B&H Photography Podcast

On May 10, 2019, the 150th anniversary of the "golden spike,"—the ceremonial completion of The First Transcontinental Railroad, will be celebrated, and we at the B&H Photography Podcast are taking this opportunity to talk railroad photography. In the first half of the episode, we discuss the iconic image created by photographer A.J. Russell, at Promontory Summit, Utah, in 1869 of hundreds of workers gathered on and around two steam locomotives for this momentous occasion. We also touch upon the relationship between photography and the growth of rail travel in the United States and mention other important railroad photographers. During the second half of our show we focus on the gear, techniques, and safety protocols employed by three accomplished contemporary railroad photographers. Joining us for this episode are Scott Lothes, photographer and President and Executive Director of the Center for Railroad Photography & Art and the editor of its journal Railroad Heritage. Lothes discusses the Russell photograph and the Center's mission, its archive, and its publications, including the recent book After Promontory: 150 Years of Transcontinental Railroading. We are also joined by photographers Eric Williams and Dennis Livesey. Williams is a fine art photographer who incorporates railroad and landscape photography into his work. He provides tips on workflow and shooting techniques and offers an overview of the subtle differences between the photographic styles within this subgenre. Livesey, who concentrates on urban rail transit and steam locomotives, brings his encyclopedic knowledge of railroad history and an insight on how to turn your passion into a photo project, specifically his 2016 book, Smoke Over Steamtown. Join us for this timely and celebratory episode. Guests: Scott Lothes, Eric Williams, and Dennis Livesey Photograph by A.J. Russell, courtesy Center for Railroad Photography and Art For incredible railroad photographs and links to items discussed in this episode follow this link.

Today we present an encore episode of the B&H Photography Podcast and revisit our conversations with two incredible photographers, Christian Vizl and Hengki Koentjoro. The timing is ideal as both photographers have new work to present -- Christian is debuting a new book, Silent Kingdom, with an introduction by Dr. Sylvia Earle, and Hengki is exhibiting work in Tokyo, Japan and at the Royal Albert Hall in England. These two photographers from two distant parts of the globe, but both share a sense of a serene underwater world that they envision mostly in black-and-white. Perhaps, surprisingly, Hengki Koentjoro and Christian Vizl claim Ansel Adams as a prime influence on their work, and we talk with them about not only about their artistic influences but about their choice of gear, shooting styles, post-process techniques and safety concerns. We start our episode with Hengki Koentjoro, who is based in Indonesia, and whose work on land and sea is simply stunning. His black-and-white compositions of sea creatures and the interplay between sun and water are more still life than wildlife, as they explore the textures, lines, and shapes found in the waters of his native archipelago. Koentjoro speaks with us about the simple set of tools with which he captures his images and his uncomplicated approach to exploring the waters he knows so well. Christian Vizl brings a similar perspective to his relationship with the sea, although the creatures he normally photographs tend to be much bigger and faster-moving, and the waters he explores extend across the planet. A life-long diver, Vizl has recently received well-deserved attention for his black-and-white images of rays, sharks, and whales, including a 2017 Sony World Photography Award. His approach places experience before image and his respect for the sea and its animals is evident in all he does and says. We encourage you to visit our podcast landing page to see examples of the images created by these two supremely talented photographers. Guests: Hengki Koentjoro and Christian Vizl Photo © Christian Vizl

Explore the history of photography clubs in the US, focusing on Coney Island School of Photography. Hear personal journeys of photographers at Coney Island, capturing its unique essence. Discuss gear, techniques, and joy of photography. Delve into black and white vs. color photography for Coney Island shots.

