipient of the Susan Carr Educator Prize awarded by the American Society of Media Photographers.  After 34 years at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where he held the rank of Professor Emeritus, Craig left full time teaching in 2023.  Stay Connected: Reid Callanan Website: https://www.reidcallanan.com/  Reid Callanan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reidcallanan/ Reid Callanan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reid.callanan Santa Fe Photographic Workshops Website: https://santafeworkshops.com/ Santa Fe Photographic Workshops YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SantaFeWorkshops Center Website: https://centersantafe.org/ Center Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centersantafe/ Center Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CENTERsantafe Craig Stevens Website: https://www.craigstevens.me/ Craig Stevens Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craigstevensstudio/ Maine Media Workshops Website: https://www.mainemedia.edu/ SCAD Website: https://www.scad.edu/  End Credits: Host: Allan Weitz Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

Transcribed - Published: 31 October 2024

Today’s podcast has us sitting down with Venezuelan photographer and investigative journalist Fabiola Ferrero to discuss her long-term photographic projects in Venezuela, for Picturing World Cultures. Above photograph © Fabiola Ferrero Fabiola walks us through her childhood memories of Venezuela and describes how this period contrasts significantly with the country’s current climate. We also discuss how she got started in photography, and how her time spent both in and out of Venezuela helped grow her photography and more. If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here. Guest: Fabiola Ferrero Episode Timeline: 2:20: Fabiola discusses Venezuelan culture, and questions using the word resiliency in relation to the country’s ongoing crisis. 5:39: How she got started in photography. 8:20: Fabiola talks about overcoming shyness, learning how to photograph people as an introvert, and the advantages of slowly building a connection with subjects. 11:12: On being the last of her family to leave Caracas. 14:43: Fabiola’s early long term projects, Blurred in Despair and I Can’t Hear the Birds, and the importance of image selection to building different narratives.  19:57: The impact of leaving Venezuela and how this shifted her perspective as a photographer. 24:11: The importance of Fabiola’s assignment work in Venezuela and its impact on her personal work. 25:30: Episode Break 27:04: On migrating to Columbia in 2020, and her eventual return to Venezuela in 2022.  37:04: Fabiola runs us through her gear and setup. 38:09: Collaborating with other journalists in her latest project, The Wells Run Dry 44:10: The challenging topic of hope when discussing the future of Venezuela 46:50: We ask Fabiola about her mentorship program, Semillero Migrante 54:39: Fabiola Ferrero answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire. Guest Bio: Fabiola Ferrero was born in Caracas, Venezuela in 1991. Her personal work reflects how her childhood memories contrast with her country’s current crisis.  Using her background in writing and investigative journalism, she develops long term visual projects focused on collaborative ways to speak about the human condition under hostile contexts. To bring opportunities to other emerging photographers, Fabiola founded Semillero Migrante in 2021. This mentorship program on the topic of migration empowers Venezuelans and Colombians and promotes the integration of both cultures. A 2018 Magnum Foundation Fellow in Social Justice, her additional recognition includes a 2021 Inge Morath Award, a 2022 Carmignac Photojournalism Award, and a World Press Photo award for Long Term Projects, which she received in 2023. Most recently, Fabiola completed a one-year fellowship at Columbia University’s Institute for Ideas and Imagination in Paris. Stay Connected: Fabiola Ferrero Website: https://www.fabiolaferrero.com/ Fabiola Ferrero on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabiolaferrero/ Fabiola Ferrero on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fabiola.ferrero/ Fabiola Ferrero on Twitter: https://x.com/FabiolaFerrero/ Fabiola Ferrero, I Can’t Hear the Birds Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_AmKsv_OTM Fabiola Ferrero, Fondation Carmignac: https://www.fondationcarmignac.com/en/fabiola-ferrero-en/ Fabiola Ferrero, Institute of Ideas & Imagination: https://ideasimagination.columbia.edu/fellows/fabiola-ferrero/ Semillero Migrante Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/semilleromigrante/  End Credits: Senior Creative Producer & Host: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens Theme Music: Gabriel Richards

Transcribed - Published: 10 October 2024

In today’s podcast, we chat with Boris Eldagsen, visual artist and AI pioneer, and Miles Astray, documentary photographer, on a plethora of issues surrounding AI-generated content. Boris and Miles share a ton of insight into the nature of AI-generated images, from the implications of it becoming more prevalent, the possibility and dangers of the spread of misinformation all the way to the need to rethink how we engage with social media. These are just a few of the points raised in our discussion with them. If you haven’t already listened, This episode is part of a wider series tracing the effects of AI on today’s creative community. Guests: Boris Eldagsen & Miles Astray Top shot: TOP_SHOT_Eldagsen_Astray_bhpodcast Photo caption: AI Generated Image “The Electrician” vs Authentic Photograph “Flamingone” Photo credit: Collaged diptych: © Boris Eldagsen / © Miles Astray Episode Timeline: 3:40: Boris shares his thoughts on the difference in reception between his and Miles’ respective contest entries. 6:34: Discussing the blurry boundaries between editing photographs and generated images. 15:18: Miles shares some of his motivations behind his photo, “F L A M I N G O N E”. 20:12: As AI images become more prevalent what happens when we’re flooded with content with questionable basis in reality. 27:24: The pitfalls of generated images and living in a “post-truth” era.  29:37: Episode Break 30:52: The surprising, sometimes idiosyncratic nature of what AI models generate when entering prompts. 42:33: What the lack of guardrails and censorship with AI-generated content means for creativity. 47:55: Discussing the possible dangers of AI-content to the documentary-photography process.  53:07: The opposing nature of social media as a news source and a business. 59:34: The prevalence of fact checking on social media sites. 1:06:53: On the lack of a perfect solution to the problem with manipulated images and the spread of disinformation. Guest Bios:  Boris Eldagsen is an acclaimed media artist, photographer, and AI pioneer based in Berlin. His work in photomedia explores the limits of what can be depicted. Using a combination of street photography, staged works, and, most recently, both still and video AI image-making tools, he deals intensively with the subconscious, which inspires him to create new worlds of images.   Boris has taught creativity, concept development, and photographic art in both Germany and Australia since 2004. Additionally, he is a member of Deutsche Fotografische Akademie, and is responsible for their online activities. Miles Astray is a multidisciplinary artist who combines writing and photography into art activism. He was inspired by a slow and immersive journey around the world that started in 2012, when he set out to work with grassroots nonprofits for a year.  Little did he know this would be the first step of a new chapter of a reinvented life, living and working with local communities in Latin America, Asia and Africa. When he returned home for the first time in 2018, he found home was no longer a place to settle, it was just another place to stop along the path of a greater journey. And, thus he’s still out there, not so much to find answers, but to keep asking questions. Stay Connected: Boris Eldagsen Web site: https://www.eldagsen.com/ Boris Eldagsen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boriseldagsen  Boris Eldagsen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boriseldagsen Boris Eldagsen YouTube: www.youtube.com/@boriseldagsen Boris Eldagsen Prompt Whispering Workshops: https://www.promptwhispering.ai/workshops/ Miles Astray Web site: https://www.milesastray.com/ Miles Astray Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milesastray/ Miles Astray Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MilesAstray/ Miles Astray Twitter: https://twitter.com/milesastray Boris Eldagsen Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/fake-memories-promptography-and-generative-ai-with-boris-eldagsen Stephen Shankland Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/photography-in-the-age-of-ai-with-stephen-shankland Fred Ritchin Podcast Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/photography-in-the-age-of-synthetic-imaging-with-fred-ritchin

Transcribed - Published: 26 September 2024

In today’s podcast, we’ll be talking with Norwegian photographer Naina Helén Jåma about her documentation of indigenous South Sami culture in Norway and her career as a press photographer in Scandinavia. Jåma details her childhood growing up in the small rural village of Snasa, where, at the age of 15, she began her career while working as a cultural interpreter and archivist at the Saemien Sijte Museum. From there, Naina takes us on a journey through her fascinating career as a photographer, from her training at the Nordic School of Photography to her work for world-renowned publications such as The New York Times, Bloomberg, and The Guardian Alongside her journalistic work, Naina maintains a close relationship with the traditional Sami arts of Duodji. Documenting the ongoing development of this art form pays tribute to oral knowledge and silent tradition, which is learned and transmitted visually. Above photograph © Naina Helén Jåma If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here. For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts Guest: Naina Helén Jåma Episode Timeline: 2:23: Naina’s early childhood and growing up in Snåsa, a small village in Norway with approximately 2,000 inhabitants. 6:14: Naina’s first job and the start of her career, working as a cultural archivist at the Saemien Sijite Museum. 10:44: How photographing handcrafted Sami items became Naina’s thesis while enrolled at the Nordic School of Photography 14:45: Discussing different aspects and signifiers of traditional Sami clothing. 19:40: The eight different seasons of Sami culture. 22:06: Discussing the role and influence of animism and other traditional Sami belief systems. 28:18: Episode Break 29:40: Naina’s go-to kit for cameras and lenses 33:10: Tips for shooting in cold climates and extreme conditions 35:14: Structuring documentation when working as a photojournalist 39:49: Naina’s diverse reportage, from documenting the NATO summit to Sami youth protests due to windmill farms violating traditional reindeer hunting lands. 46:30: What Naina learned from her time working on the other side of the lens as a Director of Photography 49:26: “Man Borrows the Land from Future Generations” 53:06: Naina Helén Jåma answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire. Guest Bio: Naina Helén Jåma is a South Sami photographer and storyteller from Snaasa in Norway, currently based in Oslo. After starting her career at the Saemien Sijte Museum at age 15, where she worked to interpret and preserve South Sami culture. Naina has maintained a close relationship with the traditional Sami arts of Duodji. Documenting the ongoing development of this art form pays tribute to oral knowledge and silent tradition, which is learned and transmitted visually. Trained at the Nordic School of Photography in Sweden, Naina has worked as both a photojournalist and a photo editor for various Scandinavian newspapers and agencies, as well as major international publications such as The New York Times, Bloomberg and The Guardian. Naina is a member of the Sami Artists Association, and in 2020 she received a working grant from the Sami Council. Most recently, she was selected by the Norwegian Journal of Photography as one of nine photographers to work on a two-year heritage project, where she will be photographing and doing in-depth interviews to investigate the evolving legacy of Sami culture. Stay Connected: Naina Helén Jåma Website: https://www.nainahelen.com/ Naina Helén Jåma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nainahelen/ Naina Helén Jåma on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nainahelen.photography/ Naina Helén Jåma on Twitter: https://x.com/nainahelenwj/ Naina Helén Jåma in the Norwegian Journal of Photography: https://njp.no/2024/naina-helen-jama/ Naina Helén Jåma on Blink: https://blink.la/u/nainahelen End Credits: Senior Creative Producer & Host: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens Theme Music: Gabriel Richards

