The Candid Frame: Conversations on Photography

Alan Hess is a San Diego-based commercial photographer specializing in concert and live-event photography. He has photographed hundreds of concerts three songs at a time. From small club shows to big arenas, Alan enjoys the fast pace of shooting on the fly, the rush of the house lights going down, and the drive to capture the “show” in the images of the first three songs. The wide variety of bands that Alan has shot include: Billy Idol, Black Eyed Peas, Bruce Hornsby, The Dead, Death Cab for Cutie, Derek Trucks Band, The Grateful Dead, Jackie Greene, John Legend, Marilyn Manson, Robin Williams, Slayer, The Smashing Pumpkins, Steel Pulse, Widespread Panic, Willie Nelson and many others.?Alan’s work has been published in a variety of online and print outlets, including the following: Dead.net, Jambands.com, Jambase.com, Poughkeepsie Journal, Mill Valley Herald, Pauserecord.com, Philzone.com, Photoshop User, Rat-dog.com, Relix Magazine and Vintage Guitar Magazine. His images have been used for various CDs and other promotional work. Alan is currently the house photographer for a large concert venue in Southern California and when he isn’t out shooting concerts he is writing books. Alan is the author of six photography books and three books about getting the most from your iPad. He has been the technical editor or content advisor on 12 other titles and continues to write and edit books when not out shooting. Alan has been part of the PhotoshopWorld Instructor Dream Team since 2009 www.thecandidframe.com info@thecandidframe.com

Aline Smithson is a fine-art photographer whose work has been exhibited widely in exhibitions in venues such as the Griffin Museum of Photography, the Fort Collins Museum of Contemporary Art, Lishui Festival in China and the Tagomago in Barcelona and Paris. Her images have also been published in PDN (Photo District News), Communication Arts Photo Annual, Lenswork Extended and Silvershotz magazines. In 2012, Aline received the Rising Star Award through the Griffin Museum of Photography for her contributions to the photographic community. Aline founded and writes the blogzine, Lenscratch, that celebrates a different contemporary photographer each day and offers opportunity for exhibition. www.thecandidframe.com info@thecandidframe.com

Brian Smith is a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer who for the past thirty years has created iconic portraits of famous athletes, celebrities, politicians and business people. His images have appeared in countless books and magazines, not least of which are Sports Illustrated, ESPN the Magazine, Time, Forbes, New York Times Magazine, Elle and British GQ. He won the Pulitzer for Spot News Photography for his photography of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He was also won awards from both World Press Photo and the Picture of the Year competitions for his image of Greg Louganis hitting his head on the diving board at the Seoul Olympics. His personal project have included images of Burlesque performers from today and the past. He is also the author Secrets of Great Portrait Photography: Pictures of the Famous and the Infamous. www.thecandidframe.com info@thecandidframe.com

Nicole Young is a full-time photographer and author. She specializes in food and stock photography and licenses her images through iStockphoto and Getty Images. Nicole is an accredited Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) in Photoshop and is a “Help Desk Specialist” with the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP). She is author of the books Canon 7D: From Snapshots to Great Shots, EOS Canon 60D: From Snapshots to Great Shots and Food Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots published by Peachpit Press, along with eBooks published through Craft&Vision. www.thecandidframe.com info@thecandidframe.com

Ibarionex and Jerod Foster took the stage at the Peachpit Booth at Photoshop World 2012 in Las Vegas. During this presentation, they discussed their unique approaches to photography inspired by choosing their favorite of the other photographer's images. The discussion which was recorded live provides an insight into how each photographer uses light, story telling, gesture and more to make effective and strong photographs. You can find the images that we discussed during the presentation by visiting the website at www.thecandidframe.com.

Valerie Jardin is a versatile photographer who shoots interiors and architecture where the details tell the story. She also photographs food and loves working with culinary artists on location. Portraiture work gives her the opportunity to photograph people in their environment and capture their true personality. She also has a passion for street photography, writing and educating other photographers. Her articles appear regularly in the Digital Photography School online magazine and she teaches workshops including a street photography through the street of Paris. www.thecandidframe.com info@thecandidframe.com

Robert Rodriguez Jr. was trained as a musician, Robert graduated from the Berklee College of Music in 1990 and was a music producer for 12 years before transitioning to landscape photography and the desire to spend as much time in nature. With visual story telling, he discovered the potential to express a more creative and personal vision. Focusing on the Hudson Valley allowed Robert to discover not only beautiful landscapes often taken for granted, but the changing mood and character of the region. Seeking to capture the beauty, or convey the emotional qualities of a place or moment in nature, his images have elicited responses ranging from evocative, to spiritual and breathtaking. He frequently travels beyond in search of other dramatic and unique locations, including New England, the southwest, and Canada. Robert takes pride in a hands on approach to creating his expressive prints, working on every stage, from the initial exposure and processing, to printing and framing. His prints have been purchased by private collectors and commercial clients throughout North America. www.thecandidframe.com thecandidframe@gmail.com

Brian Matiash is a professional photographer as well as the Education Manager for OnOne Software. In his role as an educator, he teaches photographers how to improve their photographs and their editing skills with his many webinars, articles and blog entries, but he also has his own passion for photography. He has specialized in developing and refining his use of HDR (High-Dynamic Range) to use it not merely as a gimmicky visual effect, but rather as a tool to help him realize his own personal vision of a subject and a scene. www.thecandidframe.com

Jasmine DeFoore is a photo consultant who knows first hand what busy editorial and commercial clients are looking for when it comes to finding photographers. She infuses her consulting projects with energy, enthusiasm and fresh ideas. Her approach integrates social media marketing with traditional promotional efforts and relationship building. Jasmine launched her consulting business in 2010 and continues to be an active member of the photo community. Whether reviewing portfolios at international photo festivals, judging contests, blogging, lecturing at universities or mentoring young photographers, Jasmine keeps her love of photography at the forefront.

Tony Di Zinno is a photographer whose assignments have led him to six continents in over 58 countries. Easily at home on Hollywood's studio back lots and on the foothills of the Himalaya, this self proclaimed 'photo-sherpa' has made his bones on propaganda by producing iconic images for Nike, Adidas and The North Face among others. Now as a faculty member at the Art Center College of Design, near Los Angeles, CA (his alma mater, PHO 89), Tony teaches various hybrid classes multi-discipline in nature. Tony was invited on the board of Mountain to Mountain, a non-profit foundation working on projects in Central Asia, (Pakistan and Afghanistan). Previously, he had worked with M2M curating for a traveling photo exhibit called the 'Views of the Himalaya' benefiting a village in Nepal. The focus is on the education of young journalists in Kabul (video, radio and photo) with an emphasis on young women in the roles previously prohibited by Taliban extremists. He will soon be returning to that country as part of his work with M2M. www.thecandidframe.com thecandidframe@gmail.com