This is one of the more informative and hands-on practical episodes of the B&H Photography Podcast that we have produced in some time. Obviously, it helps if you are "practicing" car photography, but the insights provided in this episode are useful for a wide range of photo disciplines, and touch on techniques for making better images of moving objects, reflective and non-reflective products, tight interiors, and how to photograph large items in a studio or on location. For this wealth of information, we must thank photographer Nate Hassler, who joined us to talk about his extensive work photographing cars, whether for advertising, editorial, or for personal projects, a.k.a. fun. Hassler is accomplished in each of these areas, and his advertising clients include Toyota, Honda, Lexus, and Mercedes. He is also a respected motorsport photographer who shoots for Road & Track Magazine. We find out that Hassler grew up around photography, helping in his parents' photo studio, but developed a love for cars all on his own and seems to have found the perfect career that blends his two passions. We learn a bit about the automobile advertising business, but mostly we discuss capture technique, including the rigs and gear he prefers, tips for shooting moving vehicles, stabilization, bracketing, back-lighting, lens distortion, and post-process. This truly is an educational and entertaining episode, and check out the B&H Photography Podcast Facebook Group for an image of Hassler's "Franken-Instax" camera that he created to make instant photos with a Schneider lens. Guest: Nate Hassler Photograph © Nate Hassler

On this week's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we welcome two photographers who are part of the diverse and thriving cultural and artistic life of The Bronx. Rhynna Santos and Michael G. Young are also both members of the Bronx Documentary Center and, today, we discuss their individual bodies of work, the role the BDC plays in their lives and community, and we talk a bit about what makes The Bronx so boogie-down. Talk about committed, not only is Rhynna Santos a documentary photographer creating long-form series on subjects close to her heart, she leads workshops at the BDC, coordinates the Bronx Photo League and curates the Everyday Bronx feed on Instagram. Her current project, #papielmaestro, profiles her father, legendary musician Ray Santos. This series, which is on exhibit at the Bronx Music Heritage Center, documents her father's musical legacy and examines her role as her aging father's caregiver. Michael Young is primarily a street photographer, but his portrait, event, and street fashion work is so strong, he is hard to pigeon-hole. We talk about his commitment to photography, the ability to take on different styles, and his current project on the people of Claremont Village, a public housing project in The Bronx. With Santos and Young we discuss the challenges faced by artists of color and those in low-income communities, the value of embracing long-term projects, and how shooting "what you know" with the gear you have is a key to engaged photography. We also take a minute to shout-out a shared mentor, Jamel Shabazz and the role he has played in the artistic development of their photography, and we profile the Bronx Documentary Center, a non-profit gallery and community-oriented cultural center that offers workshops, lectures, exhibits, and a home base for children, adults, and seniors to get hands-on training in photojournalism, filmmaking, and documentary photography. Join us for this inspirational episode. Guests: Michael G. Young and Rhynna Santos Photograph © Michael G. Young

Is it necessary to have fun to create work with humor, what is the line between humor and discomfort, can art that is funny have a serious message? How does Instagram success translate to the art world? These are some questions we address in this week's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, and while "humor in art" is our starting point, the conversation takes its own life and we touch on a range of subjects including, how to sustain a creative idea, the discrepancy between intent and reception, self-portraiture, and how to scale work for both a small screen and a gallery. With these ideas on the table, I cannot think of two better guests with whom to have a conversation. Mitra Saboury and Ben Zank are both artists who explore very personal spheres with their photo and video work, and both incorporate humor and playfulness to express their worldview—and as a portal to explore thornier themes. Ben Zank's deceptively simple, wonderfully composed images, often with himself as model, explore the body's relationship with its found environment. Placing a model in a sewer, a pothole, a basketball hoop, or under the yellow lines of the highway, Zank creates an, at times awkward, at times harmonious exchange. The almost self-deprecating humor belies a confident control of purpose and a delicate view of the human form. The imaginative work of Mitra Saboury, whether alone or in collaboration with meatwreck, explores the physical and psychological effects of our quotidian toils. Like Zank, there is much humor in her work, but a persistent challenging of norms and questioning of beliefs runs through her photography, video, performance, and installation art. Some pieces are discomforting, but strength through inquiry and vulnerability lay at their core. Her work has been exhibited throughout the world, most recently at the Spring Break Art Fair, in Los Angeles, but she also thrives on Instagram and encourages audience participation, whether in person or in the semi-anonymity of the Web. Join us for this interesting conversation, organized by Cory Rice, who also joins us on mic, and check out his portrait of Ben Zank in our "What is Photography?" series. Guests: Mitra Saboury, Ben Zank, Cory Rice Photograph © meatwreck