Transcribed - Published: 12 September 2024

In today’s podcast, we’ll be talking with Long Island-based pediatrician and self-taught photographer Dr. Greg Gulbransen, whose newly released book Say Less documents the three years Gulbransen spent embedded with Malik, the paralyzed leader of a Crips’ set in the Bronx. Gulbransen details his journey from wildlife and fashion photography to documenting the lives of at-risk members of the Bikes Up Guns Down club to his most recent (and most daunting) project: photographing members of a violent street gang. Gulbransen also touches on his years-long campaign to require auto makers to install rear-view cameras in all American-made cars, a personal crusade born of the tragic car accident involving his infant son. Guest: Dr. Greg Gulbransen Top shot © Dr. Greg Gulbransen Episode Timeline: 3:45: Dr. Greg’s early medical training in the Bronx, and his experiences photographing at-risk kids from the Bikes Up Guns Down bike club. 13:26: The start of Dr. Greg’s 3-year project photographing Malik, a gunshot victim and paralyzed leader of a Bronx Crips’ set. 14:55: The complex relationship between Dr. Greg, Malik and his mother, which allowed him to operate in such a potentially dangerous environment. 19:23: Christmas with Malik and his family. 30:57: Dr. Greg talks best practices for administering Narcan, using informants to keep himself safe, and helping Malik stay out of prison. 44:48: Episode Break 45:46: Working with former LIFE magazine editor in chief Bill Shapiro to edit and plan his photo book. 49:22: Obtaining two sets of releases from Malik and other set members for all photos and text to appear in the book. 51:40: Dr. Greg discusses his copious notes while embedded, and details about capturing candid photos of set members and other neighborhood subjects. 54:50: Dr. Greg’s traumatic yet successful campaign requiring the auto industry to install of rear-view cameras in all American cars. Guest Bio: Dr. Greg Gulbransen is a Long Island-based pediatric doctor, who has been making photographs since 2014. Following a tragic car accident involving his son in 2002, Gulbransen successfully campaigned to get the auto industry to install rear-view cameras in American cars. As a result, all new cars in the US must have rear-view cameras, leading to an immeasurable impact on the lives of Americans. After starting out with wildlife pictures and editorial fashion work, Gulbransen transitioned to documenting the lives of unique individuals with interesting stories in an aim to preserve their legacies through photography. This work is often informed by a drive to highlight issues impacting American society, with a focus on young people. Over the course of three years, Gulbransen photographed Malik, a set leader of the violent street gang, the Crips. In 2018, Malik was shot and paralyzed by a bullet from a rival gang. As a result, his world now centers around the small Bronx apartment where he’s cared for by family and fellow gang members. This project was recently released by Gost Books as the monograph Say Less, Gulbransen’s first book. Stay Connected: Dr. Greg Gulbransen’s Website: https://www.gulbransenphoto.com/ Dr. Greg Gulbransen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greggulbransenpeds Word on the Street YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@superwariobro Dr. Greg Gulbransen’s book Say Less: https://gostbooks.com/en-us/products/say-less

Transcribed - Published: 29 August 2024

How would you feel if all the coverage you saw about your culture was a superficial view from the outside, rather than a narrative steeped in details of lived experience? Above photograph © Tailyr Irvine This is the motivating force that led today’s guest to pick up a camera, enter the newsroom, and cultivate an insider’s perspective on contemporary Native American life, to expand the scope and enhance the accuracy of stories being told. From exploring quiet moments at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests to a revealing photo project on Blood Quantum, you’ll gain fresh insight into the traumatic history and complex issues affecting Native American people today. Make sure and stay to the end for details about valuable resources like the Indigenous Photograph database and Illuminative’s Guide to Native Representation, as well as to learn about Tailyr’s ongoing work with businesses and organizations, to foster native representation in their projects. All told, you’ll walk away with a new appreciation for the idea that “Learning your culture is a privilege, and it's not a privilege that everyone gets.” For more information on our guest and the gear she uses, click here. If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here. Episode Timeline: 2:04: Tailyr’s early documentation at Standing Rock, and the value of her insider perspective as a Native journalist. 8:19: Distinctions between stereotypical views and a more authentic and diverse representation of Native culture. 12:42: Tailyr’s Reservation Mathematics project and the controversial issue of blood quantum. 21:05: The role of reservations as a center for Native culture and history, and the recent push to revitalize Native traditions. 24:11: The dark history of Native boarding schools and Tailyr’s work in telling stories about past abuses. 29:25: The public response to Tailyr’s Reservation Mathematics story and the challenges to changing this system. 32:30: Episode Break 34:25: Tailyr Irvine’s go-to gear and photojournalistic techniques. 38:21: Documenting tribal powwows to feature individual style rather than reinforce Native stereotypes. 42:56: Rules of etiquette at a powwow, the importance of consent, and questions of picture use. 47:17: Tailyr’s first assignment on the Blackfeet Boxing Club and an ESPN editor’s help to overcome economic barriers to entry. 54:28: Tailyr’s consulting work and building partnerships with businesses and organizations to foster native representation in projects. 1:04:06: Tailyr Irvine answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire. Guest Bio: Tailyr Irvine is a Salish and Kootenai photographer and journalist born and raised on the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana. Her work focuses on providing in-depth representations of the lives and complex issues within the diverse communities that make up Native America. Tailyr is also a co-founder of Indigenous Photograph, a global database dedicated to support the media industry in hiring more Indigenous photographers to tell the stories of their communities and to reflect on how we tell these stories. She is a National Geographic Explorer and frequently contributes to the New York Times and other national outlets. Stay Connected: Tailyr Irvine Website: https://www.tailyrirvine.com/ Tailyr Irvine Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TailyrIrvine/ Tailyr Irvine Twitter: https://x.com/tailyrirvine Tailyr Irvine Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TailyrIrvine/ Tailyr Irvine on National Geographic: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/storytelling-through-photography-tailyr-irvine/ Tailyr Irvine’s Blackfeet Boxing Story: https://indigenousfutures.illuminatives.org/ending-violence/tailyr-irvine Illuminative’s Guide to Native Representation for Entertainment Industry Professionals: https://illuminative.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IllumiNative_industry-guide_June-2022.pdf Native American Journalists Association Website: https://najanewsroom.com/ Tailyr Irvine’s Vital Impacts Grant: https://vitalimpacts.org/pages/grant-winner-2023-tailyr-irvine Indigenous Photograph Website: https://indigenousphotograph.com/ Senior Creative Producer & Host: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens Theme Music: Gabriel Richards

Transcribed - Published: 8 August 2024

Where does the medium of photography stand in an era where the latest mantra encourages people to “Skip the Photo Shoot?” How can a viewer continue to trust photographs as evidence in a marketplace where AI is touted as a “revolution,” and “the new digital camera” that we need to embrace? And what methods can a photographer use today to be considered a credible witness with a transparent code of ethics? These are just a few of the points raised in our discussion with renowned writer, photo editor, and educator Fred Ritchin. For more than forty years, Ritchin has kept tabs on the progressive shift from using a camera to record the visible as truth to getting the world to look the way we want it to look. Join us, as we wade through the swampy terrain separating photographic fact from synthetic creation, as part of a wider series tracing the effects of AI on today’s creative community. Bonus invite: In preparation for an upcoming discussion between visual artists and AI instigators Boris Eldagsen and Miles Astray, we’re soliciting listener questions. To get your chance for an on-air shout out, please post a question for our guests to the comments section below or email it to: [email protected]. Guest: Fred Ritchin Top shot: Synthetic image, not a photograph, generated by the artificial intelligence system DALL-E, in response to the text prompt by Fred Ritchin, “An iconic photograph from the year 1945,” 2023. For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/photography-in-the-age-of-synthetic-imaging-with-fred-ritchin Stay Connected: Fred Ritchin Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Ritchin Fred Ritchin bio from ICP: https://www.icp.org/users/fredritchin Four Corners Project: https://fourcornersproject.org/ The Fifth Corner https://thefifthcorner.org/ Writing with Light Campaign: https://wwlight.org/ The Synthetic Eye book: https://wwnorton.com/books/9780500297391

Transcribed - Published: 1 August 2024

Sports enthusiasts from around the world will soon be glued to their nearest viewing screen, watching the action unfold during the international Summer Games in Paris. But how much do you know about the finer points of photographing elite level competition, or about the lightning-fast, high-tech journey these images make from inside a camera to a remote editing workflow, and then onward to be enjoyed by you, the viewer? In today’s podcast we’ve got the inside track on how these visual delicacies are brought to life and served up to global audiences. Our guests are Getty Images Chief Photographer Maddie Meyer and Managing Editor James Chance, who runs Getty Images’ editing operations in Europe. We start with Maddie, who details the advance preparations and complex logistics required to ensure the success of 60 Getty Images photographers on the ground in Paris, alongside a sizable amount of remote and robotic gear. In the show’s second half, James describes the impressive synergy between the photographers on site and the massive team of photo editors he’s assembled to work remotely from London and in other locations around the world—a complex infrastructure that’s a first for the agency. Immerse yourself in the passion for sports and learn what it takes to capture images that set you apart from the pack. As Maddie Meyer sums up, “That's where the real challenge comes in. And that's where I would say it's really difficult. But that's where knowing the athletes comes in, knowing the way they move, knowing their rituals before they get in the pool, knowing some of the dynamics between the athletes, where you can really kind of pick up on the minutia to try and make something special.” Guests: Maddie Meyer & James Chance Episode Timeline: 3:37: Maddie’s college internship at Getty Images, and her experiences as a woman shooting sports. 8:30: Plans for covering the Paris Games, and details about the Getty Images team. 11:56: Maddie’s aquatics specialty and details about photographer assignments. 16:23: A question of shooting strategy: going for maximum volume vs anticipating more and shooting less. 22:37: Dedicated cameras vs remotes and robotic equipment, plus Maddie’s go-to gear: A Canon R3 mirrorless and 28-70 mm f/2 lens. 28:23: Episode Break 29:35: The synergy and trust between photography and photo editing teams. 33:28: Logistics of staff photographers, remotes, and robotic cameras on the ground to capture the Paris Games 38:28: Details about Getty Images remote photo editing staff in the UK during the Paris games, and their three-stage editing process. 43:33: The technical tools—hardware and software—powering the Getty Images workflow and file management process. 1:00:58: The most important qualities in a Getty Images photo editor. Guest Bios: Maddie Meyer is a chief photographer for Getty Images based in—but not geographically limited to—Boston, Massachusetts. She joined the Getty Images team in January 2015, after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in photojournalism from Ohio University. Maddie’s assignments range from covering New England’s professional sports teams to international travel covering events such as the Men’s and Women’s World Cup, the FINA World Swimming championships and the Olympic Games in Rio and Pyeongchang. Her pictures are continually published in major metropolitan newspapers, magazines, and websites worldwide, including ESPN, the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, the Washington Post, among many other media outlets. Equally skilled as a photographer, James Chance began his editing career as a freelancer in London. He currently serves as the managing editor for Getty Images Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He works to train and schedule the editing team, as well as plan editing for major events such as the Women's World Cup in Australia, and the Paris Olympic Games. James helped to create the vision for Getty Images remote editing plan, where photo editors will be working out of the company’s London office, while the photographers will be in Paris. Stay Connected: Maddie Meyer Website: https://www.maddiemeyerphoto.com/ Maddie Meyer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddiemeyer2/ James Chance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameschance_5 Getty Images Website: https://www.gettyimages.com/ Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1742972-REG/samsung_mu_pe4t0s_am_4tb_t7_shield_portable.html

Transcribed - Published: 18 July 2024

A photographer’s success hinges on access. This is an underlying thread in the tapestry woven in this week’s show. Our discussion covers multiple facets and cultural attributes of Indian society, as seen through the eyes of a photographer with a knack for being in the right place at the right time. In this month’s episode of the series, Picturing World Cultures, we speak with Indian photographer Pablo Bartholomew about his long career as a documentarian and photojournalist. From his early intimate views of 60s-era hippies launching a counterculture invasion from the West to his photojournalistic coverage of historic events, Bartholomew shares insights about dynamics at work behind the scenes. We also discuss changes to the marketplace for pictures over time, and whether an iconic picture is still able to affect a change in the world. As an antidote to a life chasing the news, Bartholomew embarked on a ten-year documentation of India’s remote Naga tribes. In the show’s second half, he walks us through his background research and the permissions process involved in photographing tribespeople and their customs with professional lighting gear. There’s also a personal motivation behind Bartholomew’s Naga Project. As a child, he had heard many stories about goodwill the Naga showed his father’s family during their flight from Burma to India during World War II. “Principally, what I couldn't wrap my head around was that headhunters, they're supposed to be these ferocious people. Why would they let fair game pass through their backyard, to the degree where they would provide food and shelter?” he says. “So, there was in this savage something very kind. And I wanted to find out what the contradiction was.” Tune in today for more on the Naga tribes and other stories from India! If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here. Guest: Pablo Bartholomew Episode Timeline: 2:16: Pablo describes how the caste system functions as a defining aspect of Indian culture. 7:18: The influx of the Western hippy counterculture in India as recorded in Pablo’s earliest pictures. 12:27: Capturing life on the streets of Delhi, Bombay, and Calcutta, a photo essay on Calcutta’s Chinatown, and Pablo’s work with the renowned Indian film director Satyajit Ray. 17:05: The rise of Pablo’s photojournalism career, the dynamics of a photographer’s access, and his iconic images of the tragic gas leak at Bhopal. 29:09: Pablo discusses how the work of a photojournalist has changed in the past 40 years. 32:53: Go-to camera gear, the various cameras Pablo’s used over the years, and his transition from analog to digital. 36:37: Tips for mitigating the heat and humidity of India, plus equipment for image storage and film scanning. 40:10: Episode Break 41:23: Pablo’s long-term project documenting the Naga tribes in Northeast India, his preliminary ethnographic research on the tribes, and gaining permission to photograph with full lighting gear. 51:43: Animist practices within the Naga tribes, and distinctions between tribes within the Naga identity. 1:00:05: Naga rituals it may be too late to photograph, and a memorable festival held by the Konyak tribe. 1:04:09: Pablo’s cross-cultural project documenting economic emigres from India who have resettled in the US, France, England, Madagascar, and Portugal. 1:14:38: Pablo Bartholomew answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire. Guest Bio: Pablo Bartholomew, a self-taught photographer born in New Delhi in 1955. His father Richard was a noted art critic as well as a photographer, allowing Pablo to learn photography at home at a very young age. In his subsequent career of nearly fifty years, Pablo has documented societies in conflict and transition, while also recording intimate details of his own generation maturing amid a changing India. From 1983 to 2004, his photojournalistic work was featured in every major international publication, from National Geographic to Paris Match and beyond. Pablo’s photographs have been recognized by World Press Photo on three different occasions, including a 1985 ‘Picture of the Year’ award for his riveting image from the Bhopal gas tragedy. In 2013, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for his contributions to photography, and in 2014, he was honored with the status of Chevalier de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government. For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-pablo-bartholemew-india Stay Connected: Pablo Bartholomew Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pablobartholomew/ Pablo Bartholomew Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/parabart Pablo Bartholomew Bhopal photo from World Press Photo 1985: https://www.worldpressphoto.org/collection/photocontest/1985 Pablo Bartholomew Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Bartholomew Pablo Bartholomew Nagaland Project: https://ninefish.in/viewing-room/the-nagas/ TEDxIIMRanchi: Pablo Bartholomew - A Life in Photography https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBldVr4YIBE Kishor Parekh: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kishor_Parekh

