Behind the Shot - Video

Alex Buisse is an adventure photographer based out of Alberta, Canada, but it would seem that Chamonix, France has his heart – at least photographically. Alex is a climber, but around the same time he fell in love with that, he also fell into photography. The combination of those two passions allows Alex to create some absolutely stunning photographs. These two disciplines seem to feed each other, and by Alex’s own admission have caused him to climb bigger and wilder mountains so that he would get better images. This balance of the physical art of climbing and the creative art of photography have also caused him to constantly work to become a better photographer. Imagine making some extremely difficult climbs only to not be able to do the scene justice in the resulting photos. That would be such a loss for us, the viewers. Over a decade ago Alex was studying Computer Science when he dropped out to move to the climbing mecca of Chamonix, France to pursue adventure photography full time. I’m not sure how his parents felt about it at the time, but based on his portfolio, the world is a better place because we get the benefit of seeing his amazing work. Alex’s work has provided him with some amazing opportunities, and unique life experiences. Alex has sailed an expedition yacht around Cape Horn, been invited to an Ethiopian coffee ceremony in Dadaab Refugee Camp, photographed Usain Bolt at the Olympics, skied to the North Pole, named three (small) mountains in Greenland, adventure raced through Tierra del Fuego, climbed on K2 and been winched from a rescue helicopter at night – on purpose! Alex is that person we have all heard about, the one that makes you realize you haven’t been living your life to the fullest. Along with his adventure photography, he has branched out into a few other genres, including portraiture, humanitarian, automotive and industrial. His ability to deal with the complicated logistics of shooting in wild places, with unpredictable weather, make him a sought after talent. His client list is a Who’s Who: Patagonia Garmin BMW Nissan Novartis VISA Red Bull Microsoft Scandinavian Airlines Adidas Arc’teryx Petzl Black Diamond Sports Illustrated The Economist International Olympic Committee Chamonix-Mont-Blanc NationalGeographic.com CNN Alex is also one of the over 600 photographers in 41 countries that represented by the art production agency Wonderful Machine. Wonderful Machine is a very interesting concept, with a list of photographers that is top notch. I have to admit I am excited to try and get a few others from their roster on the show. Join climber and adventure photographer Alex Buisse and me as we discuss his world of adventure photography, and as we take a deep dive, or should that be deep climb, into his image of Jeff Mercier climbing out of the depths of a moulin, a crevasse in Mer de Glace, Chamonix, France, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Alex Portfolio: alexbuisse.com Climbing Posters: montblanclines.com Instagram: @alexbuisse Twitter: @alexbuisse Facebook: @alexbuissephotography Alex’s Book Mont Blanc Lines: French | Italian | English (Release October 6, 2022) Alex’s Photographer Picks Danielle Villasana: daniellevillasana.com | @davillasana Eric Bouvet: ericbouvet.com | @ericbouvet Alex’s App Picks Sun Seeker: www.ozpda.com | Android | iOS FatMap: fatmap.com | Android | iOS Photographers Ephemeris: photoephemeris.com | iOS | iOS 3D

At WPPI this year I ran into Vanessa Joy, my first time meeting her in person. We chatted about the classes and workshops she was doing at the conference, and the friend I was with suggested that I get her on the show again. I had such a great time when Vanessa was on the show the first time, talking about how to Elevate Your Wedding Photography, that when she agreed to do it I jumped at the chance. As I was thinking about this show, I knew that I wanted to do something different than the first one. She is a world renowned wedding photographer, and a Canon Explorer of Light, so there had to be a way I could approach this show uniquely. That’s when it hit me… Every show we take one image and explore and dissect the multiple aspects required to make the image. From the planning and pre-visualization, to exposure, lighting, post production, posing and more. What if we reversed that process? What if we picked just one of those aspects and examined it through multiple working scenarios, using multiple image examples per scenario? Vanessa Joy is an expert in posing, so I knew what the main topic would be. She has a free Posing Inspiration Guide, and a Speed Posing Course at speedposing.com. The hard part was trying to find a way to approach posing on multiple levels. What I settled on was four photo shoot scenarios: Solo, Couples, Standard Groups, and Random Groups – let me explain… Solo Subjects would be anytime you have just one person in front of the camera; Couples would be when you have two subjects in front of the camera, whether they are actual couples or not; Standard Groups – OK I wasn’t sure what to call it, but basically think of this as when you have a group of people on almost the same focal plane – like when you say “everyone get together”; and the last one is how I think of a band portrait, or a commercial type shoot – that’s a Random Group, as in randomly placing subjects not only left to right, but forward and backwards on the Z axis. Obviously, we could go into every possible scenario you might encounter, but even then someone would say something crazy “I need the groom in a tree and the bride in a boat”. There is just no way to cover every scenario, so we are going to do these four, with 3 different image examples per category. Since Vanessa is a wedding photographer, we are using mostly wedding type images here, but you can of course apply the concepts we discuss to any genre. And let me just add, when I say she is a world renowned wedding photographer, that there are only five Canon Explorers of Light in the field of Wedding Photography – just five, and Vanessa is one of them. Vanessa Joy photographs weddings from Austin and Dallas, TX, to New Jersey, New York City, and Manhattan, and of course is sought after for destination weddings. Her style is photojournalistic, and has led to multiple awards. Her work has been seen in The Knot, RangeFinder, Grace Ormonde, Brides, and more. As an educator, she has 11 classes on CreativeLive, and you can even buy her preset packs. And yes, she’s an author, with her book “The Off-Camera Flash Handbook: 32 Scenarios for Creating Beautiful Light and Stunning Photographs” available now, and she has 3 new digital books: The Business Of Wedding Photography, Building & Marketing Your Wedding Business, and The Art Of Wedding Photography. Vanessa Joy is at the top of the wedding photography game, and I am so glad to have her on the show once again. Please join Canon Explorer of Light Vanessa Joy and me as we take a deep dive into Posing Tips, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Vanessa Website: vanessajoy.com Website for Photographers: breatheyourpassion.com Blog: vanessajoyphotographyblog.com Twitter: @vanessa__joy Instagram: @vanessajoy Facebook: @VJoyPhoto YouTube: @vanessajoy Vanessa’s Videos Mentioned During the Show Budget Photography Gear Shootout Featuring Miguel Quiles: YouTube Old Hollywood Style Engagement Photo Shoot (Behind The Scenes): YouTube Vanessa’s Books The Off-Camera Flash Handbook: 32 Scenarios for Creating Beautiful Light and Stunning Photographs: Amazon The Art of Wedding Photography: Amazon The Business of Wedding Photography: Amazon Building and Marketing Your Wedding Business: Amazon Vanessa’s Secrets To Perfect Poses Speed Posing Course: speedposing.com Free Guide: Posing Inspiration Guide Vanessa’s Store Online Store: breatheyourpassion.com Vanessa’s Questionnaire FREE Couples Photo Shoot Questionnaire: Vanessa’s Classes CreativeLive: creativelive.com (Be sure to check out the CreativeLive discount code here) Vanessa’s Photographer Picks Joe Buissink: joebuissink.com

George Schaub is a photographer’s photographer, and that may be the best compliment I can give anyone. George has a been a professional photographer since 1966, when he was the House photographer for promotion, brochures, and events at International House, NYC – and he’s been a writer for almost as long. From the 1970s through the 2000s his career took off, with articles published in Studio Photography magazine, followed by articles and illustrations in the New York Times Sunday Arts and Leisure section, Video Photography, Lens Magazine, Lens on Campus, Photographer’s Forum, Camera Arts, Photo District News, and a monthly column in Darkroom Photography magazine. George was a regular contributor to Travel Holiday magazine and he had photo and technology related articles in consumer magazines such as Popular Mechanics, Travel & Leisure, Men’s Journal, and American Photographer. After covering the L.A. olympics, George was hired as an Assistant Editor at popular Photography magazine, and later became a writer and copy editor, before eventually becoming the Executive Editor. With all of that experience, George has also been heavily involved on the education side of photography, through his writing, and his workshops through a number of educational outlets, including the famed Santa Fe Photo Workshops. He was an Adjunct Professor at New School University/Parsons School of Design, teaching courses that included a General Intro lecture course, a Masters Class in Black and White Printing, Digital Camera intro; Advanced Photo Techniques; Digital Photo Processing, and Digital Printing. He has also been an Adjunct Professor at Sitka University for online critiques and assignments. His body of work is extensive, and after a number of photo and illustration books, some of which have been self-published, George’s latest book is In Public, which covers his street photography from 1970 through 2020. Join author, educator, and photographer George Schaub and me as we explore his approach to Street Photography, his new book In Public, and his photo Illusion Realite, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with George Portfolio: gschaub.zenfolio.com Instagram: @gschaubphoto Facebook: facebook.com EBay: ebay.com George’s Book In Public: blurb.com George’s Photographer Pick W. Eugene Smith: magnumphotos.com

Rick Sammon has said that he specializes in not specializing, and I am seeing that approach to photography more often. Today’s guest is Will Cadena, and his portfolio include Weddings, Bar / Bat Mitzvahs, Corporate Events, Commercial work, and Cinematography, and the entire body of work is world class. Will brings a sense of space to his images, with subjects that pop off the background. His lighting never leaves the subjects without their environment, while at the same time keeping the background in it’s place. I’m browsing his site while writing this, and there is just an amazing richness to his work. Needless to say, picking an image for this show was difficult. Having started taking an interest in photography at a young age, today he is a sought after speaker. He has educated audiences at the Canon Experience Center, and the Fundy Inspiration Workshop to inspire Disney’s Fine Art photographers at Disney World. He’s spoken at PhotoPlus NY, and is a Speaker & International Judge at WPPI. From Imaging USA to the Vegas Symposium Will Cadena is helping to advance the creative community. His client list ranges from FJ Westcott and Think Tank Photo to Synology, Wacom, Sekonic and Celebrate. From Shinzo Abe – the Prime Minister of Japan, to Johnny Depp, Derek Jeter, Michael Bloomberg or Timothy Gunn, it seems Will can work in any situation regardless of pressure. Join photographer Will Cadena and me for a chat about everything from shooting on location to overpowering the sun, and as we dissect how he made his beautiful fashion photo, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Will Portfolio: willcadena.com Instagram: @WillCadena Twitter: @WillCadena Facebook: @WillCadenaPhotography Vimeo: @WillCadena Conferences with Will as a Speaker VegasSymposium: vegassymposium.com PHOTOPLUS: photoplusexpo.com Wedding MBA: weddingmba.com Imaging USA: imagingusa.org WPPI: wppiexpo.com Will’s Photographer Pick Take a look at who he follows on Instagram: instagram.com Model | Hair & Makeup (At 30:46 I asked if Will remembered the model’s name. Thanks to Jennifer Denton Photography, who reached out on Instagram (@jendentonseniors) to mention the name of the model, and the hair & makeup crew.) Model – Victoria Quartieri: @victoria_quartieri Hair & Makeup – Jax Studio: @jaxstudio

A few days ago Jeremy Lanthorn (@Snackem on Twitter) sent me a guest suggestion: @stevebrazill check out @LeviVentura_ and this shot of @GableSteveson at the NCAA wrestling tournament. Would make a great BTS episode. I get a lot of guest suggestions, and while I reach out to most of them, many never answer back. In this case, I replied to the tweet, Levi Ventura answered back almost instantly, and here we are with a new show. I wasn’t familiar with Levi before this, but I hope more people will be after this show. Levi Ventura is a 22 year old college student majoring in graphic design. He has only been working as a freelance photographer & videographer since 2019, but since that time he has been creating content for Olympic Freestyle Wrestling Gold Medalist Jordan Burroughs’ social media. Ranging from high school sports to the NCAA, this young creative has been creating such fantastic work in a very short period of time. Along with a clear passion for sports photography and video, Levi has also been focusing on working with small businesses and brands to help provide quality content for their social media sites. Based on looking through his site, I’d expect big things from Levi to happen quickly. His client list already includes names like Asics and USA Wrestling, and it’s his NCAA wresting work that really jumps out – yes, a jump joke for today’s image. Join photographer Levi Ventura and me as we explore his composite image of Gable Steveson doing his famous backflip, after winning his final match at his last NCAA wrestling tournament, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Levi Portfolio: levivphoto.com Instagram: @leviventura.photo Twitter: @LeviVentura_ YouTube: @LeviVentura Vimeo: @LeviVentura Levi’s Photographer Pick Tony Rotundo: @tonyrotundo.waw on Instagram

NOTE: This is not an official Nikon USA show. This is a podcast first and foremost, and Nikon was kind enough to allow my guest, Mark Cruz, to come speak about the Nikon AF system options. This is not intended to be a technical training, but a conversation with Mark to better understand the choices you have in customizing the current line of Nikon camera AF systems. Obviously, there are still some constraints here. I try to keep the shows at a reasonable length – for some behind the scenes reasons related to the podcast versions of the show – and my guests often have limited time as well. I have a lot of people that listen to the audio only version of the show, and so there will be times I inject myself into the conversation to be sure the topic we are discussing is absorbable by those without video, as well as to moderate time so that we can at least get to all of the planned topics. Still, my hope is that explaining the AF options one-at-a-time in some detail will help you to get more out of the camera system you have. I recently did a special episode taking a detailed look at the current Canon Auto-Focus systems, and now it’s time to do the same for the Nikon users. As I explained in the first show in this series, my relationship with auto-focus systems hasn’t always been a great one. Like most photographers, it’s so easy to say “the camera missed focus”, or “it front or back focused”. The problem is that’s not the case more often than not. Don’t misunderstand me, these issues are real. Cameras and lenses are not perfect, and the software that runs anything today can have issues, but focus issues often relate to the end user not having the AF system configured correctly, or not understanding how the system really works. Cameras today are complex electronic systems, and for many end users the process of customizing the AF systems is a daunting task. This results in many users leaving the camera at it’s default settings, and while for many that may end up working, with a bit of customization these AF systems are capable of amazing speed and accuracy. Camera manuals are written by people that already understand the tech involved, and as “plain English” as they try to be, there just isn’t enough detail in the text to make the menu options useful to many end users. My goal with these two shows is to demystify the camera AF system options available to you. For this show I am joined by Mark Cruz, a Senior Manager, Product Digital Cameras with Interchangeable Lenses (DCIL) at Nikon USA. Mark is responsible for bringing new digital imaging products to market, including the latest Nikon Z series mirrorless cameras and NIKKOR Z lenses. He also helps manage marketing and educational efforts for Nikon products across a variety of platforms and social media channels. Previously he was a Senior Technical representative for Nikon Canada, responsible for spearheading business development through technical sales and services. In 2019, he moved to the U.S. to join the Marketing department at Nikon USA. Together we are going to go through the auto-focus menu options available to you to better customize the AF system for your shooting style and needs. Our example camera for this show will be a Nikon Z9, and while you may have a different camera body, most of the options will apply to most of the current Nikon mirrorless lineup. For those that use older Nikon DSLRs there will still be some overlap to help you, and if you use non-Nikon gear it’s my hope that the concepts we discuss will help. Join Mark Cruz, a Senior Manager, Product Digital Cameras with Interchangeable Lenses (DCIL) at Nikon USA, and me as we take a deep dive into the amazing auto-focus systems available in the current line of Nikon cameras, using the Z9 as the example, on this Behind the Shot. Nikon USA Website: nikonusa.com Instagram: @NikonUSA Facebook: >@NikonUSA Twitter: >@NikonUSA YouTube: >@NikonUSA Connect with Mark: Instagram: @summacruzlaude Mark’s Photographer Pick Andrew Hancock: andrewhancock.com | @hancockphoto Thanks to Troy Miller for letting me use your Z9: Website – Business: imageryconcepts.com Instagram – Business: @imageryconcepts Website – Personal: spicyjello.com Instagram – Personal: @spicyjello Instagram – Personal, BW: @spicyjello_bw

I don’t think Dr. Larry Tiefenbrunn, or Dr. T as he’s known to many, ever sleeps. Larry is a practicing pediatrician, and active photographer, and he’s the founder and CEO of Platypod. I first met Larry through Rick Sammon, and we have been friends ever since. His company Platypod makes some of my favorite photo accessories – the larger Platypod Max and the smaller Ultra, one of which is next to me every show. Their most recent product is the Platyball, a unique bullhead available in the Ergo and Elite models. I have an unboxing of both Platyball options up on the YouTube channel here. One special part of this show is that Larry is sharing details of a new Platypod product that’s in development. If you are a fan of Platypod, like I am, this new product sounds very interesting. Larry has been on the show once before, on episode 57 in 2018. On that show we talked about a great guitar image he did, and discussed Better Product Photography. This time we are going a different route… if you look at Larry’s portfolio you’ll notice that Larry shoots a lot of different genres, from portraits, to animals, landscapes, street, and studio work. One thing you may also notice is that Larry has an eye for Black & White images. His B&W work has a contrast and depth I enjoy, and he manages to strip the story down to the basic components needed to help a viewer better understand the story. Today, we are going to explore not just the process of making a photo black & white, but the thought process behind when and why you might choose to remove the color from an image. Join businessman and photographer Dr. Larry Tiefenbrunn and me as we explore his approach to Black & White photography, and as we discuss the new Platypod Extreme, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Larry’s First Time on Behind the Shot Episode 57 – 2018: Better Product Photography Connect with Larry Portfolio: ljtmd.smugmug.com Platypod Website: platypod.com Instagram: @platypodtripods Twitter: @platypodtripods Facebook: @platypod YouTube: @platypod Larry’s Photographer Pick Bryan Peterson: bryanfpeterson.com Bryan Peterson’s Books Understanding Exposure: amazon.com Learning to See Creatively: amazon.com Ansel Adams Book Mentioned by Larry During the Show The Negative: amazon.com Software Mentioned by Larry During the Show Nik Collection from DxO: nikcollection.dxo.com Platypod Extreme

