B&H Photography Podcast

From huge ensemble photographs to celebrity portraiture, advertising high-rollers, and about every movie and television poster you've ever seen, Art Streiber anchors the spot where Hollywood and the magazine industry meet. His versatility and production acumen are well-recognized, and our conversation ambles easily through a wide range of subjects, but what remains evident-- in addition to his quick wit-- is that Streiber is a professional problem solver. Big concept, small budget? No problem. Giant set piece with 150 A-list subjects? We'll figure it out. Just you, me, a camera and a hotel room window? Done. Streiber learned early that being a jack-of-all-trades does not correlate to a master-of-none and that the answer is always, "Yes." With Streiber, we speak about soaking up the magazine aesthetic through his family's business in Los Angeles, about early rejections, understanding the story behind a photo concept and how the image "bears the burden" of telling that story. We also talk about his work with Vanity Fair and dig deep into his archive to discuss specific images of Steven Spielberg, Paul Rudd, Oscar nights and others. We touch on picture research, budgeting for concepts, lighting and gear choices, working with celebrities, seeing big photos on small screens, CCD sensors, and "how to eat an elephant." This is a funny and incredibly informative episode of the B&H Photography Podcast. Join us. Guest: Art Streiber Photograph © Art Streiber

What makes a photographer follow their moral compass and photograph the stories they feel need to be told, no matter what the personal costs? Furthermore, how do they do so without the support of a news outlet or even an agency to distribute that work? And then, what if they decide to shoot primarily with black-and-white film?! On today's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we speak with Greg Constantine, who made and continues to make these decisions. In this affable conversation, we find out what prompted Constantine to pick up a camera and how he made the subject of "statelessness" a recurring theme in his work. We also learn why he continued to shoot film, even after digital became the more affordable and accepted format, and why the more established route of assignments for news outlets was not the best path for his storytelling. We also discuss the financing of his work through a combination of grants, commissions, and out-of-pocket spending, the obstacles to exhibiting documentary photography, and ultimately, the satisfaction of seeing the positive impact his work has had. As mentioned, Constantine's work documents oppressed communities, and he has lived and traveled extensively in Asia and, more recently in Europe, to follow stories of migration and persecution. Specifically, he has worked in Burma with the Rohingya people, with the Nubians in Kenya, and with communities around the world that live without the basic right of citizenship. His current project, Seven Doors, has brought him back to his home country to document stories on immigration detention. Constantine's work ultimately did make it into well-recognized newspapers. He has published books and won awards, and his work has been exhibited in the halls of the U.S. Capitol Building, but he continues to press forward—guided not by credit lines, but by the desire to grow as a photographer, to be inspired by the people he photographs, and to tell the stories that demand to be told. Join us for this inspiring conversation. Guest: Greg Constantine Photograph: Greg Constantine

The two-day Depth of Field Conference, hosted by B&H, was an impressive gathering of wedding and portrait photographers, each sharing their unique talents, styles, and techniques with a receptive crowd. We had our microphones ready to speak with some of the photographers before and after their presentations, and offer here our conversations with four exceptional photographers. We chose these four not only because their work is impeccable, but because they possess distinct views on the aesthetics and business of wedding photography. We start with Andy Marcus, of Fred Marcus Studios, one of the preëminent wedding-photography studios in New York, whose clientele includes celebrities, CEOs—and even Presidents and their daughters. With Marcus, we discuss keeping a family business running across three generations, how to work huge weddings, keeping A-list clients satisfied, and the importance of consistency. Next, we are joined by Sara France, of France Photographers, who has taken her business from a "girl with a camera" to a full-service studio with branches in California, Texas, and Hawaii. We speak about how to expand your business across states, the advantages of a woman-run enterprise, and how to best utilize the "blue hour." France is Sony's most recent "Artisan of Imagery," so we also speak about her use of the Sony Alpha series cameras and continuous lighting. After a break, we are joined by Laurent Martin of Helena & Laurent Photography, a Bay Area-based husband-and-wife team who create straight-up gorgeous wedding photos. With Laurent, we discuss presets, using natural light, the joys of the wedding day, and how to embrace the chaos that comes with those joys. The success of this duo is seen in their ability to work together seamlessly, find the magical in small moments, and the lushness of their final product. Finally, we speak with Sal Cincotta, a St. Louis-based photographer whose list of accomplishments as a wedding photographer would take a second page to list. He and his team work throughout the country, and he is also an in-demand author and educator and expert on all forms of lighting. He speaks with us about the importance of constantly improving your craft and finding the time to do so. Despite the varied approaches to wedding photography offered by each of our guests, one theme reoccurred in each of the conversations: the need to use your photography to tell the story of each wedding. Guests: Andy Marcus, Sara France, Laurent Martin, Sal Cincotta Photograph ©Fred Marcus Studio