Transcribed - Published: 4 July 2024

Most people’s perception of prison life revolves around sensationalized news stories and Hollywood movies depicting drab, inhospitable environments far outside our reach. In today’s show, we’re challenging that view in a chat with two educators who use photography as a framework for teaching visual literacy and the art of storytelling to incarcerated men. Cameras, computers, and sometimes even books, are prohibited from classrooms inside lock up, which forced our guests to come up with creative workarounds, using the generosity of the photographic medium as a path to engage in dialog with their students. As one of our guests, Nigel Poor, puts it: “With a little bit of ingenuity, there's always a work around to come out with something really beautiful and emotional. And that's one of the pleasures of working in a prison, is that you've got to really rely on your imagination and your ability to hit a road bump and find a way around it.” Don’t miss this inspiring discussion with two artists and educators who successfully adapted their teaching to the prison workaround, then connected with students on a human level, ultimately triggering their capability to “see fascination everywhere.” Guests: Chantal Zakari & Nigel Poor For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/pictures-from-the-inside-seeing-fascination-everywhere-with-chantal-zakari Top shot courtesy of Nigel Poor and the San Quentin State Prison Museum, with thanks to former Warden Ron Davis and retired Lieutenant Sam Robinson Stay Connected: Chantal Zakari Website: https://www.thecorner.net/chantal-zakari Chantal Zakari Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/show.n.tll/ Chantal Zakari’s Pictures from the Outside book: https://www.thecorner.net/picturesfromtheoutside Tufts University Prison Initiative (TUPIT): https://sites.tufts.edu/tupit/overview/ Nigel Poor Website: https://nigelpoor.com/ Nigel Poor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nigelpoor/ Nigel Poor’s San Quentin Prison Project: https://nigelpoor.com/project/san-quentin/ Nigel Poor’s San Quentin Prison Project book: https://aperture.org/books/the-san-quentin-project/ Ear Hustle Podcast website: https://www.earhustlesq.com/ This is Ear Hustle book: https://sites.prh.com/thisisearhustle Mount Tamalpais College: https://www.mttamcollege.edu/

Transcribed - Published: 20 June 2024

Documenting a culture can be a daunting process, especially when it involves a history of conquest and colonialism. Synthesizing such a complex and traumatic past in a contemporary narrative is a formidable task, requiring extensive researchh and dedicated planning. This is the back story to today’s podcast. Above photograph © Juan Brenner For the seventh chapter in our monthly series, Picturing World Cultures, we speak with Guatemalan photographer Juan Brenner about his recent projects in the country’s Western Highlands. Our chat begins with Brenner’s introduction to photography as a youth, and the protective bubble surrounding him during the country’s brutal civil war. He left Guatemala at age 20 to forge a career as a fashion photographer in New York, which filters into our discussions about portraiture and photo gear. But our primary focus is on Brenner’s recent personal projects, created after his return to Guatemala, and an epiphany he had about the idea of “Indigenous Power.” Listen in as he describes how this concept was subsequently called into question. You’ll gain insight into the unequal power quotient that comes with being a “Mickey Mouse” photographer and discover how critical aspects of communication extend well beyond the basic structure of language. As Brenner notes during our chat, “You have to be really careful just being a photographer. It's so colonialist, you know, having a camera. You have this big robot that you stick in people's faces. You have this advantage. And, for me, it's really important to think about that a lot.” If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here. Guest: Juan Brenner For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-juan-brenner-guatemala Stay Connected: Juan Brenner Website: https://www.juanbrenner.com Juan Brenner Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juan_brenner Juan Brenner Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JuanBrenner5/ Artist talk with Juan Brenner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPiwQXWUMJ8&t=40s Juan Brenner’s book Tonatiuh: https://editorialrm.com/en/producto/tonatiuh/

Transcribed - Published: 6 June 2024

Julia Blaukopf is not afraid to think big, particularly when it comes to her photographs. She’s also not afraid of blurring the lines between fine art and commercial enterprise. Equal parts photographer, designer, visual artist, and entrepreneur, Julia is the founder of Fotografica—an arts-products venture with the goal of re-envisioning options for photography and photo-based products. Top shot © Julia Blaukopf In this week’s podcast, Julia leads us along her inspiring path—from her early days working with alternative processes and forging relationships with crafts people to her latest collaborations with architects, designers, and developers in the creation of architectural-scale commissions and custom photo-based installations. When collaborating with professional partners and clients on huge projects, psychology is key, which we discuss in detail. Blaukopf also describes the critical importance of seeking out the best printers and installers. Besides a command over technical details such as sound absorption, color fading, and bubbling, she sheds light on lesser-known yet equally essential construction issues such as fire codes. In addition to Blaukopf’s commercial work, she is also a documentarian with a passion for women’s empowerment and social justice. Towards the end of our chat she describes her work in that realm, offering insights about connecting with non-profits, and sharing stories through photography that have the ability to galvanize change. Guest: Julia Blaukopf For more information on our guest and the gear she uses, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/larger-than-life-julia-blaukopfs-custom-photographic-wall-decor Stay Connected: Julia Blaukopf’s Website: https://www.juliablaukopf.com/ Fotografica Website: https://www.thefotografica.com/ Julia Blaukopf’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliablaukopf/ Fotographica’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fotografica_official/ Julia Blaukopf’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliablaukopf Julia Blaukopf’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julia.blaukopf/ North Bar Wall Covering: https://www.thefotografica.com/north-bar Julia’s book The Rain Parade: https://www.abingdonsquarepublishing.com/rainparade.html

Transcribed - Published: 23 May 2024

How much do you know about New York City’s 1982 Loft Law, which established a process for artists to obtain legal occupancy of the raw industrial spaces they inhabited, while also providing rent stabilization and protection from future eviction? Or the pigeon fanciers who were once a fixture across the rooftops of Brooklyn and remain valued as neighborhood sentinels? If these poetic vestiges from Gotham’s storied past have you dreaming about the good old days, then you won’t want to miss our podcast with gen-Z New Yorkers (and good buddies) Joshua Charow and Josh Katz. Their ambitious, self-assigned photo projects explore rarified mini-worlds featuring magical artist spaces and exuding West Side Story vibes. While their respective explorations occupy opposite ends of the struggle for prized urban space, the insights they share when discussing both their working methods and their paths to publishing are instructive and inspirational. What’s more, their spirited camaraderie in conversation is infectious! As Charow aptly notes toward the end of the episode, “I have to say, I don’t know if this book would exist without Josh Katz. Because I started this project towards the end of him finishing his, and as a close friend, he was able to basically show me the roadmap of how you get from idea to a finished book. And like he said, it’s really hard to understand how that works without someone in your life who can show you the steps you have to take.” And for bonus points, listen up to discover the former guest of the show who also sat down with Charow, and ultimately lined him up with a book agent! For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/nyc-artist-lofts-brooklyn-rooftops-with-joshua-charow-josh-katz Guests: Joshua Charow and Josh Katz Top shot © Joshua Charow Stay Connected: Joshua Charow Website: https://www.joshuacharow.com/ Joshua Charow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuacharow/ Joshua Charow TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joshcharow Joshua Charow Twitter: https://twitter.com/joshuacharow/ Joshua Charow YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joshuacharow Joshua Charow Loft Law book: https://www.damianibooks.com/en/collections/charow-joshua Joshua Charow Westwood Gallery Exhibit: https://www.westwoodgallery.com/exhibitions/loft-law-photographs-by-joshua-charowosh Katz Website: https://www.joshkatz.me/ Josh Katz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshkatz/ Josh Katz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/joshkatz Josh Katz Kickstarter campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/joshkatz/new-york-in-quarantine-rooftop-culture-through-crisis?ref=5bku66 Josh Katz On the Roof book: https://www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/books/on-the-roof-new-york-in-quarantine-hardcover Josh Katz Skatefolio Project: https://skatefol.io/

Transcribed - Published: 9 May 2024

The dictionary defines culture as “the way of life for an entire society.” But sometimes larger forces create rifts within the whole, inevitably leading to a confrontation between factions. A prime example of this cultural struggle is playing out today within the cities and villages of Ukraine, the focus of today’s episode. Above photograph © Maxim Dondyuk In this sixth installment of our monthly series, Picturing World Cultures, we speak with Ukrainian photographer and visual artist Maxim Dondyuk, and his wife and artistic manager, Irina. Our conversation stretches beyond the current conflict, to encompass other aspects of Ukrainian society. From Maxim’s early series on a country doctor’s final visits with patients (which drew inspiration from the work of W. Eugene Smith) to his in-depth coverage of Ukraine’s TB epidemic, we witness the evolution of his working methods and his dedication to long term documentary projects. Step behind the scenes of a military camp for children run by Cossacks, and gain insight into the cultural split between pro-Russian and pro-European factions, which Maxim photographed for his book Culture of Confrontation. As he writes in this book, “One culture tried to cling to old times, old ways of living. They were nostalgic for a past that meant a lot to them, to their parents, and grandparents. Yet there was another culture that felt completely differently. They looked ahead to forging something new, a different country.” Join us for this frank discussion about how such conflicting forces take visual form in Maxim’s powerfully arresting images. If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here. Guests: Maxim & Irina Dondyuk Stay Connected: Maxim Dondyuk Website: https://maximdondyuk.com/ Maxim Dondyuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maximdondyuk/ Maxim Dondyuk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maximdondyuk Maxim Dondyuk Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/maximdondyuk Maxim Dondyuk Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxim_Dondyuk Maxim Dondyuk‘s W. Eugene Smith Grant: https://www.smithfund.org/2022-maxim-dondyuk

Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2024

For anyone familiar with the photo industry, the mammoth lawsuit between The Andy Warhol Foundation and renowned music photographer Lynn Goldsmith should be no secret. This complex battle over the rights to her 1981 portrait of the artist formerly known as Prince lasted seven years and went all the way to the Supreme Court. But do you know the circumstances behind her original portrait session with the famously reserved musician, and were you aware of all the misinformation about this case that was disseminated in both legal documents and the press? Lynn is a longtime friend of the show, and our 2017 episode about her extensive, long-term work with the band Kiss, among other crazy stories, was a fan favorite. We invited her back to discuss this case in 2022, when the Supreme Court first agreed to hear it, but heeding the advice of her legal counsel she wisely declined our offer at that time. In May 2023, the Supreme Court ultimately ruled in Lynn’s favor in a 7-2 decision, which has already been shown to benefit others seeking remedies for the misuse of their creative works. Yet, while this landmark decision happened last year, the case itself was not officially resolved until very recently—Friday, March 15, 2024, to be exact—a day some might recognize as the Ides of March. Now that the final resolution has been signed, sealed, and delivered, we felt it was a perfect opportunity for Lynn to give us a recap of this David vs Goliath battle, with all its complexities and underlying bias. From details about the Fair Use doctrine, to the matter of copyright registration, to her thoughts about the current photographer community, to the importance of standing up for one’s rights, Lynn provides a clear and insightful assessment of one of the most traumatic and threatening experiences that any independent artist can face, as only she can. To her very core, Lynn believes creativity can make anything possible, an ideology she sums up aptly at the end of our chat. “I felt like some higher power picked me for this,” she says. “And that I had to make myself feel like a 1940s film with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, where there was going to be a happy ending, that everything would work out just fine, and that I was going to prevail.” Guest: Lynn Goldsmith Top shot © Lynn Goldsmith Episode Timeline: 2:50: The backstory to Lynn Goldsmith’s 1981 photo session with Prince. 7:17: Shooting both color and black-and-white in the days of film, a separate camera for each option. 11:15: Vanity Fair’s 1984 use of Lynn’s black and white portrait for artist reference. 13:47: Lynn’s discovery of the original image use after Prince died in 2016. 19:50: The value of saving detailed records of licensing agreements for future reference. 23:14: The preemptive lawsuit the Andy Warhol Foundation filed against Lynn, and the misinformation contained in the Federal court filing. 32:15: Lynn discusses the Fair Use doctrine and the matter of copyright registration in relation to her case. 36:43: Episode Break 38:04: Meeting with the Andy Warhol Foundation and the deal on offer to resolve the lawsuit. 44:40: Lynn’s thoughts about the current photographer community and the importance of standing up for your rights. 48:09: The multiple rounds of the Prince portrait lawsuit, from the first Federal case to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court. 56:29: Uneven reporting about the lawsuit in the press, with the photo press being fearful to write anything, and the art press releasing misinformation without fact checks. 1:00:27: Behind the scenes at the Supreme Court hearing, the effects of the 7 – 2 decision, as well as Justice Kagan’s written opinion. 1:08:48: Lynn’s thoughts about generative AI. Guest Bio: Lynn Goldsmith is a multi-awarded portrait photographer whose work has appeared on and in between the covers of top magazines worldwide. Her subjects have varied from entertainment to sports, film directors to authors, and from top celebrities to the ordinary man on the street. Her forty years of photography are both an investigation into the nature of the human spirit, as well as the natural wonders of our planet. As the author of 12 major photo books, Lynn’s images are also featured in numerous museum collections, yet her professional achievements are in no way limited to the world of photography. She is the youngest member ever accepted into the Director's Guild of America (DGA), where she achieved several firsts—from the first rock show on network television to the first music documentary released as a theatrical short, and more. In the mid-seventies, Lynn stopped directing to concentrate fully on photography. By the early 80s, she departed from both photography and film, to become the first ‘optic-music’ artist. Using the a.k.a. Will Powers, she produced the album "Dancing for Mental Health" on Island Records. Her debut album won critical acclaim and her single, Kissing with Confidence, reached #3 on the British charts. The wide range of Lynn's talents, skills and achievements are products of a belief she holds constant: Creativity is based on breaking limiting thought patterns, thus making anything possible. Stay Connected: Lynn Goldsmith’s Website: https://lynngoldsmith.com/menu.html Rock and Roll Photo Gallery Website: https://rockandrollphotogallery.com/ Lynn Goldsmith’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynngoldsmith/ Lynn Goldsmith’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/goldsmithphoto Lynn Goldsmith’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lynngoldsmithartist/ Lynn Goldsmith’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lynn-goldsmith/ Lynn Goldsmith’s GoFundMe Campaign Lynn Goldsmith’s Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Goldsmith Pelican 1510TP Carry-On Case: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1241003-REG/pelican_015100_0050_110_1510tp_carry_on_case_with.html

Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2024

Professional tree planting is back breaking piecework—a combination of high intensity sport and industrial labor that requires both technical finesse and remarkable physical and mental endurance. Using techniques more often associated with high-performance athletes, experienced planters (commonly known as high-ballers) leap up and down through uneven and debris-strewn terrain, armed only with a shovel and 30-kg bags of seedlings on their backs. In recent years, tree planting has become a rite of passage among young Canadians not afraid of hard work and dirt under their fingernails. As seasonal work, it attracts many students from Canada’s southern cities. Due to the brutal physical demands, most are under 30 years old. Out on the cut block inclement weather is common, and the swarms of biting insects are legendary. Working in—rather than on—the land for months on end, and sharing an isolated camp site creates a solid bond among planters. This has molded into a subculture of sorts, which is the subject of today’s show. My guest for this episode is Canadian photographer and filmmaker Rita Leistner. Rita documents communities living in extreme conditions, typically investing months or years in a project. After spending a decade as a tree planter during her youth, Rita returned to the forest in 2016 to document a new generation. In 2021, she released her results as an Art Trifecta, featuring large fine art photographs, a 256-page photo book, and the documentary feature film “Forest for the Trees.” Equally in her element in forests and war zones, Rita’s photographs and her writings about photography, art, and war have been published, exhibited, and collected worldwide. She is represented by the Stephen Bulger Gallery for art, and by Green Planet Films for film. Guest: Rita Leistner Above photograph © Rita Leistner For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-rita-leistner-canada And if you haven’t already listened, check out all episodes from our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here.https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/promotion/picturing-world-cultures Episode Timeline: 2:02: The backstory to Canadian tree planting as a business 5:21: Rita’s interest in photography and her early days as a tree planter. 12:43: Comparisons and contrasts between Rita’s early tree planting experiences and what she found when returning to the forest to document this subject. 18:21: A typical day in the life of a tree planter and the actual planting process 26:31: How Rita landed on her distinctive photographic style of capturing fast moving planters with a PhaseOne camera and Profoto lighting. 32:40: Rita talks about how the young planters responded to her sudden presence in the camp. 36:17: Rita’s lighting set up with Profoto B1 lights and coordinating with an assistant to carry all the gear. 41:56: Episode Break 43:10: Rita talks about power consumption, batteries, generators, workflow, and more when working in remote locations. 45:03: Inclement weather, dirt, and bugs when shooting both stills and video footage out in the wilderness. 48:41: The lighting details behind Rita’s enchanted forest nighttime images and timelapse footage. 53:38: How the work of tree planters is perceived by both the logging industry and environmentalists, and the effects this has on the planters themselves. 1:03:47: How Rita’s Tree Planter project has affected her sense of Canadian identity. 1:06:04: Rita Leistner answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire. Guest Bio: Rita Leistner is a Canadian photographer and filmmaker who creates portraits of communities living in extreme conditions, typically investing months or years in a project. After spending a decade of her formative years as a tree planter in the Canadian wilderness, she returned to this theme to document a new generation of planters from 2016 to 2019. In 2021, she released the project as an Art Trifecta, featuring fine art photographs, a 256-page monograph, and the 91-minute documentary film Forest for the Trees. Additionally, Rita has been captured by insurgents, assaulted, and shot at, and she has run into gunfire to get a photograph. She has published four books of photography including Unembedded: Four Independent Photojournalists on the War in Iraq (2005), widely considered one of the most influential anti-war books to come out of the Iraq conflict. Rita’s photographs and her writings about photography, art, and war have been published and exhibited worldwide, and are in major corporate and museum collections. From 2010 to 2016 she served as Associate Professor in the History of Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at the University of Toronto. She is represented by the Stephen Bulger Gallery for art, and by Green Planet Films for film. Stay Connected: Rita Leistner Website: http://ritaleistner.com/ Forest for the Trees Website: https://www.forestforthetreesdocumentary.com/ Rita Leistner Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ritaleistner/ Rita Leistner Twitter: https://twitter.com/ritaleistner/ Stephen Bulger Gallery Website: https://www.bulgergallery.com/artists/45-rita-leistner/overview/ Green Planet Films Website: https://greenplanetfilms.org/products/forest-for-the-trees?_pos=1&_sid=90a01a45d&_ss=r Canadian photographer Lorraine Gilbert: https://www.lorrainegilbert.com/

Transcribed - Published: 4 April 2024

Cozy up to a ringside seat for a behind-the-scenes tour of the wildest shows in sports entertainment, during our insightful chat about the still photos produced for World Wrestling Entertainment, (otherwise known as WWE). In 2023 alone, the WWE photo team traveled the globe, covering close to 170 live events, and producing 2.6 million stills to serve the organization’s various platforms. You might—incorrectly—assume that WWE’s still images are generated from video screengrabs. Well, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In this week’s podcast, we get the full scoop about stills from WWE’s Vice President of photography, Brad Smith, and Senior Director of photography, Rich Freeda. Among the many details we unpack: The learning curve required for shooting a WWE event, the importance of showing all aspects of the spectacle in pictures, and the delicate dance between still photographers and TV camerapeople, who are tethered together and both wearing headphones while capturing a show. In addition to live event coverage, the photo team creates high-level studio portraits of WWE Superstars, which necessitates complex studio set ups at each venue. Given the relentless schedule of three live shows weekly, two of which are traveling, studio gear is circling the country all year long. As Rich Freeda puts it, “We could be a Consumer Reports testing lab.” And when it comes to the type of photographers best suited to covering WWE shows, Brad Smith sums things up nicely. “[At first,] I instinctively thought, if we’re going to hire new people, they have to be sports photographers. And now I don’t think that at all. I’ll tell you who I’d rather have. I’d rather have a photographer who’s a tour photographer for Bon Jovi than somebody who’s the Yankee’s photographer, because they understand that event is the important thing.” Psych yourself up for WrestleMania 40 with our WWE episode from the B&H Photography Podcast! Guests: Brad Smith and Rich Freeda Above photograph © Rich Freeda/WWE For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/still-photography-the-wwe-with-brad-smith-rich-freeda Stay Connected: WWE Still Photography Page: https://www.wwe.com/photos Brad Smith Website: https://www.bradsmithcreative.com/ Brad Smith on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradpix/ Brad Smith on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Brad-Smith-Creative/ Brad Smith on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nybradsmith Rich Freeda Website: https://www.richardfreeda.com/collections Rich Freeda on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richfreedaphoto/ Rich Freeda on Twitter: https://twitter.com/richfreedaphoto Rich Freeda WWE Profile: https://www.wwe.com/videos/the-photography-of-wrestlemania-with-rich-freeda-making-wwe

Transcribed - Published: 28 March 2024

Where will you be on April 8, 2024? If you don’t already know, you’d better figure it out fast, particularly if you’ve got an interest in observing—and ideally photographing—the awe-inspiring phenomenon of a total solar eclipse. To get you up to speed on essential eclipse details, tune in to our chat with science writer Rebecca Boyle and Gabriel Biderman from B&H’s Road Marketing team. Boyle shares tidbits about Earth’s silvery sister gleaned from research for her book Our Moon, while Gabe discusses preparations (and practice!) for your eclipse photo session, plus strategies for juggling multiple set-ups. To celebrate the total eclipse back in 2017, B&H teamed up with Atlas Obscura for a two-day festival in Eastern Oregon’s Snake River Valley. This year, the party’s expanding from two to four days! We end the episode with details about the 2024 Ecliptic Festival, held alongside the Valley of Vapors music festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas, smack in the Eclipse’s umbra. Immerse yourself in this rare astronomical occurrence while rubbing shoulders with celebrated scientists, legendary musicians, artists and photographers galore, plus benefit from dedicated space—and tools—for star gazing and tracking the path to totality and back. The sky’s the limit! Guests: Rebecca Boyle & Gabriel Biderman Top shot © Gabriel Biderman For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/ecliptic-visions-with-rebecca-boyle-gabriel-biderman-atlas-obscura-bh Stay Connected: Atlas Obscura Ecliptic Festival: https://ecliptic.atlasobscura.com/ Atlas Obscura Website: https://www.atlasobscura.com/ Rebecca Boyle Website: https://rebeccaboyle.com/ Rebecca Boyle Our Moon book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/611468/our-moon-by-rebecca-boyle/ Rebecca Boyle’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/by.rebecca.boyle/ Rebecca Boyle’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/rboyle31 Rebecca Boyle’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rboyle31/ Gabriel Biderman’s Website: https://www.ruinism.com/ National Parks at Night Website: https://www.nationalparksatnight.com/ National Parks at Night’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalparksatnight/ National Parks at Night’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/natlpksatnight National Parks at Night’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationalparksatnight National Parks at Night’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NationalParksatNight