I get guest suggestions on a very regular basis, and most of the time I actually do follow through on them. Unfortunately, I often don’t get any response. Periodically however I not only get a reply, but we end up with a great show. That is the case with this episode, and describing my guest is going to take a bit of setup… A few days ago I received an email from a gentleman named Michael Ryno. I don’t know Michael personally, but his email caught my eye. He mentioned a photo group that is near and dear to my heart, the Inland Empire Professional Photographers and Videographers, or IEPPV. I used to be an IEPPV board member, and still help them on occasion. Michael said he was an IEPPV member, even though he is from Colorado, and he is a regular listener / watcher of the show. He is also the President of PPC – the Professional Photographers of Colorado. At this point I was intrigued enough to look Michael up, and he is an amazing photographer – see for yourself. Then something unexpected happened, Michael – this amazing photographer – was writing to suggest someone else he knew. His email went on to describe Cheryl Moore to me, and he described her so well that I honestly thought he might be her PR agent. I tried to politely ask him if he was representing her in any way. That alone wouldn’t be a deal breaker, but I wanted to know the motivation behind the suggestion, as I take the credibility of the show very seriously. Are you ready for this… Michael just wanted to bring attention to someone he truly respected as an artist. He was just doing the right thing. So refreshing. At this point I started exploring Cheryl’s work, and it is stunning. I mean… it’s blow your mind beautiful. Cheryl was a Media Specialist for the Colorado Department of Corrections, now retired – and is now a Wildlife and Nature photographer. She also owns a portrait studio, specializing in Senior portraits (which some might argue is still wildlife). Her husband Jim is a biologist by education, so she also has the benefit of his knowledge in wildlife and bird habitats. Having been published in places like Colorado Outdoors Magazine, it seems that 2022 has been a very good year for Cheryl. She has earned a number of awards this year, including: PPA: 2022 Diamond Artist of the Year 2022 Gold Medal in Photographic Open World Photographic Cup: Top 10 finalist “Best of Nations” for Team USA – with the finals happening in Rome in May, 2022 Professional Photographers of Colorado: 2022 General Photographer of the Year When Michael sent me the first email, he had attached one image he thought would be a good subject for a show. That image, “Dance of Light”, has won a number of accolades: PPA: Image Excellence Grand Imaging Award (GIA) Nomination – Top 10 in the Wildlife Category World Photographic Cup: Top 10 in the Nature category “Best of Nations” for Team USA – with the finals happening in Rome in May, 2022 Pro Print Photo Labs Wildlife Contest: First Place Winner If you’ve watched this show at all then you know I tend to spend a lot of time browsing a guest’s website. I like to look for common threads in their work, and with Cheryl one thing stands out – Gesture. Gesture is an important part of photography, and I’d argue it is often the deciding factor between an ok shot and an amazing image. Rick Sammon mentions it regularly, and Jay Maisel has a book about it – Light Gesture and Color. If you are not familiar with the idea of Gesture in photography, here’s a great, short video of ‘Jay Maisel on the Importance of “Gesture” in Photography‘ from PDN Online, and yes… even a wall can have Gesture. Join Colorado based Wildlife and Nature photographer Cheryl Moore and me as we discuss photographic gesture, and as we take a deep dive into the making of her award wining image “Dance of Light”, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Cheryl – Nature & Wildlife Website: cmooreimages.com Portfolio: cherylmooreportraitstudio.pic-time.com Instagram: @cheryl_moore_nature_images Facebook: @CherylMooreImagesofNature Connect with Cheryl – Portrait Studio Website: CherylMoorePortraitStudio.com Instagram: @cheryl_moore_portrait_studio Facebook: @CherylMoorePortraitStudio World Photographic Cup links Best of Country – 2022: worldphotographiccup.org Finalists – 2022: worldphotographiccup.org Cheryl’s Photographer Pick Isaac Spotts: isaacspicz.com | @isaacspicz Cheryl’s Favorite Apps Sun Seeker: Android | iOS AccuWeather: Android | iOS Nik Collection: dxo.com DeNoise AI: topazlabs.com

These last few years of the pandemic have been an interesting time. While I would definitely hope to not do it again any time soon, there are a few things that have come out of the pandemic that have been amazing. One of those are the various virtual photographer hangouts I have been invited to, and the amazing people I have met through them. In one of these Zoom hangouts I met William Snyder, who was on the show with his Stevie Ray Vaughn album cover image, and in the same hangout I was also introduced to legendary Reuters photographer Gary Hershorn. When talking about Gary’s career as a photojournalist you can get lost in the story alone, and then once you add his images to the story you are seemingly transported to amazing historical moments in time. Gary is a Canadian photographer and picture editor based in New York City, and his 43 year career began in 1979 at United Press International, in Toronto. By 1985 he was working at Reuters, as Chief Photographer, Canada, before moving to Washington, DC. in 1990. In his time at Reuters, Gary filled the roles of Senior Photographer, Picture Editor-Americas, and Global Sports Pictures Editor. He led major event coverage of the 9/11 attacks on the WTC, Hurricane Katrina, the Haiti Earthquake, along with covering numerous news, sporting championships and entertainment events around the world. Since leaving Reuters in 2014, he has worked as a photo editor for Flipboard, was the photo editor at FOXnews.com for 3 years and presently works in news curation for Facebook. In addition he is a contributing photographer for Getty Images. For those 43 years Gary has been photographing history, he has been taking us there with him in the process. In the summer of 2011, as the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center approached, he began a photography project documenting New York City, the ever-changing skyline of the city as it entered a construction boom and began pairing the skyline of the city with various celestial events that happened in the skies over New York City. This work continues and led to the publication of the book “New York Celestial” in 2019. If you follow Gary on Instagram you will find one of the most inspirational feeds there is. I show Gary’s current work to someone almost daily, and could study his photojournalistic work just as frequently. Today, I am excited to share one of his most historic images with you. Join legendary photojournalist, and all around great photographer, Gary Hershorn and me as we discuss what it was like to photograph the 2008 Obama Election Night Rally for Reuters, on this Behind the Shot. (The Obama photo featured in this episode is provided courtesy of Reuters, and is Copyright Reuters) Connect with Gary Website: garyhershorn.com Instagram: @garyhershorn Twitter: @garyhershorn Gary’s Book New York Celestial: newyorkcelestial.com Gary’s Favorite Mobile Apps Radar Scope: Android | iOS Webcams – EarthCam: Android | iOS Planit Pro: Photo Planner: Android | iOS Gary’s Photographer Picks Andy Sharp: andy-sharp.com | @andybobsharp Andy Clark: clarkfoto.ca | @andyclarkfoto

NOTE: This is not an official Canon USA show. This is a podcast first and foremost, and Canon was kind enough to allow my guest, Rudy Winston, to come speak about the Canon AF system options. This is not intended to be a technical training, but a conversation with Rudy to better understand the choices you have in customizing the current line of Canon camera AF systems. Obviously, there are still some constraints here. I try to keep the shows at a reasonable length – for some behind the scenes reasons related to the podcast versions of the show – and my guests often have limited time as well. I have a lot of people that listen to the audio only version of the show, and so there will be times I inject myself into the conversation to be sure the topic we are discussing is absorbable by those without video, as well as to moderate time so that we can at least get to all of the planned topics. Still, my hope is that explaining the AF options one-at-a-time in some detail will help you to get more out of the camera system you have. This is a show I have been wanting to do for a very long time. My relationship with auto-focus systems hasn’t always been a great one. Like most photographers, it’s so easy to say “the camera missed focus”, or “it front or back focused”. The problem is that’s not the case more often than not. Don’t misunderstand me, these issues are real. Cameras and lenses are not perfect, and the software that runs anything today can have issues, but focus issues often relate to the end user not having the AF system configured correctly, or not understanding how the system really works. When I upgraded my system years ago I moved to the Canon EOS 5d mark IV. I loved that camera, and in fact it’s still in use as the webcam for every show I do. But the first copy I received seemed off. I would be shooting an outdoor concert, with plenty of light, and the camera would nail focus on a singer mid-jump. When that same singer stood still at the mic the 5D IV would miss shots by a lot. I was sure it was the body, so I sent it back and got a new one, only to have the issue still happen. Clearly this wasn’t the camera, Steve. I loved the images this camera produced too, as they had so much more richness, depth and texture than the 5D mark III, but it wasn’t useable if I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong, or if I was doing anything wrong. A friend of mine that does work for Canon at trade shows – he’s one of the guys behind the booth helping attendees look at the gear – introduced me to Rudy Winston, a Technical Advisor in the Product Planning Dept. for Canon USA. I emailed my issue to Rudy, along with sample images where Canon’s DPP software would clearly show the AF was in the right spot. Rudy, to my surprise, sent me more info than I could have ever imagined. He sent a detailed description of the AF Case modes, and what all those settings meant. So much of what he said seemed to be missing from the public AF conversation. I had already looked up everything I could find, and yet never heard things described with such detail. Fast forward to today and I recently had someone ask me via an Instagram DM about the R5 AF settings. They were coming from the 5D mark IV, and the settings were different enough to be confusing for them. Instantly Rudy popped into my mind. Luckily for us, Rudy has agreed to go through the entire Canon EOS R5 AF menus in detail, to help us better understand the options available. While I am using the R5 in this show for the example, obviously, most of the info will apply to the Canon auto-focus system as a whole. Join Rudy Winston, a Technical Advisor in the Product Planning Dept. for Canon USA, and me as we take a deep dive into the amazing auto-focus systems available in the current line of Canon cameras, on this Behind the Shot. Canon USA Website: usa.canon.com Rudy’s Photographer Pick Anthony Neste: anthonynestephotography.com Ask David Bergman Episode on Dual Back-Button AF Canon R5/R6 Fast Eye Autofocus Switching: youtube.com Transcript: U.S. English Whisper Generated English Transcript (Won’t be 100% accurate): Canon Auto-Focus Explained Transcript | Canon Auto-Focus Explained Segments

I feel like I have been studying Joe McNally’s work since I first picked up a camera, so this should be the easiest show post I have ever done. He is an absolute master of light, and I own his “The Language of Light” Volume One, I need to get Volume Two. I have watched classes through KelbyOne and CreativeLive, and twice I have sat at the end of his PhotoshopWorld Keynotes wishing it wasn’t over. Yeah, this should be easy. But no, this is a tough one. Joe McNally is a legend, and most anyone you ask would agree that he’s one of the top photographers working today, perhaps ever. He is in that very elite group of photographers know as Nikon Ambassadors, along with the likes of Moose Peterson (who has been on the show twice – for Wildlife & Wild Places & Aviation Photography), Deborah Sandidge (who was on the show for the episode on Better Travel Photography), Todd Owyoung and others. Joe is also a Capture One Ambassador, a Gitzo Ambassador, and is affiliated with Printique (an Adorama company), Synology, Lastolite, Tether Tools, and Powerex. Writing about someone I respect as much as Joe creates a flood of thoughts, and putting them in the right order matters. Let me start here… Joe McNally won the first Alfred Eisenstaedt Award for Journalistic Impact for a LIFE coverage titled, “The Panorama of War”. He has been honored numerous times by Communication Arts, PDN, Graphis, American Photo, POY, and The World Press Photo Foundation. His career has led to international acclaim, more awards than I could list here, and assignments that have taken him to 70 countries. With all of that said, we have only just begun to scratch the surface of Joe’s career. Joe has shot numerous cover stories, and highly complex features, for legendary publications such as LIFE, National Geographic, and Sports Illustrated, along with cover stories for TIME, Newsweek, Fortune, New York, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, and Men’s Journal. He has also managed to do something few people can… bridge the worlds of photojournalism and advertising. His client list includes FedEx, Sony, Nikon, Land’s End, General Electric, MetLife, Adidas, American Ballet Theater, Epson, the Wildlife Conservation Society, ESPN, MAC Cosmetics, USAA, the New York Stock Exchange, and Lehman Brothers, and that’s a short version. American Photo listed Joe as one of the 100 Most Important People in Photography, and described by the magazine as “perhaps the most versatile photojournalist working today”, and in 2010 he was voted as one of the 30 most influential photographers of the decade in an industry wide Photo District News survey. As an educator, McNally is unequaled. He is an author, teacher, and highly sought after speaker. His newest book, “The Real Deal: Field Notes from the Life of a Working Photographer” – available through Rocky Nook or Amazon – was released on February 8, 2022. I pre-ordered it, and can’t wait to read through it. In fact the photo we discuss on this show triggers a whole chapter in the book. His other titles include “Sketching Light”, “The Hot Shoe Diaries”, The Moment It Clicks”, and “The Face of Ground Zero”. The latter is based on Joe’s “Faces of Ground Zero, Portraits of the Heroes of September 11, 2001 Collection“, which consists of 246 Giant Polaroids – life-size photos (9′ x 4′) shot during a three-week period shortly after September 11, 2001, with additional images shot in 2002. I mentioned above my experience watching Joe give a Keynote at PhotoshopWorld a few years ago. Joe McNally is hands down the best I have ever seen. I don’t know how to even begin to describe his speaking and teaching ability. All I can do is suggest that, given the opportunity, you don’t miss him on stage. Be sure to check out his classes too, like The Language of Light class mentioned above, or through places like KelbyOne and CreativeLive. I can only imagine how great his live workshops are, and, as of this episode’s release, the next one is coming in May of 2022 for the San Francisco & Wine Country Workshop. When it comes to his fine art work, Joe is represented by the Monroe Gallery of Santa Fe, his prints are in numerous collections, most significantly the National Portrait Gallery of the United States. Join Nikon Ambassador, master of light, and all around amazing creative, Joe McNally and me as we chat about his creative thought process, and take a deep dive into the most complex image I have ever had on the show, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Joe Website: joemcnally.com Portfolio: portfolio.joemcnally.com Instagram: @JoeMcNallyPhoto Facebook: @JoeMcNallyPhoto Twitter: @JoeMcNallyPhoto YouTube: @JoeMcNally Pinterest: @JoeMcNallyPhoto Joe’s Latest Book – The Real Deal: Field Notes from the Life of a Workin

David Bergman is a legend in the world of concert photography, and he is someone I have looked up to for a long time. That may be the best summary of David I can come up with, that I am a fan, and honored to call him a friend. For those not aware of David’s work, David is a New York based commercial photographer and photo educator who specializes in action, music and portraiture photographer. David is one of the rare talents that can pull off any genre of photography. He is also a world class educator, something I don’t want to bury down in paragraph seven somewhere. I will go into detail there, but it needs to be stated early on in this discussion. His education talent, his ability to truly understand the art of photography and be able to teach it to others is front and center to who David is. David has been on the show twice before, first back on Episode 48 for “Composition, Creativity, and Workflow”, and then as a guest on Image Critique #9. For that first show, I knew most people would expect a live music image, since David is the current tour photographer for country super star Luke Combs and is well know for being Bon Jovi’s tour photographer. I didn’t want to be that predictable however, so we chose an image he shot for Canon USA, knowing full well I would need to get him back on one day to talk music photography. As I mentioned above, David’s current running tour gig is as the photographer for Luke Combs, one of the most successful country artists working today. As the official tour photographer for Bon Jovi and Luke Combs, he has documented bands on stage and on the road in more than 30 countries. He has also toured with Barenaked Ladies and Gloria Estefan, and has worked with Avril Lavigne and Joss Stone. David has also done a lot of celebrity work, for the likes of Drew Carey and others. All of this adds up to David being one of the top photographers working in the entertainment space today, and to David being in the rare class of photographers known as Canon Explorers of Light. One of the things he is best known for is being a pioneer of the GigaPan technique for making very high resolution images, and his Gigapan of President Obama’s first inaugural speech was viewed by more than 30 million people. His 20,000 megapixel image of Yankee Stadium was printed at 130 feet wide and displayed at the Canon Expo in 2015, a technique he has also used for commercial clients including NBC and MLB.com. David at times seems to be able to do anything with a camera. Hopefully you’re starting to see what I meant when I mentioned his level of talent. Before moving to New York City in 2001, he was a photojournalist on staff at The Miami Herald and covered news and sporting events around the world. Moving from being a staff photographer to where he is today has been an interesting path. David has had 13 Sports Illustrated covers, including his image of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees raising his son over his head after winning the Super Bowl. He has covered multiple Olympics, World Series, Super Bowls, NBA and NCAA championships, and Stanley Cup Finals. That brings us to the education side of David. I would argue that this is where David shines. He stars in and produces a show for AdoramaTV called “Ask David Bergman”, which I would argue may be the best photography tutorial series there is. Short, straight to the point answers to questions that matter. He is also a sought after speaker, having done workshops and seminars for Canon, Apple, Adorama, Best Buy, and Columbia University. Deserving of it’s own paragraph here are David’s Shoot From the Pit workshops. These in-person workshops are amazing, and I know because I took one this past year. Shoot From the Pit is a chance to learn how to photograph concerts from David Bergman. It’s starts early in the day with David doing a multi-hour presentation. He shares everything you need to know about shooting photos at a concert – the gear, the settings, and rules, and the tips and tricks. Then, you photograph an entire Luke Combs concert. This workshop included unequaled access to a top level arena show. I have had people ask why I would pay for a workshop, considering I have already photographed concerts for 15 years. Heck, I even teach my own remote workshops for Princeton Photo Workshops. The answer is I never want to stop learning. This is David Bergman we are talking about. He knows more about photography than pretty much anyone I know. I was able to pick up a few tips, get confirmation on bits of my workflow, and reinforcement that I still liked my way better for some things. This may have been the best education money I have ever spent. So, going back to what I said at the start… Bergman is a legend. He has been published in Rolling Stone, Time, Newsweek, People, Entertainment Weekly, Blender, Kerrang, USA Today, and of course his current hometown paper, The Ne