Appropriately, this is our Mother's Day episode, and our title borrows Maya Angelou's description of her mother from "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." Photographer Elinor Carucci struck us with some of her own perfect power during this week's recording of the B&H Photography Podcast. I doubt much stands in her way, but there's a calm too—born of family support, nurtured by maturity, and assured with the confidence that comes from presenting yourself to the world, warts and all—in other words, from "putting yourself out there." Our talk today is about her photography, particularly her fine art work as represented in her books, Closer, from 2002, and Mother, from 2013. Both works are an exploration of motherhood and family, the first centered on her own mother and, the later book, on herself as a mother, and her children. We do speak about her photographic style and technique, we talk about editing decisions, camera settings, lighting, macro lenses, and how to recreate "spontaneous" moments, but the heart of our conversation is motherhood and family and how an artist portrays family and self, particularly in a manner as personal and intimate as Carucci's. If you know her work, there should be little surprise that, in conversation, she is candid and open about her process, her talents and her flaws. We talk about burning negatives, authorship, influences that come from strange corners, and just how difficult it is to make a good photo. If you are looking for a "Hallmark moment," this may not be the episode for you, but if you enjoy an engaged, introspective and, at times, hilarious conversation about art, family, and culture, then settle in for this Mother's Day present, wrapped for photographers everywhere. Products mentioned: Canon EOS 5DS DSLR Camera Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM Lens Profoto ProHead Plus Flash Head with Zoom Reflector Guest: Elinor Carucci Photograph ©Elinor Carucci, Courtesy Edwynn Houk Gallery

B&H Photo recently hosted the two-day Depth of Field Portrait, Wedding, and Event Photography Conference, in New York City, and invited many talented, experienced photographers to speak and show work. The conference also included representatives from most of the major camera, lens, and lighting companies. We set up our mics close to the main stage, grabbed vendors as they passed by and spoke with them about their latest and greatest offerings for photographers and videographers. For this week's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we have edited together a sampling of our conversations with the following manufacturers: Nikon, Pentax/Ricoh, Westcott, Sony, Sigma, Luxli, Canon, LG, TogTees, Godox, Leica, and Adobe. It's a long one, but we have blended a bit of elucidation with some humor and, hopefully, created an informative and enjoyable show. Join us, por favor. Guests: Lindsay Silverman, Nikon (01:16) Ken Curry, Ricoh/Pentax (03:15) David Piazza, Westcott (08:16) Lavonne Hall, Adobe (16:35) Jason Mantell, Sony (22:20) Marc Farb, Sigma (36:24) Casey Krugman, Luxli (45:06) Rudy Winston, Canon (53:04) Gregg Lee, LG (01:00:54) Pano Kalogeropoulos, TogTees (01:10:14) Stephen Gomez, Godox (01:18:32) John Kreidler, Leica (01:25:49)

The simple theme for today's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast was to be "how to speak to people in the street when you'd like to take their photo." For this conversation, we invited two of the best street portraitists in New York—Amy Touchette and FUJIFILM X-Photographer Ruddy Roye, both incredibly talented photographers (and writers!) whose work has appeared in the New York Times, New Yorker, Time, Esquire, and many other publications. They are both also very active on Instagram, with work that seems ideally suited for the best that medium has to offer. However, as good conversations often do, ours takes a winding road. We discuss personal and family histories, gentrification, race, and a range of subjects, all along tying these ideas to the fundamental aspects of engaging with people, often strangers, to produce passionate and compassionate street photography. We ask our guests how they approach people, how they describe their work when asking for a photograph, and about the importance of body language and eye contact to convey your intention and develop trust. We also examine the differences in approach when photographing people from cultural and economic backgrounds different than your own, when shooting groups of people and, finally, we discuss how to handle pushback, requests for money, outright rejections, and even upsetting encounters. For the gearheads, we touch on working with formats from medium format to cellphone, and how that effects your approach and the interaction with your subjects. Join us for this inspiring conversation. Guests: Amy Touchette and Ruddy Roye Photograph © Amy Touchette Host: Allan Weitz Senior Creative Producer: John Harris Producer: Jason Tables

We took our mics to a basement laboratory on East 30 Street, in Manhattan, where legend tells of a scientist and his cohort who perform ungodly experiments, attempting to bring life to subjects long considered dead. What we found rattled the nerves of even our steely host Allan Weitz, and brought us to a new consideration of what can be done when modern Prometheans fuse technologies from diverse eras to create extraordinary tools for their photographic purposes. On this week's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we speak with Geoffrey Berliner, Executive Director of the Penumbra Foundation, and Frank Rubio, the Camera Doctor, about the many "frankencameras" they have created together. In fact, they displayed six examples of their work for us. We talk about each one, most being antique view cameras modified with brass portrait lenses, modern flash systems, or for digital capture. We explain the provenance of the cameras and lenses, the process of "repurposing" them, and the practical applications for these modifications. Each of these cameras is put into regular use at Penumbra, primarily in their tintype studio, and we discuss Scovill, Graflex, and stereo carte de visite cameras; Cooke, Fox, and Hermagis lenses, and even Sony a7 cameras and Canon Selphy printers. For images of the cameras and lenses, go to our landing page. We also speak with Berliner about his impressive lens collection, with Rubio about learning camera repair in the Army, and about their motivations and collaboration. Rubio, having worked in some of the best camera houses in New York, has established a reputation as a skilled and meticulous craftsman, trusted by artists, pros, and collectors alike, and Berliner is a walking encyclopedia of camera and photography history. Join us for this insightful conversation, which leaves only one question unanswered—which of the two is the true Dr. Frankencamera? Guests: Frank Rubio and Geoffrey Berliner Host: Allan Weitz Senior Creative Producer: John Harris Producer: Jason Tables

