B&h Photography Podcast

On this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we talk about food photography with photographer Chelsea Kyle and food stylist Drew Aichele. There are few photography disciplines that are as complicated as food photography. With the pressure of time, heat, cold, color, and light, a small team must work together to create an image that realistically illustrates the sumptuousness of a dish, but also is a visually striking composition. Collaboration is key and, in this case, it’s fortunate that Kyle and Aichele are also a couple, engaged to be married. We are grateful they were able to join us today. We discuss aspects of the professional process from client and editor, to recipe experts, to the stylists and photographers, and ask who determines what the “look” will be and how that is played out on set. We also discuss camera and lenses, lighting gear, and all accessories that are used in this space, which is part kitchen, part workshop, and part photo studio. Kyle stumps host Allan Weitz, mentioni

Ray Collins’s portraits of waves are hard to describe because you don’t want to describe them. Like the wave itself, the photographic abstraction refuses words; indescribable and amorphous become unique and powerful in his hands. One look at his work and it’s clear that he is in his element in the surf, transforming what he knows so well into a profound and universal statement.  We have been looking forward to speaking with Collins for a while, and are very pleased to present our conversation with him on this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast. We start our chat asking how he went from being a coal miner in New South Wales, Australia, to a photographer, and then melding that new love with his first love, surfing and the ocean. It’s a good story and it gets better as we learn how he transitioned from surf photography to fine-art photography and book publishing. We ask about working in the ocean, the dangers, “knowing” certain waves, and the ability to maneuver his gear and body to anticipate the

This week on the B&H Photography Podcast, we welcome journalist, curator, and author Ekow Eshun to discuss his incredible new book, Africa State of Mind.    With more than 250 photographs by fifty photographers, the book is a gorgeous collection of contemporary art photography from throughout Africa. Established artists such as Pieter Hugo and Zanele Muholi are profiled, along with many lesser-known photographers working in (and between) a range of genres. Supported by Eshun’s insightful commentary, the book delves into the unique voices depicting their Africa experience today.   Our conversation begins with the master portrait photographers of the mid 20th century, such as Malick Sidibé, but quickly jumps to the contemporary as we ask about his research for the book, the book’s four intriguing sections, and the common threads that tie together the varied photographers’ work.     "I was really interested in photographers who aren't interested in reality per se… who don't claim that their photos are what

On this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we welcome National Geographic photographer Steve Winter back to the program. Winter joined us, in 2016, to discuss his wildlife photography, specifically his work photographing cougars in the hills of Los Angeles, California, and today we will be discussing tigers. Over the past several years, Winter has been working on stories about tigers, initially in Sumatra, Thailand, and India, but most recently in the United States, where there are more tigers in captivity than exist in their increasingly shrinking natural habitats in Asia. The majority of these tigers are pets, are in sanctuaries, or are used as part of small private zoos and tourist attractions. His most recent story for NatGeo, which was honored with a 2020 World Press Photo award, explores this phenomenon—the good, the bad, and very ugly of it. We speak with Winter about the production and research for this series, about photographing the animals, as well as the owners, handlers, and tou

This episode was originally published on March 14, 2019.  It's pretty funny. Enjoy this encore presentation and we'll be back with a new episode next week.  Thanks so much for listening! -------------------------------------------------- Today, we welcome portrait photographer Mark Mann to the B&H Photography Podcast and, as Allan notes at the top of the show, if you name a celebrity or famous politician, Mann has probably photographed them. His body of work is incredible. As an example, in 2014, he was tapped by Esquire to photograph eighty boys and men, from age one to eighty, for its 80th anniversary issue. That “who’s-who” list alone would make a career, and it was just one year for Mann. Over the course of this engaging conversation, we touch on many topics, from interaction with subjects, to gear choices (Leica medium format S and full-frame SL systems), to retouching, to shooting with or without a tripod. We also dig into his early career, when he assisted legends like Nick Knight and Miles Aldridg