Transcribed - Published: 14 March 2024

There are many different ways to look at culture, and today we take a geographic approach, to distinguish people who live in rural mountain and hilly settings from those of the wider plains and urban areas. Our focus is the country of Romania, where we’ll explore the rustic landscape of small farms, hand tilled fields, and local communities that still identify with the working methods and traditions of the past. Along the way, we’ll follow the cyclical work of farmers and shepherds, gain insight into the Orthodox faith, explore vibrant holiday celebrations, and reveal unique rituals with pagan roots. In this fourth installment of our monthly series, Picturing World Cultures, we speak with Daniel Rosca, a Romanian photographer and travel guide specialized in photographic, cultural, and genealogical tours. As a child, Daniel experienced the age-old traditions of rural Romania first-hand during time spent on his grandparent’s farm. Following university studies, he spent four years abroad, working in youth development, consulting, and corporate social responsibility. After living in Brussels, Warsaw, Istanbul, and Cairo, and travelling to another 40 countries on four continents, Daniel decided travel should become his full-time job. He chose to return to his homeland in 2011, where he founded Romania Photo Tours and True Romania Tours, to help curious travelers immerse themselves in—and capture images of—old-world Romanian culture. In summary, to quote the motto of his photo tour site: Veni, Vidi, Click! If you haven’t already listened, prior episodes of our podcast series Picturing World Cultures can be accessed at the links below: Wayne Quilliam discussing Australia’s indigenous communities Kiana Hayeri reflecting on her work in Iran and Afghanistan Joshua Irwandi sheds light on his documentation of Indonesia’s Asmat region Guest: Daniel Rosca Episode Timeline: 2:07: The blend of various cultures and influences that make up Romanian culture, geographic distinctions between regions based on mountains, hills, and plains, Romania’s historic regions, plus the country’s widespread agricultural focus. 9:41: Common misconceptions about Romania: dispelling inaccuracies about Dracula and Romania’s communist past, plus Romania’s current strengths in tech, IT, and engineering. 12:34: Special considerations, both general and cultural, when photographing people in different regions, making pictures of the Roma, military, or police, plus Romania’s strict policies that prohibit driving after even a sip of alcohol. 17:44: Romanian agricultural traditions of scything, haymaking, horse carts, blacksmiths, shepherding, plus the art of traditional egg painting. 23:24: Forging a human connection with local villagers and craftspeople, etiquette and logistics when making pictures, plus the issue of obtaining model releases for portraits. 30:14: Daniel’s go-to photo gear: Nikon Z6 mirrorless and a 24-70 mm f/2.8 lens, the benefits to carrying a flash, plus recommendations for packing and benefits to traveling light 34:08: Episode Break 35:10: Romanian Orthodox churches, regional differences in appearance, rules of etiquette and respectful behavior when photographing, plus the many denominations of Orthodoxy, and details about holiday schedules. 44:42: Meaning of the word Orthodox, distinctions between Orthodox and Catholic faiths, plus Romania’s Lutheran heritage, and fortified churches of Transylvania. 47:11: Romanian bear dance festivals of Moldova over New Year’s, the festival’s pagan roots, tips for getting good pictures by interacting and considering the background first, plus other year end celebrations 54:20: Romanian Easter traditions, a candle lit in Jerusalem on Easter morning and flown to all Romanian Orthodox churches, breaking the Lenten fast, plus Romania’s little-known focus on vegan foods. 1:00:58: Romania’s Dracula lure, distinguishing true cultural history from the literary myth, useful resources for more background about Romania, plus details about Daniel’s genealogical tours. 57:22: Daniel Rosca answers our Picturing World Cultures Visual Questionnaire. Guest Bio: Daniel Rosca is a Romanian photographer and tour guide specializing in photographic, cultural, and genealogical tours. As a child, he spent a lot of time at his grandparent’s subsistence farm and experienced many of the traditions of rural Romania. After university and four years abroad, he realized how interesting rural Romania and its traditions are and decided to return to his native country to help curious travelers discover them as well. Before setting down roots in travel, Daniel worked in youth development, consulting, as well as in corporate social responsibility for Microsoft. After living and working in Brussels, Warsaw, Istanbul, and Cairo, and travelling to another 40 countries on four continents, he decided travel should become his full-time job, in the country where he feels most connected. He founded Romania Photo Tours and True Romania Tours in 2011. In summary, to quote the motto of his photo tour site: Veni, Vidi, Click! Where click is not only about clicking the shutter, but also about clicking with the culture. Stay Connected: Romania Photo Tours Website: https://romania-photo-tours.com/ True Romania Tours Website: https://true-romania.tours/ Romania Photo Tours Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/romaniaphototours/ Romania Photo Tours Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/touroperatorRomaniaPhotoTours True Romania Tours Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrueRomaniaTours/ Romania Photo Tours X: https://twitter.com/photo_romania True Romania Tours X: https://twitter.com/TRomaniaTours True Romania Tours Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/trueromaniatours/ Romanian photographer Sorin Onisor: https://www.instagram.com/sorin_onisor/

Transcribed - Published: 7 March 2024

How much can you edit a photo before it stops becoming true? That’s the question CNET tech reporter Stephen Shankland recently asked in the opening lines of his story, How Close is that Photo to the Truth: What to Know in the Age of AI. The article, which examines digital photography and advanced smartphone image processing in the era of AI, reaches beyond the polarizing visual minefield of generative AI by delving into aspects of this technologythat’s been quietly pre-baked into most every camera on the market these days. The sophisticated processing under the hood of your digital camera is our jumping off point for a wide-ranging discussion with Shankland that touches on many aspects of the digital workflow, before scaling the slippery slopes of generative AI. A few of the many points we cover include: Comparing the three primary generative AI platforms and discussing their differences, an assessment of AI manipulations and deepfakes, the ways in which a proliferation of camera phones can serve as a buttress against fakery, and the factor of a social contract in weighing the veracity of an image. Today’s AI landscape seems to be morphing by the minute, a reality that’s reflected here with bonus content! Barely a week after our original discussion, Open AI’s new text to video application, Sora, was released to a tidal wave of interest, so we got Shankland back on mic. Stay to the end to hear our first impressions of this new technology and listen closely to discover how an AI bot got the last word in our chat. Guest: Stephen Shankland Top shot © Allan Weitz, https://www.allanweitzdesign.com Episode Timeline: 2:22: How much can a photo be edited before it stops “becoming” true? Plus, the digital processing that goes on under the hood of your digital camera. 7:06: The sophisticated processing in your camera phone and how the resulting images compare to pictures made with a 35mm digital camera. 13:02: How much digital editing is too much and what’s the least amount of image adjustments possible before a photograph stops “being true.” 18:22: The matter of generative AI manipulations and deepfakes, the democratization of altering images, and how the proliferation of camera phones can serve as a buttress against fakery. 23:24: Comparing the three big generative AI platforms Stephen has worked with—Open AI’s Dall-E, Google’s ImageFX, and Adobe’s Firefly—and discussing how they differ, plus Allan’s impressions about working with Adobe Firefly, and how much of an AI-generated image is truly one’s own. 31:58: Prompt engineering, the bias of training data, the role of having fun when assessing the creative aspects of generative AI, and the factor of a social contract into reading the veracity of an image. 40:22: Episode Break 41:30: The potential for career opportunities in prompt engineering, new educational programs to arise from these new technologies, plus reasons why illustration is the creative area most threatened by AI. 48:27: The democratization of creative tasks due to computer technology, and the value of having a unique style or vision to creative success, plus the advantages of AI for stylistic 52:08: Ethical considerations, intellectual property rights, and copyright concerns in relation to AI generation. 57:03: In-camera authentication, content credentialing, and following the provenance of an image to be assured of its trustworthiness, plus whether this technology will ever show up in camera phones. 1:04:24: Episode bonus: Stephen’s first impressions of Open AI’s new text to video application, Sora. Guest Bio: Stephen Shankland has covered technology, computing, and digital imaging as a principal writer and reporter for CNET since 1998. He’s also a professional photographer who’s particularly intrigued by new trends in AI. Stephen stumbled into journalism as a fledgling science reporter covering the Los Alamos National Laboratory. His first, and biggest, scoop was about radioactive kitty litter discovered at the town dump. Stay Connected: Stephen Shankland’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stshank/ Stephen Shankland’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/stshank/ Stephen Shankland’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Stephen-Shankland/ Stephen Shankland’s Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/shankrad/ Stephen Shankland’s MuckRack: https://muckrack.com/stshank Stephen Shankland’s CNET profile: https://www.cnet.com/profiles/shankland/ Stephen Shankland’s CNET article on AI: https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/features/how-close-is-that-photo-to-the-truth-what-to-know-in-the-age-of-ai/ Open AI’s Chat GPT: https://chat.openai.com/ Open AI’s Dall-E: https://openai.com/dall-e-2 Open AI’s Sora: https://openai.com/sora Panasonic Lumix Cameras: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/panasonic-lumix-mirrorless-cameras/ci/39961

Transcribed - Published: 29 February 2024

How did a space-age invention become ubiquitous in today’s digital imaging landscape? Learn all about it here in our latest podcast, featuring pioneers of photography and digital imaging. In 1993, noted physicist and engineer Eric Fossum led the invention of the CMOS active-pixel image sensor as part of his work for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Then, as part of JPL’s mandate to seek commercial and consumer applications for emerging technologies, he was active in the transfer of the CMOS sensor’s “camera-on-a-chip” technology to industry. In our informative conversation with Professor Fossum, he makes distinctions between solid state CCDs and his more efficient CMOS sensor that would come to dominate the marketplace. To transform high-level science into layman’s terms, he uses the analogy of a bucket brigade collecting rain on a football field. In a similar down-to-earth fashion, we touch on metaphysical issues like wave particle duality, and how this is demonstrated every time light enters a camera and you take a picture with your phone. Join us to marvel at the wonders of science amid fun food references—from the way deep space radiation degrades CCD chips so they start to act like Swiss cheese, to the synergies between high-level scientific measurements and delicatessen lunch meats, both marks of a creative scientist and visionary educator. Guest: Eric Fossum Above photograph © John Sherman Photography, https://jshermanphoto.com/ Episode Timeline: 2:31: Eric Fossum’s beginnings in hands-on science explorations, computer programming, and his love for launching model rockets, plus the role photography has played in his life. 9:26: Fossum’s early research in CCD sensor technologies, his interest in trying to marry cameras to artificial intelligence, and his invitation to join NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1990. 14:00: The differences between CCD and CMOS sensors, and a description of how they work using the analogy of a bucket brigade to collect rain on a football field. 23:35: A history of active pixel sensor devices, an explanation about two kinds of image noise, the metaphysics of photons, plus how the wave particle duality from quantum mechanics is demonstrated every time you take a picture with your phone. 33:10: Fossum’s role in the transfer of CMOS sensor technology to US industry, co-founding his company Photobit, and negotiations for licensing the technology with CalTech. 43:23: Episode Break 44:36: The sale of Photobit to Micron, Fossum’s move to New Hampshire, consulting work on 3-D imaging sensors for Samsung TVs, and the beginnings of his teaching career at Dartmouth. 50:00: A book chapter on the future of image sensors, and the evolution of this idea to a university project, which led to Fossum co-founding the start-up company, Gigajot, with his PhD students. 52:30: Explaining the difference between the operation of CMOS and Quanta image sensors. 54:03: The resulting applications of CMOS image sensor technology, and the positive use of CMOS image sensors for social justice purposes. 57:22: Fossum’s thoughts about STEM education, and connections between academia and applications in the wider world. 1:01:32: Parting thoughts about AI and the ability to authenticate images at the source, plus Fossum’s newest award: The Trinity College President’s Medal for Science & Innovation. Guest Bio: Eric Fossum, a Queen Elizabeth Prize Laureate and recipient of a 2021 Emmy Award, is one of the world's experts in solid-state image sensors. He developed the CMOS active pixel image sensor while working at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Today, this “camera-on-a-chip” technology is used in almost all cell-phone cameras, webcams, many digital-still cameras and in medical imaging, among other applications. A serial entrepreneur, with a career that has spanned academic and government research, and entrepreneurial leadership, Fossum is currently the John H. Krehbiel Sr. Professor for Emerging Technologies at Dartmouth’s Thayer School of Engineering, where he teaches, performs image sensor research, and directs the School’s Ph.D. Innovation Program. He also serves as Dartmouth’s Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer. Stay Connected: Eric Fossum Website: https://ericfossum.com/ Eric Fossum Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Fossum Eric Fossum at the National Inventor’s Hall of Fame: https://www.invent.org/inductees/eric-r-fossum Eric Fossum at Dartmouth Engineering: https://engineering.dartmouth.edu/community/faculty/eric-fossum Eric Fossum bio from the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering: https://qeprize.org/winners/eric-fossum Eric Fossum’s 2021 Emmy Award in Tech and Engineering https://www.nhbr.com/dartmouth-professor-wins-emmy-award-for-image-sensor-technology/ Logitech: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/browse/Logitech/ci/13968/N/4232861614