I have the feeling that Sam Abell has more stories than almost any photographer you know. Thirty-four years as a staff and contract photographer at National Geographic tends to have that effect. Sam is an Ohio based teacher, artist, and photographer. I would argue that his magic is that those three skills merge to create, in Sam, the perfect storyteller. His story started like many of my guests, learning photography from his father. It was after graduating from the University of Kentucky that Sam went to work for Nat Geo. That in and of itself is an accomplishment. Lots of up-and-coming photographers dream of being a Nat Geo photographer, but the odds of having that dream come true aren’t ones I would bet on. For Sam however, it was a career that fit perfectly with his work. Having read, and listened to a few interviews with Sam, it’s amazing to hear about his process. When he describes some photos taking minutes, and other 1.5 years to make, you start to understand… Sam makes photos in his head, often long before the photo is actually made. Sam has taken so many iconic images, including one for the Marlboro Man campaign that was famously appropriated by Richard Prince – and Sam’s thoughts about being on his side of that situation have been widely covered. I won’t be going into that in this show. As a Canon Legend, Sam is one of the elite photographers working today, and if you are going to attend a workshop I’d guess you could learn a ton from Mr. Abell. Links to all of his upcoming workshops are at his website here. Sam has authored a number of books too, but at the time of this show they are all sold out. Watch his site for any updates on that. Join Canon Legend, and National Geographic legend, Sam Abell and me as we discuss how the parts of an image work together to build the power of the final photograph, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Sam Website: samabell.com Instagram: @samabellteacher Sam’s Workshops Nobechi Creative: nobechicreative.com Santa Fe Workshops : santafeworkshops.com Pacific Northwest Art School: pacificnorthwestartschool.org Maine Media Workshops: mainemedia.edu Los Angelas Center of Photography: lacphoto.org Sam’s Photographer Pick Alex Webb: magnumphotos.com Sam’s Keynote Slides Used in the Show

I have followed Zack Whitford on Instagram for as long as I can remember, in fact I think he was one of the first I followed after joining Instagram. You know how you have photographers whose work you like because it makes you feel an emotion, just makes you smile? Well, Zack is one of those photographers whose work speaks to me on multiple levels. His images span from travel and humanitarian, to rock stars and red carpets, and all of it, every single image, makes me stop. For some, I just love the moment he’s captured, while for others I find myself dissecting the angle, the light, and the subject on a deeper level. As a music photographer, my first introduction to Zack was his work as the tour photographer for Aerosmith. His dad is Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford, and I’d say that Zack’s talent with a camera is equal to that of his dad’s with a guitar. Whether the creativity gene is an inherited trait or not, Zack has it. If you stop after calling Zack a music photographer then you’ve missed the point. Zack is a documentary, commercial, event & music photographer. His website has portfolios for Street, Music, Portrait, and Lifestyle and his work has been seen in Vanity Fair, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Vogue, Rolling Stone, GQ, Billboard Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, and People Magazine to name a few. There is a quote in his bio, where he is talking about training to be a stage actor when he was younger. His acting teacher said something that, looking back now, seemingly changed his life. “As actors, you are investigators of humanity” The way Zack tells it, that statement made him realize that he had a fascination with “seeking out the contrasting emotional moments that occur within ourselves, and between one another: The monumental disquiet that we work so diligently to mask, and the allure of human triumph”. Read that again… “The monumental disquiet that we work so diligently to mask, and the allure of human triumph”. Wow. I love that. That. Is. Deep. Now, contrast that with an interview I found of Zack with HuffPost where he says at one point ” Most people love dogs. I’m not really interested in people who don’t like dogs”. I agree with him on that! The problem, from a podcast point-of-view, when setting up an episode with someone like Zack is picking the photo we break-down. It wasn’t easy but, luckily, Zack was patient with me. Of the image we settled on, Zack said “that’s one of my personal favorites, and the story behind it is good”, so as I am writing this I am really looking forward to sitting down and chatting with L.A.based photographer Zack Whitford. Join photographer Zack Whitford and me as we discuss his life as tour photographer, his humanitarian work, and his beautiful black & white image of Steven Tyler and Amiee Preston in the rain, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Zack Website: zwhitford.com Instagram: @zack.whitford Facebook: @zwhitford Twitter: @zwhitford Vimeo: @zwhitford Zack’s Photographer Picks Kes Glozier: @kesglozier Ryan Muirhead: ryanmuirhead.com Alan Schaller: alanschaller.com

Usually, I struggle when I write these. To start with, I’m not a writer, but more importantly I want each post to convey to you how much I admire the guest I am writing about. Today however, I gained inspiration from my guest, Leah Horstman. Leah is someone I have followed on Instagram for a long time, and a prime example of when Instagram helps me find new creatives to follow. She was a music photographer whose work I admired, so following her @lah_rockshots accounts was a given, but then the unexpected happened. I saw her @lahorstman account that focuses on her landscape and commercial work. I want to talk about something Leah said to me that reminded me of something I mention on this show a lot, but let’s back up first. Leah Horstman learned to love photography from her father, who was an avid travel photographer, and who gave her a Minolta XRT101 at age 14. She studied photography in High School, and had a photo of Half Dome published in 1980. After college things changed. Leah traded the photographer life for horses. She competed in the event of “Cutting”, and even won a few world titles. Unfortunately, due to an illness, that life came to an end too. But, as he had done years before, Leah’s dad once again suggested that she pick up a camera. I think her dad might have known how good she was, because just a few years later Leah entered the Nature Conservancy’s Annual Photo Contest – along with over 17,000 others that year. Her image “Xmas on the Merced” won the grand prize, and was named their “photo of the year”. That image went on to hang in the San Diego Natural History Museum too. It seems that Leah was destined to get a lot of these awards. In 2018 National Geographic emailed her to say they were interested in her image of a longhorn steer in Gainesville TX titled “Quintessential Texas”. Seems they were working on an article about the history of Texas and felt this image would make a great addition to the piece. Her image “Ice Climber” won the International SD Photo exhibition’s Best of Show in 2019, and recently she was published in the Harper Collin’s pocket book, “Canada”. Leah’s day job is working for Professionals Choice, a company that manufactures horse products. Her years of riding gives her a unique eye for the timing and composition needed for horse events. This is where her love of these two worlds collide, and while her horse riding competition days may be in the past, she was recently asked by 37X World Champion Bob Avila to take the portrait of him that is now hanging in the AQHA Hall of Fame for his 2021 induction. It’s almost as though life guides us to where we belong. Her commercial work has led to her working with “Buggy Whip”, which still requires timing, but for dune buggies instead of horses. That connection led to her working with NASCAR driver Kyle Bush. Leah’s path through photography is exactly as we often hear it described… do the work, and make the relationships. Be the person clients know they can call on and trust, and the the work will find you. Speaking of relationships, I mentioned that I originally found Leah because of her music photography. That came about because of someone she was dating that was in a band. And this brings us to that thing Leah said to me that I mentioned above. While picking the image for this episode we were mostly looking at her horse images when Leah said she had an idea. She suggested we could touch on “not being afraid of shooting iconic spots… just do[ing] it in your own style and put[ting] your own twist on it”. That resonated with me. If you have listened to Behind the Shot for any length of time you might have heard me use the phrase “photographic voice”, or “creative voice” for those in areas other than photography. I firmly believe that when people talk about find their “style” that what they really need is to find their voice. Style, to me at least, leans towards the processing side of creativity. Your creative voice, on the other hand, encompasses everything. It’s how you express the creative thoughts you have, starting early in the process. As creatives, we need to be true to who we are, and to what we see in our mind’s eye. That is how I see Leah Horstman’s work. She creates from her own place, and in her own wonderful voice. Join landscape, music and commercial photographer Leah Horstman and me as we take a deep dive into her image Grist Mill, and as we discuss finding your creative voice, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Leah Website: lahorstmanphotography.com Facebook: @LAHorstman Photography Instagram: @lahorstman Instagram (Music): @lah_rockshots Flickr: @lhorstman App Mentioned by Leah During the Show Sleek Lens: sleeklens.com The Orton Effect – Mentioned During the Show The Orton Effect Explained: capturelandscapes.com How to Use the Orton Effect in Landscape Photograp

Trying to write a post about Ryszard Horowitz has proven to be tougher than I had imagined. Ryszard Horowitz is a legend, literally. His life, and his journey through the art of photography, is almost impossible to distill down to a blog post. There is simply no way I do him, and his legacy, justice here. Still, I will try… Ryszard Horowitz was born in Krakow, Poland four months before the Nazis invaded his homeland, and his entire family ended up being sent to a series of concentration camps. Miraculously, they survived, and at the war’s end they were amongst the few Jewish families who were able to re-establish their lives in Krakow. Ryszard is one of the youngest known survivors of Auschwitz, and to be listed on Schindler’s list. His path to becoming the artist that he is started with studying art at the High School of Fine Arts in Krakow, before going on to mjor in painting at the Academy of Fine Arts. In 1956, when the government awarded subsidies to encourage new and original art forms, Krakow emerged as a center of avant-garde jazz, painting, theater and filmmaking. Ryszard, who was seventeen at the time, took full advantage of being at the heart of the action and consequently became fascinated with American photography. In 1959, he finally achieved his ambition of immigrating to the United States and enrolled at New York’s famed Pratt Institute. While still a student at Pratt he was given a scholarship to be apprenticed to Alexey Brodovitch, one of the most influential figures in the world of editorial design and photography at the time. In 1967, having worked for a number of film and design companies and as an art director for Grey Advertising, he opened his own photography studio. Photography would be his lifelong career and passion. Ryszard’s work has been exhibited, published and collected around the globe, and he has been awarded every major accolade that can be bestowed on a photographer. Take a few minutes to scroll through the list on his Bio page, it’s amazing. His awards include the Gloria Artis Gold Medal of Merit to Culture Awarded by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Poland, and Doctor Honoris Causa Awarded by Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts. As a music photographer, his images of American jazz legends like Dave Brubeck, Aretha Franklin, Duke Ellington, Thelonios Monk, Count Basie, and Louie Armstrong are amazing. His creative works, in both analog and digital will blow your mind. He is recognized as a pioneer of special effects photography predating digital imaging – yes, before digital and photoshop – using techniques such as darkroom retouching, multiple film exposures and manipulation of his camera. His complex photographic composites have been compared to the surrealist artworks of Magritte and Dalí. A former Canon Explorer of Light, Ryszard is a current member of Canon Legends, and he was inducted to the International Photography Hall of Fame in November 2017. Go look at the names in the Hall of Fame… Ryszard is one of the best to ever practice this art. Join International Photography Hall of Fame Inductee, and Canon Legends member, Ryszard Horowitz and me as we chat about his life, his photography, and his complex photographic composites, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Ryszard Website: ryszardhorowitz.com Facebook: @RyszardHorowitzStudio Instagram: @ryszardhorowitz_studio International Photography Hall of Fame Inductees of Photography: iphf.org Documentary on Roman Polański and Ryszard Horowitz Polański, Horowitz. Hometown: imdb.com Ryszard’s Books PHOTOCOMPOSER, 2009 All That Jazz , 2012 Ryszard’s Photographer Picks Yasuhiro Wakabayashi: wikipedia.org Irving Penn: irvingpenn.org Richard Avedon: avedonfoundation.org Behind-the-Scenes Video Allegory: YouTube.com Behind-the-Scenes Photos

If you’ve been watching the show for a while then you may have seen the “Aurora and the Night Sky” episode with Dave Williams. Dave is a travel photographer, based out of London, and one of the most adventurous people I know. More on that in a minute. I met Dave by chance a few years ago at Photoshop World. I was interviewing people in a hallway when I asked two people walking by if I could ask them some questions (they kindly said yes). What I didn’t realize at the time is that it was Dave Williams and Sian Elizabeth. Before this chance meeting I was aware of Dave Williams, due to his work with KelbyOne, but I really didn’t know it was him when I asked for that interview, until noticed his instructor badge. Since that time I have gotten to know Dave a bit better, and have even had the pleasure of hanging out with him at a Platypod dinner. He is one of the most knowledgable guys in the business, and yet one of the most humble. Dave’s mantra is, ‘lend me your eyes and I’ll show you what I see’. I like that saying, and it sums up his work well. Dave’s images take you places, and make you feel like you’re there, and that work has been featured in publications and campaigns for clients including Time, National Geographic, Forbes, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, Triumph, Conde Nast, and Shell to name a few. He also works closely with several companies within the photography and travel industries, including Platypod, Wandrd, Litra, Drobo, Blackrapid, Passion Passport, and Lonely Planet. You can find Dave’s tutorials and writings in various places, and I have the links below, but many will know him the same way I did, his classes at KelbyOne, along with his writings for Photoshop User Magazine and ScottKelby.com, and through Photoshop World. He also writes writes journalistic and inspirational articles for DIY Photography. Since that last episode, Dave’s life has changed a bit. He now lives in a van he calls “Kofifernweh”, and this is not a ‘normal’ van. Seriously, this thing is insane – you can read about it here, and take a tour of it here. While living in this van, Dave is traveling, and photographing, and writing, and doing a cool new series called Due North. Due North is a series documenting his winter mission to hit as many Nordic countries as possible. You get to follow along with Dave as he drives through some of the most photographic landscapes in the world. You can catch the show over on his YouTube channel. I’m so glad Dave has found the time to come back on the show, and for this episode we will be talking about his image of the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct. This location, and the old trains that travel it, has been seen in four Harry Potter movies, The Crown, and in many other shows and movies. Join traveling photographer Dave Williams and me as we chat about his life in a van, and as we discuss his image of the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Dave Website: idavewilliams.com Facebook: @idavewilliams Twitter: @idavewilliams Instagram: @idavewilliams YouTube: @idavewilliams Dave’s Due North Series YouTube.com KelbyOne Dave Williams on KelbyOne Dave’s Aurora Book Amazon: The Complete Aurora Guide: for Travelers and Photographers Dave on DIY Photography diyphotography.net Dave’s Photographer Pick Kersten Luts: kerstenluts.com Sian Elizabeth (Mentioned during the show) Portfolio: sianelizabeth.co.uk

I first met Australian music photographer Michelle G Hunder when she was a guest on the Sunday Night Photographer Hangouts I used to do with Adam Elmakias. We had such great time on those shows. After hanging out with Michelle there, I started watching her Twitch channel, where she does everything from workshops and viewer challenges, to interviews with some amazing photographers. As big as Michelle is on Twitch, it’s her photography that has gotten her where she is today, and the designation as an official Nikon Z Creator. Michelle is a sought after creative, and has two separate portrait series in the National Sound and Film Archive of Australia. In 2015 she released her photography book “RISE”, a detailed insight of her personal journey into the world of Australian Hip-Hop, and that in turn led to a successful career photographing both live performances and portrait images, used for press, publicity and album covers. She has been the tour photographer for Ruel and Seth Sentry & Illy, and she was the Official Festival Photographer for “Come Together” at Sydney’s iconic Big Top at Luna Park for 4 consecutive years. We have discussed personal projects on Behind the Shot before, but Michelle’s personal project “Her Sound, Her Story”, celebrating Women in Australian Music, across all genres, took it to another level. Along with her with her project partner Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore, she worked with over 80 women, both artists and behind the scenes in the music industry, across all genres, shooting portraits and interviews for this highly ambitious project. The full length documentary of “Her Sound, Her Story” premiered with huge industry acclaim in May of 2018. Recently, Michelle has entered the world of podcasting, along with her co-host and friend Tammy “Tamma” Martin, for the show “You’re Killing It“. One of my favorite things about Michelle is her passion for the art and business of music photography. I’m a firm believer in helping other learn the ropes, and Michelle is helping the industry too. If you want to learn more about being a professional music photographer, Michelle has created an Online Masterclass that goes through the different pathways to shooting both small and major shows. She covers everything from building a portfolio, to charging for your work. Join music photographer, and Nikon Z Creator, Michelle G Hunder and me as we chat about her life in Australia’s music photography scene, and as we explore her techniques for blurring the lines of creativity, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Michelle Website: michellegracehunder.com Masterclass: mghmasterclass.com Twitch: @michelleghunder Instagram: @michelleghunder Facebook: @michellegracehunder Twitter: @michelleghunder Michelle’s Documentary “Her Sound, Her Story”: hersoundherstory.com Michelle’s Podcast, with her friend Tammy “Tamma” Martin You’re Killing It: acast.com Michelle’s Photographer Pick Gabrielle Clement: @gxbriellemxry