Ike & Tash are a husband-and-wife photography team. You know what? They tell it better than I can. “We are a FAMILY business, a LEGACY business, a husband-wife team that found our dream and our FUTURE behind the lens. With our 3-year-old daughter, Wisdom, we travel around the country teaching photographers, taking pictures and making memories... all the while helping others to keep theirs, forever.” Ike & Tash joined us for a conversation at the Depth of Field Conference to talk about their wedding and engagement photography, senior portraiture, and work as educators and mentors. We touched on photo, business and family topics and how they individually and collectively approach storytelling. We also find out why Ike loves the Nikon Z system so much. It was just a really nice chat that made clear how a business is “built on integrity.” That’s the first part of this week’s B&H Photography Podcast. Understanding how the wedding photography business has been particularly affected by the coronavirus

Flying in directly from a post-Oscar party in Hollywood, Greg Gorman joined us for a conversation at the 2020 Depth of Field Photo Conference this past February, where he was the key-note speaker. Given all that has happened since, it seems like a long time ago, but this is the type of chat we wish would have just kept going, so enjoyable was Gorman and his tales of Hollywood then and now. Still in-demand by A-listers, Gorman’s work reaches back to touch the Golden Age of Hollywood, with portraits of Brando, Hitchcock, and Orson Welles from his early career and just about everyone else since. It’s not even worth listing the “who’s who;” we do ask about a few famous names and how he got started, but mostly we talk technique and lighting. We start with his thoughts on film versus digital photography and then delve into his work with continuous lighting compared to strobe and his current penchant for Rotolight LED with Canon and Sony camera systems. We also discuss the importance of gaining the trust of your

Today’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast hosts a compelling conversation with four photojournalists who are covering stories related to the COVID-19 outbreak in New York. We discuss the stories they have been photographing, the precautions they are taking, how they’ve adjusted their shooting styles, and about the assignments they are willing to accept and those they would like to pitch. Joining us are Sarah Blesener, a documentarian covering stories for The New York Times and Wall Street Journal. She is a recipient of an Alexia Foundation grant and is a Catchlight and Eugene Smith fellow. Her 2019 project, Beckon Us From Home, received a first-place prize in the Long-Term Project category of World Press Photo.   We also welcome veteran photojournalist John Taggart, who has worked for The New York Times, the Washington Post, Bloomberg, Reuters, and many other outlets. Based in Brooklyn he is no stranger to the streets and subways of New York. After a break, we speak with Desiree Rios, a Mexican-Ameri

Today, we discuss some of the most recognized images of rock-n-roll history and those that made them. Our first guest is photographer Amelia Davis, who is the owner of Jim Marshall LLC, the living archive of the prolific photographer Jim Marshall, most known for his images of jazz and rock musicians of the 1950s through the 1970s. If you are familiar with photos of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Johnny Cash, or the Allman Brothers Band, then you are certain to know his work. Marshall not only covered the Monterrey and Altamont festivals, but was the only photographer invited by the Beatles to cover their final concert. Marshall also documented the Civil Rights movement and the Haight-Ashbury scene in San Francisco. With Davis, we discuss how she came to be the proprietor of the archive and how she protects and manages the collection. We also talk about Marshall, the man, and why he was seemingly able to photograph “everyone” in that era.  Davis is also part of the production team behind the new film

It’s easy to admire Sebastian Meyer, not simply because he’s a talented photographer who also co-founded the first photojournalism agency in Iraq, but because he is confident enough to speak of his shortcomings, his naiveté, and of tragedy, and not forget the importance of humor.  On this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we welcome Meyer to discuss his “love at first sight” for photojournalism, how he jump-started his career, the  Metrography photo agency he opened in Iraqi Kurdistan, and the colleague and friend he lost to the violence of the war against ISIS. We also laugh a bunch during this episode and talk about being an “arrogant white guy,” how research can create preconceived ideas, the tropes of war photography, a bit about gear, and about the conditional nature of journalistic standards and freedom of the press. After a short break, we learn of Meyer’s involvement in a prolonged hostage situation, his return to photojournalism, and how his new book, Under Every Yard of Sky, is no