This week's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast is a bit of a grab bag. We start with an update of our new B&H Photography Podcast Facebook group and announce the winners of the SanDisk 64GB memory card sweepstakes. We also discuss the enthusiastic support we received during the first week of the new group and give a shout out to some of the individuals who have submitted images and comments. We then have a quick chat among ourselves about our photography New Year's resolutions to see how (and if) we are following through with our plans. We also discuss some of the gear we were interested in at that time and update whether that was a true photographic need or just G.A.S. On the second half of the show, we offer excerpts from conversations with photographers Tomaiya Colvin and Tony Gale. Colvin is a photographer from Houston who has made a career shooting senior portraits, while Gale is a portrait photographer, lighting expert, and Sony Artisan of Light. We discuss some of the trends in senior portraiture with Colvin, as well as her choice of gear, and she provides a dose of real-world motivation for photographers of all stripes. Tony Gale speaks about his blend of corporate and editorial portrait work, as well as his series on women mayors. He also discusses his switch to mirrorless cameras and the lighting systems he uses on his various shoots. Join us for this easygoing episode and subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Overcast, and join the B&H Photography Podcast Facebook group. Guests: Tomaiya Colvin and Tony Gale Photograph © Tomaiya Colvin

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 Aldridge and what he calls the "slow grind" of years of freelance work. While Mann is known for tight-cropped, high-resolution portraits, we also discuss his motion and After Effects work, how he "grounds" himself by occasionally shooting with a Graflex and antique lenses and, of course, the development of his signature lighting techniques. Also joining us is Cory Rice, who photographed Mann as part of the What is Photography? portrait series and asks pertinent questions on portraiture. Our conversation is loaded with belly laughs as Mann recounts his portrait sessions with Bill Murray, Jennifer Aniston, Robin Williams, President Obama, and others. Join us for this enjoyable and informative episode and don't forget to join the B&H Photography Facebook group. Guest: Mark Mann and Cory Rice Photograph © Mark Mann

The B&H Photography Podcast Facebook Group is live and we encourage all our listeners to join. The Facebook Group will be your way to engage with Allan, John, and Jason of the B&H Photography Podcast and to post photos, ask questions, make suggestions, and comment on our show. It is also a way to interact with other listeners, learn more about our guests, and get feedback on your own work. As an incentive to join, everyone who joins by March 13, 2019 will be eligible to win one of two SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I memory cards. We will select two winners at random from all the folks who have signed up by March 13, 2019. Good luck...and also subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast!

The name does kinda say it all, doesn't it? On this week's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we speak with legendary rock 'n' roll photographer Mick Rock. Despite his incredible body of work and numerous iconic photos, Rock's philosophy on photography might best be summed up with a comment from this episode, "The reality is, it's not that complicated." For this episode we traveled to Rock's home studio, and he graciously invited this "dodgy-looking bunch" in to talk about the beginning of his career, his working style, the bio-documentary "SHOT! The Psycho-Spiritual Mantra of Rock," and the many photos and album covers he created for the likes of Syd Barrett, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Blondie, Queen, Rory Gallagher, Joan Jett, Madonna, and others. We also discussed his recent work with Lana Del Rey, Karen O, the GUCCI brand, and how he approaches an advertising campaign compared to a rock 'n' roll shoot. Our conversation casually bounced between topics, but often returned to Rock's ability to grasp the photographic moment, whether that moment be in a studio, at a concert or, as in many of his most intriguing images, while hanging out with the musicians offstage. Rock downplays his technical skills, but we do talk a bit about gear and, when pressed on how he could create four decades of memorable music photos, he stated, "I've always loved my subjects." The same can be said about us, so please tune in for this wonderful conversation...and don't forget to join the B&H Photography Podcast Facebook group. Guest: Mick Rock Photograph © Mick Rock The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily represent the views of B&H Photo. The salty language and "rock-n-roll content" may offend some. Listen at your own discretion.