The Canon EOS R3 looks to be a beast of a camera. Like so many others, I want this camera, and like 99% of those people I won’t be buying one. Why? Because the Canon EOS R3 is for people like Jeff Cable. Ok, also because it’s more than I can afford for what I shoot, and yes, I would buy it in an instant if I could, but for now I am sticking with the not buying it. So, why do I say it’s for people like Jeff Cable? Jeff is the market this camera is made for. I won’t go through all the specs here, but let’s just say that when you are photographing the Olympics for Team USA you cant miss the shot. We knew Jeff was using an R3 at the Olympics, it was semi-public knowledge. Plus, Jeff was posting images to his blog and Instagram, and as DPReview mentioned here, some Canon Rumors forum members checked Jeff’s meta data where they saw was something that had not been revealed by Canon, that the R3 was 24MP. When I saw Jeff mention on Instagram that he was shooting at the Olympics at 30 fps my brain stopped for a moment. That instantly meant he was using the electronic shutter… FOR SPORTS. This has usually be something to avoid due to rolling shutter effect. If you are not familiar with that issue, here’s a great video by the legend David Bergman on his Ask David Bergman: Mechanical vs Electronic Shutter. I asked Jeff in an Instagram comment about using electronic shutter for sports, and his response was a cryptic “it depends what body” he is using. Ah Ha! The R3 solved the issue! It has a fast enough read speed to shoot 30fps for action, and that is amazing. I asked Jeff that day if he might be willing to come back on the show – he was on before on the episode Capture the Action – to talk about his real world experiences with this new Canon R3. Luckily he said yes, and he even wrote a blog post about it too: Finally – my real world review of the new Canon R3 camera! Now that we have the idea where this show might go, let me introduce you to my friend Jeff Cable… Photographing the Olympics has got to be the pinnacle of a sports photographer’s career, and for Jeff Cable it’s one he’s reached many times, having photographed the last 7 Olympics for Team USA. I am always amazed by how many photographers either come from, or are in some way involved with, the tech industry. For more than 25 years, Jeff was a marketing executive at companies like Symantec, Magellan, and Micron, but while traveling the world for his corporate job, his interest and passion for photography grew quickly. He left the corporate world in 2016 to dedicate himself full-time to his photography. Since then, Jeff has earned respect around the globe for his creative images, and for sharing his love of photography with others. He’s best known for capturing photos for the US Olympic Committee, photographing the last six Olympic games, in Beijing, Vancouver, London, Sochi, Rio de Janeiro, and PyeongChang. As an educator, Jeff also leads photo tours where he teaches photo enthusiasts and professionals around the world. He has taught in Africa, Australia, China, Europe, Central and South America, and across the United States. He is one of the most watched and respected instructors of photography, with millions of views of his free online photography classes. Join me as I chat with Jeff Cable, one of the most accomplished sports photographers working today, about his real world experience at this year’s Olympics with a pre-production Canon EOS R3, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Jeff’s Real World Review of the Canon R3 Jeff’s Blog: blog.jeffcable.com Connect with Jeff Website: jeffcable.com Blog: blog.jeffcable.com Instagram: @jeffcablephotography Facebook: @jeffcablephoto Twitter: @jcable12 YouTube: @jcable1234 Jeff’s Photographer Pick Chris McLennan: chrismclennanphotography.com Peanut Butter Whiskey Mentioned by Jeff Screwball Peanut Butter Whiskey: skrewballwhiskey.com

Periodically I get a guest on Behind the Shot that makes me nervous. This episode is one of those moments. Wish me luck… David Hume Kennerly is a legend. In fact, I would wager money that other ‘legends’ look to David Hume Kennerly as the standard by which they are judged. All of that is to say that there is no ‘starting point’ when trying to explain the photojournalist David Hume Kennerly. Still, the blog is here, and I have to start somewhere. Travel with me back to 1972… (insert way back machine sounds here) David was awarded the 1972 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for Featured Photography, with a winning portfolio that included Ali being knocked down in the 15th round during the Ali v. Frazier “Fight of the Century,” images of the Vietnam and Cambodia wars, and refugees escaping into India from East Pakistan. David was just 25 at the time. Two years later, at just 27, he was appointed President Gerald R. Ford’s Personal White House Photographer, the third person to have that job. Again, I have to stress this, by the time David was 27 he’d seen and documented more history that most of us learn in school. In the years since, David has photographed U.S. presidents from Johnson to Biden, and covered thirteen presidential campaigns. He was a Newsweek magazine contributing editor for ten years, and a contributing photographer for Time & Life and George magazines. American Photo named Kennerly “One of the 100 Most Important People in Photography.” Washingtonian Magazine called him “One of the 50 most important journalists in Washington, DC”. That is David Hume Kennerly. One of the most important photographers ever, and his TedX talk has a title that really sums it up: Telling the Story in 1/60th of a Second As an author, David is just as successful. Kennerly has published several books of his work, Shooter, Photo Op, Seinoff: The Final Days of Seinfeld, Photo du Jour, Extraordinary Circumstances: The Presidency of Gerald R. Ford, and David Hume Kennerly On the iPhone. He was also a major contributor to the CNN 2016 book, Unprecedented: The Election that Changed Everything. His exclusive portrait of Trump is on the cover. He was executive producer of The Spymasters, a 2015 CBS/Showtime documentary about the directors of the CIA. He also produced The Presidents’ Gatekeepers, a four-hour Discovery Channel film about White House chiefs of staff. Kennerly was nominated for a Primetime Emmy as executive producer of NBC’s, The Taking of Flight 847, and was the writer and executive producer of a two-hour NBC pilot filmed in Thailand, Shooter, starring Helen Hunt. Shooter, based on Kennerly’s Vietnam experiences, won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography. In 2019 The University of Arizona Center for Creative Photography acquired the David Hume Kennerly Archive that features almost a million images, prints, objects, memorabilia, correspondence and documents. University President Dr. Robert C. Robbins appointed Kennerly as the university’s first Presidential Scholar. When trying to pick an image for this show I lost over an hour browsing through David’s site, specifically his ‘Greatest Hits‘ gallery. The image of U.S. President Gerald Ford at the desk in the Oval Office, feet up is amazing. This was the day after he became president, August 10, 1974, and the bookshelves are empty because Nixon’s things had been removed, but Ford’s memorabilia had yet to arrive, due to the suddenness of the transition. The image of Mohammed Ali being knocked down in the 15th round at Madison Square Garden by Joe Frazier was part of Kennerly’s Pulitzer Prize-winning portfolio. Then there was “The Hug“, an image where Michelle Obama is hugging former president George W. Bush. Picking one image was hard, but with David’s help we found the shot. There is a quote on David’s website from James Earl Jones that wraps up David’s career perfectly: “David Hume Kennerly is like Forrest Gump, except he was really there.” David has photographed wars, the Queen, athletes, stars, and politicians, and twice he has been able to capture five presidents together in one image. For this show, we travel back to focus on a special moment in 1991. Join Pulitzer Prize winner David Hume Kennerly and me as we take a look at the career of one of the top photojournalists of our time, and as we examine the first of his Five Presidents photos, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with David Website: kennerly.com Instagram: @davidhumekennerly Facebook: @kennerly Twitter: @kennerly David’s TedXBend Talk Telling the Story in 1/60th of a Second: YouTube David’s Drink Recipe In a Glass: 1 Quartered Cherry Tomato 1 TSP Cocktail Onion Juice 1 Cocktail Onion Add Reyka Vodka Sprinkle with Scott’s Strictly Pepper David’s Photographer Pick Carol Guzy: Meet a Pro: Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photojournalist Carol Guzy, via Adorama

To introduce the guest on this show I’d like to start by giving a bit of background… The first time I met Troy Miller I was doing a presentation at a local photo group, Inland Empire Professional Photographers and Videographers. I had never been involved in groups like IEPPV, but they had asked me to speak at one of their monthly meetings. The way it was explained to me, after years of having landscape, wedding, and portrait photographers speak, was that they wanted something different. As a music photographer, I knew most of the people there would have no connection to my genre, but within 5 minutes something odd happened. While I was setting up, someone walking in said “Hi Troy” to me. I assumed they’d simply gotten my name wrong, until it happened again. Come to find out, Troy Miller was a real person, and like me he always wore a black beanie. These two people though I was Troy. I wouldn’t know until later what an amazing compliment that was. I met Troy later that night and, in all honesty, my life changed at that moment. Over the years since, Troy has become one of my closest friends, I’d argue… family. That may color my opinions a bit, but much of what I do today has a direct link to Troy. I ended up joining IEPPV because of that friendship, and ended up on the board. I started entering image competitions, and then judging them, at his suggestion. I was able to speak at the PPC Convention and Expo, because Troy told them about me, and that led to me liking the education side of things so much that I now regularly teach workshops. When I left the old network I was on, I had decided that I was done with podcasting. I was not going to re-launch Behind the Shot on my own. In fact, I had zero desire to manage the backend of a podcast. When I mentioned that to Troy his response was straight to the point… “you have to do it”. In fairness, he had to say that about 10 times before I decided to give it a try, but Troy Miller has been encouraging and supportive throughout almost my entire journey in photography. Most importantly, I see images in my head differently than before I met him. So, why did I need this back story before talking directly about Troy? Because he does this for everyone he knows. He helps, mentors, teaches, and encourages people. He is passionate about photography at a level I am not sure anyone else is. That brings me to Troy Miller, The Photographer… Troy is a wedding photographer for a living. Along with his wife Marjorie, they run Imagery Concepts, a successful wedding photography business based in Southern California. He is also a fine art photographer, that loves photographing the world around him. His site spicyjello.com is home to his fire, ice, water, and kelp images, but this is a guy that can shoot anything. I have walked down the Las Vegas strip with him confused at what he’s photographing… I actually couldn’t “see” what he could. I am baffled at the way he sees light. Troy is an educator, lecturer, image competition judge and PPA Master Photographer. He has done a few online classes for my old network, This Week in Photo, and recently released his Capture One 21 Complete course for TWiP Pro members. He has also racked up an impressive list of awards: PPA 2nd Place Grand Imaging Award in Wedding PPA Image Competition Gold Medalist Image chosen to represent the USA in the PPA World Photographic Cup PPC Wedding Photographer of the Year PPC Commercial Photographer of the Year Images in the PPA Loan Collection PPC Expo Digital Café Chair and lecturer IEPPV Wedding Photographer of the Year IEPPV Photographer of the Year My first introduction to Infrared photography was also through Troy. We were at Photoshop World, and Rick Sammon suggested we all head out to Red Rock the next day. I of course asked “what time”, and Rick suggested we pick him up at 4:30am. As a side note, 4:30am is hell to me. I would rather stay up until 4:30 than get up at 4:30. Still, that chance to shoot the sunrise with two of my favorites creatives won, and we went out early the next day. I was fascinated by IR, and I have watched him since as he has created some amazing IR images. Join my friend Troy Miller and me as we explore the world of infrared photography, from the gear required to the different way you need to see the world, and as we take a look at the making of his image Moonrise Over Hearst Castle, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Troy Personal: Fine Art Portfolio: spicyjello.com Twitter: @Jonzinator Instagram: @SpicyJello YouTube: @SpicyJello Glass: @SpicyJello Business: Website: imageryconcepts.com Facebook: @imageryconcepts Instagram: @ImageryConcepts Online Capture One 21 Course Capture One Complete: thisweekinphoto.com Troy’s Photographer Pick Galen Rowell: wikipedia.org Infrared Conversion Site Mentioned by Troy in the Show Spencer’s Camera & Photo: spencerscamer

When describing Blair Bunting’s photography there are few way to approach it. First of all there is the website bio version, which starts: “Blair Bunting is an advertising photographer based in Phoenix, Arizona specializing in portraits of professional athletes for commercial sports campaigns.” That’s such an understatement, accurate yes, but it doesn’t begin to cover what Blair creates. While known for his portraits of athletes for commercial photography, Blair also creates amazing art from subjects ranging from celebrities to trains. Blair’s career began back in high school with his father teaching him about photography, and early on there was passion for the art. It was his father that gave him his very first camera, a 1972 Nikon F, a piece of history that still sits on Blair’s desk at home. Blair has had the good fortune to shoot campaigns around the globe for a diversified list of clients that range from television shows shot for The Discovery Channel to athletes photographed for Muscle Milk. That early passion for the art still exists today, and leads to opportunities at every turn. In August of 2008 he decided to have his hand at photographing autos, not out of a quest for work, but in an attempt to create some images to put on his walls… He began shooting for Chevrolet two months later. All of this has led to Blair being named as a Canon Explorer of Light, putting him at the absolute top of his field. That early beginning learning photography from his father, for a career that has seen so much success, is mirrored by a quote from Blair on the Canon Explorer’s of Light page: “I am grateful everyday I can go out and take photos, and I consider myself fortunate to have made photography into a career” Even with the success and recognition that Blair has received in the photographic world, he still holds true that his most important legacy will be helping other photographers to be successful in their careers. This is one of the many reasons I am so excited to have Blair on the show. Before recording, or even scheduling the show, we chatted on the phone for a bit. The plan was to discuss picking the image we would talk about, but the conversation was about all things photographic, and talking with Blair felt so natural, like we’d known each other for a while. On set he constantly pushes the idea that everyone is equally important, from the assistant to the photographer. This demeanor and approach towards comfortable shoots has made for clients that return for years. Often describing his own life as, “quite a random existence,” many of his accomplishments have come outside of the photographic field. From being chosen as the honorary commander of a US Air Force fighter squadron to being recognized as an ambassador in the watch industry, his life has been anything but ordinary. However, he says his greatest honor is that of marrying his wife, Erin. Join Canon Explorer of Light Blair Bunting and me as we discuss how he sculpts with light, his image of boxer Mike Tyson, lighting ratios, and a favorite drink recipe of his, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Blair Website: blairbunting.com Blog: blog.blairbunting.com Instagram: @blair.bunting Facebook: @BlairBuntingPhotographer Twitter: @blairbunting Canon Explorer’s of Light: usa.canon.com Blair Around the Internet FStoppers: fstoppers.com Profoto: profoto.com Adorama: adorama.com Blair’s Photographer Picks Ami Vitale: amivitale.com Robert Capa: magnumphotos.com/photographer/robert-capa Show Mentioned by Blair The Genius of Photography, Episode 3 – Right Place, Right Time: archive.org Blair’s Old Fashioned Recipe Maker’s 46 – 3 Shots Carpano Antica Vermouth – 1/2 to 1 Shot Luxardo Cherries Orange Slice Hand Pressed Sugar Muddle it all together

Let’s start here… Cliff Mautner’s career in photography spans 38 years. Think about that for a minute… 38 years ago Nikon released the world’s first SLR with Matrix Metering, the Nikon FA, and the world’s first camera with a 1/250 sec. flash sync speed, the FE2. Man, we’ve come a long way, and Cliff has been there for all of it. Cliff’s career has included multiple genres. After 15 years and 6000 assignments as a photojournalist with the Philadelphia Inquirer, as well as shooting for an eclectic array of commercial clients ranging from Comcast to Subaru, Cliff launched his wedding photography career. After about 1100 weddings or so, he still brings the same passion and intensity with him to each event with an emphasis on creating authentic moments in some of the most difficult light imaginable. His ability to blend his lifetime of experience in photojournalism and commercial photography with his wedding photography is amazing. Browsing through his portfolio quickly reveals a journalistic approach to capturing his client’s most important day. Experience like Cliff’s, and more importantly talent like Cliff’s, comes with recognition. Cliff is a very proud Nikon Ambassador to the United States, and an Ambassador for Light & Motion. He was named one of the top ten wedding photographers in the world by American PHOTO magazine, and has received the Nikon WPPI Photographer of the Year award. He has also has been honored with the International Photographic Council Leadership medal at the United Nations, presented with the WPPI Lifetime Achievement Award, and is a two time WPPI Grand Award winner for photojournalism. Like I said…. talent like this gets recognized. Join Nikon Ambassador, and Light & Motion Ambassador, Cliff Mautner and me as we explore the challenging world of wedding photography, and the art of light painting, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Cliff Website: cmphotography.com Instagram: @cliffmautner Facebook: @CliffMautnerPhotography Facebook Group: Cliff Mautner Education Twitter: @cliffmautner The Lighting and Skillset Bootcamp Website: cmbootcamp.com Nikon Ambassadors: nikonusa.com Light & Motion Collections: lightandmotion.com/collections/camera Ambassadors: lightandmotion.com/blogs/ambassadors Cliff’s KelbyOne Classes Website: kelbyone.com Cliff’s Photographer Picks Dave Black: daveblackphotography.com Mark Edward Harris: markedwardharris.com Larry Price: larrycprice.com Elliott Erwitt: elliotterwitt.com Diane Arbus: fraenkelgallery.com Sebastião Salgado: icp.org Sebastião Salgado Documentary: The Salt of the Earth