Transcribed - Published: 16 February 2024

While Joshua Irwandi was born and raised in Indonesia, the early pictures he made during his first visit to the region of Asmat, in the province of West Papua, were less than satisfying to him. Yet his fascination with the people and the place stuck, inspiring him to embark on the long-term project Not a Blank Canvas. In this third installment of our monthly series, Picturing World Cultures, we speak with Irwandi about his experiences documenting the people and landscape of Asmat, which offers a window into long-held traditions and the sweeping changes he’s observed there over the past 10 years. Listen in as Irwandi describes how tapping into the region’s rich history through museum collections holding Asmat art proved an important part of his background research. We also discuss the connections he forged with the local Catholic church, and how the many years an American missionary spent learning about and embracing local ways led to a blending of Catholic celebrations and iconography with traditional Asmat feasts. Contrary to western holidays, Asmat feasts are celebrated for months on end, and Joshua sheds light on their mystical origins through dreams, and the performative rituals that he was privileged to witness and photograph. In equal measure, he touches on the changing roles of a people who are essentially subsistence hunter gatherers within contemporary society, and the recent effects of transmigration and gentrification on the region’s native inhabitants, which also forms a part of his documentation. Self-described as a naturally shy person, Irwandi’s approach to making pictures for this project is to play the long game, while planning for longer visits that allow him to be a “constant observer,” as he describes it. “I don’t pretend I have all the knowledge,” he says. “But I guess it’s easier to come and connect with the locals when you walk in like a new blank piece of book, wanting to learn, rather than assume that you know about them already.” If you haven’t already heard them, prior episodes of our podcast series Picturing World Cultures can be accessed at the links below: Wayne Quilliam discussing Australia’s indigenous communities: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-wayne-quilliam-australiatasmania Kiana Hayeri reflecting on her work in Iran and Afghanistan: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-kiana-hayeri-iran-afghanistan Guest: Joshua Irwandi Above photograph © Joshua Irwandi For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see: https://blogd7.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-joshua-irwandi-indonesia Stay Connected: Joshua Irwandi Website: https://www.joshuairwandi.com/ Joshua Irwandi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshirwandi/ Joshua Irwandi Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshua.irwandi/ Joshua Irwandi X: https://twitter.com/joshirwandi/ Asmat Museum of Culture and Progress: https://asmatmuseum.org/en/ Joshua Irwandi National Geographic Explorers Page: https://explorer-directory.nationalgeographic.org/joshua-irwandi Joshua Irwandi’s story for The Globe and Mail: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-how-to-move-a-capital-city-an-exclusive-look-at-indonesias-plan-to/ Pulitzer Prize page for Irwandi’s Photo The Human Cost of COVID-19: https://www.pulitzer.org/finalists/joshua-irwandi-freelance-photographer-national-geographic

Transcribed - Published: 1 February 2024

Press photographers have faced tough workplace challenges for quite some time. Yet, according to recent headlines, their job is about to get even tougher, due to current plans by many law enforcement agencies—particularly the NYPD—to encrypt radio calls, making live transmissions of breaking news inaccessible to common citizens and members of the press. Besides being a devastating blow to meddling old biddies and law enforcement buffs, this change has huge implications for photojournalists and news outlets, who depend on such communications as part of their workflow. Joining us to shed light on this matter, as well as to provide a general update on newspaper photojournalism today, are two generations of accredited newspaper photographers, Todd Maisel and Lloyd Mitchell. As a current board member and past vice president of the New York Press Photographers Association, Maisel has worked tirelessly to investigate and mediate the NYPD’s encryption plans. Among the many topics raised in our discussion are a shift in press accreditation from the NYPD to the Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment, competing interests within news organizations that prevent broadcasters from taking law enforcement to task, distinctions between police and fire departments when it comes to radio encryption, details about radio encryption rollouts in other US cities, and much more. Towards the end of our chat, Todd Maisel offers a compelling insight into his mission as a photojournalist, which speaks to the high stakes involving the matter at hand. “What I’m doing as a journalist is a sacred obligation. It’s a God-given right to do it, and to continue to do it, and to do a great job at it. And so, I made a promise to protect it, to protect freedom of the press.” Guests: Todd Maisel and Lloyd Mitchell Above photograph © Todd Maisel For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://blogd7.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/holding-to-truth-radio-encryption-the-press-with-todd-maisel-lloyd-mitchell Stay Connected: Todd Maisel Website: https://www.toddmaiselvisualjournalism.com/ Todd Maisel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toddmaisel/ Todd Maisel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ Todd Maisel on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ToddMaisel Lloyd Mitchell Website: https://lloydmitchell43.photoshelter.com/ Lloyd Mitchell on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lloydmitchellphotography/ https://www.instagram.com/urbanfirefightingportfolio/ Lloyd Mitchell on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/randymitchellwritesandphotographs/ Lloyd Mitchell on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lloydphoto NYPPA Website: https:// www.nyppa.org Todd Maisel on the Deadline for Newspaper Photojournalism Episode: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/podcast-a-deadline-for-newspaper-photojournalism

Transcribed - Published: 18 January 2024

Kiana Hayeri was born in Iran, and this was where she launched her career as a photojournalist and visual storyteller. Yet after traveling to Afghanistan for a 2014 assignment, she decided to relocate, spending the next eight years covering both the frontlines of conflict and everyday lives of the Afghan people. In this second installment of our monthly series, Picturing World Cultures, we speak with Hayeri about her experiences living and working in a region mired in cultural upheaval, failing infrastructure, and rife with political violence. Listen in as Hayeri shares insights about her early work documenting youth culture in both Iran and Afghanistan, while revealing subtle differences in how each society approaches a division between public and private life. When it comes to making pictures, Hayeri’s first concern is for the latent potential of her photographs to endanger the lives of her subjects. She elaborates on making conscious calculations in her head related to every small detail to mitigate this risk. Working as a woman within a patriarchal society involves great challenges, and we broach this subject, as well as the advantages she has when photographing culturally sensitive subjects. While Hayeri has little problem maintaining focus on the frontlines while immersed in her work, we also discuss the tolls of making pictures in traumatic situations, and the importance of taking breaks to reestablish a sense of normalcy and maintain health and sanity. Hayeri has worked with an extensive network of local contacts to arrange access for the stories she tells. She avoids using the term “fixer” for these essential collaborators, pointing out, “The credit for a lot of the stories that we work on goes to our local colleagues, because they are the ones who put themselves on the front of everything. It’s their reputation, their lives that they risk. I have a lot of respect for that.” Check out the first episode of our new podcast series Picturing World Cultures, featuring my interview with Australian photographer Wayne Quilliam, here: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-wayne-quilliam-australiatasmania Above photograph © Kiana Hayeri Guest: Kiana Hayeri For more information on our guest and the gear she uses, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-kiana-hayeri-iran-afghanistan Stay Connected: Kiana Hayeri Website: https://www.kianahayeri.com/ Kiana Hayeri Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kianahayeri/ Kiana Hayeri Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kianahj Kiana Hayeri Ted Talk: https://www.ted.com/speakers/kiana_hayeri

Transcribed - Published: 4 January 2024

2023 has certainly come and gone in a flash, meaning it’s time once again for us to reflect on new photo offerings in our ninth annual Cameras of the Year episode, now renamed Photo Gear of the Year. We’ll be talking with B&H Camera and Lighting Senior Sales Trainer Kevin Rickert. Featured in our discussion are 25 new releases from Canon, FUJIFILM, Leica, Nikon, Panasonic, Ricoh Pentax, Polaroid, and Sony. In addition to insights about each camera on our list, we also examine broader topics, such as manufacturers’ attempts to regain market share lost to smart phones through a growing crop of cameras geared toward content creation. Instant cameras are a popular trend, leading us to diverge from alphabetical order when discussing this growing product category. And with two monochrome models among this year’s offerings, we zoom in on the visual differences between pictures shot with these specialty cameras and those made by converting from color files. For listeners who enjoy a good debate, whet your appetite for the main course as we consider this year’s most touted technological advance—the global shutter. Finally, as an antidote to overindulgence that’s so common during this time of year, Rickert offers some practical advice about avoiding GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) with the tip “You date your cameras, marry your lenses.” Guest: Kevin Rickert For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/2023-photo-gear-of-the-year-with-kevin-rickert 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

Transcribed - Published: 28 December 2023

It’s likely that everyone reading this has used, or at the very least heard of Adobe’s ubiquitous piece of software called Photoshop. But are you familiar with the very first—and perhaps the most eccentric—of the evangelists working behind that magic curtain? Well, you’re about to meet him today, in our latest podcast featuring pioneers of photography and imaging. As Adobe employee number 38, graphic designer Russell Preston Brown was in the room when brothers Thomas and John Knoll showed up to demonstrate a new piece of software, in 1988. Suitably impressed with what he saw, Russell made a beeline to Adobe co-founder John Warnock and uttered the imperative “Buy it! Now!” Thirty-five years later, Brown has not lost an ounce of passion for concocting magic with digital imaging tools, and for sharing his knowledge with other users during his outlandish workshops and events. Join us for a rollicking chat with this shapeshifting impresario in cowboy attire. From Brown’s earliest training in darkroom photography to his current digital workflow syncing a mobile phone with Profoto lighting gear, we cover a lot of ground. Throughout our discussion, we reflect on the revolutionary effects of technological advances, plus Brown’s uncanny luck to be there in the middle of the zeitgeist, which led him to a telling analogy: “Yes, I was in the right place at the right time. I made my fair share of contributions, but it all comes back to—what if the Knoll brothers had not decided to make Photoshop? I want to see that Jimmy Stewart episode of “A Wonderful Life,” where Photoshop didn’t appear. Would we be using Letrasets?...” Guest: Russell Preston Brown For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://blogd7.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/adobes-first-evangelist-russell-preston-brown Above photograph © Russell Preston Brown Episode Timeline: 2:47: A peak behind the scenes of Brown’s early experiences at Adobe and what constituted working as a graphic designer back in 1985. 10:24: Brown’s early training in darkroom photography, the type of photos he made and the tech transitions to the mobile phones that he works with today. 15:55: Thomas Knoll calls the iPhone a hallucination of what you are seeing in terms of colors, dynamic range, and quality of light. It gives us what we want to remember from that moment. 19:45: Brown’s workflow for shooting with an iPhone synched to Profoto strobes and other lighting modifiers, and his ability to carry everything around in one bag. 24:12: Comparing image captures from different brands of mobile phones: iPhone, Google Pixel 7 and Samsung 23. Plus, make sure to use a solar filter over the lens when photographing the eclipse. 31:27: Brown’s experiences working directly with programmers in the development of Photoshop, plus working one-on-one with a programmer to develop actions, scripts, and panels for his own Photoshop tools. 36:06: Episode Break 36:39: Brown reflects on his rapport with photographic purists during early presentations about Photoshop—from a photojournalism conference in Perpignan, France, to an early discussion about digital with Greg Gorman. 42:39: Adobe’s earliest dreams and goals about prepress and processing images to create CMYK output for print publication, and the subsequent ability to access Raw data. 47:15: Differentiating between generations of Adobe users and how they employ the software, plus distinguishing between Lightroom Classic and Lightroom Desktop. 51:46: Applications that have kept all the original tool sets, offering many routes to similar results, to serve the full range and successive generations of its user base. 54:00: The question of AI and differences between typing text and using AI prompts, or taking one’s original photographs and supplementing them with AI through Photoshop’s Generative Fill. 1:03:39: The dangers of using creative tools incorrectly, and Brown’s predictions about creative trends to come. Guest Bio: Russell Preston Brown is the Senior Creative Director at Adobe Systems Incorporated, as well as an Emmy Award-winning instructor. His ability to bring together the world of design and software development is a perfect match for Adobe products. In Brown 's 38 years of creative experience at Adobe, he has contributed to the evolution of Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator with feature enhancements, and advanced scripts. Most recently he has started to travel the world with a mobile phone camera to capture his adventures from a whole new creative perspective. This new age of mobile photography has sparked his creativity and has inspired a variety of new imaging directions. Brown also specializes in inspirational hands-on training at Adobe MAX, where he shows users how to work and play with Adobe software. He shares his delight in testing the creative limits of his tools as a prolific creator of an entertaining collection of Photoshop tips and tricks. His in-depth design knowledge and zany presentation style have won him a regular following among beginning, intermediate, and advanced Photoshop users alike. A live performance of the Russell Brown Show is not to be missed. Stay Connected: Russell Preston Brown Website: https://russellbrown.com/ Russell Preston Brown on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_brown/ Russell Preston Brown on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/russellprestonbrown/ Russell Preston Brown on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/therussellbrownshow/videos Russell Preston Brown on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user6594224 Russell Preston Brown at the Photoshop Hall of Fame: https://www.photoshophalloffame.com/russell-brown Adobe Max: https://www.adobe.com/max.html