Today’s guest, Shari Belafonte knows cameras from both sides and she brings an understanding to the medium that is as palpable as her sense of humor. It was a pleasure to welcome her to the B&H Photography Podcast. Of course, we knew of Shari as the face from so many magazine covers in the 1980s and ’90s—no kidding, every other face at the check-out line melted away when you saw that smile. Of course, she has the same last name as a 20th-century legend (who just turned 93 this week, by the way), but did not use it at the beginning of her professional life. However, as her modeling career grew, so came television and movie roles, and she is currently a regular on the hit show, The Morning Show. Multi-talented? Yes, and we didn’t even talk about her singing voice, but what we didn’t know was that she went to school to work behind the camera and never really put it down, including stills and motion work over the years. First to admit her modelling career came as a bit of a surprise, Belafonte did have her f

What obstacles have gotten in the way of your photography? When life’s troubles arise, where do you point your camera? Or do you set it down? Photography can be a weekend hobby or it can be a life’s calling and, for our guests on today’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, there is no doubt that photography is part of their very being, and meshed into the most intimate aspects of their lives. Adriane Ohanesian and Nancy Borowick have been friends since they studied together at the International Center of Photography, and have remained close despite careers that have put them on opposite sides of the globe. Both had specific aspirations while studying, both have received professional recognition as photographers, and both have faced tragedy and pain with a steady hand and unflinching eye. In addition to her many assignments for the likes of Time magazine and the New York Times, Borowick documented her parent’s parallel treatments for stage-four cancer. And as a photojournalist in East Africa, Ohanesi

This week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast is a healthy set of conversations with gear representatives and camera experts from several of the major camera and lighting companies that we  recorded at the 2020 Depth of Field Conference. First we speak with Steve Heiner, of Nikon, discussing that company’s new DSLRs, including the flagship D6 and the D780. We also ask about the mirrorless Z system cameras and new lenses for that system. Next up is Joe Edelman, of Olympus, to discuss his company’s new flagship, the OM-D E-M1 Mark III, and its incredible image stabilization system. Our next guest is Shar Taylor, from Profoto, and with her we discuss the A1 AirTTL Studio Light, the Air Remote TTL, as well as the popular Profoto B10 OCF Flash Head.     After a short break, we welcome Casey Krugman, product develop from Luxli, to discuss the incredible LED light panels, including the new Taiko 2x1 RGBAW LED light. Our next guest is food photographer Chelsea Kyle, who joins us on behalf of Cano

On this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we welcome back to the program intellectual property attorney David Deal to discuss issues regarding copyright infringement, particularly as they involve three high-profile cases in which he is involved. Deal spoke with us last year about a case he had just litigated, Brammer vs Violent Hues Productions, in which he successfully argued to reverse a lower court’s decision, thus protecting his client’s photograph from copyright infringement. While it was a relatively small case, the decision carried positive ramifications for photographers and should stand as precedent going forward. Deal provides a summary of why that case is so important to photographers. He also brings us up to speed on a high-profile case in which he represents many possible heirs to the copyright of Vivian Maier’s photo catalogue. On the second half of our show, we will speak with Deal about the current case in which he is involved, regarding the estate of noted rural portrait pho

On the suggestion of a listener, we contacted a few Australian photographers to get their take on the devastating bushfire season that has burned more than 18 million hectares and taken thirty-four lives, since June 2019. We were fortunate to connect with Nick Moir, self-described storm-chaser, wildfire photographer, and current chief photographer at the Sydney Morning Herald. On this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we speak with Moir about his experiences photographing this year’s fires, as well as the overall news coverage of this disaster. Moir won a 2003 World Press Photographers Award for his coverage of that season’s bushfires, so he knows of what he speaks, and we talk with him about his approach to shooting such a dangerous subject, including planning, gear, safety measures, and the type of fire photos he prefers to make.  We also discuss with Moir the fire season itself and why this year is so much worse than previous seasons. Finally, we talk about the news coverage of the fires