I have writer’s block because of my guest. In fact, describing William Snyder is so difficult that I’ve been waiting to write this for two days. I’m ready to give it a shot now, but let me say up front that there is little chance I will be able to convey in writing the talent of William Snyder. Professor William Snyder – yup, he’s a professor – is a four-time Pulitzer Prize winning photographer and editor. A graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology, William returned there 27 years after graduating from the Professional Photography program to chair the Photojournalism program. Now, as the Director of the Advertising Photography Program, he continues teaching, and has been chosen as an RIT Outstanding Alumnus, selected for the The Isaiah Thomas Award in Publishing, and has won the Frank J. Romano Endowed Prize for Publishing Entrepreneurship. In between his graduating and then returning to RIT in 2008 William had a legendary career in journalism. After a few years at The Miami News, he moved on to The Dallas Morning News. For 15 years he was a staff photographer, winning many top photography awards, including a Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Journalism in 1989 (along with a DMN reporter and artist) for their special report on a 1985 airplane crash, the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography for his pictures of ill and orphaned children living in desperate conditions in Romania and, along with fellow photographer and RIT grad Ken Geiger, the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for Spot News photography for their photographic coverage of the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Moving up the ranks, Snyder served as the Night Photo Editor, Assignments Editor, Metro/Suburban Photo Editor, and Assistant Director of Photography in the DMN’s aggressive Collin County bureau. I hope you are starting to see why telling Williams story is difficult…. his career path is amazing. In 2005 William was named The Morning News’ Director of Photography. In 2006 the DMN staff won numerous awards, including: The Pulitzer Prize in Breaking News Photography for their coverage of Hurricane Katrina; 12 awards in Pictures of the Year International including Photographer of the Year; Four awards in NPPA’s Best Of Photojournalism; and APME Texas Star Photographer of the Year. Again, William Snyder is one hell of a talented photographer, editor, and now professor. I was lucky enough to meet William during this past year’s pandemic. Our mutual friend David Bergman, who’s been on the show himself for the episode Composition, Creativity, and Workflow , and who does the Adorama show Ask David Bergman, along with his Shoot From the Pit workshops, has been doing regular Zoom Happy Hours with his friends. Whenever there is someone there I don’t know I look them up, and when I looked up William I noticed something that stopped me cold… William is the photographer for the legendary band The Who! Holy crap. Looking through his music photography I was in awe. It wasn’t just The Who, it was every damn band I loved growing up. His book, “Join Together (with the band)” I need to get still, but I will for sure. With clients like Time Magazine, Life Magazine, Sports illustrated, The Sunday New York Times, USA Today, Holiday Inn and more, I could do more shows with William than perhaps anyone I have ever met. I wanted to start strong, and had every intention of talking about a shot from his storied career with The Who, and then something happened – I saw a photo I knew very well. When I mentioned today’s image to William he replied “I have regrets about the situation – I shoulda, coulda, woulda if I had I been really smart”, and right then I knew I wanted to know, no, needed to know, what a “really smart” William would have changed. Join photographer, journalist, editor, educator, professor, and four-time Pulitzer Prize winner William Snyder and me as we dive into what it took to photograph what would become a classic album cover – Stevie Ray Vaughn’s “The Sky is Crying” – on this Behind the Shot. Connect with William Website: williamsnyderphotography.com Instagram: @jointogetherwiththeband William’s’ Book Join Together With The Band: jointogetherwiththebook.com William’s’ Photographer Pick Carol Guzy: Meet a Pro: Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photojournalist Carol Guzy, via Adorama

It’s the return of Moose Peterson! The first time Moose Peterson was on the show I was pretty nervous. Usually I am trying to calm guests that are nervous about being on a show, but this was different. Moose is a legend in every sense of the word. He’s a Nikon Ambassador, the recipient of the John Muir Conservation Award, a Research Associate with the Endangered Species Recovery Program, and that’s just a partial list. Luckily, my nervousness faded quickly. Moose is such a down-to-earth guy that I was feeling great by the time I hit record. Shortly after that first show, I was at PhotoshopWorld in Las Vegas and saw Moose at a speakers booth. I decided to say hi in person, but I know that sometimes, at shows like that, speakers of Moose’s caliber can be very busy. I was prepared for him to either not remember me, or be too rushed to chat for any length of time, but neither was an issue. Moose remembered me, and we had a great chat about the old warbirds – planes like my Dad flew, like a P40 or a P51D. I grew up with my Dad telling me stories about these classic aircraft. That conversation is part of the reason I have wanted to have Moose back on the show. He’s mostly known for his wildlife, landscape, and nature photography, but Moose is one of the most amazing aviation photographers I have seen. I have had aviation photography on the show before. My friend Scott Dworkin was on for the show “Top Gun Photo Tips“, but Moose photographs a totally different kind of aircraft, classic warbirds. He was the creative producer/photographer of his acclaimed film: Warbirds and The Men Who Flew Them, and his images take you back in time. His use of light in this genre is so special. As an educator he shares his knowledge through his writing, being published in over 143 magazines worldwide, and having authored 29 books. He also lectures across the country to thousands of photographers every year. His current education project is the Moose Peterson Aviation Seminar, and as usual Moose is living on the edge of technology. He will be teaching this seminar both to a live in-person audience, and streaming the seminar at the same time! This seminar is happening just a few days after this show goes live, on July 31, 2021, so act quickly if you’re interested in attending. Join Nikon Ambassador Moose Peterson and me as we take a close look at how he creates his beautiful aviation photos, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Moose Personal: moosepeterson.com Portfolio: moosepeterson.myportfolio.com Aviation: warbirdimages.com Normandy Bound: normandybound.com Facebook: @MoosePeterson Instagram: @MoosePeterson Twitter: @MoosePeterson Moose’s Aviation Seminar The Moose Peterson Aviation Seminar: moosepeterson.com

Everybody loves a good meal, and it seems like everybody is posting photos of their food, but when food photography is done right you can seemingly taste it. That’s where Freddy Clark comes in, and when he gets his hands on a nice cool adult beverage you will want a drink. Freddy is a New Jersey based beverage and food photographer, and his images will make you hungry and thirsty. I have been lucky enough to get to know Freddy over the past few years. Rick Sammon suggested him as a guest awhile back, and we did a show on food photography, titled “Tastier Photos”. Getting to know Freddy has been somewhat of a flashback for me. I have been in radio for about 40 years. When Freddy was fresh out of college he took that same path, as both an on-air personality and production director. After a decade of radio Freddy made a change, he went into tech, which is weird because I am an I.T. consultant “for a living”. The parallels between Freddy and myself keep going. His move to photography came with the birth of his daughter, while for me it was when my son was in high school. Freddy tried out various photographic genres, including portraiture, landscapes, street photography, and even wedding photography, before finding his passion in food and beverage. Through Santé Beverage & Food Photography Freddy is now living his dream. He has also moved into the education space, teaching for outlets like Princeton Photo Workshops. I did a class for Princeton earlier this year, thanks to an introduction from Freddy. Along with doing workshops with legends like Rick Sammon, Freddy has also created his own workshops, and his latest is the workshop you may have heard me mention on the show. Freddy can explain it better than me, but the Wanderers Photographic Cultural Experience is designed to be a recurring event. I have described it as an opportunity to experience the people, history, music, and food of a destination city… ALL IN ONE WORKSHOP The first Wanderers Workshop will be Sunday, October 10th, through Thursday, October 14th, 2021 in New Orleans. Freddy will be joined by three other instructors: Ant Pruitt, the host of the Hands on Photography Podcast; Andrew Scrivani, another food and beverage photographer that is a New York Times contributor; and me! This workshop includes a lot, and has very limited space, so check it soon if you are at all interested. Join food and beverage photographer Freddy Clark and me as we grab a drink and examine the refreshing world of beverage photography on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Freddy Website: freddyclark.photography | santephoto.com Twitter: @santephoto Instagram: @santephoto Freddy’s Classes Website: princetonphotoworkshop.com New Orleans Workshop – Wanderers Photographic Cultural Experiences Website: wanderersphoto.com Cookbook with Freddy’s Photos on Amazon A Meal for All Seasons: Anton’s at the Swan Freddy’s Photographer Pick Rob Grimm: rggphoto.com

Damian Strohmeyer is a Boston based photographer that’s just as comfortable photographing a Super Bowl, as he is shooting a portrait. His body of work spans from fast action sports, like The World Series, The World Cup, The Stanley Cup, The Olympics, and 27 Super Bowls, to commercial or editorial work. I have had a lot of world class photographers on this show, and Damian takes that to the next level. Damian’s career is like a highlight reel. Throughout his over 25 years at Sports Illustrated magazine he worked on over 2,000 assignments and produced 72 covers. I thought that was a typo the first time I read it. Having 72 SI covers on its own puts you head and shoulders above your peers. It’s no wonder his work is exhibited at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Damian is a member of the exclusive Canon “Explorers of Light” program, a group that includes some of the world’s most influential photographers. I am always fascinated by the common threads in a photographer’s portfolio, and in Damian’s case I am awe struck by his ability to capture the perfect moment. His sense of photographic timing is some of the best I have seen. While in the midst of a live, fast action moment, he has the ability to seemingly slow the moment down, and allow himself to freeze time with his camera at the perfect instant. It’s amazing. As a live music photographer I have to capture these types of fleeting moments regularly, and yet I feel like I’d miss the majority of the same moments Damian captures, were I in that situation. On the education side of things Damian does group and individual photo lessons, along with various speaking engagements through the Explorers of Light program. Join photographer, educator, and Canon Explorer of Light Damian Strohmeyer and me as we explore the keys to improving your photographic timing, and discuss his image of a slide into home plate during a game between Oregon State and North Carolina, on this Behind the Shot. Connect with Damian Website: damianstrohmeyer.com Facebook: @damian.strohmeyer Instagram: @damianstroh LinkedIN: @damianstrohmeyer Damian’s’ Photographer Pick Atiba Jefferson: Atiba Jefferson

St. Louis wedding photographer Sal Cincotta, and his award winning studio, take photography to a level few will ever achieve. Traveling the world to document their client’s most cherished moments, Sal and his team push the envelope with every shoot. Don’t take my word for it… One Eyeland named Sal the #1 Wedding Photographer in the world! When I first saw that I wanted to write more about it, but whatever I wrote seemed to fall short. Being named the top in any field is amazing, but number one in the competitive world of wedding photography? Let’s just let that speak for itself. While often referred to as a Wedding Photographer, Sal is just as well respected for his work in Fashion, Headshot, and Senior photography. Sal is a Canon Explorer of Light, putting him in an elite group of creatives. He’s also a double Master of WPPI, a PPA Photographic Craftsman, and a PPA Master of Photography. Profoto named Sal a Legend of Light for his outstanding skill and contribution to the American Photographic Community. When you have a resume like that, your clients tend to match that level. Sal’s client list includes Microsoft, Proctor & Gamble, the St. Louis Cardinals, and even photographing President Obama at the White House. Contributing to the community, as referenced in the Profoto recognition, is a key part of Sal’s work. He’s an author, educator, and the publisher of Shutter Magazine, a source for cutting edge technical and business insights from leading photographers. Join Canon Explorer of Light Sal Cincotta and me as we talk about using perspective and composition to create stronger images, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Sal Website: salcincotta.com Facebook: @salcincotta Instagram: @salcincotta Twitter: @salcincotta Shutter Magazine Website: behindtheshutter.com ShutterFest: shutterfest.com Evolve Edits Website: evolveedits.com

One of the best parts of doing this podcast is the never ending inspiration I see from amazing photographic talents. Sometimes, the guests I get on the show are photographers I stumble upon while browsing the web, sometimes they are part of some bigger organization that introduces me to them, and on a rare occasion they are a suggestion from a someone that watches the show. That last one is the case today. M L Adelman filled out my contact form and wrote: “Please consider interviewing two time Pulitzer Prize winner, Essdras M Suarez. He retired from photojournalism several years ago and is now giving back teaching others to take their photography to the next level. He is a delightful personality and a very giving photog.” One look at his website and I knew I needed to get Essdras on the show. Essdras Suarez is a two-time Pulitzer Prizewinning photojournalist, and being a photojournalist isn’t what many people think. In one interview, Essdras explained that “as a newspaper photographer you were expected to wear many hats. In addition to being a photojournalist, you were expected to be a travel photographer, documentary photographer, food and product photographer, and a portrait photographer, among other things”. With that background, he can shoot pretty much anything. If you ask him though, his favorite overall subject is people. It’s in that space I think his superpower lies. He has an ability to make that which is normal look extraordinary. His career has included covering the war in Iraq, the Columbia Shuttle disaster in 2003, a U.S. backed military coup against Haitian president Jean Bertrand Aristide, the Indonesia Tsunami in 2004, the Gaza Strip Evacuation in 2006, the Newtown Elementary school shooting in 2012, and the Boston Marathon Bombing in 2013. Essdras has seen a lot in his over 20 years in the field. He continues to work for outlets such as the Washington Post and ZUMA Press Agency, and his images have been published in publications such as Mother Jones, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Boston Globe, New York Times. Essdras’ list of awards is long, and fully reflects his talent in telling a story in a very special way. This also explains the two Pulitzers. As a sought after speaker and educator, he now also shares his knowledge with others through his EMS Photo Adventures LLC, where he is focused on creating and leading educationally geared, on-site and virtual custom photo programs including educational webinars, and short- and long-term mentorship programs. Join photographer, photojournalist, educator, and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Essdras Suarez and me as we discuss his captivating image of Islamic Jihadists in Gaza City, and as we chat about the challenges of photojournalism today, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Essdras Website: essdras.com Facebook: @essdras.m.suarez Instagram: @essdras_001 Twitter: @essdrasmsuarez Essdras’ Photographer Pick Dominic Chavez: dominicchavez.com

If you’re here then I will assume you are, at a minimum, a fan of good photography. Perhaps it interests you as a craft, or an art, or more likely you are a photographer that wants to improve their skill set. That means you and I have something in common. I love the art of photography, the skill it takes to not only freeze a moment in time, but to know what moment to freeze and how best to freeze it. I am constantly trying to learn more about photography, and in that endeavor I watch a lot of videos and read a lot of articles, only to be disappointed in the quality of both the content and the person delivering it. So, when you find someone that consistently delivers fantastic content, and delivers it in a way that it can be understood by photographers of every skill level, that is special. That is Ant Pruitt. It seems like a recurring theme that an I.T. Pro gets into photography. That describes me, and so many others I know, and I am not entirely sure why it happens. Still, I have an idea. As a geek myself, I often say that if I’d known photography was geeky when I was younger I would have gotten into it way sooner in life – and I wish I had. Photography is tech, and if you don’t believe me just check out my friend Don Komarechka’s Photo Geek Weekly podcast. I met Ant because I am a fan of podcasts. The first podcasts I every subscribed to, and some of the ones I still never miss, were This Week in Tech, or TWiT, and MacBreak Weekly. In fact, when I started podcasting my dream was always to be on tech podcasts like those. These are two of the many podcasts on the TWiT network created by ‘The Tech Guy’ Leo Laporte. Early on it was obvious Leo was into photography. He has a photo segment on his radio show, and when I started taking pictures I used to join in the weekly challenges. Years later the TWiT network started a show called Focus on Photography, and knowing the network I had to check it out. The host was Ant Pruitt, a technology professional-turned photographer, videographer, and content creator. Immediately there was something different, a calmness in the storm that is photography education in the tech age. Over time that show was retired to make way for TWiT’s current photography show Hands on Photography, where Ant shares tips, tricks, and techniques that can help creatives at every level. Again, it’s hard to describe a show beyond the content, but if I could explain the brilliance of this show it would go to Ant’s ability to share knowledge in a way that can be absorbed. Ant was born and raised in South Carolina, and was an enterprise I.T. pro for more than ten years in North Carolina, where he spent most of his adult life. I don’t know if his ability is tied to his Southern Charm, but everything about Ant feels like home, like family. Eventually, he turned his creativity into a small business, providing writing, photography, video, and post-production services. He handled a range of assignments, including portraits, event photography, social media marketing, and interview videos. He also worked as a freelance writer for TechRepublic, covering consumer tech, enterprise IT, and tips for beginner content creators. A few weeks ago I was editing a show and, having recently had Ant on a Behind the Shot critique show as a panelist, started thinking about the normal Behind the Shot episode he had been on…. except there wasn’t one. I emailed him about 30 seconds later to correct that mistake, and here we go… Join photographer, I.T. pro, writer, blogger, YouTuber, educator and all around creative Ant Pruitt and me as we dive into one of his long exposure images, and the life of being a creative, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Ant Website: antpruitt.com Instagram: @ant_pruitt Twitter: @ant_pruitt YouTube: @antpruitt Hands on Photography Podcast Website: twit.tv Wanderers Photographic Cultural Experiences Workshops – New Orleans Website: wanderersphoto.com Ant’s Photographer Picks Joseph Akbrud: josephakbrud.com Bryan Minear: bryanminear.com Merelyjim: @merelyjim