Transcribed - Published: 21 December 2023

“The eye should learn to listen before it looks.” – Robert Frank Australian photographer Wayne Quilliam used to consider his camera as a tool, but today it’s become his “companion.” This is just one of the inspiring takeaways from our chat for the new monthly podcast series, “Picturing World Cultures.” Listen in as Quilliam describes his journey—from growing up on the island state of Tasmania knowing little about his indigenous roots, to gaining a fascination with culture while traveling with the Royal Australian Navy, to his current roles as a leading indigenous imagemaker and cultural ambassador. When it comes to making pictures, Quilliam differentiates between an older approach of maintaining photographic objectivity and more contemporary methods for immersing yourself in a story to have a stronger sense of connection with subjects, and a better understanding of what that story will become. We also discuss aboriginal cultural protocols, and Quilliam offers surprising insights into the unique relationship between culture and skin color in Australia’s indigenous communities. Stay to the end for tips about photographing culturally sensitive subjects by listening for images rather than seeing them, and Quilliam’s following parting advice. • Know who you are as a person and what your role is within the journey. • Make sure you’re as informed as possible about your subject and the who, what, how, why, when, and where of the story and end goal. • And most important, offer total respect to both the land and people as part of your photographic process. Above photograph © Wayne Quilliam Guests: Wayne Quilliam For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see: https://blogd7.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/picturing-world-cultures-wayne-quilliam-australiatasmania Stay Connected: Wayne Quilliam Website: https://aboriginal.photography/ Wayne Quilliam Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waynequilliam/ Wayne Quilliam Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AustralianAboriginalPhotography/ Wayne Quilliam Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/waynequilliamphotography/# Wayne Quilliam book Culture is Life: https://www.hardiegrant.com/au/publishing/bookfinder/book/wayne-quilliam_-culture-is-life-2nd-edition-by-wayne-quilliam/9781741178760 Wayne Quilliam interactive exhibit “Connection”: https://www.thelumemelbourne.com/connection

Transcribed - Published: 7 December 2023

Lee Miller may have been best known in life as a beautiful muse of the legendary Surrealist Man Ray yet, shortly after her passing, a lucky accident led her family to an attic treasure trove, which made her a photography legend in her own right. During this week’s podcast, we unpack the details of this extraordinary tale, and hear many other anecdotes from Miller’s adventurous life, in a chat with her son and biographer, Antony Penrose. From her swift ascent as a ’20s-era Vogue fashion model—and the ad campaign that sidelined her appeal—to her audacious exploits as an accredited war correspondent for the very same magazine, Penrose sheds light on a woman who lived many lives, as exemplified in the title of his first book. Miller’s remarkable bravery as a World War II combat photographer was recently immortalized in the feature film “Lee,” starring Kate Winslet, which is another facet of our chat. Penrose describes what it was like to work with the actress as she plumbed Miller’s archive for her character development, how she mastered the operation of a custom-made Rolleiflex, and how the camera became a personality in itself as part of the film. Penrose had a troubled relationship with his mother during much of her life, as she struggled with PTSD and the enduring effects wartime atrocities had on her psyche. His reflections on her struggles and her accomplishments reveal the very human core of a creative powerhouse who lived in the moment, in true Surrealist fashion. “This person who I had dismissed as being a useless drunk, now had other dimensions to her, which I was totally astonished by,” recounts Penrose about the treasures she left behind in the attic. “… it had never occurred to me that her career was so distinguished, and so varied, and so absolutely groundbreaking in terms of being a woman war correspondent. And so, that’s how it began.” So, pop in your earbuds and listen in… this is an episode you won’t want to miss! Above photograph © 2023 Lee Miller Archives, England. All rights reserved. www.leemiller.co.uk Guests: Antony Penrose For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/lee-miller-combat-photographer-fashion-model-muse-with-antony-penrose Stay Connected: Lee Miller Archives at Farleys House: https://www.leemiller.co.uk/ Lee Miller: Photographs book: https://www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/books/lee-miller-photographs-hardcover The Lives of Lee Miller biography: https://www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/books/the-lives-of-lee-miller-softcover The film “Lee” on IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5112584/ “Surrealist Lee Miller”” exhibit in Melbourne, Australia: https://www.heide.com.au/exhibitions/surrealist-lee-miller/ “Lee Miller in Print” exhibit in Rotterdam: https://www.boijmans.nl/en/exhibitions/lee-miller-in-print “Seeing is Believing: Lee Miller & Friends” exhibit at Gagosian Gallery: https://gagosian.com/exhibitions/2023/seeing-is-believing-lee-miller-and-friends/

Transcribed - Published: 30 November 2023

This episode of the B&H Photography Podcast was originally released on November 10, 2017. We revisit it today in honor of Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary, and the holiday of Thanksgiving. With great thanks to Vikki Tobak and the Contact High Project, we welcome three photographers to our studio who are responsible for some of the most iconic images from the history of hip-hop. Janette Beckman, Eric Johnson, and Danny Hastings join us to tell the stories behind their photos of RUN-DMC, Wu Tang Clan, Lauryn Hill, and many others. We also speak about issues important to photographers, from on-set technique, to artistic collaboration and influence, to gear, to networking and, of course, copyright and image licensing. For us, this was a highly anticipated recording, and it did not disappoint. Whether you are a hip-hop fan interested in behind-the-scenes stories or a photographer looking for insight, join podcast host Allan Weitz, founding creative producer John Harris, and sound engineer Jason Tables for this epic chat. Above photograph © Janette Beckman Guests: Janette Beckman, Danny Hastings, Eric Johnson, and Vikki Tobak For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/a-history-of-hip-hop-photography-encore-episode-from-november-2017 Stay Connected: Janette Beckman Website: https://janettebeckman.com/ Janette Beckman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janettephoto/ Danny Hastings Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannyhastings/ Upstairs at Eric’s: https://upstairsaterics.org/ Eric Johnson Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upstairsaterics/ Vikki Tobak Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vikkitobak/ Vikki Tobak Contact High Project: https://www.contacthighproject.com/ Contact High Exhibition: https://www.mopop.org/exhibitions-plus-events/exhibitions/contact-high/

Transcribed - Published: 23 November 2023

1950s America proved fertile ground for photographers Robert Frank and Todd Webb, who both received Guggenheim Foundation grants to traverse the country in 1955 and record their respective visions. While Frank’s resulting book, The Americans, eventually made him a legend, Webb’s photographs remained unpublished, and were all but lost to history due to a 1970s-era business deal gone bad. The saga of Webb’s unaccounted-for archive and its eventual recovery is one of the juicier tidbits from today’s show, which focuses on the long-awaited opportunity to compare, contrast, and rediscover Frank and Webb’s respective visions from their travels in the exhibition America and Other Myths. Joining us in this discussion are Lisa Volpe, photography curator at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and Bill Shapiro, former Life magazine editor-in-chief. Journey back to the Nifty Fifties astride these two photographers as we examine how two distinct proposals to discover America at mid-century evolved along the open road and in the context of the era’s social tenure. In the words of Lisa Volpe, “They both saw the same social ills playing out in American culture, they just talked about them differently.” Above photograph © The June Leaf and Robert Frank Foundation Guests: Lisa Volpe & Bill Shapiro For more information on our guests and they gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/1950s-america-as-seen-by-robert-frank-todd-webb-with-lisa-volpe-bill-shapiro Stay Connected: America and Other Myths Exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston: https://www.mfah.org/exhibitions/robert-frank-todd-webb-across-america-1955 America and Other Myths exhibition catalog: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300270891/america-and-other-myths/ Robert Frank Archive at the MFAH: https://www.mfah.org/films/robert-frank-collection June Leaf & Robert Frank Foundation Website: https://leaffrankfoundation.org/ Todd Webb Archive: https://www.toddwebbarchive.com/news-events Blind Magazine articles by Bill Shapiro: https://www.blind-magazine.com/stories/on-the-road/ https://www.blind-magazine.com/stories/youre-wrong-about-robert-frank/ https://www.blind-magazine.com/stories/treasure-and-junk/ Robert Frank film footage from Blind Magazine: https://www.blind-magazine.com/stories/exclusive-never-before-seen-video-of-robert-frank/ Bill Shapiro Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billshapiro/ Todd Webb in Africa episode on the B&H Photography Podcast: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/podcast-todd-webb-in-africa%E2%80%94rediscovered-color-photographs

Transcribed - Published: 16 November 2023

B&H recently celebrated its 50th Anniversary, hosting a spectacular two-day celebration for the creator community, Bild Expo 2023, at New York’s Jacob Javits Center. The podcast’s past three episodes have featured in-depth interviews with a few of the esteemed speakers gracing Bild’s four presenter stages. If you haven’t already done so, please give them a listen, and then—hold on to your hats—in this episode we’re trying something different! To prepare for some fun during the show, we assembled a mobile studio and cooked up a three-question Bild Creator Quiz to spring on imagemakers who crossed our path. Once at Javits, we went on the prowl for subjects willing to be ambushed. Our resulting interviews feature a select group of attendees, expo vendors, Bild speakers, and B&H staff members. Ever since the show wrapped, we’ve been hard at work, combining the short clips we captured live with a narrated story line to take listeners on a virtual stroll through most aspects of the show. We hope you enjoy this taste of the intense, intoxicating, creative camaraderie that permeated the Bild experience. Happy Anniversary B&H—here’s to another 50 years of creativity and growth! Above photograph courtesy of B&H Photo Guests: Menashe Horowitz, Cliff Hausner, Mason Resnick, Michael Yamashita, Matt Hill, Nicolas Roman, Elizabeth Krist, Scott Kelby, Christian Domecq, John Harris, Ron Magill, Michael Mansfield, Patricia Beary, Linda Hacker, Erica Price, Brandon Remler, Dana Glidden, Ami Vitale, David Brommer For more information on our guests and they gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/connecting-the-creator-community-bh-bild-ambush-interviews Stay Connected: B&H Photo Instagram Feed: https://www.instagram.com/bhphoto/ Cliff Hausner: https://www.instagram.com/cliffhausner/ Mason Resnick: https://www.instagram.com/mason_resnick/ Michael Yamashita: https://www.instagram.com/yamashitaphoto/ Matt Hill: https://www.instagram.com/matthillart/ Elizabeth Krist: https://www.visualthinkingcollective.com/elizabeth-cheng-krist Scott Kelby: https://www.instagram.com/scottkelby/ John Harris: https://www.instagram.com/jrockfoto/ Ron Magill: https://www.instagram.com/ronmagillwildlife/ Michael Mansfield/Maine Media Workshops: https://www.instagram.com/mainemedia/ Soho Photo Gallery: https://www.instagram.com/sohophotogallery/ Erica Price: https://www.instagram.com/eternalpixny/ Brandon Remler: https://www.instagram.com/brandonremler/ Dana Glidden: https://www.instagram.com/danadigital/ Ami Vitale: https://www.instagram.com/amivitale/ David Brommer: https://www.instagram.com/suspectphotography/