I don’t know if we’ve ever had two photographers with such divergent styles on the same episode.  It would make little sense to even have them on together, except that their individual work is exceptional, and they are married to each other. This week on the B&H Photography Podcast, we return to a format that has served us well in the past—speaking with a couple who both work in photography. We really hit the jackpot this time, with Joseph O. Holmes and Sara Bennett, not simply because they are interesting photographers and really nice folks but, between them, they embody a wide range of photo skills, from the technical and artistic, to the narrative and journalistic, from portraiture and art photography, to advocacy and social documentary. It’s quite an interesting situation and Holmes and Bennett, each in their own way, offer personal insight into their varied projects, and they also generously allow us a glimpse into how they work together as a couple, raising a family and supporting each other’s work

On this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we welcome editorial, fashion, art, and music photographer Olivia Bee. That’s a lot of tags and she’s earned them all in a relatively short time span. Her “origin story” is well-documented in photo circles, so we won’t go into that much, but in a career now a decade old, we discuss where those early successes have brought her, what she enjoys about photography, and what she is working on now.    With clients that include Hermes, Nike, L’Oreal, Sony, and editorial assignments from Vice, Elle, the New York Times, and Complex Magazine, Bee has created a comprehensive body of commercial work while continuing to evolve the personal aesthetic that got her noticed in the first place.  She is also now directing music and other videos and beginning a narrative film effort. We speak with Bee from her bucolic Oregon acreage and discuss a wide range of topics, from the evolution of her gear, including her current use of 8x10” view cameras, to her self-portraitu

Imagine the privilege of being present at the creation of one of the “wonders of the world,” and then imagine being asked to document the magnitude—and the details—of that creation. Our guest on today’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast has just that privilege and that responsibility and, as he puts it, this telescope may “change the way we understand our universe.”   Chris Gunn has been a NASA contract photographer for almost twenty years but, for the past ten, he has dedicated himself to the James Webb Space Telescope and documenting the construction and eventual launch of this spacecraft, which will replace the Hubble as NASA’s most powerful telescope. We speak with Gunn about all aspects of his job and, specifically, about the gorgeous medium format images he creates that are made available to the public. Gunn is responsible for documenting the construction process, which includes portraits of scientists, as well as macro shots of screws, and he relates how he has “taken the extra step” to evolv

During a little holiday trip, producer John Harris made a visit to the gallery and studio of photographer Clyde Butcher. For anyone who grew up in Florida, Butcher’s work should be very familiar; his photography is often found on the walls of local libraries, municipal buildings, and, as Miami native Jason Tables points out, “every doctor’s office I’ve ever been in.” Butcher’s images of the Florida landscapes, particularly of the Everglades, are legendary, and although he has a brisk print sales business, many of the photos in libraries have the attached placard, “Donated by Clyde Butcher.” Although he is known primarily for his large format black-and-white photography of “the swamp,” Butcher’s photographic career extends back over many decades and includes architectural photography, mountain and western landscapes, filmed documentaries, and decorative color photography. Interestingly, Butcher began his career selling prints at small art fairs and, in the 1970s, he had a thriving business selling thousands of

It’s hard to believe that another year of the B&H Photography Podcast is on the books and, as has become our way, we close out the year with a casual conversation about our most memorable episodes from 2019. But before we get started, a recent count showed that we have listeners in all but 15 countries. To us, that’s remarkable, and we’d like to offer a very heartfelt thank you and best wishes for a happy holiday season to all our listeners around the world. We look forward to your feedback and suggestions for photography conversations in 2020. Allan Weitz starts off today’s show with a few of his favorite 2019 episodes, including our talk with photographer Stephen Mallon, who documented the recovery of Flight 1549—referred to as the “Miracle on the Hudson”—from the icy waters of the Hudson River after its forced landing in January 2009. On that episode, we welcomed Denise Lockie, a passenger on that flight. Allan also mentions our conversations with Albert Watson and Vince Aletti as favorites and our