I have been trying to count the number of guests I’ve had on this show that mentioned Scott Kelby, and each time I lose count. Seemingly everyone I know, and most of those I don’t know, have learned something from Scott. I know I have. When I first started in photography I watched Scott’s videos, read his blog posts, and absorbed as much as I could from him. His Guest Blog Wednesdays are one of the most amazing resources for photographers, and twice now I have been honored to write a post there. I have had some amazing photographers on this show, people I admire and look up to, but this is different. Scott Kelby is an icon in the photography world, at least to me he is. Yes, I do realize I used the word “Icon”, and I mean it. If you are seriously into photography then you are most likely familiar with KelbyOne, the standard by which all online training is judged. Well, Scott puts the Kelby in KelbyOne. You may also be aware of the Annual Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk – the world’s largest social photography event. Did I mention PhotoshopWorld, or Photoshop User Magazine? He is the force behind those as well. Photoshop Guy, speaker, educator and businessman, Scott built a photography education empire. The first time Scott was on the show, back in 2018 when I was still on the TWiP network, I was so nervous. That show still stands as one of my favorites, aside from the horrible production I had back then. I have wanted to get him back on the show ever since. So many “educators” start to teach and stop creating, but not Scott. He is a creative person, and not just in photography by the way. Scott is an accomplished musician, playing guitar (what an amazing guitar collection he has), bass, drums, and piano. Plus, he is one of the few photographers that seemingly can photograph anything – Any. Thing. Scott’s portfolio includes sections for Travel, Fashion and Beauty, People, The Great Indoors, Automotive, Sports, and Football. Anything he points his camera at seems to crop itself for him, and that is one of the things I love about Scott’s work. His eye for composition is amazing. Last year, just before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, I had the pleasure of hanging with Scott at NAMM in Anaheim, CA. It was fun to watch a passionate musician walk around and see so many toys. Well, when I asked him to do the show again he said yes, and I am so honored to welcome him back. Join Scott Kelby and me on this episode of the Behind the Shot Podcast as we discuss his approach to Travel Photography, and as he shares some tips that can help you improve your photos, no matter what genre you photograph. Connect with Scott Personal: scottkelby.com KelbyOne: kelbyone.com KelbyOne Live: kelbyonelive.com KelbyOne Insider: insider.kelbyone.com Facebook (Personal): @SKelby Facebook (Business): @KelbyOneOnline Instagram (Personal): @scottkelby Instagram (Business): @kelbyonepics Twitter (Personal): @ScottKelby Twitter (Business): @KelbyOne YouTube (Personal): @scottkelby YouTube (Business): @kelbymediagroup Pinterest: @kelbyone Photoshop World: photoshopworld.com LinkedIn: @kelbyone Scott’s Books rockynook.com amazon.com Scott’s Photographer Pick Dan (Dano) Steinhardt on Instagram: @dano_steinhardt Steve’s Guest Posts for Scott’s Blog Five Lessons Learned from Hosting the Behind The Shot Podcast The Joy of Live Music Photography

The odds are that you’ve seen Simon Bruty’s work before, but on the odd chance you haven’t let me help you understand what you’ve missed. When discussing the best sports photography today, Simon is one of those photographers that has to be included on any list – and he usually is, but more on that in a minute. While photographing everything from World Cup Soccer, to Super Bowls and the Olympics, Simon has traveled the world making iconic images. Sometimes he captures that action shot that makes you feel the moment, other times it’s a portrait of one of our times most memorable athletes. Simon Bruty is a Canon Explorer of Light – that’s one of the most amazing achievements you’ll find in professional photography. Add to that a client list that includes Rolex, Nike, Reebok, the International Olympic Committee, the All England Lawn and Tennis Club, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and of course Canon, and you’ll start to see just how sought after Simon is. In 2016 Simon was the recipient of the Lucie Award for Achievement in Sports Photography. He has also received awards from the World Press Foundation, Pictures of the Year, and the International Olympic Committee. Circling back to the comment above about lists, The London Observer even chose one of Simon’s shots for their list of the World’s 50 Greatest Sports Photographs. That is an achievement that may say more than anything else, Simon Bruty is one of the best there is. While picking the photo for this show Simon sent over an image from the final round of the 2020 Master Golf Tournament, and you’ve ever watched golf you’ll know that silence during a shot is key. The announcers whisper, and the fans are treated with “Quiet” signs. I have shot on the set of video productions before, where the camera can’t make any noise at all, and pros that shoot with DSLRs on TV and movie sets regularly use a device known as a blimp to keep their shutter clicks silent. All of that got me thinking about the silent shutter feature that exists in today’s modern cameras making blimps are a thing of the past. It ends out that the image Simon sent over was shot on a Canon EOS R5 using the silent shutter feature, and as usual, that means I have lots of questions. Join award winning sports photographer, and Canon Explorer of Light Simon Bruty and me as discuss photographing without being heard, and as we take a deep dive into his photograph from the 2020 Master Golf Tournament, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Simon Website: simonbruty.com Instagram: @simonbruty | @anychance_ LinkedIN: linkedin.com Simon Bruty on Canon USA usa.canon.com Simon’s Photographer Picks Walter Iooss: walteriooss.com Patrick Smith: patricksmithphotos.com Donald Miralle: donaldmiralle.com

I grew up spending a lot of time in Newport, Rhode Island, home of the America’s Cup on twelve occasions between 1930 and 1983. I have great memories of visiting there, and seeing first hand the pride they had on having such a storied nautical heritage. Fast forward to today and these memories come rushing back. Award winning nautical photographer Onne van der Wal, who is based in Newport, Rhode Island, is one of the most prolific and talented marine photographers in the world of sailing. Once a professional sailor himself, Onne was the bowman and engineer aboard the Dutch maxi-boat Flyer II when the team won all four legs of the 1981-82 Whitbread Round the World Race. Along the way, he took his camera with him everywhere he went, even to the top of the mast and the end of the spinnaker pole. That love of the sea, and his passion for adventure, show in his work. While he has an artist’s eye for composition and color, Onne is also a perfectionist when it comes to the technical aspects of his craft. As a member of the elite Canon Explorers of Light, a group of the most influential photographers and cinematographers in the world, he is always pushing the equipment and the technology forward, often in very harsh environments. From expeditions or races, to commercial work for manufacturers and the maritime shipping industry, Onne has carved out a name for himself and positioned himself as one of the best in the genre. On the education side of things, Onne’s workshops offer a rare experience. His summer “Workshops on the Water” are held aboard a 55’ motor yacht where he teaches a small group of shutter bugs the ins and outs of shooting in, on and around the water. That’s an environment most would be afraid to bring camera gear into, salt spray and an unstable shooting platform are rarely a photographer’s friend, but Onne has systems and gear in place to make even a wet and wild day productive; in fact some of his very best and most revered photos come from the days most other photographers would sooner stay ashore, camera gear tucked safely away. Onne also does an Explore Greenland workshop, along with his One-on-One on the Water workshops. As a sought after speaker, Onne has even done a TEDx presentation for TEDxNewport. Van der Wal runs his business out of his downtown Newport, RI studio and gallery, where his staff sells stock photography as well as a retail collection of over 340 fine art Limited Edition prints. Join nautical photographer and Canon Explorer of Light Onne van der Wal and me as we discuss his amazing career photographing out on the ocean, and as we take a closer look behind one of his iconic images, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Onne Website: vanderwal.com Facebook: @ONNEvanderwal Instagram: @onnevanderwal Twitter: @onnevanderwal YouTube: @Onnevanderwal Onne at TEDxNewport TEDx Talks on YouTube Onne on Canon USA usa.canon.com Onne’s Photographer Picks Carlo Borlenghi: carloborlenghi.com The Rosenfeld Collection: mysticseaport.org Onne Online National Sailing Hall of Fame – Contributor U.S Harbors South Coast Today – Sailors’ Series

I normally start these posts with some lofty statement about my guest’s accomplishments, or some other overly deep setup. Not today. Today may be the easiest opening I have ever written… Vanessa Joy is a joy to work with. Every email I have received during the planning stages of this show has made me smile because of her email signature. She ends her emails…. “enJoy life”. That sums up what you are in for on this episode. In doing some research on Vanessa another thing stood out to me, her website’s About page starts off that page by saying: “Hello! First off, I’m just glad you’re here. Thank you. I could go on about the “history” of me, my awards and publications and my 20+ years in photography, but the truth is I just love marriage and being a part of one of the most important times in my couples’ lives.” That is awesome. I owned a DJ business for 18 years, and I was on some of the top referral lists in So Cal. That is to say that I have worked a lot of weddings, with a lot of wedding photographers. That opening statement perfectly says what I always felt when I did a wedding, and what I rarely – if ever – heard from a photographer I worked with. Still, if Vanessa won’t list her accomplishments perhaps I can. There are only five Canon Explorers of Light in the field of Wedding Photography, just five. Vanessa is one of them. On it’s own, that’s enough of a list, but let me continue… Vanessa Joy photographs weddings from Austin and Dallas, TX, to New Jersey, New York City, and Manhattan, and of course is sought after for destination weddings. Her style is photojournalistic, and has led to multiple awards. Her work has been seen in The Knot, RangeFinder, Grace Ormonde, Brides, and more. Last time I counted she has 11 classes on CreativeLive, and you can even buy her preset packs. And yes, she’s an author, with her book “The Off-Camera Flash Handbook: 32 Scenarios for Creating Beautiful Light and Stunning Photographs” available now. Let’s just say that Vanessa Joy is at the top of the wedding photography game, and I am so glad to have her on the show. Please join Canon Explorer of Light Vanessa Joy and me as we jump head first into the wonderful world of Wedding Photography, while discussing this beautiful image of a bride framed by her veil, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Vanessa Website: vanessajoy.com Website for Photographers: breatheyourpassion.com Blog: vanessajoyphotographyblog.com Twitter: @vanessa__joy Instagram: @vanessajoy Facebook: @VJoyPhoto YouTube: @vanessajoy Vanessa’s Book Amazon: The Off-Camera Flash Handbook: 32 Scenarios for Creating Beautiful Light and Stunning Photographs Vanessa’s Secrets To Perfect Poses Speed Posing Course: speedposing.com Free Guide: Posing Inspiration Guide Vanessa’s Photographer Picks Steven Kramer: kramerportraits.net Seth Miranda: lastxwitness.com  

Editors Note: This show is not a paid advertisement. I have received no compensation from any third party company involved, and everything I say in the show is my own opinion. I am so excited to welcome the founder of Lensrentals.com, Roger Cicala, and the co-owner Drew Cicala to Behind the Shot. The idea for an episode about rental gear was suggested a while back, and in all honesty I had conflicting thoughts about. I knew there was a great show in the concept, but I also wanted to be sure the resulting show would be something that would inform my audience, rather than be an ad for a rental company. Figuring out how to approach the topic in an educational way took a few detours, and then one day I tweeted a question… Behind the Shot listeners / viewers: Would you have any interest in a special episode where I have someone from a lens rental company on to talk about everything lenses: lens choice, brand differences, rental benefits, different look / feel of lenses etc? The overwhelming response was “yes”, although there was one person that said no – at least the internet is predictable. One reply was from Philip Robertson, of Lensrentals.com, asking me to DM him. When Philip mentioned that Lensrentals founder Roger Cicala was open to coming on the show I jumped at the chance. I am a fan of Roger Cicala. If you don’t know of Roger you might be wondering why on earth would someone be a fan of a lens and gear rental company founder. Let me explain, Roger tears gear apart in the most entertaining way possible, and he writes about…like it’s a diary. I have laughed out loud reading a blog post from Roger. Don Komarechka and I even discussed the post “Taking Apart the Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM” on an episode of Photo Geek Weekly. Roger brings not only his experience to the table, but a very fun attitude. Roger’s background surprised me. He spent more than thirty years as a board certified anesthesiologist, and ran the only level-one trauma center in the Memphis, Tennessee region. His scientific background, coupled with a strong interest in photography, led Roger down a path I don’t think even he could have predicted. When the economy took a downturn, and camera equipment prices rose, an opportunity for rental equipment presented itself. That opportunity became Lensrentals in 2006. Roger committed himself fully to the Lensrentals business, conducting equipment repairs, writing equipment reviews and investing in optical test benches to measure variance of the hundreds of thousands of individual pieces of equipment in the company’s inventory. His scientific research and understanding of optics has lead to industry recognition with articles published by the Optical Society (OSA). In his spare time Roger enjoys shooting collimated light through 30x microscope objectives – when I first saw that I wanted to call Don Komarechka to geek out together. When shooting real pictures, Roger opts for “something different: medium format, Pentax K1 or Sony RX1R.” Drew Cicala studied Law at University of Michigan, graduating in 2010, and he now overseas the day-to-day operations of Lensrentals, in addition to managing mergers and acquisitions, and the marketing and software development teams. Since Roger handed over day-to-day operations, the company has prospered under the current ownership team of Drew Cicala and Tyler Beckman. Lensrentals experienced approximately 400% growth in 9 years, to become the largest online provider of photo and video equipment for rental in the U.S. Drew has been responsible for successfully launching the industry leading programs Lensrentals HD, Keeper, and Lenscap+ to serve the needs of their customers. Started as a single location with 25 employees, Lensrentals has now expanded to three locations and a head count of 175 employees. Please join Lensrentals Founder Roger Cicala, co-owner Drew Cicala, and me as we chat about all things gear rental. We’ll discuss the process, benefits, misconceptions, use cases for renting gear and more. We even take a look at some of the strange things they have found inside returned lenses, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Lensrentals Website: lensrentals.com Blog: lensrentals.com/blog Twitter: @lensrentals Instagram: @lensrentals Facebook: @lensrentals YouTube: @lensrental Blog Post Mentioned in the Show Taking Apart the Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM: lensrentals.com/blog Roger’s Photographer Pick Leonard Nimoy: rmichelson.com Drew’s Photographer Pick Ernest Withers: thewitherscollection.com

It’s rare that I have a guest on Behind the Shot that has redefined their genre of photography, but Peter Hurley is one of those guests. Headshot photography has existed for a long time. I remember driving around L.A. years ago dropping off voice over demo tapes – actual tapes – at various agencies. These voice over agents were also acting agents, so you’d see headshots often. In those days it was the 8 x 10 glossy, with a portrait orientation 8 x 10 headshot on the front with a few different poses and outfits on the back. Then, something changed… the ground under the headshot industry shifted, and that was in large part due to Peter Hurley. Fitting that narrative, Peter Hurley is somewhat of a rare breed. His journey through life has had him riding the waves around the world on a sailboat, plastered his mug in magazines modeling for the likes of Polo and Abercrombie & Fitch and put over 15,000 faces just a few feet in front of his lens. Peter redefined headshots with his new “classic” style. Shooting in landscape orientation, often on a solid white, black, or grey background, Peter would also crop tight into the subject’s head. The first time I saw his work I immediately felt like I was looking at the person in the photo through a window. There was an energy, a realness to the image. It’s like the person in the photo was enjoying themself, and I’d suggest that last part is Peter’s magic formula – even more than the creative presentation. Peter’s prowess behind the camera fueled his desire to educate and he has spoken at Google, Apple, Microsoft and TEDx. In today’s photography world, Peter is headshots. If you’re at a conference and see the word “Headshot” on the schedule the chances are pretty good it will be Peter up on the podium. His coaching/ referral platform for photographers, called Headshot Crew, comprises the largest group of headshot specialists in the world. Kicking his entrepreneurial side into high gear he founded a photography gear company called HURLEYPRO, which makes and collaborates on some really cool gear. He also co-founded a new discipline called PsyPhotology, a unique concept of intertwining psychology with photography. That kind of goes back to the magic Peter brings to his work. He has a way of capturing the real person, not just a posing one. That is a skillset that I have rarely if ever seen before. And now, Peter is adding author to his list of accolades after releasing his highly anticipated book, “The Headshot.” I look forward to getting my hands on a copy of this book. Peter calls New York City his home, where he lives with his wife and twin daughters. One of my favorite parts of doing this podcast is when my guests get involved in the pre-show thought process, and this show may be the best example of that yet. The night before we recorded Peter reached out with an idea, and I instantly answered yes! His thought was, what if we have the subject of the photo join us on the show, and it was a pleasure to welcome actor, singer, and songwriter Marina Pires to Behind the Shot. It was so refreshing to hear Marina’s take on being Peter’s subject. She was able to answer a number of questions I had on what I consider to be Peter’s magic… his connection with his subjects, and how he communicates with and directs them. If you are looking for more info on Marina, including her band The Heartstrings Project, please do check out the links below. You can also catch her Broadway debut, as Jasmine in Aladdin, once theaters reopen. Please join Canon Explorer of Light, headshot specialist, PsyPhotologist, author, and entrepreneur Peter Hurley, his guest (and the subject of today’s photo) actor and singer Marina Pires, and me as we talk about all things headshots, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Peter Website: peterhurley.com Facebook: @peterhurleyphoto Instagram: @peter_hurley Twitter: @peter_hurley YouTube: @peterhurleyphoto LinkedIN: @peterhurley Headshot Crew headshotcrew.com Headshot Booker headshotbooker.com Peter Hurley on Canon USA usa.canon.com Peter’s Book on Amazon The Headshot: The Secrets to Creating Amazing Headshot Portraits Peter at TEDx TEDxCambridge Peter’s Photographer Pick John Isaac: johnisaac.com Connect with Marina Website: marinapires.com The Heartstrings Project: theheartstringsproject.org Heartstrings Kids: heartstringskids.com Facebook: @marinapiresofficial Instagram: @marinampires Twitter: @MarinaMPires Marina’s Pick John Isaac: johnisaac.com