The "Day to Night" series that Stephen Wilkes has been working on for several years has received much deserved attention and has grown from its New York roots to encompass locations in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. These photographs, which capture a full 24-hour cycle in one frame are awe-inspiring when viewed as a whole; fascinating when analyzed in detail, and monumental when considered as a production. On today's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we speak with Stephen Wilkes and Bette Wilkes, his wife, business manager, and the behind-the-scenes producer of these incredible photographs. Our conversation is easy-going and bounces back and forth between Mr. and Ms. Wilkes, accentuating their intertwined working relationship. With Mr. Wilkes, we speak of the genesis of the project and the influences he finds in the paintings of the Dutch Masters and the Hudson River School. We also discuss his process, which is both physically and technically demanding. He tells of assembling a "realtime puzzle", a desire to "get lost" in the moment, and ultimately how his images are "a representation of his memory" from the day and place. With Ms. Wilkes, we take up the knotty and time-consuming process of arranging a shoot that will last more than twenty-four continuous hours in some of the world's busiest and most desolate locations. We discuss many photographs, but concentrate on two images from the "Day to Night" series to highlight their complicated productions—the first is a photograph of New York City's Flatiron Building and, in the second half of the show, we visit a watering hole in the Serengeti Plain. To see these images, please visit our website, and, if you are in Washington D.C. prior to April 29, 2018, check out the "Day to Night" exhibit at the National Geographic Museum, and keep your eye out for the upcoming book to be published by Taschen. Guests: Stephen Wilkes and Bette Wilkes Photograph ©Stephen Wilkes Host: Allan Weitz Senior Creative Producer: John Harris Producer: Jason Tables

March 29 is now the official National Vietnam War Veterans Day, set aside to "observe with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities" the commemoration of the war. More important than commemorating a war is to commemorate the service, in some cases the ultimate service, that soldiers gave their nation. For our part, we commemorate with what we know—photography—and on today's episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we talk about photography created by U.S. servicemen during their time in Vietnam. We begin with David Parks who, in 1968, published a book about his experience in Vietnam, titled GI Diary. The book includes excerpts of the diary he kept and personal photos he took while in the army. Mr. Parks, who is the son of famed photographer Gordon Parks, dropped out of college knowing that he was likely to be drafted. He saw front-line combat and documented his experiences, in text and image, from the viewpoint of an African-American "grunt." We speak with Mr. Parks about his ability to photograph in such a challenging situation, about the gear he used, how he processed film, if he considered his work photojournalism, and how his diaries came to be one of the first books ever published about the Vietnam War. On the second half of our program, we welcome Kendra Rennick, of The Vietnam Slide Project. When a friend employed her help to organize a collection of photos taken by her late father, a project was born. That project took on a life, and Ms. Rennick started an archive of "slides" taken only by soldiers who served in Vietnam. Many of these images reflect the more mundane aspects of army life, but are a rare glimpse into the lives and concerns of soldiers, some on their very first trip out of the States. We speak with Ms. Rennick about the organization of her project, its future, and the relationships she has developed with the veterans and families who donate their imagery. Guests: David Parks and Kendra Rennick Photograph ©C.R. Foster, courtesy The Vietnam Slide Project Host: Allan Weitz Senior Creative Producer: John Harris Producer: Jason Tables

If you follow photography industry news, two words that may have caught your attention recently are "Kodak" and "cryptocurrency," and the fact that they were in the same sentence might just have caused you to sit up and click. There was an outburst of opinion filling the blogosphere after the January announcement that KODAK and WENN Digital had entered into a brand-licensing agreement to launch KODAKOne, an image rights management platform, and KODAKCoin, a photo-centric cryptocurrency. The worlds of cryptocurrency and blockchain, the distributed ledger technology supporting many virtual currencies, are arcane, but merging one of the most recognized brands in photography with these new platforms and adding into the mix a potential fix for the image licensing business brought not only a lot of opinion, but a good deal of confusion. On this episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we hope to shed light on the situation and to do so we sit with the principals behind KODAKOne and experts on both blockchain technology and image-rights licensing. We welcome Jan Denecke, the CEO of KODAKOne, and Volker Brendel, their CTO, to this discussion. We are also joined by attorney Andrew Hinkes, a professor at New York University and author of more than twenty articles on blockchain technologies and virtual currency, and Maria Kessler, the former president of Digital Media Licensing Association and an expert in stock photography and digital-image licensing. Join us for this rousing conversation in which we get firsthand information on KODAKOne's business plans, insight on how the blockchain will affect photographer's interests, and a general sense of what we can buy with a KODAKCoin. Guests: Jan Denecke, Volker Brendel, Andrew Hinkes, and Maria Kessler Host: Allan Weitz Senior Creative Producer: John Harris Producer: Jason Tables