Transcribed - Published: 2 November 2023

Have you ever struggled with editing your images to present in a portfolio or as a story pitch? If so, our conversation in this podcast might be of some help. We recently had the great fortune to speak with one of the finest picture editors in the business, former National Geographic photographer, photo editor, and director of photography, Sarah Leen, who we interviewed as part of our coverage of B&H’s 50th Anniversary Bild Expo 2023. Sarah has worked all sides of the table, starting in the field with a camera in hand, then transitioning to a photo editor, and ultimately being tapped to lead National Geographic as Director of Photography in 2013—the first woman ever selected for this role. Among the topics covered in this chat are Sarah’s shift from picture maker to photo editor and how she gained the credentials to take on such a role. We make the important distinction between editing the work of others vs. a photographer editing his or her own images, emphasizing the added difficulty of disconnecting from personal experience to make objective decisions, and how the guidance of a skilled photo editor can help. Turning to her career trajectory, Sarah explains the differences between a photo editor and the director of photography, which is a managerial role. And, when it comes to the recent organizational changes at National Geographic—not to mention within the industry at large—Sarah clarifies that, despite ceasing newsstand sales, the magazine will still be widely available in print, yet by subscription only. We end our chat with details about Sarah’s current work as an independent photo editor and educator, her founding of the Visual Thinking Collective with three former colleagues, and the upcoming release of her latest book project Ukraine: A War Crime, featuring work by 93 photographers. Above photograph © Sarah Leen Guest: Sarah Leen For more information on our guest and the gear she uses, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/communicating-visually-expert-tips-from-photo-editor-sarah-leen-at-bild Stay Connected: Sarah Leen Website: https://www.sarahleen.com Sarah Leen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roseleen Sarah Leen X: https://twitter.com/sleen3 Sarah Leen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.leen.92 Visual Thinking Collective Website: https://www.visualthinkingcollective.com FotoEvidence Website and the book Ukraine: A War Crime: https://fotoevidence.com/books/ukraine-a-war-crime-by-ninety-three-photojournalists

Transcribed - Published: 26 October 2023

As Deanne Fitzmaurice describes it, a photojournalist’s job is part sociology and part archeology, but most important, it’s being on the cutting edge of what’s happening, telling stories about people. It’s this combination of varied disciplines, connecting with subjects, and learning something new every day that has held her fascination from her very beginnings at the San Francisco Chronicle through to the rich tapestry she’s woven as a visual storyteller today. We recently sat down with Fitzmaurice to gain insights into the many facets of her career as part of our coverage of B&H’s 50th Anniversary Bild Expo 2023. During our chat, Fitzmaurice regales us with details from some of her most impactful projects, including the challenging mix of sensitivity and perseverance needed to tell the story of Saleh, a seriously injured Iraqi boy. After explaining how this assignment morphed from a one-day news story into a Pulitzer-prize-winning long-term project, we take a deep dive into how image selection and sequencing were key to this award-winning series. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Fitzmaurice also describes confronting baseball great Barry Bonds about his problem with photographers, which shattered his impenetrable armor and resulted in her gaining exclusive access to photograph him both on and off the field. When discussing essential rules of journalistic ethics and credibility in documenting an unfolding scene, Fitzmaurice points to the category of portraiture as a rare opportunity to shift out of fly on the wall mode to direct the subject and build rapport. We conclude our chat with insights about the role luck has played in her career, and how she puts herself in a position for synchronicity to unfold. Above photograph © Deanne Fitzmaurice Guest: Deanne Fitzmaurice For more information on our guest and the gear she uses, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/taking-chances-on-stories-to-tell-photojournalist-deanne-fitzmaurice-at-bild Stay Connected: Deanne Fitzmaurice Website: https://www.deannefitzmaurice.com/ Deanne Fitzmaurice Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deannefitzmaurice/ Deanne Fitzmaurice X: https://twitter.com/deanne_fitz Deanne Fitzmaurice Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeanneFitzmauricePhotography Think-tank: https://www.thinktankphoto.com/

Transcribed - Published: 19 October 2023

Water is essential to life on Earth. The health of our oceans—and its inhabitants—is equally crucial to maintaining Earth’s delicate balance. This is an apt takeaway from our exclusive chat with renowned underwater photographer and filmmaker Brian Skerry, as part of our coverage of B&H’s 50th Anniversary Bild Expo 2023. Above photograph © Brian Skerry We sat down with Skerry shortly before his presentation on the Bild Expo Main Stage to get the full scoop on his career arc, from a youthful fantasy of being an ocean explorer in the mold of Indiana Jones to his more recent work interpreting the culture of whales and other inhabitants of the deep. We also delve into sobering concerns about the extreme geologic change Skerry has witnessed in the oceans over time. With such facts in mind, he describes the responsibility he feels to combine scientific research and powerful storytelling, so that we may better understand our relationship to nature, and to change our behaviors for the better. Guest: Brian Skerry For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/why-oceans-matter-underwater-photographer-brian-skerry-at-bild Stay Connected: Brian Skerry Website: https://brianskerry.com/ Brian Skerry Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianskerry/ Brian Skerry X: https://www.twitter.com/brian_skerry/ Brian Skerry Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brian.skerry/ Brian Skerry - Secrets of the Whales: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/tv/shows/secrets-of-the-whales Brian Skerry - The Sentient Sea Exhibit, Siena, Italy: https://festival.sienawards.com/en/brian-skerry-2/ Brian Skerry - Ocean Odyssey Exhibit, Paris, France: https://www.atelier-lumieres.com/en/ocean-odyssey

Transcribed - Published: 12 October 2023

Artificial intelligence is a polarizing topic, and its rapid evolution within content creation has set our once familiar world on edge. To help demystify this gargantuan subject and add clarity to important concerns, we’re turning to an artist positioned at the very center of the debate between photography and AI imagery. Above photograph © Boris Eldagsen German media artist Boris Eldagsen made global headlines after entering his AI-generated image, “The Electrician,” in the Sony World Photography Awards. He won a top prize, and then ultimately declined the award due to a lack of open discussion about the need to categorize photographs and AI-generated imagery differently. Join us for this frank and informative discussion about generative AI. Some of the diverse topics we cover include ways creativity is shared between man and machine, the effects of different languages (and even phrasing) when creating text prompts, inherent biases in AI training data and ways to counter this, the emergence of AI agencies, the newly created job title of Prompt Engineer, and much, much more. And for those listeners who fear AI as a threat to their photo careers, our discussion ends on an upbeat note, with the classification of generative AI as a knowledge accelerator, being most beneficial to practitioners with a solid background in traditional photography and the visual arts. To quote Eldagsen, “For the first time in history, the older generation has an advantage...” We’ll let you listen to hear the end. Guests: Boris Eldagsen For more information on our guest and the gear he uses, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/fake-memories-promptography-and-generative-ai-with-boris-eldagsen Stay Connected: Boris Eldagsen Website: https://www.eldagsen.com/ Boris Eldagsen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boriseldagsen/ Boris Eldagsen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boriseldagsen Boris Eldagsen YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EldagsenBoris/ Boris Eldagsen Workshops: https://www.eldagsen.com/lecturingworkshops/ Boris Eldagsen Panama Exhibition: https://www.eldagsen.com/pseudomnesia3/

Transcribed - Published: 28 September 2023

Above photograph © Ashok Sinha How central is your personal drive and unique creative vision to the pictures you make? If these characteristics strike a chord or are traits to which you aspire, then you won’t want to miss our inspiring chats with photographers Ashok Sinha and Anabel DFlux. We caught up with both of these accomplished creatives earlier this year at B&H’s 2023 Depth of Field Conference. We begin with architectural photographer Ashok Sinha, whose personal project to document iconic mid-century structures and classic cars in Southern California resulted in the crowd-pleasing monograph Gas & Glamour, now in its second printing. Sinha offers valuable insights about how channeling his passions and not overthinking the details allowed him to bring his photography career to new heights—resulting in his work being displayed as a massive billboard in downtown LA, released as limited-edition NFTs, and featured in gallery exhibitions in collaboration with an international fashion brand. After the break, professional animal photographer Anabel DFlux describes how she fashioned a personal penchant for pets into a sustainable career path while still a teen. Yet, despite her clear passion for and talent with pets, DFlux reaches beyond a single photographic specialty to cultivate work across multiple niches—including the heady realm of rock and roll. Check out these real-life career examples and walk away with an equal measure of inspiration and practical tips. Guests: Ashok Sinha and Anabel DFlux For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: blogd7.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podca…-anabel-dflux Stay Connected: Ashok Sinha Website: https://ashoksinha.com Ashok Sinha Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashoksinhaphoto Ashok Sinha Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashok.sinha.3720 Ashok Sinha Twitter: https://twitter.com/ashoksinhaphoto Ashok Sinha YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ashoksinha2167 Ashok Sinha Gas and Glamour book: https://ashoksinha.com/BOOK/1 Anabel DFlux Website: https://www.deliquesceflux.com Anabel DFlux Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anabeldflux Anabel DFlux Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeliquesceFlux Anabel DFlux YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/anabeldflux Anabel DFlux at Sigma: https://blog.sigmaphoto.com/author/anabel-dflux Pelican Cases Link: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/browse/Pelican/ci/4457/N/4232860887

Transcribed - Published: 14 September 2023

Rodney Smith was a photographic visionary, with an allegiance to the image above all else. Long acclaimed for his iconic black-and-white pictures—not to forget his later jewel-like color scenes—Smith captured enchanted worlds full of subtle magic and lighthearted humor. Using only analog film and the aesthetics of natural light, his dream-like photographs are matched in quality by the craft and physical beauty of his prints. Smith died in 2016, yet the enduring precision, elegance, and whimsy of his world view is nowhere more evident than in our conversation with Leslie Smolan, his widow and executive director of his estate; and his long-time assistant, master printer Terence Falk. Listen in as Smolan discusses key aspects of Smith’s career development and describes her recent collaboration with the J. Paul Getty Museum on the book, Rodney Smith: A Leap of Faith. And Falk provides firsthand anecdotes about the unique experience of working on a Rodney Smith shoot—an experience that led one powerful New York executive to call his secretary from a midtown pay phone and exclaim, “I feel like I’m in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off!” As New York Fashion Week ushers in the fall season, we’re looking back on the career of one of the most distinctive photographers to infuse business and fashion with a timeless sense of style and grace. Guests: Leslie Smolan and Terence Falk For more information on our guests and their gear they use, see: The Estate of Rodney Smith Website: rodneysmith.com/ The Estate of Rodney Smith Facebook: www.facebook.com/rodneysmithphotography/ The Estate of Rodney Smith Instagram: www.instagram.com/_rodneysmith/ The Estate of Rodney Smith Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/rodneysmithpics/ Rodney Smith Lecture at the B&H Event Space: www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photog…mith-1970-2016 Conversation about Rodney Smith at FIT Amphitheater: www.fitnyc.edu/museum/events/index.php Rodney Smith Exhibition at Staley Wise Gallery in New York: www.staleywise.com/exhibitions/rodney-smith2 Rodney Smith: A Remembrance with Dr Rebecca Senf: santafeworkshops.com/creativity-con…-rebecca-senf/ Rodney Smith: A Leap of Faith book: shop.getty.edu/products/rodney-s…th-978-1606068465

Transcribed - Published: 6 September 2023