On occasion I have a guest on Behind the Shot I find hard to describe. With SanDisk Extreme Team members Jonathan and Angela Scott that is not the case. In fact I have so much I want to say that I’m worried I will end up with a novel. I first learned of Jonathan and Angela through Rick Sammon, and in fact Rick has sent me a number of emails over the years telling me I need to get The Big Cat People on the show. Well, it’s finally happened, and I couldn’t be more excited to have Jonathan join me on this show. Jonathan and Angela Scott are award-winning wildlife photographers and authors who have made their name documenting the lives of lions, leopards and cheetahs in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. Over the past 40 years, they have recorded every aspect of their existence and their travels through their stunning wildlife photography. The only couple to have won the Overall Award in the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition as individuals, Jonathan and Angela are two of the best wildlife photographer working today. They have written and illustrated 34 books, including their Sacred Nature: Life’s Eternal Dance (HPH) that won the Gold Award for Photography in the prestigious Independent Publishers Book Awards, 2017. They hope to publish the second volume, titled Sacred Nature Volume 2: Reconnecting People to Our Planet, in early 2021. Jonathan is the presenter of the popular BBC/Animal Planet wildlife television program Big Cat Diary and has been featured in many other documentaries including two series of Elephant Diaries, and Big Bear Diary. He presented The Truth About Lions for BBC2 in 2011. Their latest TV show, currently on Animal Planet and Discovery, is Big Cat Tales. In addition to their artistry, Jonathan & Angela have also committed their lives to fighting for wildlife conservation. They are currently founding their own non-profit organization, The Sacred Nature Initiative (SNI). This initiative aims to Inspire, Educate, and Conserve, by forging meaningful partnerships with educators and local conservation organizations worldwide to address the loss of wilderness and plight of endangered species. There is a Kickstarter campaign running from February 2 to February 28, 2021 for the new book, Sacred Nature Volume 2: Reconnecting People to Our Planet, that will also help benefit The Sacred Nature Initiative. I have seen some previews of this book, and at 14″ x 11″, with 288 pages and 140 images, this is going to be pretty awesome. Join The Big Cat Man, Jonathan Scott, and me as we chat about photographing in the Maasai Mara, the ethical considerations related to wildlife photography, and more, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Jonathan and Angela Website: bigcatpeople.com Instagram: @thebigcatpeople Facebook: @JonathanAngelaScott YouTube: @thebigcatpeople Kickstarter Sacred Nature Volume 2: Reconnecting People to Our Planet The Sacred Nature Initiative bigcatpeople.com/sacred-nature Jonathan & Angela’s Photo Safaris c4photosafaris.com Fine Art Prints bigcatpeople.com/prints Jonathan’s Photographer Pick Vincent Munier

I find myself quoting Rick Sammon often, very often. Rick has these little sayings he uses, and he even has a name for them… Sammonisims. When I found out that he had a new class about these sayings over at KelbyOne I knew I had to have him back on the show to talk about it. The class is called “Sammonisms – Speed-Learning Advice for Making Awesome Photographs”, and trust me when I say this should be a good one. I’m already a fan of anything on KelbyOne, and these sayings, these “Sammonisms”, are like little infectious tips. Rick Sammon is a legend, and I mean that in every sense of the word. Every time I talk with him I am amazed at how much he enjoys what he does, his photography, educating others, from amateurs to pros, and living life. Along with his wife Susan, Rick is honestly one of the best there is, and I learn something every time we chat. It’s no wonder he is affectionately known as The Godfather of Photography. An award winning photographer, Rick is a Canon Explorer of Light. A tireless, prolific and inspirational image-maker, he is one of the most active photographers I know. His enthusiasm for digital imaging is contagious, making photography fun, creative, exciting and rewarding for others. He even does private coaching. Yeah, private coaching from Rick Sammon. That would be awesome. In the education area, Rick has around 20 classes on KelbyOne, not to mention a wonderful interview he did with Kalebra Kelby (who in her own right is an amazing photographer that does stuff with an iPhone I wish I could do). Rick is also an author, with more photography books than anyone I know to his credit. I even have a small bit in his recent book “Photo Quest: Discovering Your Photographic & Artistic Voice“, which is a photography book… without pictures. It’s is actually one of the best books on photography I have seen. I have a small contribution in his previous book, “Photo Therapy Motivation and Wisdom: Discovering the Power of Pictures” – too, such an honor. Rick is an avid podcaster, and has built his Photo Therapy Facebook Group into a wonderful resource for photographers of all levels. I asked Rick once how he describes his photography, and he answered “evolving,” I kinda dig that description. He even hesitates to categorize his work. He does it all, and enjoys the freedom of not specializing. With as much experience as Rick brings to the table, this self-taught photographer has many accomplishments – and as Rick suggests, “When you are through changing, you are through”. As many times as Rick has been on the show, I always want to remind people that Rick’s partner is his wife Susan. While Rick seems to get the bulk of the attention, Susan deserves her own. Behind every successful person there is often a spouse, or special person that helps push them, guide them, and in many ways drive the success. I know that is the case for me, and in Rick’s case that is Susan. She is there on his workshops, and she is often a co-author on his books. Join Canon Explorer of Light Rick Sammon and me as we take a closer look at one of his iconic portraits, taken in Death Valley, and as we explore his inspiring world of Sammonisms, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Rick Personal: ricksammon.com Instagram: @ricksammonphotography Facebook: @RickSammonPhotography Twitter: @ricksammon Rick’s Workshops, Seminars, and Coaching ricksammon.com Rick’s Books on Amazon Photo Quest: Discovering Your Photographic & Artistic Voice Photo Therapy Motivation and Wisdom: Discovering the Power of Pictures The Oregon Coast Photo Road Trip The Route 66 Photo Road Trip All of Rick’s Books on Amazon Rick’s Classes on KelbyOne KelbyOne Rick’s Photographer Pick John Isaac: johnisaac.com John’s TEDx Talk: The Pictures I didn’t Take | ​John ​Isaac | TEDxIHEParis Book Mentioned by Rick Jay Maisel: Light Gesture and Color

Charles Glatzer is one of the top wildlife photographers working today, and that says a lot. There are so many great wildlife photographers out there, but on a rare occasion you meet someone that rises above the rest, someone that is the inspiration for so many of those others. That is Charles, and that is why his work has been celebrated internationally with over 40 awards. As a Canon Explorer of Light Charles is one of a small, prestigious group made up of some of the worlds best professional photographers, spanning every genre you can think of. The idea behind the Explorers of Light program is to provide insight, inspiration, and education to future generations of creative photographers, and I think it’s one of the best things Canon has done for the industry. I have had a lot of Canon Explorers of Light on Behind the Shot, and every time I’m amazed at the talent in that group. His images have appeared in many publications worldwide, including National Geographic, Outdoor Photographer, Popular Photography, National Parks, to name a few, and with over 38 years of professional experience, Charles has become not only a sought after photographer, but an educator and keynote speaker. Charles founded “Shoot the Light“, an instructional photographic workshop and series, in the mid-nineties. His experience provides workshop participants and seminar attendees with an unparalleled resource, and provides the insight needed for the many national and international photographic competitions where he serves as a judge. Join wildlife photographer, and Canon Explorer of Light, Charles Glatzer and me as we chat about how you can improve your wildlife photography, and as we do a deep dive into his “once in a lifetime” image of a bobcat dragging it’s prey through the snow, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Charles Website: shootthelight.com The Heat Co: theheatcompany.us Instagram: @charlesglatzer Facebook: @charles.glatzer Twitter: @charlesglatzer Interviews with Charles SLR Lounge: Tips on Hunting Wildlife with a Camera Aperture Academy: apertureacademy.com NatureScapes.net: An Interview with Charles Glatzer Charles’ Photographer Picks Marsel van Oosten: @marselvanoosten John Shaw: johnshawphoto.com

A photographer whose publication credits include National Geographic Books, Time, Life Magazine, National Wildlife Federation, Audubon, Sierra Club, and Disney is someone I want to learn from, and in this case, that’s Adam Jones. Adam is a photographer that has been internationally recognized for his nature, travel, and wildlife images. Jones’s award-winning photography has been widely published in magazines, posters, calendars, and books, including nine coffee-table books. With images used in national advertising campaigns for clients such as Canon, Ford, Eddie Bauer, Miller Beer and Honda, it’s no wonder Adam is in the rare group of artists known as Canon Explorers of Light. Adam is also recognized worldwide as an outstanding stock photographer, with his images represented by Getty Images, and Danita Delimont Stock Photography. His work has sold for editorial and commercial uses in over 30 countries. In 1995 the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Contest selected Adam’s image, from over 19,000 entries, as the winner in the “In Praise of Plants” category. All of this experience, combined with Adam’s enthusiasm for photography, has led to Adam being a popular and highly respected workshop leader and speaker at photography workshops around the world, helping students reach their full potential in the exciting world of digital photography. Join Canon Explorer of Light Adam Jones and me as we take a deep dive into how he made this amazing landscape, and discuss ways to improve your reflection photos, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Adam Website: adamjonesphoto.com Workshops: adamjonesphoto.com Instagram: @adam_jones_photo Facebook: facebook.com Twitter: @AdamsCamera Adam’s Photographer Picks Art Wolfe: artwolfe.com John Shaw: johnshawphoto.com

Karen Hutton is a photographer that is in demand, but on the chance you are not already familiar with her, let me introduce you… Karen is a Fine Art photographer that specializes in landscape, nature, and travel photography – or as she calls it: Photographer, Voice, Purveyor of Awesomeness The “voice” part is because along with being an amazing photographer, Karen is a sought after voice Artist too, something that is close to my heart as well. That’s the TL;DR version, but her accomplishments simply don’t fit into that summary easily. She’s a professional FujiFilm X-Photographer, and a highly sought after speaker and educator. Karen has presented at PhotoshopWorld, PhotoExpo+, Photographer Talks at Google and more. She has had gallery showings and exhibitions across the globe, from Google’s “Moments that Matter”, to FujiFilm Ambassador Gallery in NY, and the FujiFilm Photography Gallery in Tokyo, Japan. Karen Hutton was practically born with a camera in her hands, and it shows. Something she said to me fascinates me: “Fujifilm gear itself factors into how I see and shoot” That, to me, is what gear should be. Not merely a technical device in your hands, or even a tool, but part of the inspiration in both its strengths and weaknesses. Karen’s photography is so unique, whether it’s a traditional photograph, or one of her amazing “Artified” creations. Her work is some of the best use of composition I have seen, and combine that with the technical excellence and you have so much more than a “photo”. Yes there are a lot of fine art photographers, and yes there are many shooting the same types of spaces and places, but it is rare to see these visuals communicated with such a therapeutic approach. Relaxing, inviting, often minimalistic, yet a focused draw. She is really good. Join photographer, voice, and purveyor of awesomeness Karen Hutton and me as we chat about how she made her image “Forest of Enlightenment”, and explore her world of creativity, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Karen Website: karenhutton.com Photography: karenhuttonphotography.com Digital Fine Art: karenhutton.art Instagram: @karenhutton Facebook Profile: @Karen.L.Hutton Facebook Page: @KarenHuttonPhotography Twitter: @karenhutton Media Room: karenhutton.com/mediaroom Linktree: linktr.ee/karenhutton Karen’s Book 10 Steps To Finding Your Voice: karenhutton.com Karen’s Classes on KelbyOne How to Infuse YOU into Your Photography: kelbyone.com Finding Your Artistic Voice: kelbyone.com Karen’s Artist Pick Vladimir Kush: vladimirkush.com

In the time I have been doing photography there have been a few names I seem to have always been aware of, and one of those is Ron Clifford. When I receive an email from our mutual friend Rick Sammon introducing us, and suggesting Ron for an episode of Behind the Shot I immediately knew it would be a fit. Ron Clifford is a skilled, award-winning photographer, but above all else he is someone that inspires others, or what you might call an “Inspirologist”. Ron is well known as a mentor, through his Mentorship PLUS program, and as an educator. This quote from Trey Ratcliff sums Ron up well: “I don’t even know where to start with Ron! Not only is he an amazing photographer, but he’s also a brilliant communicator. Ron is one of those rare people that can inspire you with both his imagery and his words.” This quote from Ron might better explain his approach to photography, and life: “I’m a visual storyteller. I always say, “Do what you can’t help but do“ and for me that is to capture the beauty and character in the people I meet and the places I travel to.” What a great way to look at life. As a result of his commitment to building strong communities, he has had his work featured by Google , on National Geographic.com and has appeared in blog posts, podcasts and interviews around the world. As I mentioned above, Ron has become well known for his involvement in online and in-person mentoring in photography and has been inspiring fellow creatives and entrepreneurs through talks, presentations and workshops. Recently he was able to share his story about overcoming mental illness as a speaker on the TEDx stage. As an educator, Ron is also a Photography Guide on unique photography symposiums, workshops and tours to some of the most remote places on earth including Africa, the Arctic and Antarctica. Wether he is photographing some remote landscape, wildlife, or an in studio portrait, Ron Clifford is an artist, and it shows in his accomplishments. He was a director of the Google+ mentorship program for photographers, has multiple Bronze and Silver Merit Awards from Portrait Masters International, and has nearly 3 million social media followers. Join photographer, educator, speaker, and mentor Ron Clifford and me as discuss his beautiful B&W portrait, that he calls “The Baptism”, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Ron Website: ronclifford.com Instagram – Nature: @ron_clifford Instagram – Portraits: @ron_clifford_portrait Facebook: @RonCliffordPhoto Twitter: @ronclifford LinkedIN: @ronclifford Pinterest: @ronclifford Ron’s TEDx Talk Ted Talks: How Traveling to the Ends of the Earth Helps Me Cope With my Diagnosis Ron’s Photographer Picks John Paul Caponigro: johnpaulcaponigro.com Lauri Novak: laurinovak.com

For each episode of Behind the Shot I write a post with some information about my guest. I usually use a combination of the guest’s bio, along with pieces of info I gather through research, to try and give a bit of insight into that guest. This episode is much harder than usual. A friend of mine (thank you Scott) told me about a new book that was coming out. He then introduced me to someone at Grand Central Publishing, and they kindly sent me a copy of the book. I am not speechless often, but this book had me close. The book is called “Uncommon Grit”, and it is one of the most powerful set of images I have ever seen. I cannot recommend buying this book enough, seriously. More on the book in a bit, as I want you to get to know it’s author first. Darren McBurnett (SEAL) Ret. is a combat veteran, professional photographer, author, ambassador, and motivational speaker. In “Uncommon Grit” Darren takes us behind the scenes of the elite SEAL training program, BUD/S, in Coronado, California. If you have heard anything about this training, or seen any of the documentaries on it, you already know it’s damn tough, but trust me when I say that Darren’s photos will show you that your imagination is lacking. In high school Darren earned MVP and state honors in cross country, track, indoor track, and swimming. He has a degree from Purdue, where he was on the cycling and water polo teams, and he was the captain of the rowing team. He’s completed hundreds of road races, endurance and swimming events, marathons, and triathlons, including the Boston Marathon and two Ironman triathlons. That type of drive and athleticism is amazing on its own. After college Darren started a 24-year SEAL career that included numerous deployments to combat zones in support of missions such as Operation Iraq Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Kosovo crisis, Liberia, and Operation Inherent Resolve. He was a SEAL platoon leader, and received 49 individual, unit, and campaign honors, including a Bronze Star. Darren McBurnett is the real deal. McBurnett has become an accomplished speaker and motivator, presenting to companies and groups including CDW, AIG, Budweiser, Rite-Aid, Founders Brewing Company, Hilton Hotels, BMO, National Quarterback Club, Arbor Pharmaceuticals, and many others. He is also an award-winning photographer, his professional portfolio including work for NIKE, National Geographic, Fox and Friends, Rolling Stone, CBS SEAL Team, and the movie “Act of Valor”. His work has appeared on everything from album covers to billboards to walls of Fortune 500 companies and is in the homes of Charlie Sheen, Kid Rock, Jim McMahon, John Rich, Brent Burns, Roger Clemens, and John Daly. Darren is proud to be an ambassador for Uncommon Grit Foundation, a nonprofit he started in 2020 to assist military, first responders, and their families—those who answer the call. This book is an unprecedented look at the toughest training in the military — and the world — from the vantage point of someone who lived through it. Darren’s descriptions of both the physical and mental evolutions that occur as a result of the immensely challenging SEAL training process, combined with his photos – images that are moving, powerful, and on occasion uncomfortable – offer a rare glimpse not only into the training itself, but the people that chose to go through it. This show is photography based, so let me focus on the the photos for a minute. The images in this book are amazing. Not just because of the subject matter, although they are because of that too, but because they are some of the best technical photojournalism style images I have seen. Darren is not just a photographer that had access to something usual, he’s a master at story telling. When I opened this book I found myself in awe of his skill as a photographer, as much as his ability to show me a subject I wanted to see. Framing and composition in these shots is stunning. Storytelling is unmatched. The use of light, detail, and scene, are cinematic. Join retired Navy SEAL, motivational speaker, author, and photographer, Darren McBurnett and me as we discuss his book “Uncommon Grit”, his photographic style, and one of the amazing images from the book on this episode of Behind the Shot. Uncommon Grit Available Wherever Books Are Sold: grandcentralpublishing.com Connect with Darren Website: dmcburnett.com Instagram: @mcteams3842 LinkedIN: @dmcburnett Darren’s Photographer Pick Frans Lanting: lanting.com

When I book a guest for Behind the Shot I usually have an idea on how I will describe them, but sometimes that is a bit more difficult. Let’s take today’s guest, Atiba Jefferson, for example. Atiba is perhaps best known for his 25 years of skateboarding images. He has worked for all of the major skateboarding publications, and now works at Thrasher magazine. But describing Atiba as a skateboarding photographer would be a mistake, as he is much more than that single genre. Atiba has a deep history in professional basketball. during the Shaq and Kobe years he assisted Andy Bernstein, the Los Angeles Lakers photographer, and shot for the Lakers. That history alone has to bring with it so many stories. Add to that the fact that he has shot more SLAM magazine covers than any other photographer and you might consider Atiba a sports photographer, which also fits in with the skateboarding I suppose. The problem is that a description like that still misses the mark. Atiba is also a music photographer, something near and dear to my heart, and his images capturing everyday life are amazing. So where does that leave us with the description? Well, for the purpose of this episode I am going to focus on what I see as a common thread throughout all of Atiba’s work…. the moment. He is a master at capturing that perfect moment, whether it be in a photojournalistic style image, a commercial job, or a studio portrait. All of this taken together explains why he has the client list he does, including: Supreme, adidas, Nike, Converse, Reebok, ESPN, Gatorade, Mountain Dew, Oakley, Panasonic, Pepsi, and Netflix. And there is one more… As of October 1, 2020, Atiba Jefferson is a Canon Explorer of Light. That is one of the highest career accomplishments a photographer can reach, and I for one want to say congrats. It’s well deserved. Atiba’s body of work is fantastic and, if you have not yet, go follow him on social media. Join Canon Explorer of Light, and master of capturing the perfect moment, Atiba Jefferson and me as we discuss moment, style, and more on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Atiba Website: atibaphoto.com Instagram: @atibaphoto Twitter: @atibaphoto Facebook: @atiba.jefferson Atiba’s Photographer Picks Grant Brittain: jgrantbrittainphotos.com Andrew Bernstein: adbapi.com Jonathan Mannion: jonathanmannion.com Walter Iooss Jr: walteriooss.com Video Mentioned During the Show Lakai Fully Flared Intro: https://vimeo.com/18736090

One of the most enjoyable aspects of doing the Behind the Shot podcast is the wonderful artists I get to meet. All are photographers that I truly admire, and that I am inspired by. Hand-in-hand with that is the way that I meet them. Elizabeth Gadd is one of those that was a chance discovery. I recently had the opportunity to be a guest on SmugMug Live!, with Alastair Jolly. I love that show, the way Alastair does an interview, and the next level guests he has on. The episode right after mine was Lizzy Gadd, and wow… I don’t even know where to begin in describing the feeling I had watching the show. Amazing is a place to start I guess. Shortly after that my friends Larry Tiefenbrunn, of Platypod, and Skip Cohen mentioned Lizzy to me, suggesting I needed to get her on Behind the Shot. Lucky for me that is now happening. Let me back up a bit… Elizabeth Gadd is a Vancouver, Canada, based photographer that combines self-portraiture with landscapes to create “ethereal images, evoking peaceful solitude and portraying the beauty of matching one’s heartbeat with the beat of nature”. These are not “Selfies” mind you, oh no. These are works of absolute art, images that are mesmerizing. They are stunningly beautiful photos like I have not seen before. Whether it be mountains, forests, fields or ocean, Lizzy makes the scene inviting and special. Sorry, but I am struggling to describe her work in a way that does it justice. This is one of those shows I fear trying to describe the image we are discussing for the audio listeners. That. Will Be. Difficult. Along with her self-portrait series, Elizabeth also shoots client portraits, pure landscapes, and a series called “Adventure Pepper”. I’ll let you head to her site to discover the wonder that is Pepper. Her client list is amazing too, having worked with Sony, Air New Zealand, Daily Mail, Whistler Tourism, Canadian Geographic and Practical Photography Magazines, and many more. You’ll even find her images on the covers of books by authors such as Nora Roberts and John Grisham! Elizabeth has accumulated over 475,000 followers across social media, and if you look at her work that’s not the surprising part, it’s why there are not many more. I am so honored to have the talented self-portrait artist Lizzy Gadd join me to discuss how she made this image, which my wife calls “Reflections of Beauty”, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Elizabeth Website: elizabethgadd.com Instagram: @elizabethgadd Facebook: @elizabethgaddphotography Patreon: @elizabethgadd Elizabeth on SmugMug Live! Smug Mug Live! Episode 34: youtube.com/SmugMugFilms Lizzy’s Photographer Suggestion Laura Zalenga: laurazalenga.de

I had not heard of Mitchel Wu until my friends at Platypod mentioned him to me, and that surprised me. I don’t want that to happen to you, so I am introducing you to some of the most playful work you’ll ever see. His work is stunningly good. When I see Mitchel’s photography it makes me want to be a child again. Every photo merges my childhood, and the memories of my son growing up, with everyday life as an adult. His work makes me smile, and I’m not sure there is any higher compliment I can give. Mitchel Wu is a toy photographer, but let’s be clear, he isn’t just playing around (sorry, couldn’t resist). In a recent interview with The Phoblographer Mitchel said something about toy photography that I can’t get out of my head, saying it was an “art form that encouraged (demanded!) storytelling and creativity”. That line strikes me as one of the most important realizations I’ve heard, and I often preach about how images need to tell a story. In Mitchel’s case his ‘props’ are things that are near and dear to us. As kids we play with these toys as though they are real. Buzz Lightyear can fly, Yoda can defend against a group of Stormtroopers, Scooby and Shaggy do get into actual trouble, and food should always be considered part of the fun. Mitchel Wu brings these stories, these memories to life. Taking his Illustration degree to The Walt Disney Company, Mitchel worked as a product designer / developer on their high end sculpture line. That in turn lead to creative collaborations with companies like Warner Bros, Pixar, LucasFilm, Sony Pictures and more. Those connections I think were a prediction of where Mitchel was headed. Mitchel’s life as a photographer started out in the corporate and lifestyle arena, but transitioned to weddings. As his daughter began High School Mitchel made a choice… he realized that his days of having his daughter home everyday would soon be over, because she would be starting college in a few years. This is when Mitchel found toy photography. That is where Mitchel and I have something in common. I was a wedding DJ for 18 years, and as my son started High School I too started to dread being gone every weekend. I sold all of gear and focus on my I.T consulting, but at the same time I found concert photography. It’s weird sometimes how we photographers have some similar paths. Mitchel’s work has been featured in places like the NY Post, the UK Daily Mail, WGN Morning News, and So Cal PBS. He has worked on campaigns for brands such as Toy Story, Harry Potter, Hot Wheels, Fortnite, Power Rangers, G.I. Joe, UNO, and Scrabble, and has created images for The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros, Hasbro, Mattel, Virgin Media and more. In February of 2020 he was invited to exhibit work, as well as speak, at Toy Fair New York, one of the largest industry toy conventions in the world. This was the first exhibit of any kind in Toy Fair’s 100+ year history. He even got to kick off Toy Fair NY by cutting the opening ribbon with NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal! Join toy photographer extraordinaire Mitchel Wu and me as we take a deep dive into his playful image “Duke and Forky” on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Mitchel Website: mitchelwutoyphotography.com Instagram: @mitchelwuphotography Facebook: @mitchelwuphotography Twitter: @mitchelwuphoto YouTube: @MitchelWuToyPhotography Mitchel Online 60 Second Docs: Professional Photographer Brings Toys To Life In Surreal Shots Toy Fair New York: TFNY20 Mitchell Wu Gallery | The Toy Association Schleich Toy Company: The Power of Imagination Campaign Interviews with Mitchel The Phoblographer: Toy Story: How This Photographer Brings His Toys to Life Mojo Nation: Toy photographer and storyteller Mitchel Wu on his creative process Mitchel’s Photographer Suggestion – Neville Kidd Canon Europe: How Neville Kidd Became TV’s Hottest DoP Instagram: @kidd_neville Marvel’s 616 Announcement: An anthological documentary series airing on Disney+ that features Mitchel Marvel: marvel.com Behind the Scenes

I have known of Joel Grimes for as long as I have been involved with photography. Joel is one of those artists that can be described as a “master of their craft”, and that skill has earned him the rare designation as a Canon Explorer of Light. I am not saying that lightly, his photography and lighting skills are, simply put, second to none. If you get a chance to take one of his masterclasses, I’d suggest that you do. His course list is pretty much everything you’d want to know. Hoping to check out the courses myself someday, and even see his live workshops when things are back to “normal”. I had the pleasure of interviewing Joel at WPPI earlier this year, you know, way back when people actually ventured out into the world. That interview made me think about the craft of photography possibly more than any I have ever done. In prepping for the interview I did a little research on Joel. His about page is full of amazing quotes, like: “For me art is an extension of life. I believe my passion to create is built into my very DNA. Art is not simply defined by the finished product, but by the process one pours into the very act of creating.” Wow. This is what real artists do, they live their passion. Joel Grimes is a trained photographer, having received a BFA in photography from the University of Arizona. That led to him starting his commercial studio, originally in Denver, Colorado, but now Joel is based in Phoenix, AZ. What is interesting in all of this is that Joel never saw “commercial” photography as just creating a product for a client. Even in this commercial space he saw what he was doing as being an artist, and that comes through in his work. His resume has had him working for the top advertising agencies across the globe, covering every state in the USA, and over fifty countries. His first coffee table book ‘Navajo, Portrait of a Nation’ was awarded several photographic and design awards, and that led to an eighteen-month solo exhibit at the Smithsonian American History museum. Going back to Joel’s About page, there is a quote there that sticks with me: “I view myself as an illusionist; creating images larger than life.” An illusionist… just a brilliant way to look at one’s work, and with Joel it is so very true. His work will transport you to the scene and story of his choosing. Join photographer, educator, and Canon Explorer of Light, Joel Grimes and me as we take a look at one of the most amazing examples of Portrait Lighting you’ll see, and as we chat about how you can elevate your lighting skillset, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Joel Website: joelgrimes.com Instagram: @joelgrimesworkshops Facebook: @joelgrimesphotography Twitter: @JoelGrimesPhoto YouTube: @joelbgrimes Joel Courses Website: joelgrimes.com Joel’s Photographer Suggestions Dan Winters: danwintersphoto.com Irving Penn: irvingpenn.org Albert Watson: albertwatson.net

I have met more photographers through Twitter than any other platform, and Jeff Harmon is one of those photographers. The wonderful part about Twitter to me is that I can reach out to people I might have never met before social media. It’s like being able to text someone whose number you might never have. In the case of Jeff, that social media conduit has led to me learning a lot about photography, and the tools and processes behind it. Jeff Harmon is a Utah based “hobbyist photographer”, along with his wife Suzie, but the term “hobbyist” is clearly mis-leading. Like so many other photographers I know, Jeff is an I.T pro, with a degree in Computer Science to prove it. He spent 20 years as a developer, and for the past 5 years he’s been doing Information Security – designing controls to keep the bad guys out of systems. Photography is his passion, and as you will see below, Jeff seems to attack his passion with….. ummmm… passion. Since 2015 he has been podcasting about photography, sharing the things the processes and technical info he’s learned along the way. This “hobbyist” knows more about photography, and the systems we use to create our art, than many of the pros I know that call me for tech help. Today Jeff is involved with two photography related podcasts. Master Photography is a weekly show he does with a few other photographers, and the Photo Taco podcast where he breaks down technical topics into a language an average photographer can understand. I was honored to be a guest on Photo Taco in April of 2019. Join photographer and podcaster Jeff Harmon and me as we dive deep into how captured this 40 image stack of the Milky Way, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Jeff Portfolio: jsharmonphotos.com Instagram: @harmonjeff Twitter: @harmon_jeff Facebook: @harmon.jeff Photo Taco Podcast Website: phototacopodcast.com Steve on Photo Taco: Concert Photography Tips With Steve Brazill Facebook Group: @phototaco Discord: discord.gg/QhQ4zcT Instagram: @phototacopodcast Twitter: @phototaco Master Photography Podcast Website: masterphotographypodcast.com Facebook Group: @ImprovePhotographyListeners Instagram: @masterphotographypodcast Jeff’s Print Store Deep Herriman Sky: jsharmonphotos.com/landscapes/eec4b5247 Jeff’s Photographer Suggestion Nick Page: nickpagephotography.com Apps Mentioned in the Show PhotoPills: photopills.com Sequator: sites.google.com/site/sequatorglobal Starry Landscape Stacker: Mac App Store

www.samhaddixphotography.comwww.facebook.com/samhaddixphotography I will never forget the night I met Boston based pet photographer Kaylee Greer. It was at Photoshop World 2019 in Las Vegas, and the first night they had a Special Event called The Meet-Up. Basically it was a cocktail hour for attendees at The Still in The Mirage. I am sitting there talking to my buddy Dustin Jack, and his brother Terry Jack (both of whom have been on the show) and a young lady with fire engine red hair walks in and says hi to Dustin. He immediately said “Steve! You need to get Kaylee on your show!” Kaylee’s work is stunning, or more accurately STUNNING. I can’t stop looking at her site. You might think “it’s picture of cats and dogs, we’ve all have seen that genre before”, but here’s the thing… apparently we have not. Kaylee is an internationally recognized private and commercial pet photographer. She has been published in major outlets, such as BARK, NatGeo WILD, Dogs Today, Huffington Post, Digital Photographer, and Bored Panda, to name a few. You can find her images in calendars, greeting cards, ad campaigns, and on packaging. Kaylee Greer is simply the best pet photographer I have seen. I honestly think her style, the amazing realism she gets in her images, is the result of her attitude as much as her amazing skill set. On her site there was a quote that stuck out to me that explains what I mean: “It is my personal belief that there is more happiness glittering in the iris of a smiling puppy than there is anywhere else in the world.” She brings that point of view to her work, and it shows. It also results in a client list that includes PetSmart Charities, Pedigree, Millers Labs, Dogswell, Kurgo, FitBark, and Canine Royalty. Kaylee’s passion for what she does shows up in other areas as well. She leads international workshops, and has become an author, with a book coming to Amazon on Nov 10th , 2020. She even hosts the NatGeo WILD TV show Pupprazzi! Join the amazing pet photographer Kaylee Greer and me as we dive into her image of Dobby in the Pemigewasset River, and as we discuss creating pet photos that make a splash, on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Kaylee Website: dogbreathphoto.com Instagram: @dogbreathphotography Facebook: @dogbreathphoto Twitter: @ dogbreathphoto Kaylee’s Workshops International Workshops: petphotographyretreats.com Kaylee’s Book Amazon: Dogtography: A Knock-Your-Socks-Off Guide to Capturing the Best Dog Photos on Earth Kaylee’s ‘Pupparazzi’ TV Show iTunes: Pupparazzi, Season 1 Kaylee’s Photographer Suggestion Elke Vogelsang: elkevogelsang.com

Sharing your work online has never been easier, but so many sites take your beautiful images and compress them beyond recognition (I’m looking at you Facebook and Instagram). When Don Komarechka and I were looking at places to host the Behind the Shot group for our critique show we wanted a place that would display images the best they could, and one site stood out… Flickr. I’ve been a Flickr member for as long as I have been into photography, and that says a lot. Yes, there was a point when many people worried about the future of Flickr, but once SmugMug acquired it a few years ago things changed. SmugMug, as people describe it, is a company actually run by photographers, people that love photography as much as we do. That brings us to this show… I was recently contacted by Alastair Jolly, the Global Marketing Manager & Head of Ambassador Relations for SmugMug and Flickr. He was contacting me to ask if I would be a guest on SmugMug Live, to which the answer of course was yes. While chatting with him over Zoom I mentioned that I’d love to have him on the show to talk about the current state of online photo sharing, but then something special happened. I started browsing his portfolio and was blown away. I needed to get Alastair “the photographer” on for a normal Behind the Shot episode, and here we are. I can confirm that many of the people at SmugMug and Flickr are not only avid photographers, but really good ones! Alastair has been in the photography industry for over 20 years, specializing in social and commercial photography throughout his professional career, while still managing to find time to capture imagery for his own personal enjoyment and creativity. Like many of us, Alastair’s photography often takes him in ever changing directions. He is as happy photographing long exposure sea and cityscapes as he is in the middle of a vast landscape or on a Photowalk around a city. Looking at his portfolio I noticed that his landscapes are as creative as his street photography, something I think is the sign of a true creative. In his role as Global Marketing Manager at both SmugMug & Flickr he travels frequently, which has the side benefit of allowing him to work with some of the best photographers in the world, like Renee Robyn and Anya Anti, to name a few. Still, no matter where he finds himself, he always makes sure to find some time for just him and his camera. Join SmugMug and Flickr Global Marketing Manager & Head of Ambassador Relations, and wonderful photographer, Alastair Jolly and me as we discuss the current state of online photo sharing, and as we take a look at his amazing use of light for his photo of Loch Achtriochtan, Glencoe, Scotland on this episode of Behind the Shot. Connect with Alastair Portfolio: amj.smugmug.com Flickr: @alastairjolly Instagram: @alastairjolly Twitter: @alastairjolly Facebook: @AMJPhotography YouTube: SmugMug Films Alastair at Work SmugMug: smugmug.com Flickr: flickr.com